Gorgeous Gorge Get-Together Event Cache
Gorgeous Gorge Get-Together
Hidden
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Saturday, January 26, 2008
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
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THE EXQUISITE CROCODILE GORGE HIKE....
Here's your opportunity to experience this exceptional hike, which
is difficult to do unless you're in a group, with backup support.
Don't miss out!!
THE PLAN.....
The event is intended to suit both locals and visitors, and
consists of a social get-together and braai on Saturday
afternoon/evening, and the gorge hike on Sunday morning.
Update 05/01/2008 - due to the number of attendees, we will
also be taking a group down on Saturday afternoon, starting about
12pm and finishing about 5pm. Please let us know if you'd like to
be in the Saturday afternoon group (numbers limited - so first
come, first served).
Arrive anytime on Saturday afternoon, but try to be at the venue by
5pm.
Enjoy an evening of cameraderie, geo-tales, and feasting.
On Sunday, the hike will start at 8am and should finish at about
1pm, giving adequate time for visitors to head home in
daylight.
You may claim attendance of the event by either joining us on
Saturday for the get-together, or on Sunday for the hike.
THE VENUE.....
Crocodile Gorge Farm, 33 kms east of Nelspruit, about 4 hours from
Gauteng.
Take the N4 east from Nelspruit for 21 kms, turn right onto the
Mara road, sign in at the security boom, and continue for 12 kms to
the farm, which is on the left and clearly signposted.
Please adhere to the speed limit in the conservancy.
Fully equipped self catering chalets are available at R100 per
person per night, children under 12 are free.
Update 05/01/2008 - the chalets have all been booked, but
there is still limited camping available.
Campsites are available at R50 per tent per night.
There is a swimming pool, bar, pool table and dartboard
available.
Please contact Malcolm malcolm@4x4bushadventures.co.za
or 082-9037420 to arrange accommodation.
Alternatively, there are various accommodation options in nearby
Nelspruit.
THE FEAST.....
Braai fires will be provided, please bring your own food,
refreshments and deckchairs.
You are welcome to consume your own refreshments outdoors at the
braai, but should you wish to "kuier" in the bar, then it will be
expected that you support the establishment.
THE GORGE HIKE.....
Sunday 8am and Saturday 12pm - the group outings start from the
event venue.
A short drive on the farm, and an easy 500m walk gets you to the
start of the trail.
The hike is 1.3 kms long, drops 460m, and takes about 5 hours.
Expect some wading, lots of big round boulders to clamber over
around or under, a refreshing swim if you want to, amazing scenery,
and some special memories.
(And, of course, there are 4 caches on the hike, and another 5
en-route there and back, to adequately reward you with smilies for
your efforts)
Suitable for most levels of fitness and agility.
This is not a "boys-only" hike. Several ladies have done it, and
thoroughly enjoyed it.
Expect to get your feet wet, so wear shoes that are good on rocks
when wet.
You will need to bunslide over rocks. Sturdy shorts are
recommended.
Expect it to be hot and tiring, so bring sufficient fluids and
energy snacks for a 5 hour hike.
Take a hat and use liberal sunscreen.
There is a welcome swimming hole half way down, so come
prepared.
The cost of the hike is R50pp, which goes to the landowner.
It's a one-way hike as there are points of "no return" en-route,
and a pickup at the end is required to get back to the start (21
kms by road).
Lindy will arrange transport back at no cost.
Andy will guide the group - done the hike 3 times, and guided 2
groups of cachers down the gorge without incident.
However, as with any hike in rough terrain, there are some risks,
albeit small.
You will be doing the hike entirely at your own risk, and you will
be expected to sign a paper indemnifying the property owner and
guide.
See below for more detail about the Gorge Hike.
THE ALTERNATIVE.....
Those not doing the hike are welcome to relax at the event venue,
or hunt some easier caches nearby. It is not necessary to do the
hike to claim attendance of the event.
THE CACHES ON THE GORGE HIKE.....
Boulders
No: 71
Rockpools
Bunslide
THE CACHES EN-ROUTE TO AND FROM THE GORGE
HIKE.....
The Best Kept Secret
Cuddle Puddle
Picnic Paradise
Amphibia
Under the Over(New)
THE EASIER CACHES NEARBY.....
Mini Gorge
Boarmatix
Mark the Spot
The Long Way Around
Gould's Salvation(New)
Chestnuts and Daisies(New)
Towering Heights(New)
And many more in and around nearby Nelspruit.
Our contact numbers -
Andy - 082 8088113
Lindy - 082 8209941
ADDITIONAL INFO ABOUT THE GORGE HIKE
At this stage (16th Jan), we will be doing 2 groups down the
gorge:
Saturday - start 12pm, finish about 5pm
Sunday - start 8am, finish about 1pm
We can safely handle about 20-25 hikers in a group, and we have 38
hikers confirmed to date (16th Jan), 21 on Saturday, and 17 on
Sunday.
If we get more than 40-50 hikers, we might put in another trip on
Sunday, starting at 6am, and finishing at about 11am.
If we don't need to do a 2nd trip on Sunday, we will probably move
the Sunday 8am hike to 7am to get into the gorge while it's still
cooler.
Andy (Fish Eagle), who has done the hike 3 times, will guide the
Saturday group, and if necessary, one of the Sunday groups.
I'll be assisted by a non-geocacher (Elsmarie), and my daughter
Jessica (Geo Jess), who have both done the hike before.
Chris (Gps Storm), who has done the hike twice, will guide the
Sunday group, and be assisted by his wife Alison, and Andrew
(Taeros), who have both done the hike before.
I'll slip him some additional "cheat codes" for getting past the
tough stuff after refreshing my memory on Saturday.
Should it be raining, or have rained during the night, the rocks
in the gorge will be wet. This will make the hike a bit more
tricky, and we will have to take more care, but we will continue,
and it should delay us no more than an hour in total.
A quick overview of the hike -
From Cuddle Puddle to the pickup point is 1.3kms, it drops down
350m (according to my maps), 460m per the cache owner, but either
way it's all downhill, and gravity is your friend. The gorge is
full of enormous round boulders, which you have to clamber over,
around, or under to get somewhere, and there are amazing Mingerhout
trees which are rare. A small stream flows through the gorge, and
you will need to wade through it several times, mainly in the upper
part of the gorge. There are wild antelope, but we're unlikely to
see them because a large group will scare them away. The hike is
suitable for most levels of fitness and agility. I'm 54, not fit,
and have done the hike 3 times. Granted, I took a bit of strain,
especially on the trip in October 2006, where Discombob and I were
determined to find the elusive Rockpools cache. We found it, but we
had to backtrack about 150m back up the gorge which was a serious
mission that left me totally exhausted. The trail is suitable for
children aged 10 and up, provided that they are responsible, well
disciplined, and under direct parental control. There are
drop-downs to a lower level of rocks where a child's height is a
disadvantage, but they'll be fine if assisted by a parent.
See the maps of the area to orientate yourself with the event
location, and the gorge.
Overview Map
Gorge Hike Map
We'll assemble at the event location, and be transported (by Lindy
and her team) to the log cabin (cache Best Kept Secret), about 2kms
away. There, your guide will leave a cellphone and contact numbers,
and make sure everybody knows where it is. This is for use by
anyone coming back out the top of the gorge - to get assistance in
the case of an emergency, or to summon transport back to the event
venue should they choose to bale-out. This is the last reliable
cellphone reception until 100m from the end of the hike. The cache
Best Kept Secret can be reached without a 4x4, but the track is
rough, and high ground clearance (like an LDV) is recommended.
From Best Kept Secret, it's an easy downhill walk of about
500-600m along a track to the cache Cuddle Puddle, which can also
be reached using a 4x4 with low ratios. (No, you're not going to
drive down there with your 4x4 - we'll walk. It's a pleasant stroll
and a necessary warm-up for the gorge ahead) Cuddle Puddle is a
small camping area next to the stream, under Mingerhout trees, and
is a rustic and adventurous alternative to camping at the event
venue. There is electricity, a floodlight, and a chemical toilet
can be made available. If you're interested, contact Malcolm.
Update 11/01/2008 - this campsite has been
booked.
After you've found the Cuddle Puddle cache, your guide will
assemble the group for a briefing, before starting the gorge
hike.
I'll give you the key content of the briefing here, but you will
have to listen to it again, and unlike airline safety briefings,
we'll expect you to actually pay attention (ha-ha!!)
The key points of the briefing will be -
1. The role of your guide, which is -
To do the briefing, and lead the group.
Once on the trail, your guide will be finding the safest and best
route for the group.
Despite knowing the gorge well, there are so many obstacles that
it's impossible to remember the entire route, and there are no
trail markers.
Your guide will sometimes have to stop the group, and fish around
ahead of the group for the best option.
The whole group will only be together in one place at the 4 cache
locations.
The rest of the time the group will be in single file, and you will
only have contact with 2 or 3 people behind and in front of
you.
The guide cannot babysit you along the route, assist you in
difficult places, or ensure that you act responsibly - you'll need
to help each other.
The guide will carry a spare cache or two - just to make sure that
you get all your smilies, even if the baboons have raided a
cache.
(No, we're not going to check them before the event!!!)
2. The role of the assistant guide, which is
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To be positioned about 2/3 of the way down the group.
To assist and help when necessary.
To ensure that the group remains together.
To carry the first aid kit.
And to ensure that hikers are acting reponsibly and safely.
3. The bale-out options, should you decide that it's not
your cup of tea -
You can bale out at any time within the first 400m of the hike, and
make your way back out the top of the gorge fairly easily.
The terrain gets progressively more difficult, and if you're
battling, you'll know it's not for you before you commit to the
full hike by passing a point of no return.
You'll be reminded about baling out at Boulders and No 71 caches,
thereafter you're committed to exit the bottom of the gorge.
4. Safety -
There is no cellphone reception in most of the gorge.
Walkie-talkie reception is spasmodic and cannot be relied on.
It is inaccessible for a helicopter.
It could take 2-3 hours for someone to get out of the gorge to
summon help, and the middle of the gorge is 3-4 hours away from the
nearest paramedic and ambulance response.
Even a minor accident is a big problem to evacuate the injured
person.
So, be overly careful, take your time, and rather err on safety's
side - a moment's carelessness, or a little slip, could become your
worst nightmare.
Beware wet shoes, sand on shoes, and dry leaves on rocks - all very
slippery.
Be alert for snakes - never seen one in the gorge, but they are
there.
No "windgat" behaviour - we really aren't interested in how agile,
fit or quick you are.
We'd rather not have our day spoilt by having to carry you out of
the gorge.
Don't drink the water - it looks like a pristine mountain stream,
but there is some habitation upstream, and it may not be safe.
And finally, the one and only rule -
NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE HIKER BEHIND YOU!!
This is essential to keep the group together, and on the right
trail.
The pace of the hike is dictated from behind - except your guide,
who will need to fish around ahead of the group at times.
OH, THERE'S ANOTHER RULE - NO ALCOHOL ON THE
HIKE!!
OK, now the fun begins, and the gorge hike starts from Cuddle
Puddle.
I've broken it down into sections from cache to cache, which are
logical units because we all get together at each cache.
Cuddle Puddle to Boulders
160m, quite easy, almost level, involves wading up to knee height,
and should take about 15mins.
How long we stay there depends on how long it takes you take to
find the cache - it's a good hide!!
Once you've logged the Boulders cache, and proceeded another 50m
further, then you're probably OK to do the whole hike.
This is the first bale-out option, and it's easy to get back out
the top from here.
Boulders to No 71
230m, getting more difficult, minimal wading, and should take about
40mins.
This is where the downhill really starts - expect an average
gradient of 1 in 2.5 from here on.
As you arrive at No 71, your guide will warn you about the wet
rocks - not dangerous, but incredibly slippery, and without heeding
your guide's warning you can be guaranteed to do an unintentional
and undignified butt-slide. This cache is an easy find in a
stunning location.
This is the final bale-out option - shortly after No 71, we'll pass
the first point of no return.
Getting back out the top of the gorge from here is strenuous, but
quite safe.
Once everybody's logged the cache we'll move on to the next
section.
No 71 to Rockpools
350m, some difficult terrain here, and should take about an
hour.
Shortly after No 71 we'll pass the first point of no return.
In one place we will have to get around an impassable obstacle by
detouring up the side of the gorge for a bit.
Rockpools is a lovely swimming hole and picnic spot - we'll park
off here for at least 30mins.
I just plop into the water, boots, clothes and all, and cool off
under the little waterfall.
Boots will be wet anyway from wading, and wet clothes are nice and
cool for the rest of the hike.
Up to you whether you want a dip or not, and whether you bring a
bathing costume.
There are private places to change nearby if you want to keep your
clothes dry.
The co-ords for this cache are about 130m out, but your guides know
where the cache is, and they can be bribed.......
The cache location as published is impossible to get to.
Rockpools to Bunslide
490m, the longest section, takes about an hour and a quarter, and
is probably the most difficult because there are some awkward
drop-downs, and if you're not starting to get tired by now you must
be quite an athlete.
The cache is an easy find, in full view of the pickup spot at the
end. In the area near Bunslide cache, you will see some sign of
humans - they are subsistance poachers, and are not considered to
be a threat at all, especially not to a large group.
These photos were taken in this section, and are an example of the
more awkward bits.
Photo 1
Photo 2
Bunslide to the pickup point
100m, quite easy, and only takes 5-10mins.
At the pickup point, you'll get your final briefing, which is
"don't wander off" - there are hippos in this stretch of the river,
and they sometimes walk about here in the day.
If Lindy's in a good mood, then there should be some ice-cold
refreshments and sandwiches to enjoy here.
At this point, you should have a different appreciation of big
round boulders - after getting up close and personal with lots of
of them, you'll either love them, or never want to see one
again..... Oh, except our new cache "Under the Over", which will be
your final boulder experience on the way out.
Please don't expect to be fetched with a luxury tour bus - we'll
be using SUV's and double-cab LDV's.
Some folk might get the opportunity to enjoy the superb scenery
from the back of an LDV.
The route back consists of about 9kms of dirt track (3 caches
en-route), and 12kms of tarred road back to the event venue (the
same route as you will have travelled on the way to the event
venue). Except for 1km on the N4 between the dirt and tar sections,
the route back is in the conservancy, and speeds are between 10 and
40kph. The trip back takes about 40-50mins including some time to
bag the caches.
All said and done, the hike is not that difficult or strenous, but
great care must be taken to avoid even minor accidents because
evacuation is so difficult. If done carefully, safely, and slowly,
you will enjoy a pristine nature feast, and have some special
memories to take back with you.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)