Hi Everyone
MONDAY HILL RUN
My intention was to meet at Platteklip car park at 17h15 this evening and then head over to Union Ravine / Cave along the contour path and then go up Yellowstone Gully to get a view of the Africa Amphitheatre from the other side (compared to last week). However, I seem to have picked up a mild stomach bug (why is it always 02h00?) and am feeling a little weak today so I will probably have to postpone. If there are any interested parties, please would you drop me an email during the day anyway and perhaps we can make a call later in the day if I am feeling stronger. Please RSVP so I can communicate with you individually. I will not send out another general email to all with the details later today.
SATURDAY 21 JANUARY 2012 - INDIA-VENSTER / MACLEARS BEACON / DAMS / WOODY RAVING or CORRIDOR RAVING / PIPE TRACK
Start Time and Place
We will start at 06h30 from the Lower Cable Station on Tafelberg Road. To be more specific, just as you get to the cable station building there is a coach parking area / turning area. Just at the start of this parking area you will see a path (sign posted) leading up onto the mountain. We will gather at the start of this path.
The Route
From the cable station we head up straight beneath the cables to the contour path. Straight across the contour path and head up and around Venster Buttress and across the top of India Ravine to the scrambley bits. Up the scrambles, now peppered with solid steel staples which make it no worse than climbing a ladder (if the ladder is perched on the edge of a mountain). Just above the scrambles we bear right and around the Camps Bay side of the mountain to Fountain Ledge and Fountain Ravine and pop out at the cairn at the top of Platteklip Gorge. From there it is a relatively flat canter over to Maclears Beacon. We then take to the Smuts Track and head down in the direction of Window Gorge but then take a path off to the right which leads to Echo Valley. At the first major intersection we retrace our steps a few meters and hopefully look at the Disas in the little dell under the footbridge. Then it’s back to the intersection, turn left, do a short climb and then a long, gentle drop down to Dams. We then take the old railway track to the Apostles Spine Path where we turn left and then probably right and down Woody Ravine. However, some doubts have been raised about the suitability of Woody Ravine as it has been closed for a while. Anyone been down recently? Feedback? If it is unsuitable, we will choose between Kasteelspoort (yuck!) and Corridor Ravine (preferable but more distance). From there it is a few kms of Pipe Track back to the cars.
The Strategy
We are going to try and fully utilise the services of Jane Holdcroft while she is available. What we will try and do is split the group in two. I will lead one and Jane (subject to her final approval) will lead the other. Both groups will be medium-ish paced but one will be slightly faster and will not stop and regroup nearly as often as the other. Let’s call that Jane’s Group. The other group will still do a reasonable pace (we don’t want to be out there all day) but will regroup fairly regularly so that no-one gets abandoned.
Please decide beforehand which group you want to be in. If in any doubt as to your ability to keep up with the faster group, please stick with my group instead.
Distance
In all honesty I don’t really know but would estimate about 20km.
Running Time
3 1/2 to 4 hours
Difficulty
This is quite a tough run. Having said that, the only really big climb is at the beginning. From just after the Platteklip summit cairn there is tons of downhill and flat with one small climb from Echo Valley over to the Dams and then the possibility of some speed bumps on the Apostle Spine Path depending on how far we go and on the Pipe Track but nothing serious.
Important Notes
1. Water is crucial on this run. Bring as much as you can carry. 2 litres as an absolute minimum. I will carry 3 litres for myself. Be well hydrated before you start. There is very little shade on this route although I have tried to plan the run so that we finish in the most shade possible (along the Pipe Track) when it is hottest. Bring energy snacks. Lots.
2. Dress appropriately for weather conditions. As we will be on the top of the mountain for a while this will include a solid windbreaker, whistle and cell phone.
3. Regarding the Start, please note that Tafelberg Road can be very busy, even at that time of the morning so you may need to park a few hundred metres from the start point. Please allow a little extra time for this.
4. There is some moderate exposure to heights on the climb up India – Venster. But now that SANParks has put steel staples on the scrambles it is not bad at all. Even the big sissies we had with us last time we did the route handled it fine. Only an extreme fear of heights should keep you away from this one.
5. Take precautions against the sun. Sunblock and cap.
6. Take precautions against snakes on the path i.e. watch where you are putting your feet. Seamus sent me a terrifying few pictures of what can happen if you get bitten by a puffadder (shocking stuff; definitely not family viewing). Suffice to say that you DO NOT WANT TO BE BITTEN BY A PUFFADDER. Please exercise extreme caution and read point 10 below.
7. Decide before the run which group you wish to run with and stick with that group.
8. Fill in the register before starting out.
9. Have fun. Remember, it’s supposed to be fun. It’s not a race. The race for the morning is over on Red Hill.
10. Please be aware that trail running and related activities are inherently riskier and more dangerous than road running. You are participating in these runs voluntarily and whilst acsis VOB and the organisers of the runs take all reasonable precautions to ensure runner safety, it can never be fully guaranteed. To this end, acsis VOB and the organisers personally cannot be held liable for claims relating to injuries, disabilities and deaths, inter alia, that may occur during these events. You are participating entirely at your own risk. Please ensure that you are medically fit to be participating and make sure that you are properly kitted out for each particular run so as not to place yourself at undue risk.
TABLE MOUNTAIN TRAILERS (acsis VOB’s Medium Distance, Slower Pace Trail Group)
21 January: Table Mountain Oppelskop
Brief Description of Route
From the lower Cableway station up to the contour path and then right across the North face of the mountain around Oppelskop on the middle traverse and then down East side of Blockhouse ridge and back via the lower traverse.
Rendezvous and Start Time
RV in the parking are just beyond the Cable Station ready to start running at 0630
How to get there? Follow the signs to the Cableway and park in the parking area along Tafelberg Rd just beyond the Lower Cableway Station.
Terrain and Distance
Rugged mountain single track trail with some precipitous parts. Not as hard going as it sounds as its most along the contour path but there will be some uphill and downhill work. Last 1km on tar! Distance about 12 kms taking us more or less about 2hrs 30min.
FEEDBACK FROM SATURDAY 14 JANUARY 2012
Well I can’t really give any as I was off doing roadie stuff. But Jane has reported that all went well and she modified the route to suit as many runners as possible. No awards were made which is a great sign.
I saw lots of trail runners on the Hohenort 15km on Saturday though. Fantastic race that and well suited to trail runners who can tolerate tar as it encompasses nearly every hill in Hohenort. Even Mike Ohlsson was there and it appears that the psychological warfare between him and Douglas is coming to a head with only one week left to go before Red Hill and both of them still vehemently denying that they are training for it yet both of them are doing lots of road work. Mike certainly appeared to be determined to stamp his authority on the tar as I saw him at about the 2km mark and he was FLYING. But he still had enough humour left to swear at me for not greeting. To be honest I was more concerned about my ability to keep breathing than greeting fellow runners (road-mode). By all accounts Mike finished in a blistering 68 minutes but I guess we will have to wait for official confirmation from the time-keepers to see if we got those digits the right way around.
Have a great week Everyone.
Cheers
Tim
Tim Bellairs (Sir)
acsis VOB Trail Running
Cell: 082 321-0299
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