I’ve spent the last few days in an area of Northern Drakensburg (Dragon’s Mountains) known as the Amphitheater, due to the shape and look of the mountains in the area, forming a natural amphitheater. The area is sparsely populated scattered with glistening lakes, lush green grassy meadows, sprouting with wild flowers, and a mountainous wall in the distance which separates South Africa from the Kingdom of Lesotho. These mountains also have fine grass which appears like moss from a distance covering everywhere you see.
I’m setting out for a 9 mile hike to Tugela Falls, the second highest waterfalls in the world. I start at around 7500 ft above sea level and am ascending to a little over 10,000 ft. It’s apparent quickly the low living close to the sea lubber I am that I’m not accustomed to the thin altitude air. I’m stoked as my short hike the day before while in Lesotho, I had zero hip pain and I’m hoping for the same thing today.
The path starts out easy, paved, then turns to small rocks underfoot. I zigzag up the mountain side while the shun shines bright a brisk breeze chills my face as sweat forms down my back. The views once again are breathtaking. Green as far as the eye can see. Tons of thin grass with virtually no trees and an occasional rock outcropping protruding through the surrounding grass. We come to a crevasse between to peaks and the path doesn’t look passable, however the guide sets us up the steep climb over jagged boulders intermixed with loose rocks. I have to make sure I have a firm footing lest I send an avalanche of rocks bouncing over the boulders down the sloop impaling a hiker below. An hour later I summit the top exhausted not from the physical stair stepper exercise but from the lack of air, my chest heaving and heart pounding happy to rest and catch my breath.
I’m now a little over 10,000 ft and on one side of the mesa plateau which I just ascended it’s green, clear and I can see for miles. On the other side there is a steep cliff which drops over a mile straight down, however I can’t see a thing. There is a strong upwind current of air coming vertically up this side of the mountains cliff edge creating a wall of smoke which wisp the cloud moisture straight up forming a wall of foggy wetness. As the vapor rises it begins to swirl in eddies above forming all sort of cloud shapes. I’m disappointed as I hear the view is quite dramatic on this side of the mountain.
We follow the foggy cliff edge over green grassy pastures of moist damp grass and I feel like I’m on the movie set of Lord of the Rings. We get to the spring fed stream of Tugela Falls and sadly I only hear the falls as they pour over the edge into a cloud filled abyss.
On the return route, I realize, I’ve either over done it with two days of hiking and/or the steep decline my hip starts bothering me with every step. As I step down thigh muscles, buttocks, and all the muscles around my pelvis tense and with it as I braise myself acute point pain can be felt. rrrrrr, another reminder of why I’m hear although I’m not going to let it stop me from hiking in such wondrous beauty.
The alternate return route down the mountain side brings us to a cliff edge where a chain rope ladder dangles over the edge. This isn’t for the faint of heart who have lack of appreciation for height (those scared of heights). I love it, as these are the activities which get my spirit racing. There are no safety lines and it’s all up to your own footing and grip to make your way down the ladder as it wobbles under your weight ever so slightly swaying against the rocky cliff ledge.
Down the chain ladders we make our way down the simple cliff ledge path towards our vehicle. Mother nature decided to send us a sudden sign of how quickly things can change in the mountains. We’re only 20 minutes from the truck and the thick fog from the other side of the mountain swarms around us, the wind picks up to 40+ knots, the temperature suddenly drops 30-40 or more degrees. It’s now friged. The windchill is easily below freezing and we can only see a couple feet of path. As we make it to the vehicle ice crystals have formed in everyone’s hair from the fogs moisture. I’m happy this didn’t happen on the way up and that it only occurred towards the end.
All in all it’s been a good day and I really enjoyed the hike even though I didn’t get to see the waterfall. The high wind cold foggy ending was kinda fun as I thaw my hands in the truck realizing how someone could easily get lost, stuck, or worse in a mountain environment. I’m disappointed my hip bothered me (at a tolerable level) on the decent. My spirit is so willing yet the physical isn’t cooperating. I vow to still hike again. I’ll only try one day next time.
