The Darker side of mountains

From epics to tragedies - mountaineering and climbing - all said and done, involves risks and risk taking. It is the nature of the game, and without it the rules of engagement would invariably be changed.

Life is about taking risks. It is an integral and important part in our development as people, and often the gate way to achievement and success. In climbing, the concept of risk and reward is so much more than metaphorical, it is very real.

There were weeks where I would dread the thought of publishing yet another accident, or death in the world climbing news. Unfortunately the press can sometimes be more interested in the gory stories of accidents and rescues, than when someone climbs something new or exceptional, fueling the sense that mountaineering and climbing is very ‘doom and gloom’, and unnecessarily dangerous.

But accidents do happen, and we hold in our hearts the many who have lost their lives doing what they love so much. Here in South Africa, during the lifespan of Superclimb, who can forget Duncan Elliot, Hannes Esterhuisen and in most recently Bob Woods and Heinrich Kahl, to name a few.

May we tread carefully in the hills. May we honour the mountains and the risks we take when we enter into their realm.

In 2001, I ventured into the dragon’s lair and very nearly came short while descending the peak Mponjwane in the Drakensberg with 5 other friends. On reflection I published an article on learnings and thoughts post the climb.

It is one of the few articles people have come back to me years later and spoken of, even requested. So here it is again, apologies to those who requested it earlier and have had to wait until now for a republish.

Mponjwane-made to epic

Duncan Souchon looks at why major berg peaks turn into hectic and sometimes tragic epics.

Mponjwane- A nasty but spectacular looking 3117m high pillar of freestanding basalt situated a mere hundred or so metres clear of the Natal Drakensberg escarpment, but with a 500 metre abyss separating the two geological features. The north face over looking the rolling hills of Kwa Zulu Natal drops off for more than a thousand metres into the Mweni valley below. Sound like a recipe for an epic?

Having climbed Mponjwane last weekend with a couple of friends, this article looks at why ‘berg epics’ on these large peaks are so frequent, and what one can possibly do to keep them to a minimum. That is, if you want to avoid epics…

Our party spent about 21 hours straight climbing/mountaineering from the time we left the Mponjwane cave at 7am, until our return just before 4am the following day. The cave is situated opposite the peak on the escarpment edge, and can be seen for most of the climb. You may say that this a ridiculously long time to climb a peak that the ‘route guide’ implies will take 5 hours up and 2 hours down….

So lets examine the nature of our mini expedition in light of our supposedly slow performance:

Size of group: Our team consisted of six climbers. This number is possibly too big. Even though we climbed as two teams of three climbers, the first couple of hundred metres follows one line, and as a result the second party was always about an hour behind. Furthermore, abseiling time becomes exponentially longer, with lots of people milling around doing nothing for extended periods of time. The abseil or belay stations become crowded, and a lack of responsibility to take initiative can creep in.

For the original party of two climbers in 1946, two hours to ab off means SIX hours for our six climbers. Leaving the summit at 4.30pm, this implies our team would only reach the bottom of the climb at 10.30 that evening, provided none of the ropes got jammed and the like. The epic begins to loom…

The outcome: A team of three move a lot quicker, and three is always safer than two, in the advent of one person falling ill or injuring themselves. Four makes for complicated rope work or two entire racks, and anything above five takes too long.

Walk in: Mponjwane stands at the head of the Mweni Cutback, one of the most remote and rugged parts of the mountains. From the taxi drop off (as there are no hotels or Parks Board campsites or shelters), a twenty-kilometre walk in through the local homesteads on rural and cattle paths is the most direct and feasible route. A height gain of over one and a half kilometres must be climbed to reach the top of the Rockeries Pass, 20 minutes or so from Mponjwane cave.

These types of long walk-ins with large amounts of gear tire your party out and often result in the climbers being bugged before they even start on the route. Often arriving late means an ‘oversleep’ the next day, resulting in a late start, which invariably means an epic in the dark.

The outcome: Allow a lot of time. Train beforehand for a long strenuous walk-in with heavy packs. Take an alarm clock (because you’re likely to snooze until its too late). An alternative is to catch a helicopter. Some ardent berg climbers would say this is ‘just not cricket’, but it does allow you to start fresh on the climb and focus on the route. Our team flew in from Cathedral Peak Hotel. Apart from the energy saving factor, the views are spectacular. It is pricey though and I can’t see any of us making a habit of the luxury. Hard training seems to be the more likely option!

Leaving time, and time of year: Our group left the cave at about 7am. This is about four hours too late. Leaving at 3am means arriving at the first pitch at first light. This is when the weather is most stable. Especially at this time of year, the weather deteriorates quickly, and often by 9am you are deep inside the clouds. From midday thunderstorms can hit at any time. Our party got caught in a thunderstorm at last light, which continued all through the night.

The peak, being the highest point in the area, got most of the lightning. We could feel the charge as the peak on got hit again and again. Not a good place to be with a rack full of metal on your back! Once our ropes were wet, they became heavy and tangled. Rope retrieval became more difficult and we had to rescue our ropes on a number of time-consuming occasions. Once it was dark (and raining) finding the abseil stations became nearly impossible, and we found ourselves in an ever-downward spiral.

The outcome: Make an early start. Ideally you want to summit in the late morning. Preferably climb in the drier winter months. Although the days are shorter, the weather is far more stable and pleasant. Observe your cut off time. (I know this is especially hard).

The approach: The approach to the base of Mponjwane is especially long and complicated. Not all berg climb approaches are as much of a mission. The ideal plan is to arrive early the day before and rekkie the approach. This will allow you to plan how much time you need to put aside the following morning, as well as allowing you to familiarize yourself with the way in. You can also set up any fixed ropes that may assist you as you access the climb.

This concept also gives you chance to scout out the first pitches of the route. It is amazing how much faster you move once you know exactly where to go. Remember for a peak like Mponj you need to climb back up in the evening, and so eventhough the route guide says two hours down, you’re going to need another hour and a half to get back up to the cave.

The outcome: Thorough preparation.

Gear and clothing: For a peak of this ‘seriousness’ you cannot compromise in terms of gear or clothing. Two fifty metre ropes are essential for making the ab stations, and all hardware is used at some point or another. Eventhough the route is not that technically difficult, the rock is basalt, and that means rotten and dangerous. Climbing on minimal gear is dodgy because of the unstable nature of the rock, not because of ability.

Clothing should always include a jersey of sorts and a full over shell. Some of our party were caught without these items thinking it was summer and would be warm. Once we were drenched in the storm, the cold quickly overcame most of us. We knew to stop moving may mean hypothermia. Again, this is not ideal. A bivvy bag, space blanket or survival bag may have been a lifesaver.

The outcome: Don’t be fooled into believing the berg cannot produce severe weather at anytime of year. Go prepared for the worst.

Mountain Experience: Our team pooled mountain experience from the Caucasus’ Mountains in Russia to the French Alps in Europe, and from the Tien Shan in the Himalayas to the Mount Kenya in Eastern Africa. This experience runs deep when things get tough. Knowledge of your ability and limits also allows you to push factors like cut off times and climbing through severe weather. Most importantly though, is the knowledge that you can and will survive.

The outcome: The berg can be as serious as any other mountain range, and so solid mountain experience is essential. No matter how much you adhere to the above suggestions, the fact is that to climb in the mountains means you will epic, and probably more often than not. So go prepared. If you are unsure of your ability, rather train some more, the mountains aren’t going anywhere. And if you are starting out, take someone who knows, it may save your skin.

Images: Mponjwane (M Pearse); Title: Makalu