OK, not the top of the world, but at least of South Africa. Mfadi Peak, Drakensberg, 3,451m above sea level (11,320 ft)
We took two days to get up starting in the deepest valley in the center of the picture
Sleeping as close to the vertical part of the escarpment as feasibly possible.
Ready for an early morning assault on the steepest and hardest part of the assent. We were hit by a vicious wind for the first 3 hours of the night along with driving rain… the tents were blown flat to the ground on the windward side. Small wonder we didn’t snap a pole or two.
Almost at the top of the escarpment after we have just exited the narrow pass filled with loose rocks
It's at this point that the altitude really begins to bite… You are breathing like a steam train but still can't seem to get any air just walking up a slight incline.
Camp for night 2. Easily the best cave in the entire Drakensberg. You can pitch at lest 4 or 5 decent sized tents in it and it shelters you from the biting wind and any rain or snow.
The view from the mouth of the cave to the starting point waaaay below.
Dawn begins to break… above the clouds
The view from the mouth completely different from the evening before.
The sun begins to emerge
Painting a splendid tapestry in the clouds.
The assault on the peak finally completed.
Another breathless slog up the last couple of vertical meters in a bone shearing wind, complete with puddle, frozen solid from the rain of two nights before.
At a height of 3,450 meters (11,320 ft), this is the highest peak in South Africa.
But quite doable at 2 days up and 2 days down.