Northfield climbers hit by unfortunate incidents
A donkey running amok with their tent and sleeping bags was one of several incidents that disrupted the sixth climb of the Nine Peaks for Northfield mountaineers.
Their bad luck worsened after two of the five remaining climbers withdrew before summiting Kwa Duma, in the Eastern Cape, on March 21.
Sixth climber Fred Ashton (72) dropped out of the adventure after the friends climbed Die Berg, in Mpumalanga, in December.
Morehill resident Burns Maclear (68), who initiated the Nine Peaks for Northfield fund-raiser last year, said he and his four friends undertook the 3 019m Kwa Duma on March 20.
The group reached the halfway point at 5.30pm, when the plan was to set up camp for the night.
However, the donkey carrying the goods had run away earlier in the day.
One of the two guides tasked with retrieving the donkey returned to the camp at 1am the next day, which was too late to set up tents.
“It was the funniest thing you can imagine, except it wasn't funny,” said Maclear.
“Everything was organised well beforehand, the donkey just wasn't suppose to bolt.”
Maclear said the men slept under the stars in howling wind.
“It was just so freezing cold I don’t think anyone slept,” he said.
“I'm not exaggerating, it was so cold.”
The men resumed their climb at 5am.
An hour before the summit, Trevor Long (72) and Rob Beardsley (66) called their adventure a day.
Long, who had sustained a recurring Achilles heel injury had to withdraw and Beardsley decided to descend with him.
Maclear, Dave Inggs (65) and Koos Bouwer (66) summitted at 12.30pm.
“We didn’t stay up for very long, because there was a very strong wind on the top of the mountain,” said Maclear.
“Gee, it was strong.”
He said he and the remaining men are determined to finish their mission.
“I am going to miss the others, we are all buddies, but we have to keep walking,” said Maclear.
“We have to finish, we just have to adjust.”
The three men still have to summit the following points:
Free State, Namahadi, April 17 to 20, 3 275m
Western Cape, Seweweekspoort, May 2, 2 325m
KwaZulu-Natal, Mafadi, May 14 to 18, 3 451m
The group will have climbed a total height of 22 401m at the end of the journey.
The public is asked to get involved by pledging a minimum of one cent for each metre summitted at the end of all the climbs.
To support this cause, contact Leoni Anthony, at the Northfield Methodist Church office, on 010 140 0210.
