Fish River Canyon Hike - Hilux 4x4 Forum
Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:15 am
I am doing the 5 day Fish River Canyon hike starting on the afternoon of Friday 13th (sounds ominous already ) and would love to hear if anyone has done it and pass on some dos and dont, tips etc, I plan to come back via Seldingsdrift and Richtersveld etc....
Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:49 am
Stubs wrote: I am doing the 5 day Fish River Canyon hike starting on the afternoon of Friday 13th (sounds ominous already ) and would love to hear if anyone has done it and pass on some dos and dont, tips etc, I plan to come back via Seldingsdrift and Richtersveld etc....
Hi S, I have done it twice.
Do's: do not overload your pack, do not exceed 25/30% of your body weight.
Comfy hiking boots, well walked in, plenty of pebble hopping(anckle protection) and river sand.
Don't: no fillet steak in your backpack....
If you push a bit, you can do it in 4 day's
Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:51 am
I cant really give you any tips on hiking, cause hiking is for fit people, besides i drive a hilux so i just drive to where i want to be, the canyon is really beautiful, Drove there once, There is a few rules of hiking (or so ive hear) wear good hiking shoes
dont walk after 12 (cause its lunch time )
I hope you njoy the hike,
Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:55 am
So stubs's you can only pack 10kg in your backpack
truckin wrote: Do's: do not overload your pack, do not exceed 25/30% of your body weight.
And the rest is for beers....
I just knew I was going to get this !!!! ....well l was comtemplating filling my camelbak with Windhoek..?? but I suppose I can hang in there for 5 days...one question Mark...did you take a tent ??? I have a gortex bivvy bag from my army days which is light and 100 % water proof, just slip the sleeping bag in there.....otherwise I do have a vango 2 man hiking tent, (no comments boetie !! ) which I can split, I carry the inner and Erika can carry the flysheet...all she is worried about is that its cold at night and what she's gonna eat
Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:32 am
Yip sleep in a tent, and yes it can get a bit chilly at night!
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Stubs wrote: otherwise I do have a vango 2 man hiking tent, (no comments boetie !! )
He can't but I can
No man,What’s up with the tent story we slept on a hiking mattress and in the sleeping bag only.
Take a small towel/cloth with as you will be doing lots of "river crossing". This is to dry your feet properly and prevent blisters.
There are water points these days along the route. When we last hiked the canyon the "short cuts were not clearly marked - the markings were small red arrows painted on the rocks.
Do an average distance per day as appose to having to walk your ass off some days. The water is good for drinking and take a pic of the Vespa if still around. I am not sure if they started selling beer at the pink palace again There were some baboons at the stop over point about 2/3 km from the pink palace.
Whatever you take into the canyon you need to bring out again. We would burn the paper (all paper) and close it up with sand – you know army style.
Palm springs or cypher springs is a must stop as well but that water is flippen hot.
The best part is having that 1st cold one on the stoep at Ai AIs.
Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:38 am
Hi niel, thanks for that info !!!! We r lookin forward to it !!
stubsie what now about tent? Have I seen that tent before hehehe
Like Mark said, good hiking boots with ankle protection and just as important is good, thick hiking socks. Also make sure your toe nails are cut before setting off.
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Stubsie - hope you are not already there as no hiking currently allowed!!! Hardap full to the brim and and Fish River nearly overflowing close to Mariental
He decided to body-surf the Fish River.. and will set a Guiness World Record while doing it. He'll use his gortex bivvy bag as a sail..
Artikel in vandag se Republikein (Namibia)
Oud-‘recces’ helde in Canyon-drama
SUID-AFRIKAANSE stappers wat op Hobas aangekom het toe die Visrivier-spoelvallei reeds weens vloedgevaar gesluit was, het as vrywilligers ’n deurslaggewende rol in die naweek se aangrypende reddingsoperasie in die wêreldbekende spoelvallei gespeel.
Die kundigheid van twee lede van die groep, dr. Fritz Ras (’n veearts) en mnr. Igna Rautenbach – beide oudverkenningsoldate van Suid-Afrika se spesiale magte – het die knoop in die drama sonder voorval help deurhaak. Republikein het gister met mnr. Gerhard Badenhorst, ’n ander lid van die ervare groep stappers, gesels.
“Ons is baie dankbaar dit het so goed afgeloop,” het hy gesê.
“Van hulle (die voetslaners wat uit die vallei gered moes word) was diep in die knyp.”
Volgens Gerhard het hul geselskap Saterdag op Hobas aangekom, maar hulle moes weens die stapverbod verlief neem om ’n aanskoulike rit met die motor te gaan ry. Later het hulle veldwagter Max Witbooi se bakkie met ’n kano daarop by Hobas sien staan.
Met die terugkeer na Ai-Ais is by Max stilgehou, wat vertel het daar is 12 stappers in die vallei. Toe het het die son al begin water trek.
“Hy (Max) was manalleen,” vertel Gerhard. Sondagoggend was daar sprake dat die polisiehelikopter ontbied sou word, maar ná kajuitberaad is besluit dat ’n reddingspoging nie ’n oomblik langer kan sloer nie.
Gerhard, ’n bestuurskonsultant van Pretoria, Fritz en Igna, beide van Secunda, en mnr. Gert Fourie, ’n werknemer van Sasol op dieselfde dorp, is hierop die afgronde af.
Omstreeks 09:00 het hulle twee Amerikaanse stappers anderkant die rivier gesien wat met die kano na die duskant gebring is. Hierna het die soektog na agt Suid-Afrikaners begin, van wie drie op ’n eiland vasgekeer was.
Nie al die voetslaners was meer bymekaar nie. Volgens Gerhard het hulle die kano 12 km rivierop gedra en toe op vyf van die stappers afgekom wat al ses dae in die spoelvallei was, maar nog net ongeveer halfpad gevorder het.
Mnr. Fanie Kroukamp, ’n geoktrooieerde rekenmeester van Pretoria, is oor die rivier en het die voetslaners saam met twee Tsjegge uit die vallei help stap. Hierna is tot skemer dra-dra met die kano gestap op soek na die laaste drie voetslaners.
“Toe ons oor ’n koppie kom, toe sien ons hulle,” vertel Gerhard.
Die stappers was sowat 12 km voor Four Fingers, naby Bobbejaanberg, op die verste van drie eilande in die rivier vasgekeer. Hulle het met hul rugsakke bo-op ’n stapel klippe gesit om uit die water te bly. Een vrou se rugsak het weggespoel.
“Hulle was al drie dae daar,” sê Gerhard.
Gert en Igna het eers die drietal na ’n ander eiland gebring voor weens donkerte tot die volgende oggend gerus is.
“Die vloei was baie sterk,” benadruk Gerhard.
“Gewoonlik loop ’n mens kniediep deur die Visrivier, maar die water was ver bo-oor my kop.”
Gerhard is 1,95 m lank. Igna het Maandag met eerste lig met die kano oor die rivier teruggeroei na die nuwe eiland waarop die stappers was. Hierna is toue gebruik om die voetslaners aan wal te katrol. Hierna moes almal egter weer na die ander bank van die Visrivier om die nooduitgang by Kochasdrift te bereik.
“Twee manne het gestap en twee het geroei,” vertel Gerhard oor die laaste ent van die terugtog.
“Toe slaan die rooi kano om met al ons toerusting. Ons het darem vir Gert en Igna uit die rivier gekry en stroomaf van ons toerusting gekry waar dit op die water gedryf het.
“Ons moes ’n paar keer swem voor ons kon oorkom.”
Teen 12:00 was almal uit die vallei. Gerhard is bekommerd oor ’n oënskynlike gebrek aan beter gebeurlikheidsplanne om krisisse soos hierdie die hoof te bied. Reddingstoerusting is skraps en volgens hom is daar nie eens radio’s vir so ’n operasie nie.
Max, wat tydens die operasie herhaaldelik na Ai-Ais moes ry weens die gebrek aan kommunikasie, moes maar op eie houtjie sy bes probeer. Die groep het die rooi kano “wat soos ’n klip gesink het en nou op die bodem van die Visrivier lê,” die “Red October” gedoop.
“Volgende jaar kom ons weer stap,” sê Gerhard.
“Ons het die toer klaar ‘The Hunt for Red October’ gedoop.” •
Volgens die departement hidrologiese dienste het laat Dinsdag nog ’n golf vloedwater deur die Visrivier beweeg en op ’n hoogte van 1.68 m by Ai-Ais gepiek. Gisteroggend se lesing hier was 1,5 m.
Geen reën het die laaste paar dae in die land geval nie, maar volgens die weerkantoor is daar vandag opnuut ’n moontlikheid van ligte buie oor die sentrale hoogland tot in die suidooste.
Sjoe, dis nou vir jou 'n ding. Stubs gaan met 'n helse storie terugkom!!!
daar is nou water in daai rivier.
So dit is meer "interesant" as normaalweg - aldus iemand wat dit al gestap het.
Thu May 12, 2011 3:26 pm
My magtie...'n bitter klein wereld die.
Ek ken die Igna Rautenbach van Secunda; 'n smart ou wat as ek dit reg het, alreeds 'n Honorus Crux van die oorlog het ook...
arnize2 wrote: Sjoe, dis nou vir jou 'n ding. Stubs gaan met 'n helse storie terugkom!!!
I've been speaking to our intrepid Fish River Body-Surfer and Bakkie-Flyer... He's very upset, because his hike got cancelled. So dont expect any tales of bravery from him when he gets back on line again...
Ag-nee, hy moet jou raad volg en die beste maak van hierdie geleentheid!!!
Thu May 12, 2011 9:54 pm
gewoonlik word hikes gestop vanwee daar te min water is maar kyk nou te veel water
Mon May 16, 2011 2:36 pm
Well luck was shining on me, worse rains in Namibia for something like 80 years and it hits the week I want to hike the fish river canyon, plus they opened the flood gates at the Hardap dam just to round things off.....hey ho,, moved to next year.....
Stubs wrote: Well luck was shining on me, worse rains in Namibia for something like 80 years and it hits the week I want to hike the fish river canyon, plus they opened the flood gates at the Hardap dam just to round things off.....hey ho,, moved to next year.....
Now you and SWABMO will have extra time to walk 'em boots in
pitty stubsie but worth the wait
yep was amped for it, bit more time now to get the better half a bit more organised least we got our booking moved to Next year so didnt lose our monies......and save up petrol money so I can go in my truck......
Stubsie - ask Allan to work his magic on your carb, and get the cold air induction!!!! Before the trip got 5.5km\l fully loaded. now started with 6 and worked my way up to 8!!!!! doing 110 obviously