As we step into the fresh, untraveled paths of 2024, I am filled with enthusiasm for the future that awaits our section. Reflecting on the past year, we have journeyed together through ups and downs, and it is with this shared mountain spirit of resilience and camaraderie that we look to the year ahead.
In the light of recent security concerns in our beloved Magaliesberg, we've come together as a community, proving our strength and dedication. It is this unity that has inspired us to establish a new Security Portfolio. Our proactive stance on safety, coupled with sensible precautions, ensures that while we stay alert, we do not succumb to fear. The mountains call to us, and we will answer with both joy and prudence in our hearts.
In our quest for clarity and connection, last year's refreshed newsletter was just the beginning. This year, we are expanding this clarity through an upgraded website and a dynamic social media presence, further strengthening the channels that bind our community.
Our events calendar is poised to flourish with a rich array of gatherings, from orientation meets on our own properties to awe-inspiring away meets. We’re curating a series of experiences to cater to every member’s call to the wild. And at the heart of our social fabric, the clubhouse will host regular monthly gatherings, igniting with a presentation on the epic ascent of the "Central Towers of Paine" to kindle our collective wanderlust.
In an innovative stride, we introduce 'Mountain Mutts,' an initiative that opens our ranks to those wishing to traverse the trails with their loyal canine companions. We will be organizing meets for dog owners at dog friendly trails.
Our club is more than an association; it is a fellowship, and as such, every member's active engagement is invaluable. In the spirit of "It's not what the club can do for you, but what you can do for the club," I encourage each of you to find your niche within our activities and initiatives. Your vitality fuels our club's heartbeat.
Our fundraising campaign is vital, especially after purchasing Dome Pools and Paardekraal last year. We're eyeing more opportunities, and your donations, above and beyond membership dues, are key to making these new ventures possible. It's about the club's future and the environment we all cherish.
As we gather on this precipice of 2024, let us look forward withoptimism. Together, we can elevate our experiences, secure our cherished landscapes, and forge a year that resonates with the legacy of our club.
Join the MCSA for this celebratory presentation delivered by Paul Fatti, who will recount the events of this iconic ascent, half a century later.
The wicked 1,200m-long, 30-pitch direct line to the summit of Paine’s Central Tower was first climbed in 1973-74 by South Africans who summited in 32 days.
To quote Tyler Karow as he stepped off “one of the most impressive faces in the world” in 2023:
“The first is a 5.11+ Offwidth that almost didn’t go down and the second is a 5.12+ enduro finger crack that I sincerely think is the best pitch of rock I’ve ever climbed in my life.”
It took 30 years for the “South African Route” to be repeated the first repeat of the route (also by a South African party, led by Alard Hufner in 2004) and then another 5 years before it gained its third ascent, which took the genius of Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll, Nico Fabresse, and Ben Ditto to free-climb it, the Belgian trio spoke of some of the “most amazing passages of their whole climbing career.
Join us in a celebration of this incredible achievement, the ascent of probably one of the highest vertical rock faces in the world that had been climbed at the time.
I am happy and proud to report on our first official meet of the year!
On Sunday the 7th of January 2024, a couple of club members and their furry companions made their way to B’sorah Adventure trails for a day filled with laughter, mud, swimming and a lot of tailwagging.
We met early to avoid the heat and kept distance to a modest 8km to accommodate our geriatrics (dogs, not people). Trails were beautifully kept: lots of water, shade and diversity.
In attendance: all shapes and sizes, fitness levels and even an old former Jhb, and national chairman, joining in this new venture (sacrificing a day of the usual climbing).
We plan on doing this regularly varying properties - local and afar: day hikes but also overnight, camping and multiday hikes. Some would be casual but we’ll also aim to fulfill the passion and drive of our most adventurous earth dwellers with some real bundu-bashing and excitement thrown into the mix...
Keep an eye out for upcoming events and be sure to join the community Whatsapp group.
All members welcome - you do not need to own a dog but you sure need to hike like one!
Your contributions are not just donations; they are investments in the future of the MCSA. They ensure that we can continue to offer access to, conservation of, and protection of the Magaliesberg. More importantly, they help us maintain our financial stability and independence, allowing us to make decisions that best serve our members and our mission.
A call to action: please donate
Every donation to the club, big or small, makes a difference. Your support in this crucial time will help us pay off our debts promptly and maintain a strong financial foundation. You can donate by transferring money via EFT with your annual membership fees, or you can donate through our web portal. Please consider a recurring payment, which will make a big difference over time.
It is not what the club can do for you, it is what YOU can do for the club.
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MEET REPORT: EASTERKLOOF
On the 29th of December 2023 I attended the meet to abseil down the Easterkloof waterfall. This was my first time to hike this area and my first time to abseil.
The hike itself, from the Calabash parking, was awesome. There are pools and water falls all along this scenic trail. Even if the abseil was not on the cards the hike itself was worth it. The abseil down the waterfall, as one can imagine, was mind-blowing. Experiencing such a beautiful waterfall with a dose of adrenalin, makes for an unforgettable adventure.
Thank you to Andreas, Eugene and Carl for organising all the gear, for patiently explaining the ropes to us first timers and for organising a safe descend for all of us in the group. Thank you to Kat for taking all the brilliant action photos and thank you to everyone in the group for making it a perfect day.
I wish everyone in the club a bucket-load of awe-inspiring and safe mountain adventures in 2024!
- Martin
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We are calling upon all members for contributions for the MCSA's journal for 2023!
The Journal of the MCSA is an annual publication that serves as a record of the mountaineering-related activities of the Club's members. Each year, there are articles and illustrations focusing on the environment, the flora and fauna encountered in remote parts of our country and elsewhere, on search and rescue, and on the history, geology and archaeology of mountain areas. With this extensive range of content, the Journal is also an interesting, informative, entertaining and inspiring work, reflecting the spirit of adventure of the mountaineers and explorers of South Africa.
Guidelines, journal stylesheet, photo template and more documents about the journal can be downloaded from our website below:
