26-28 October 2018: Baboons Pass
Posted: 05 Jan 2018 11:36
Hi Everyone
This is the Baboons 2018 Thread
It is a mountain pass in Lesotho, and regarded the most difficult public road to drive on in Southern Africa.
In terms of difficulty, I was previously told it is "right up there among the worst of trails". Even recently it has resulted in groups having to abandon a vehicle to be recovered at a later stage.
So definitely not for the fainthearted.
Until I drove it in 2017. I still underestimated it. It was harder than I expected. It is not really steep upwards, or sideways, but lots of rocks, line negotiation and narrow in some places.
The proposed date for the 2018 Baboons pass drive is from 29 Sept and returning on either Sunday 30 or Monday 1 October, depending on how things go of course.
Depart from Gauteng on 29 Sept and start the pass on 30 Sept. I tis a public road, so not booking of the pass necessary. Your cost will be fuel, food and accommodation the nights before and afterwards.
In 2017 we had various items damaged, but nothing that prevented anyone from driving home. However one needs to budget for the risk of being delayed on the mountain.
The proposed date to start this tour will be to leave Gauteng on 3 October (early morning).
Day 1: Getting to the overnight point just before the pass at Ramabantla lodge and camping (Trading post).
Day 2: First day in the pass, depending on whether we want to do it over 1 or two days, we can aim to finish it in one (as we did in 2017) or stay over on the pass.
Day 3: Second day in the pass, or having stayed at the over-night spot on the next town (Semonkong) after the pass, we head home
Day 4: Head home.
Accomodation the day before completinng the trail:
Ramabantla lodge and camping (Trading post)
http://www.tradingpost.co.za/default.htm
Accomodation the day after completing the trail:
Semonkong. It has the longest commercially operated single-drop abseil in the world as stated by Guinness World Records!
http://www.semonkonglodge.com/
I will book sthese two places once we have a better idea of numbers.
In 2017 it rained the day before we started the pass, and rained the day afterwards. So we were pressed to finish it in one day.
Hopefully this year will be dryer, to give us the option of taking it a bit slower - if we so wish.
To think about:
1) 2" suspension lift very important.
2) Rock sliders are critical (Michael Steyn was a notable exception without this in 2017, but I would still recommend this).
3) Communications (especially if we need to break the group into two groups)
4) Lockers: Without lockers may be doable in a Patrol, but will need to consider the order of vehicles (without lockers) in case some need a bit of a pull at any critical point.
5) a Koevoet to help clear rocks with (note that your co-driver will get a real workout moving rocks on this trip) - This turned out to be extremely useful in 2017.
6) Very warm clothes, and water proof clothes.
7) Spare cash, in case we need to negotiate with a tribal leader in case of emergency
8) Lots of spare food and water in case we get stuck
9) Lots of spare fuel to keep warm inside, with idling car, in case we get stuck in a blizzard ( I realise risk of this is low in October, but I have been told it can still happen at this time).
10) Prepare for unassisted camping - there are no facilities on the pass itself, and only small shrubs to hide behind for toilet.
11) Items typically associated with bush mechanics, such as blou draad. (if someone can bring a welder, that may be a good idea as well - I have seen videos of guys fixing / doing welding on their cars along the pass)
12) The usual stuff associated with 4x4 trips - high lift jack, recovery equipment etc.
I will only proceed with a 2018 group, if there are enough people interested. I would suggest a minimum of four vehicles to make it worthwhile, and a maximum of 10.
Please add your name, by replaying if you are interested, and also if there is a specific date preferance other than what is proposed above.
Note however that I have a strong preference for the school holidays.
Also, July is a bad idea due to most likely snow, although snow has fallen in that area way after October even.
This is the Baboons 2018 Thread
It is a mountain pass in Lesotho, and regarded the most difficult public road to drive on in Southern Africa.
In terms of difficulty, I was previously told it is "right up there among the worst of trails". Even recently it has resulted in groups having to abandon a vehicle to be recovered at a later stage.
So definitely not for the fainthearted.
Until I drove it in 2017. I still underestimated it. It was harder than I expected. It is not really steep upwards, or sideways, but lots of rocks, line negotiation and narrow in some places.
The proposed date for the 2018 Baboons pass drive is from 29 Sept and returning on either Sunday 30 or Monday 1 October, depending on how things go of course.
Depart from Gauteng on 29 Sept and start the pass on 30 Sept. I tis a public road, so not booking of the pass necessary. Your cost will be fuel, food and accommodation the nights before and afterwards.
In 2017 we had various items damaged, but nothing that prevented anyone from driving home. However one needs to budget for the risk of being delayed on the mountain.
The proposed date to start this tour will be to leave Gauteng on 3 October (early morning).
Day 1: Getting to the overnight point just before the pass at Ramabantla lodge and camping (Trading post).
Day 2: First day in the pass, depending on whether we want to do it over 1 or two days, we can aim to finish it in one (as we did in 2017) or stay over on the pass.
Day 3: Second day in the pass, or having stayed at the over-night spot on the next town (Semonkong) after the pass, we head home
Day 4: Head home.
Accomodation the day before completinng the trail:
Ramabantla lodge and camping (Trading post)
http://www.tradingpost.co.za/default.htm
Accomodation the day after completing the trail:
Semonkong. It has the longest commercially operated single-drop abseil in the world as stated by Guinness World Records!
http://www.semonkonglodge.com/
I will book sthese two places once we have a better idea of numbers.
In 2017 it rained the day before we started the pass, and rained the day afterwards. So we were pressed to finish it in one day.
Hopefully this year will be dryer, to give us the option of taking it a bit slower - if we so wish.
To think about:
1) 2" suspension lift very important.
2) Rock sliders are critical (Michael Steyn was a notable exception without this in 2017, but I would still recommend this).
3) Communications (especially if we need to break the group into two groups)
4) Lockers: Without lockers may be doable in a Patrol, but will need to consider the order of vehicles (without lockers) in case some need a bit of a pull at any critical point.
5) a Koevoet to help clear rocks with (note that your co-driver will get a real workout moving rocks on this trip) - This turned out to be extremely useful in 2017.
6) Very warm clothes, and water proof clothes.
7) Spare cash, in case we need to negotiate with a tribal leader in case of emergency
8) Lots of spare food and water in case we get stuck
9) Lots of spare fuel to keep warm inside, with idling car, in case we get stuck in a blizzard ( I realise risk of this is low in October, but I have been told it can still happen at this time).
10) Prepare for unassisted camping - there are no facilities on the pass itself, and only small shrubs to hide behind for toilet.
11) Items typically associated with bush mechanics, such as blou draad. (if someone can bring a welder, that may be a good idea as well - I have seen videos of guys fixing / doing welding on their cars along the pass)
12) The usual stuff associated with 4x4 trips - high lift jack, recovery equipment etc.
I will only proceed with a 2018 group, if there are enough people interested. I would suggest a minimum of four vehicles to make it worthwhile, and a maximum of 10.
Please add your name, by replaying if you are interested, and also if there is a specific date preferance other than what is proposed above.
Note however that I have a strong preference for the school holidays.
Also, July is a bad idea due to most likely snow, although snow has fallen in that area way after October even.
