Climber conquers highest peak in SA
Her love of hiking started when she was young.
Reaching greater heights is what hiker Tintswalo Grace Mamiane is currently doing.
She recently climbed and reached Mafadi, the highest peak in South Africa.
According to her, this Drakensberg Mountain hike was the most difficult climb she has ever attempted.
This 34-year-old from Acornhoek climbed Thabana Ntlenyana, the highest point in Lesotho and the highest mountain in southern Africa in March 2020.
Mamiane said nothing could have prepared her for Mafadi’s 3 451m she faced on a quest to achieve her dreams. Mafadi is about 65km’s walk.
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“I prepared for the journey by jogging and hiking locally. As I was climbing, I realised nothing could have prepared me enough for what I discovered on that mountain. It has a lot of hills on it, yet it is all very remarkable.”
She would hike with her mother, now deceased. The excitement could be heard in her voice as she shared her experiences during the four-day climb to the highest peak in the country.
“Our first day was not easy. It was about six of us who travelled together, and we met others in the mountains.
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“On that day, we went up Heartbreak Hill. We had not expected to come across the hill on our first day already.”
According to her, day two of the hike came with a lot of challenges and at some point she thought she would freeze to death.
“While en route, some water in my backpack somehow spilled into my sleeping bag, and when we had to sleep, I used my emergency blanket.
“We were already en route and I had nowhere to get another sleeping bag, so I had to use what I had, but that was a long, extremely cold night. On this day we also went through Judges Pass, and my strength was tested like never before. Every day out there had its own challenges.”
They reached the highest peak on the third day, and she describes it as the best part of the hike.
“The summit day is always amazing. It was not an easy day, although, we finally reached the top and I got to play with ice that we found there. I suffered from altitude sickness, although later on I felt better and got back on my feet. On the same day, we started descending and rested on our way down.”
On day four, they continued descending and according to her, this is something more challenging for her.
“I feel like I have more control and balance when going up. On our way to the ground, we had to go through Judges Pass and Heartbreak Hill again. I was so tired and the only thing that kept me going was the thought of going home. My feet were swollen. The thought of eating a proper meal and taking a shower was what I kept thinking about.”
Mamiane said even if she goes through challenges and difficulties, she still plans to continue hiking, because it brings her tranquillity.
