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The 30 Peaks Challenge

Introduction - Listing of Peaks - Frequently Asked Questions - Hall of Fame

Introduction

Tired of running/hiking the same old mountain trails? Why not do the "30 Peaks Challenge": an open-ended challenge to hikers & trail runners to cover all 30 (mostly beaconed) peaks that are higher than 250 meters and are situated in the Cape Peninsula. You complete the challenge within a self-selected time frame e.g. all within the current year 2002. It is an ideal challenge to give focus to one's training / hiking and takes one out to lesser-visited peaks really close to home. You do the peaks in your own time, at your own pace and keeping personal records.

When completed, one can submit the record to a non-partial coordinating body (CRAG is considering this) who will maintain a list on their website (and perhaps, in the longer term, provide some related memorabilia for sale e.g. T-shirt, sticker, route map, trophy etc.) The whole idea is basically similar to but humbler in scope than the Munro's scheme in the UK.

Once enough people have done it, a crazy soul may want to do them in one go as a multi-day Cape Raid which should be called the Western Capes 100 miler.

Listing of Peaks

	Beacon#	Peak	Distance (km)	Climb from (m)	Height (m)	Ascent	Descent to next	Cumul Ascent	Cumul Distance	Comments
1	75	Signal Hill	-	352	352		92			Top beacon only - an easy start to the challenge
2	51	Lion's Head	5.0	260	670	410	430	410	5.0	Always fun. Steps & handholds have now been added to chains
3	37	Devil's Peak	9.0	240	1001	761	297	1171	14.0	Touch the eastern-most beacon at the top
4	28	Maclear's Beacon	3.0	704	1088	384	458	1555	17.0	Shortest route from Devil's Peak is via ledges but don't attempt this without scrambling experience & guide. Else take boring Platteklip.
5	1	Klassenkop	5.0	630	742	112	112	1667	22.0	No need to go all the way to beacon, just visit the highest point (or the rock just next to it if you don't want to jump the chasm)
6	-	Grootkop	9.0	630	851	221	196	1888	31.0	Good route from the lower table but follow the cairns carefully for the last, fun bit. Stone cairn at top. Don't step into the deep cave on the way.
7	39	Judas Peak	1.0	655	756	101	576	1989	32.0	Clear path off the way to Suikerbossie but have long pants for the trip from Grootkop to Suikerbossie
8	38	Klein Leeukop	5.0	180	436	256	307	2245	37.0	Good path from the very top of Suikerbossie (the little path leading off opposite restaurant access road passes 2 private properties). No real good direct route to Karbonkelberg without some bundubashing. It's fairly feasible to follow the faint trail (some scrambling) down to the nek but couldn't find an easy way thru the port jackson belt across to the dune (gate / fence) + no path visible to the top. Alternatives: firebreak on the west side or, best, jeep track/path from Bayview Road
9	10	Karbonkelberg	4.0	129	653	524	524	2769	41.0	Jeep track almost all the way from Bayview Road. At the top, some dense bush & fun scrambling to get to the beacon. Take long pants along and don't attempt it in the dark.
10	32	The Sentinel	5.0	129	330	201	320	2970	46.0	The most stunning views around for relatively little effort. Follow the path to Duiker Island until you get to the nek, a little along the ridge, and then follow the well-beaconed fairly good path up the north-facing slope to the beacon. Only problem is SAFETY: apparently gang fights occasionally spill over onto visitors. If personal safety is a concern, substitute this peak with any other peak on the list.
11	53	Skoorsteenkop	10.5	10	610	600	212	3570	56.5	Real hikers will do both the beacon and proceed to the highest point of the mountain (which is halfway between the beacon & Vlakkenberg)
12	73	Vlakkenberg	3.0	398	579	181	181	3751	59.5	The beacon is on the east "flat peak" (good path), but it appears to me that the actual top (west of the Vlakkenberg path) is slightly higher. Do both, for fun.
13	3	Constantiaberg	5.5	398	928	530	308	4281	65.0	Touch the southern beacon
14	-	Noordhoek Peak	3.5	620	754	134	433	4415	68.5	It's a cairn at the top, not really a beacon but anyway. Easy path down to the Nek. Then for scenery, hike the eastern ridge path, alternatively for easier walking or the jogging fit, follow the jeep track.
15	25	Chapman's Peak	4.5	321	593	272	273	4687	73.0	Continue on jeep track for about 1 km, then go down mountain side at the beacon. The path to the Nek is somewhat overgrown
16	186	Bokkop	8.0	320	410	90	130	4777	81.0	Beware the blisterbush at the very top. There's an old path straight North back to road
17	13	Muizenberg	7.0	280	507	227	127	5004	88.0	The jeep track is faster, the path more scenic.
18	33	Kalkbaaiberg	3.5	380	516	136	513	5140	91.5	North-western beacon. Take either the NW approach or the NE approach path, much of the same, though the clearest and most joggable is NE trail starting from Nellies pool. Descend via Spes Bona, Echo Valley or even Waterfall path.
19a	6	Elsie's Peak	9.0	3	303	300	163	5440	100.5	Good clear easy path from Fish Hoek (Memorial Gardens via Peak Road)
19b	24	Elsie's Peak 2	2.0	140	305	165	65	5605	102.5	Good path all the way to beacon. When there, retrace 10 m for very faint woodcutter's path from just before the beacon leading down to the top of Glencairn Freeway - path gets clearer as you descend
20	49	Rooikrans	7.5	240	364	124	114	5729	110.0	Good path to the top - leave jeep track and turn left at beacon just before the ridge
21	18	Platkop	3.5	250	371	121	166	5850	113.5	No path for most of the way - use your magic wand or gaitors/long pants
22	?	Platberg	4.5	205	307	102	52	5952	118.0	Follow jeep track until Platberg is due west then cross
23	31	Grootkop	4	255	390	135	145	6087	122.0	Follow good hiking trail all the way. there is a good path to the top from the red hill side
24	45	Red Hill	5.0	245	255	10	5	6097	127.0	Almost a freebie, just making the 250 m cutoff and almost on the route. A part path leads directly from parking - go direction of phone pole (west of house); avoid green tree patch
25	52	Simonsberg	6.0	250	548	298	111	6395	133.0	The Brossy map shows a path up from Simon's Town/Froggy Pond to the blockhouse but access via Klaver Valley is much easier/quicker. You should really ask for permission from the SA Navy and take care to avoid the shooting range. Quickest way up seems to be a direct western bundubash approach. There is a well-beaconed route from the top to the blockhouse/gap/neck
26	22	Swartkop	2.0	437	678	241	258	6636	135.0	A very good path leads up all the way to the top.
27	34	Klaas Jagersberg	3.5	420	576	156	436	6792	138.5	Quickest way up is to follow a north-eastern approach. The last 3 meters are the most fun. Continue in the same direction if you want to head to the Cape Point Nature Reserve but you'll be crossing private land so should ask for permission.
28	48	Rooihoogte	10.5	140	275	135	136	6927	149.0	Note access times to Cape Point Reserve (opening & closing times). The path up to Rooihoogte starts from the parking immediately to the right of the entrance gate. Follow to the beacon. From here, the best is to have booked the hiking trail and make an enjoyable, two-day anti-clockwise hike, doing the remaining peaks in reverse order.
29	?	Juda's Peak	5.0	139	360	221	80	7148	154.0	Another "almost" freebie, on the way to Paulsberg. Just a short bushwack up from the path
30	15	Paulsberg	1.0	280	367	87	309	7235	155.0	There appears to be a path from the saddle to the north, but I didn't see it. A bundubash up from the west is possible but slow. Best route is a nice path leading of the main hiking trail from the south.
31	2	Vasco DagamaPk	8.0	58	266	208	140	7443	163.0	Very straightforward, enjoyable run along the hiking trail. The peak's just a few metres off the path, no beacon at the top sorry!
32		Cape Point	1.0	126	249	123		7566	164.0	No directions for this one. You have to climb atop the big boulder at the lighthouse to make the 250-metre requirement!
		Totals:	164.0			7566	7669		164.0
		Averages:	5.0	298	527	236	240

Legend:

Beacon # = Number of beacon as per 1:50 000 Land surveyor Generals map.

Peak = Name of (nearest) peak

Distance = very rough extremely approximate distance from the previous peak in the list (in kilometers; multiply with 39062,5 to get it in inches)

Climb = altitude of the lowest point on the highest path between the previous peak and this one.

Height = altitude of this peak (in meters; divide by 9467280000000000 to get it in light years).

Ascent = least possible number of vertical meters to climb from the previous peak to this one.

Descent to next = least possible number of vertical meters to descent in order to reach the next peak

Cumul Ascent = cumulative metres climbed (min) since peak 1

Cumul Distance = a joke

Comments = some remarks about the peak which are not necessarily evident from Lundy & the maps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many peaks are there in the 30 Peaks Challenge

A: 32

Q: Cant you count to 30?

A: We take 32 peaks to avoid noise from whiners who complain about some peaks not having beacons; or not being high enough (Cape Point is 1 meter short); or wishing to drop a peak for safety reasons (eg Sentinel); or because they think that a peak doesnt merit a separate peak status (Judas Peak, any of two of them). Besides, 32 Peak Challenge doesnt scan.

Q: How many days do we have to complete the peaks?

A: How many days do you need? (Answer 2: I suggest not more than 365 .)

Q: Why are your route descriptions so short?

A: They are not route descriptions. They are special notes on top of any publicly available route descriptions. Before setting out you should consult the all the relevant maps i.e. the Shirley Brossy maps, the MCSAs Table Mountain map and the 1:50 000 Surveyors maps. They really complement each other in terms of routes since paths shown on the one often dont show on the other. Also read a good guidebook on the exact route to follow e.g. Lundys. My route notes are written in the order assuming you would move from the one peak straight to the next (see last question). In real life, you will probably start from somewhere more convenient.

Q: What safety gear should I pack?

A: If you ask that question, you shouldnt do this. The challenge is not meant for inexperienced hikers or trail runners. A lot of the terrain is not easy and off the beaten track. You should know your mountain rules, be prepared and be confident of your abilities. Most of the peaks I didnt know took longer to reach than I expected them to take.

Q: When is the best time to do this?

A: Now. When I did it (Jan/Feb 2002) the fires of 2001 still made cross-country running fairly possible. As vegetation thickens the off-the-path peaks may become more difficult to reach. Besides, why postpone so much potential fun?

Q: Where the top of the mountain is higher than the beacon, which do we go to?

A: Generally the answer to that question is in the route notes for each specific peak. Normally you do both so as to maximize your fun.

Q: What about permissions?

A: Were SO LUCKY in the Cape. Most of the peaks fall on public land and virtually all have public access routes. Buy a CPNP Green Card and, where on private land, respect the owners privacy. Take only pictures, leave only footprints. A few peaks technically require permission (e.g. SA Navy).

Q: Can we do all the peaks in one go?

A: I agree that the logical crazy thing to do is to try to complete the challenge over a (very long) weekend (after having checked out the route in small pieces). This would be known as the Western Cape's 100 (miler) (any resemblance with other 100 milers not coincidental ;-) since the distances (guestimated very roughly at the moment - over time we may get better estimates) seem to add up to 100 miles. It actually is quite a bit tougher than the WS100 (or any other 100 miler for that matter) since there's more climbing (7500+ m instead of some 5000+m), it is less of a downhill course (one only descends 200 meters instead of 2000+), the route is far less runnable (with a lot of bundu-bashing) and there would be no support (NO trail markers, water tables etc). Believe me it would be very tough. Perhaps better thought of as a RAID. CRAG could have an official date (suggested full moon weekend in October 2002) although it may be better/safer NOT to organise it officially in view of the safety / access permission / organisation / etc. issues involved.

Q: Who organises this challenge?

A: No one. Jean-Paul Van Belle thought up the idea (he thinks, probably many people before him have done it) and Ian Crooke & Guy Meredith of Crazy Runners Against Gravity decided to throw the challenge open to the public. CRAG will attempt to organise some memorabilia such as e.g. a T-shirt.

Q: Where do I register, how much do I pay?

A: You don't have to register - start whenever you feel like. This is free. If you have finished the challenge and want to appear in the hall of fame, e-mail Guy Meredith who is coordinating this challeng on behalf of CRAG with your details (as per list below). That's all.

Hall of Fame

If you have completed the challenge and want to appear in the Hall of Fame, email Guy Meredith wit your details.

Name	E-mail	Date Completed	# of days
Jean-Paul Van Belle	Jean-paul.VanBelle@uct.ac.za	01-Mar-2002	59
Caroline Brawner	mwkauai@mweb.co.za	15-Mar-2002	125
Your name should be here!

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