Eight adventurous souls embarked on a weekend hike in the Northern Cederberg, setting off early on a rainy Thursday the 27th April. Despite encountering a minor setback when one vehicle broke down outside Clanwilliam, our spirits remained high. With a tow from Charles and a mechanic’s reassurance, we resumed our journey, only to face another breakdown on the first gravel pass. Determined to continue, we organized a tow back to Clanwilliam and had the other vehicle shuttle us to our starting point at Heuningvlei. After a day filled with unexpected twists, we finally arrived at Heuningvlei hut in a light drizzle at 5pm. Our enthusiasm to explore the wilderness remained unshaken, and we eagerly planned the adventures ahead that evening.
The following morning, we rose early and embarked on our journey towards Middel-Krakadouw by 8:30. Despite a brief moment of confusion where we lost the trail soon after leaving camp, we quickly regained our bearings and made good progress. The breathtaking views over Boskloof from the nek between Groot and Middel Krakadouw rewarded our efforts. The next part of the climb posed a more significant challenge, featuring challenging scrambles that warmed us up before a final, daunting, C-grade pitch onto the summit block. As the weather began to worsen, we sought shelter towards Klein Krakadouw, where we indulged in a well-deserved lunch.
Our exploration continued as we conquered both summits of Klein Krakadouw, taking the opportunity to investigate the numerous tunnels and cracks along the way. The descent proved rough and bushy, but our efforts paid off when we discovered a well-preserved bushman painting right at the spot where we rejoined the trail.
Saturday’s destination was Groot-Krakadouw, and we welcomed two late arrivals, Elizna and Barend, who joined our group on Friday afternoon. Progressing swiftly, we ascended the peak and reached the intricate maze-like summit. Here, Ezan and Lize took charge of navigation with map and GPS in hand. Thanks to their guidance, we successfully visited both main summits in good time and enjoyed a delightful lunch with breathtaking views. Afterward, the group divided: the main party headed towards the south peak while a rogue element ventured northward, mumbling something about “arches”. There was a short delay for the splinter group as Mark got himself stuck on the Slug’s head, but the rest of us (barring Lize) ignored his plight and soon found ourselves on Krakadouw South. The descent was a bit more exploratory, delaying our progress slightly, but we eventually found our way back on track. We descended quickly, returning shortly after 17:00 to discover the splinter group already settled and relishing numerous cups of tea.
Sunday marked our first true off-piste adventure as we set off towards Cedar Peak. We left the rogue elements behind, who preferred a leisurely stroll along an established path. Initially following a jeep track, we sought the “best” line up the mountain. Eventually, we reached a shallow kloof, which took us to the mountain’s base. From there, the terrain became rougher, and we encountered a few close calls with falling boulders.
The summit of Cedar Peak proved to be a captivating playground of tunnels and exciting scrambles, giving us ample entertainment. Following a satisfying lunch, we decided to forgo climbing Chisel Peak and instead traversed across the slopes of Groot Krakadouw, aiming to find Ezan’s “easy” descent route. Although we couldn’t locate it, we stumbled upon a remarkable little slot canyon and marveled at the many impressive Cedar trees. Upon reaching the stream flowing off of Groot Krakadouw, the only sensible members of our group, Charles and myself, indulged in a very refreshing dip in its pools. A short while later, we were at camp and a very rewarding long weekend in the mountains drew to a close.