This image courtesy of the out of print Table Mountain Guide published by the Mountain Club of South Africa.

1st Waterfall Ravine

Location: The East side of Devil's Peak, above Rhodes Memorial.

OSM map

Overview: Dangerous and not often done as it is bushy in places, the ravine is steep and loose underfoot, and the historic 1000 steps have mostly fallen away. Not recommended.

Route Description:

It is VERY IMPORTANT to take the correct ravine, which is immediately to the left of the Mowbray ridge.There have been many accidents and fatalities when the 2nd Waterfall Ravine has been taken by mistake.

Start at the King’s blockhouse (and beware of muggers, so be vigilant, be in a group, and have no valuables with you)

Traverse left behind the blockhouse along a pipeline path into the ravine. (NB you cannot start off the main lower contour path as there is a waterfall - as shown in the image here in winter.)

A short way the ravine up you are forced out left onto a steep slope which used to have some of the “Thousand steps blocks”, probably all gone now.

If you have a GPS, then at approx the 550m level traverse back into the ravine and then keep mostly on the right hand side where the steps used to be. At approx 600m level large boulders block the ravine and you scramble carefully up a moss covered slab on the left. After that keep mostly on the left but it is loose and DANGEROUS. If you insist on doing this route keep your party close together in case a rock is dislodged.

The ravine brings you out on the saddle roughly at 790m next to the Minor peak where Mowbray ridge also finishes.

Further descriptions of the ascent can be read at this link: http://greathikes.blogspot.co.za/2009/12/devils-peak-via-first-waterfall-ravine.html