3 Peaks 3 Provinces in 24 hrs Challenge

I love mountains, they make me happy and if you have been reading my blogs you will know that by now. I am by no means a great mountaineer nor am I a mean athlete, just an average woman who grew up mostly in rural Africa, now in her fifties who just happens to love going on adventures, pushing out the boundaries of what society believes we should or shouldn't be doing and loving it. I will never be a great mountaineer due to the limit a severe back injury holds over me. At 18 I was in a water skiing accident and was hit by a boat and got caught in the propellers. I had a near drowning incident, broke my neck and injured my back. Long story short I am lucky to be alive and to be able to walk and yes everyday I am in pain, but I appreciate every step I take, it is a gift I nearly lost. I embrace life and all that it throws at me, the good and the bad. I write blogs because I enjoy the freedom writing gives me, I enjoy putting my adventures on paper as a record of what I have done, it reminds me of how far I have come from that fateful day. Whether people read them or not is not really the point because I write for my future grandchildren, so when I am not around, they will have a living story of who and what their batshit crazy grandmother was about, and thus I hope to inspire them to never stop dreaming and making their dreams a reality. Through my adventures I hope to inspire other women (and men) to get off their butts and couches, leave the telly behind and explore their back yards and the outdoors. There is a whole world waiting out there for you. It will not come to you, you need to go out and find it. I will never be everyone's cup of tea, nor will everyone read my blogs, but if I can inspire just one person to go out and explore and it becomes a life changing experience for them, I have done what I set out to do and for me that is pretty cool.

Back to the 3 peaks-3 Provinces-24hrs Challenge. A spin off from our SA 9 Peaks 2014 challenge with Adventure with a Purpose and Adventure Dynamics. Last year we packaged mini adventures ideas to allow the working person, or people with limited time and fitness levels to be able to enjoy the SA 9 Peaks challenge even it it were only part of it. We put the original challenge together in 2014. It is tackled over a period of 10 to 12 days. The challenges are grouped in such a way that those who would like to take part in a mountain challenge but cannot physically take on the really big SA mountains, can still explore South Africa by climbing up some of the "easier ones". The smaller mountains you can tackle on your own but if you are inexperienced then the bigger mountains which are very isolated, should be tackled with a group of people who can get you up and back down safely in one piece. Most times people are so busy and stressed with life that having someone else put their adventure together is less stressful and allows you to just get on with the adventure itself without worrying about all the planning and safety worries.

Yesterday my old friend Vaughan Patterson (60's) and my sister Tracey (late 40's) and me (50's) set off to try this challenge out and look at various variations. I woke up at 1h50 collected my sister and drove to Vaughn's place. I left my car at his house and we traveled in his very comfie SUV. We left a very fresh and chilly Jozi (Johannesburg), at 03h00 on the dot and headed off into the darkness. We stopped at a petrol station along the way to go to the loo and to have breakfast (we packed and prepared enough food for an army) from the boot of our car. Vaughn's wife Jenny had made some delicious spicy chicken legs and sausages which we saved for lunch- (thank you Jenny!!). We had our yogurt, fruit and some fresh hot coffee (Vaughn loves his very strong and good coffee, so my Frisco was not going to cut it for him!). We felt refreshed and got going.

It was still dark as we made our way after breakfast. The first bits of light started to streak lazily against the sky as dawn started to break in a very beautiful fashion.

I previously completed a sunset summit of Iron Crown a while back, but never a sunrise, so I was hoping we would be in time. The roads had now got really bad with many potholes which had forced us to slow down a fair amount. Daylight was now erupting with a burning sun appearing behind the mountains, her rays teasing the landscape and offering the potential of warmth after the cold wintry night. Slowly the world beneath her golden rays was waking up to another day in Africa.

We arrived at the foot of the mountains and our GPS took us around the back of the mountain range. The first time I summited Iron Crown we came from the opposite direction. The sun was starting to rise as we made our slow way along the dusty roads through the township. We had to drive around many cows with very large horns, several pigs and chickens who did not always want to move out our way. Africa at its best. The mountains were shrouded in mist and layers and layers of "blue" mountains dotted the landscape creating a never ending mountain landscape, it was truly breathtaking.

It was really great to drive along the steep and windy dirt roads and look down into the valleys, something I had not seen the first time. We were chasing the rising sun, the dancing light and shadows over the ridges and valleys. Winding through forests with tall trees shrouded in mist turning golden as the sun crept into their sleeping forest floors. The smell of strong pine needles was filling the air combined with the dust. The area really needed some good rains to settle all the dust.

There was only one other car on the road leaving behind him a huge dust trail that created the only disturbance to the very quiet and calm visual masterpiece before us.

The co-ordinates we put into the GPS seem to be a a little off, but we could see the huge metal antennae and I immediately recognized the little road that leads into the forest. We turned into the road and parked the car. Its an uphill walk and can be a bit challenging so early in the morning when the body is still waking up. The morning was fresh and dew was on most of the plants and shrubs as we made our way up.

We had got to Iron Crown, Limpopo highest Peak at 07h22. It took us a round trip of 1 hr (23 mins charging up to the top - Vaughn is fit!!!). 2.1 km one way. It took us about 15 mins or so to run back downhill into the forest where the car was parked. It was rather chilly and some changes had been made since I was last there. For one down on our right stood several new silver shacks that had been erected. Their shiny metal sheets were on fire as the sun was coming up along side us. Smoke was coming from one of the dwellings as its occupants got ready for their day ahead. Not sure why they are there. Further along as we went around the corner towards the last stretch we found another more permanent dwelling where a bakkie was parked. Perhaps a forest ranger?.

We pressed on ahead and then made our way over the flat rocks and scrambled to the top. The views were not disappointing and for a small amount of effort you are rewarded with breathtaking views and thrust into another world of fantasy and incredible beauty. I love Africa and her mountains and never get tired of them. They are truly a treasure to behold and explored. For Vaughn and Tracey this was their first summit of Iron Crown. We spend a fair amount of time up here watching the sun rise up higher and taking all of God amazing creation in.

08h20 we were back on the road and made our way back down the mountain pass, through dusty rural roads and villages. Africa was showing off and we continued to drove over rolling hills and mountains to De Berg, the highest peak in Mpumalanga.

We traveled through a stunning pass and passed many taxi's and trucks along the way. We were really surprised that the road was so busy. It slowed us down somewhat as on road like this you cannot simply pass the big trucks due to the many blind corners and condition of the roads.

The landscape changed in that not only did we have rolling hills, mesas and butts but now littered on both sides of the road were clumps gnarled rocky outcrops, the rocks twisted in strange and eiry forms. It was if a Jurassic creature had run wild here millions of years ago gnashing out at Mother Nature, tearing at the landscape, chewing it up and spitting it out along the plains. A very strange, unique and contrasting landscape.

We were running low on fuel and needed to find a filling station. We finally asked one of the locals and found a rural petrol station. We were told to take a short right then short left and we will find it. We did find it eventually, tucked away behind other buildings and markets and certainly not visible from the road.

There were many markets with live stock and fresh produce for sale and we realized that here many had been paid and that was why everything was so busy. Once filled up we continued our journey to our next peak.

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The roads suddenly became better and we were able to make up for lost time. The tarred road gained in altitude as it made its windy way through some passes.

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Some interesting mountain facts: The Drakensberg escarpment stretches for over 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) from the Eastern Cape Province in the South, then successively forms, in order from south to north, the boarder between Lesotho and the Eastern Cape and then the boarder between Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal Province. From here it forms the boarder between KZN and the Free Sate Province. Further up it marks the border between KZN and Mpumalanga Province where we find the breathtakingly unique features of the Blyde River Canyon, Three Rondavels and God's Window - all places that I frequently visited when my father was the Game Warden for the old Mount Sheba Nature Reserve, when I was a little girl. It then moves north above Tzaneen in the Limpopo Province and includes the Wolkberg mountains and Iron Crown Mountains at 2 200m (7200ft) above sea level. The Wolkberg is the highest mountain range in Limpopo. It then moves west again and at Mokopane where it becomes the Strydpoort Mountains. Who would have though that the mighty Drakensberg mountains spread so far? The Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Lesotho Drakensberg all have hard erosion resistant upper surfaces and this results in there very rugged appearances combined with the steep sided blocks and pinnacles, hence the name "Barrier of up-pointed spears".

We spotted De Berg on our right, we could see the big antennae planted on its summit. Crazy that so many of our stunning mountains have metal beasts plastered all over them. It a real shame really but that is the sacrifice we have to make I suppose for the gift and convenience of technology

The rolling hills went on forever as we continued to drive, rising several metres in elevation. It was really beautiful and great to see the countryside during the day with is very blue skies and building huge white clouds.

Our GPS co-ords were spot on this time and we arrived at the locked gate at 12h10. Parked the car and walked. The road is tarred and goes on forever. A tough 4.27 km one way, up and down long hills, mostly up hills. So bank on at least an hour there and an hour back (back you still have hills to do) round trip 2 hrs 10 mins for us normal people.

The strangest thing about this road is that its up hill on the way to the summit and uphill on the way back. The first time I summited this peak was in the freezing dark, with mooing cows started by our intrusion to their slumber so close to midnight. Today would be in full sunlight and i was really excited to see what De Berg really looked like in the day!

Today was a far cry from that night I first summited. The sky was a stunning deep blue with fluffy clouds forming stunning patterns. A few flowers showing off along the road and several herds of buck in the distance watching us carefully. The light was reflecting off the little dam and the cows were not bothered by us this time.

Once we got the fenced area with all the antenna, we walked to the right and off the tarred,road and along the grass and rocks - we had to crawl through a barbwire fence,bum in the air. Rather apt when you consider this was an army base and I visions of Platoon paying in my head as we finally scrambled onto our feet (rather slowly I might add - old age is a bitch) and made our way to the summit.

Wow this peak really had spectacular views of distance rolling hills. The stillness with only the wind blowing - the gusts were actually quiet hectic at times bringing with it a rather icy chill. The space was open and vast , so very different than when we did it in the dark. This is a really pretty mountain and the stack of rocks around the summit with their whiteness, paint a beautiful contrast to the dry red and golden winter grasses of the plains below. It is interesting to note that in Mpumalanga, particularly in the Barberton area, rock t formed here form part of the earths first known continent, known as Ur and are among the oldest rocks on the planet. Really cool! Small ground indigenous plants littered around the summit as well as interesting patches of lots of tiny stones.

We decided to walk around the entire base, which is not very bit and come out the other side. The result was that we were treated to stunning 360 degree views of the entire summit.

The wind was howling and it was really cold on the summit and the clouds were building. I thought we might have a storm and we decided we needed to get back to the car and have our lunch before it did rain down on us.

Other than the odd bird and a ladybird that landed on me, there were no other obvious wildlife on the summit, however we could see small herds of antelope in the far distance grazing and enjoying the winter sun.

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That road is long, very long!!

We left the locked gate at 14h20 and made our way to Nooitgedacht - Highest peak in North West province which is on private property and you need to make arrangements with the owners. The area around De Berg towards North West province is big mining country and we found many mines along the way some working and some which looked a bit abandoned. We also found so many quarries that had blasted rock out the side of the mountains leaving gaping wounds in the ancient landscape. Some of the mountains had all but vanished, victim to our human needs. The area suddenly became flatter as we made our way via Pretoria to Hekpoort were we would find our last peak for the challenge.

Dusk was closing in but we were now tired so we stopped for some strong coffee on the Krugersdorp highway and let the owner of Nooitgedacht know our expected time of arrival. We had to pay him R500 each to enter is property.

We made excellent time on tarred roads and freeways arriving to park our car at 17h50 and we were on the peak at 18h00.

A clear shot of Nooitgedacht peak in the distance - you can see the antennae on the top!

We pushed it to make a sunset and nearly twisted an ankle. But wow the views were incredible. On the way up on the left we saw a huge enclosure housing rehabilitating vultures. Their dark silhouette resting on poles up against the setting sun were spectacular, but we were on the run and no time to catch a photo, we needed to get on the summit before the sun sunk any further.

The views over the valley below of Hekpoort and surrounds with Johannesburg and Krugersdorp in the distance are breathtaking. The sun-kissed rocks and vegetation putting on a really good show for us as we ended our 3 peaks 3 provinces challenge, in our case 3 centuries too!! 40's 50's and 60's in style. We felt rather chuffed with ourselves and what a great little weekend adventure anyone can take part in. If we three old farts could do it so can you really!

Summary:

From Jozi to the summit of Nooitgedacht we drove 1200km (well Vaughn did) - it took us 15 hours from 03h00 to 18h00. on foot you will walk 13.46 km - around 3hrs 10 mins (if you are fast walking fit - really fit quicker - if you run it well then whoaaaah you will slice the time - for the unfit add an extra 3 hours to your walking time). The mountains are not hard but take a little effort for incredible and breathtaking views and feelings of achievement. The hardest and most dangerous part of the trip is the long time spent behind the wheel which was almost 11 hours in the car. We hardly stopped - only to pee - old people do that a lot - and ate on the move. If you stop along the way for breakfast and lunch add on another 2 hours to your trip. We have such a beautiful country just waiting to explore and you do not have to spend lots of money. Over seas adventures are really becoming increasingly out of reach for most of us South Africans with our Rand being so weak and the exchange rate which kills you. So why not look closer to home! I have really been very lucky to have now completed these peaks twice and each time I have been completely blown away at how beautiful our country is, warts and all.

There have been several claims of who owns the SA 9 Peaks. To be honest that's like climbing up Kilimanjaro on a new route and now claiming it as your own property. Just plain crazy and egotistic. I believe no one owns our mountains, we are all custodians of them, they are the future of our grandchildren. They should be available to all who would like to explore or take care of them provided you remember to respect the mountains ,take back epic memories and photos and leave behind only your footprints so that your grandchildren can follow your footsteps and enjoy what you just have. The mountains and how we look after them are our biggest living legacy. See you on the mountains!

The Team Zodwa Project ™

Member: FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa)
Member: Vincent de Paul Victory Park (St Charles Catholic Church)

Photo Credits: Kim Williams Copyright

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Warmest