Distance

6.0 km to summit

15.5 km total

Elevation

21 m start

1,248 m max

Vertical

1,202 m gain

Time

4 hr 23 min to summit

7 hr 36 min total

We had an amazing day out on the mountain, on a beautiful route. 15km out and back (+-8h)

Route Description:
We started our long day out after parking opposite the Kogel Bay Resort, in front of a few buildings with set-out parking for visitors on a grass stretch (outside the fenced area). Following the Klipspringer trail for a short while, a big rock and some cairns showed the way to the left and up a gradual long climb with a fair amount of zig-zags (on the first section of zig-zags, there is a shortcut straight up the mountain that should be avoided, as it is causing erosion). After about 700m of elevation gain, you will meet up with a jeep track on the plateau. Follow the jeep track until you see a few cairns on the right side of the jeep track, leading on to the mountain (from here there is no path, following cairns and slight bundu bashing is what will lie ahead for the next 2-3km). Following the cairns into the mountain will lead you to an overgrown straight path which has clearly been man-made quite a while ago. Keep an eye out for a big cairn on the right side of the old path, as this shows the way right, straight up the mountain. This is the steepest section, with some route and cairn finding, as you make your way through the low bushes and rock hopping. The cairns will lead you past the 'crack', which is quite an interesting geological feature. Keep going up until you are on the ridgeline, which will lead the way to the peak. The last section of the ridge gets quite narrow, but there is more than enough space on the left to safely make your way up to the top.

Route name

Clarence Drive up Klipspringer Trail

out-and-back
Obstacles

routefinding, bushwhacking

Key gear

no info yet