Another perfect winter morning greeted thirteen hikers from the MCSA and ComeHike communities as we gathered at the Lower Cableway Station at 07:30 for a day on Table Mountain.
We began along the familiar Contour Path before turning off and making our way steadily upward through Yellowstone Gully. The group made good progress and we reached our break spot in just an hour and a half, an impressive pace that gave everyone a chance to rest and prepare for the more technical terrain ahead.
From there, we continued onto the tunnels, cracks and narrow ledges that make the Right Face and Arrow Face Traverse such a memorable adventure. The route demanded careful footwork, steady focus and confidence on exposed terrain, with spectacular views over the City Bowl providing a constant backdrop as we made our way towards India Venster.
The group was exceptionally strong and moved confidently through the technical sections, making light work of the traverse. In fact, we completed the entire traverse in lightning-fast time, marking the second combined MCSA and ComeHike meet in a row where the group finished well ahead of schedule.
We were off the mountain shortly before 11:00, and later that afternoon, a vegetation fire broke out above Kloofnek Corner, close to the Lower Cableway Station. It was a sobering reminder of how quickly conditions can change on the mountain.
Right Face and Arrow Face delivered everything we could have hoped for: fantastic company, technical scrambling, exposed terrain and spectacular views across one of Table Mountain’s most rewarding traverses.
Photos by: Murray Letcher, Carla Hills, Osman Khan, Catherine Crane, Wimpie Immelman, Carl Combrinck, Stefan Prinsloo, Taryn Immelman, Charl Swart
