19.6 km to summit
20.5 km total
1,489 m start
3,379 m max
2,084 m gain
31 hr 47 min to summit
13 hr 35 min total
Three day hike out and back to Champaign Castle Peak starting from Monk's Cowl parking lot, to camp 1 at Keith Bush Camp, up Grey's Pass and overnight at camp 2 at iNkosasana Cave on top.
Strongly recommend wearing a helmet towards the top of Grey's Pass. A rock flew past us at the switchbacks narrowly missing us by 2 to 3 meters. The second day on the way down it seemed as if the Dragon had awakened, there were 4 random rock falls thundering within the valley. I also found in the MCSA records that a girl was struck on the head by a rock a few years back. I don't want to dissuade people from hiking the pass but hopefully this advice will help protect somebody one day. Don't feel ashamed using a helmet, it's your life.
There was no water at Keith Bush Camp, (late September). I recommend bringing up water from the last point which is the camp in the valley along the route (on the Mlwazini river). We made use of a still standing but clear little pond at Keith Bush for water. We boiled all of it to be safe, lots of others took a chance and drank straight from the pool and were fine the next day.
There is a perennial stream at the top of Grey's pass which you can rely on.
Views from the top were breathtaking. I'd recommend walking North to the edge of the escarpment to view the Vultures Retreat and The Litter ridgeline running down parallel to the Dragon's Back (ridge line which leads to the top of Grey's pass).
rockfall/loose rock
helmet, trekking poles