Drakensberg Grand Traverse, South Africa

[Warren G]

The Drakensberg is a spectacular escarpment running many hundred kilometers, however various South African Hikers, then runners have been whittling down the time between Witsieshoek and Bushmen's Nek, a did stance of 204 kms, much of which at about 3000m. Currently the record is 41:49 by Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel.

Added by admin:
This was set in March 2014. More info & map at ryansandes.com and redbull.com.

[kei]

Can you provide any links for the route info and FKT attempt please. If possible, can you please also provide any GPS routes.

[Lifeisatraverse]

In case you're interested in reading up on the records for solo person, women's group, mixed group, or women's record, they are recorded on the South African site, "FEAT": www.featsa.co.za/2011/07/feats-on-foot/

[ghaznavid]

Just for the purposes of completeness - there are a few different recognised Drakesnberg Grand Traverse speed records. According to the best of my knowledge:
Overall speed record: Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel 41h47
Overall group speed record: Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel 41h47
Overall solo speed record: Andrew Porter July 2015 at 45h08
North to South overall speed record: Ryan Sandes and Ryno Griesel 41h47
South to North overall speed record: Andrew Porter July 2015 at 45h08
North to South solo speed record: Andrew Porter 61h24
South to North solo speed record: Andrew Porter July 2015 at 45h08
Mixed group overall speed record: Ryno Griesel and Linda Doke around 63h40 in March 2015

There is also a record for most khulus (3000+m peaks) which Andrew Porter broke on 4 January 2015 (an impressive 63 - previous record 28).

There is also a record for longest grand traverse in terms of days, and in terms of distance. I believe Tom Wimber holds both of these at 549km and something like 37 days (I am not 100% sure of the number of days).

The record for youngest was a 15 year old and most completed by 1 person was something like 10. Oldest was something like 60, but I have never been able to confirm this one.

[Ras Jason Vaughan]

Unsupported Double Drakensberg Grand Traverse

OFFICIAL ONLY KNOWN TIME ATTEMPT ANNOUNCEMENT: Beginning the morning of Monday, September 11, 2017, I will attempt to complete the first ever completely unsupported solo Double Drakensburg Grand Traverse. I will carry all of my food and gear from beginning to end with no resupply and no accompaniment and only take water from natural sources. My goal is to complete the DDGT in ten days.


You can follow my SPOT satellite tracker at:

share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0tkL8TsPPZ0FdFCek5itYbKZGMHtEMiQv


I will try to post updates throughout the project to my personal Facebook profile and Instagram (although opportunities to do so may be few and far between):

www.facebook.com/JahsonItes

www.instagram.com/ultrapedestrian/

You can also follow the hashtags:

#DoubleDrakensbergGrandTraverse #DDGTOKT #MamaAfrica and #HominidHomeland as well as #ZeroLimits #TakeLessDoMore #RunLonger #BeTrailReady #Team7hills #HShive #Ultraneering.

Special Thanks to Altra Running for making this project possible.

Thanks also to Gossamer Gear for their support.

And thanks to Nathan Hydration, Trail Butter, Seven Hills Running Shop, and Honey Stinger.

What a Blessing to be a Biped!
Give Thanks for Life!
What a Blessing to be Alive!



* While in January of 2017 Jonathan Newman and Mike van Wyngaard did back-to-back Drakensberg Grand Traverses in 15 days 7 hours 50 minutes, their accomplishment would be hard to construe as a Double Drakensberg Grand Traverse, according to the accepted standards. Andrew Porter, holder of the solo FKT, joined them for the return journey, violating a truly unsupported ethic. With all due respect to what they accomplished (and respect is the reason I cite it here), my goal is to complete a true Double Drakensberg Grand Traverse, completely unsupported and in Good Style.