Du Toit's Peak (in winter)
Location: Du Toit's Kloof
Overview: A long arduous climb (15 hours or more) commonly done in two days with a camp at the base of the Pinnacle, especially in winter with short days likely to result in climbing in the dark if attempted in one day.
NB: There may be no water on the route, so need to carry all requirements.
Route Description:
There are two options for the start. Either park at the MCSA Cape Town Du Toit's Hut, or obtain permission to drive up to the nek on the Agtertafelberg Road.
From either start, proceed up the ridge to the Pinnacle. Although only about 2 hours, this is one of the few camping places and makes for an easy start if coming from Cape Town and an early start the next day. It is also a spectacular (if chilly!) place to camp.
From the Pinnacle camp to the top and back is 8-10 hours depending on the fitness of the party and route finding skills. Finding the route down is difficult especially if dusk is falling as the route is over bare rock in many places and there are few cairns. A GPS track can be useful here, especially if descending in the dark.
Traverse about 50m to the right around the Pinnacle and then start scrambling.... and continue scrambling and scrambling for nearly 1000m. The route wends its way through many rock bands. Generally fairly obvious on the way up, but finding the many cracks, chimneys and faces to climb down can be tricky. Observe carefully on the way up and mark with a cairn if not already marked. Being an open exposed ridge this is also one of the few places that a GPS does work well and is a useful aid. Simply record a track up, and follow it back down, or view in OSM which already has the track. (Having come down this route late one afternoon/evening in winter, I can attest that a GPS was invaluable.)
Winter conditions vary wildly from no snow to heavy snow. But this is not a snow and ice route per se and an ice axe and crampons are not essential. The snow is usually soft enough to kicks steps. The bigger problem is likely to be sinking into soft snow! And depending on conditions, rocky outcrops especially around to the right near the top can be taken to avoid most of the snow.
Don't be too excited about getting to the top! It is a mess of transmitting towers, cables, buildings, etc.
