Friday 27 MARCH 2015
Mountain Ears Digest Newsletter of the Cape Town Section of the MCSA March 2015 THE YEAR IN REVIEW Presentation of past Club achievements and future projects Annual General Meeting Friday 27 MARCH 2015 7:30 for 8:00 pm Your chance to have your say. Come to chat to your Committee. Circular No 653 Schedule of Meets and Socials for April - June 2015 CIRCULAR 653 Nominee Camilla Adelle Steven Barber Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the Cape Town Section of the MCSA will take place on FRIDAY, 27 MARCH 2015, at 7.30 pm for 8pm. Robert Breyer Delaney Carpenter Martin HuttonSquire Brent Jennings Brian Lambourne Marian Oliver Belinda Oosthuizen Please note that the AGM is open to members only. PLEASE try to attend. to support your Club and get to speak to some Committee members. Proposed by Belinda Oosthuizen Martin HuttonSquire Brian Lambourne Lester Coelen Brian Lambourne Seconded by Bridget Carrick Daniel Reinecke Lester Coelen Lester Coelen Brian Lambourne Camilla Adelle Brian Lambourne Steven Barber Bridget Carrick Brian Lambourne Bridget Carrick Brent Jennings Lester Coelen Thumbnail Sketches of General Committee nominees Refreshments will be served after the meeting. Camilla Adelle Proposer: Belinda Oosthuizen Seconder: Bridget Carrick Camilla joined the Cape Town Section in 2014 after participating in several of the Outreach hikes in 2013, including the ‘mega hike’ and the ‘Xmas party’. She recently moved to Cape Town from the UK where she was a keen hiker and a member of several hiking clubs. She is now enjoying exploring the many hiking and scrambling routes on the Peninsula and beyond. Camilla is interested in giving children, and particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the chance to enjoy the mountains and outdoor experiences. She represents the Outreach programme on GenCom and is currently helping to raise funds to ensure that the programme can continue. Contact number: 083 260 4703 Agenda 1. Welcome 2. Apologies 3. Obituaries 4. Approval of the Minutes of the Annual General meeting held on 28 March 2014. See Note 1 below. 5. Matters arising from the minutes 6. Honorary Secretary’s report. See Note 2 below 7. Annual Financial Statements. See Note 3 below 8. Chairman’s report 9. Election of Office bearers for 2015. See Note 4 below 10. Possible transfer of Swartberg Property to WWF -SA (Speaker Dr Andrew Baxter) 11. Proposed changes to hut access policy 12. General Steven Barber Proposer: Martin Hutton-Squire Seconder: Daniel Reinecke Steven has hiked extensively for much of his life. He has explored many areas in the Western Cape mountains as well as further afield in the Drakensberg, Namibia, The Alps, The Andes, The Himalayas and New Zealand. He has been a club member for several years and was hooked on conservation after his first hack. He was coopted onto GenCom during 2013 to take over the conservation portfolio. Steven also leads conservation and other weekend meets. Contact number: 072 424 8966 NOTES Note 1 - Please note that these minutes will not be read out at the meeting but copies will be available from the office and will be placed on the clubhouse notice board. Note 2 - Please note that in the interest of timing the report will not be read out at the meeting but will be available from the office and will be placed on the clubhouse notice board. Note 3 - Annual Financial Statements will be placed on the clubhouse notice board prior to the meeting and will be available for members at the meeting. A copy is attached to this Agenda. Note 4 - The following members have been proposed and seconded in terms of Clause 8.2.1(i) As there are only 9 accepted nominations, there will not be a ballot. Mountain Ears Digest Robert Breyer Proposer: Brian Lambourne Seconder: Bridget Carrick Robert is a rock climber, hiker and mountain biker. He has previous NGO experience with Pedal Power (Cycling advocacy group, organisers of the Argus Cycle tour, etc) working on mountain biking access in the TMNP. He is a former treasurer and chairman of the Llandudno Civic Association. He was a lecturer in marketing at the UCT GSB. Robert currently co-owns CityROCK and Mountain Mail Order in Cape Town. Robert will bring lots of busi- 2 March 2015 CIRCULAR 653 ness, management and marketing skills to the Club. He has been on the MCSA Cape Town Section General Committee for two years. Contact details: robert@cityrock.co.za Brian Lambourne Proposer: Lester Coelen Seconder: Steven Barber Brian joined the KwaZulu-Natal Section of the Mountain Club in 1990 where he served as Honorary Secretary for a number of years. On moving to Cape Town in 2001 he transferred to the Cape Town Section. He was an active member of the Search and Rescue team in KwaZuluNatal and Cape Town for a number of years. He is currently a keen hiker, rock climber, a Meet Leader concentrating on classic climbing meets and Chairman of GenCom. Contact numbers: Home: 021 715 7022; Cell: 083 409 8460 Delaney Carpenter Proposer: Lester Coelen Seconder: Brent Jennings Delaney has been a part of the Cape Town Section MCSA since 2011 and is an ardent rock climber and outdoor enthusiast. In 2012 she took over the running of the Annual Montagu Rock Rally and was shortly thereafter nominated as the Rock SubCom Chair, a position which she has held up to date. Delaney is responsible for drafting the Bouldering Environmental Management Programme requested by SANParks for the Cape Peninsula and is working closely with CapeNature and the private landowners in Rocklands to maintain the land. Delaney runs her own community-based website called Rock Chicks and is committed to promoting environmentally friendly climbing throughout South Africa, as well as encouraging the climbing community to be responsible for their climbing areas. Delaney is also a member of the Access and Cape Town General Committees and has recently started the Youth Programme for the MCSA CT Section. Contact details: 083 355 9933, Delaney@rockchicks.co.za Marian Oliver Proposer: Brian Lambourne Seconder: Bridget Carrick Marian Oliver joined the Cape Town Section in 1992, while still a member of the UCT Mountain and Ski Club. She has walked and climbed in the Magaliesberg, Hex, Cedarberg, Swartberg, Langeberg, Witzenberg, Kouebokkeveld and of course, on the mountain in our back yard. She has been to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, the Cordillera Blanca in Peru, and the Karakoram in Pakistan. Mo first used skis (after a fashion) at Waaihoek, and has since skied at the other end of the Hex, in California and in France. Whether walking, kloofing or skiing, Mo is generally at her happiest when in the mountains. She was coopted onto GenCom in 2011. Contact numbers: Home: 021 461 0808, Work: 021 424 2204 Martin Hutton-Squire Proposer: Brian Lambourne Seconder: Lester Coelen Martin Hutton-Squire, MCSA member for 20 years. On the General Committee for some years. Activities include the MCSA Properties, Breekkrants, Access issues and the Table Mountain National Park. Contact numbers: Home: 021 762 4597; Cell: 082 777 7055 Belinda Oosthuizen Proposer: Camilla Adelle Seconder: Brian Lambourne Belinda joined the Cape Town Section in 1997 and soon became a regular participant in midweek meets and weekend trips, as well as the occasional classic rock climb. In 2009 she volunteered to assist with the club’s electronic communications, and subsequently became convenor of the IT-Communications SubCom. She has served on GenCom for the past five years. She is particularly interested in how membership may be increased and sustained, the role that the club plays within the broader local mountain community, and in how these mountains are viewed and used by Capetonians and visitors alike. Contact number: 082 299 2039 Brent Jennings Proposer: Lester Coelen Seconder: Brian Lambourne Brent has been a member of the Club since the early 90’s and has hiked, walked, kloofed, bouldered and climbed both sport and trad extensively in the Western Cape and elsewhere. He has been involved in various aspects of the Club, and served for many years on the Rock Climbing sub-committee, maintaining a particular interest in issues of access for rock climbing. He is deeply involved in all facets of search and rescue, and has served on that sub-committee for many years, being especially focussed on technical training. Brent has been a member of GenCom for several years. Contact numbers: Office: 021 403 6994; Cell: 082 403 6994. Mountain Ears Digest Office Hours Will members please note that the office is ONLY OPEN during the day between 10am and 2pm Monday to Friday and on a Friday evening between 7:30pm and 8:20pm. 2013 Journal Please collect your copy from the office, if you have not already done so. 23 March 2015 CIRCULAR 653 Annual Subscriptions Please note that annual subscriptions were due on 1 January 2015 and must be paid by latest 30 April 2015. Summer (September to March) – weekdays: 07h30 to 19h00 ; weekends and public holidays: 06h00 to 19h00 Winter (April to August) – all days: 07h30 to 18h00 Club Properties The Club owns and manages several magnificent pieces of unspoilt mountain land. Members are encouraged to make use of these properties for Club meets and for private outings. Members are also encouraged to interest themselves in the management of these properties by contacting the respective convenors and offering to join their property sub-committee. *Note: KBG prefers MCSA members to use Gate 3, because it is the entrance least often used by large tour groups. Occasionally, a new security staff member may get it wrong, in which case an informed and polite attitude on your part should save the day. Hut Fees Please note the hut fees: Unfortunately some of our members occasionally abuse this privilege, thereby putting continued good relations with KBG at risk. Please ensure that you are never guilty of any of the following: Failure to adhere to the above conditions, and then arguing with the gatekeeper about it. Failure to carry a valid card, and then trying to cajole the gatekeeper into breaking the rules that s/he is employed to enforce. Failure to obtain the new year’s sticker in good time, and then attempting entry with the previous year’s sticker. Use of the card to gain entry into the gardens for purposes other than direct access to the mountain. Agtertafelberg Hut Cape Town Section Members – R20.00 per night; Members of other MCSA Sections and UCT members – R30.00 per night; Visitors – R50.00 per night Children under 13 – R5.00 per night Du Toit’s Kloof Hut and Table Mountain Hut Cape Town Section Members – R10.00 per night; Members of other MCSA Sections and UCT members – R20.00 per night; Visitors – R40.00 per night Children under 13 – R5.00 per night Procedure for Orange Kloof Permits Permits for Orange Kloof will only be issued on application by telephone (not email) to their Kloof nek office on 021 422 1601, at least two weeks in advance. Permits can then be collected at the office between 08h00 and 15h30 Monday to Friday, or faxed or emailed to you by Beulah upon request. Access to Table Mountain through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens The continuation of the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens concession that allows MCSA members to access Table Mountain and the MCSA’s TM Hut via Kirstenbosch is dependent on the conduct of each and every one of our members. Please take note of the amended opening and closing times for the Rycroft Gate.* All members must adhere to the following conditions at all times: Show both sides of your MCSA card, with a valid current-year sticker, to the gatekeeper upon entry. Note that this concession does not apply to Gate 1, the ‘new’ main gate to the Visitors Centre. For the other two gates, the following applies: Gate 2, the ‘old’ main gate to the Garden Centre: No entry after 08h30, except… When you will be leaving a car overnight (to stay over at the hut) you must notify Mr Andrew Jacobs prior to your arrival. Do so at a.jacobs@sanbi.org.za / 021 799 8674 / 073 969 2026, and stipulate the make, colour and registration number of your car. *Gate 3, the Rycroft or ‘top’ gate: Mountain Ears Digest MEMBERSHIP Distribution of 2015 Membership Stickers Members are reminded that once payment of their subscriptions have been received, the 2015 membership stickers will be available at the office or will be posted to you. If subscriptions are paid after 31 March 2015, the member must either collect from the office or send a self-addressed stamped envelope so that the sticker can be posted to you, otherwise you will not receive a sticker. Change of status or resignation Members are reminded that while they can change their status during the year, it will only become effective from the beginning of the new financial year. So if you wish to change your membership status (e.g. country membership), please let us know before 31 December. We often get requests in February or March, or even later to make these changes effective from the preceding January. Unfortunately this is not possible. 42 March 2015 CIRCULAR 653 Newly Elected Members We welcome the following new members: Fayrooz Ahmed Francesca Arton Nicholas Ashby Roy Ashton Michel Bastenie Rowena Bell Alistair Black Celine Bores Michael Cheney Steven Clarke Dorothy Cole Alison Collier Mariana de Kock William De Lapelin Dumont Jorg Diekmann Sam du Preez Ian Duvenage Daniel Edmiston Brendan Flack Alexander Freedman Victor Freedman Nicollette Germshuys Dana Goldberg Robert-Paul Lewin David Graham Alex Hewson Tony Holmes Thandi Lamprecht Annelie Mare Dillon Marsh Stuart McConnachie Ian Meaker Gavin Memper Anya Mendel Andrea Mills Murray Mitchell Marele Moolman Angelique Morris John Munro Colin Murray Darryl Murry Jason Nicholl Andre Olivier Louise Oozeer Claire Pengelly Dania Petrik Benedict Poulter Timothy Povall Alessandro Sacerdote Rudi Scholtz Michelle Scott Tim Shier Colin Sindle Ian Glass Robert Graham Ryana Johnson Kirsty Killick Ruth Kohlberg Sally Lavender Jessica Law Uta Lehmann-Grube Grant Little Warren Little Adre Marshall Robert Martin Shirley Miksch Robert Mitchell Ingrid Nye Simon Nye Tim O’Hagan Catherine Pallett Esbie Pauw Anita Peterson Clemence Petit-Perrot Jean Phillips Henri Smith Leroux van As Karen van der Westhuizen Sabine van Elsland Oliver van Gruting Julie van Niekerk Deborah van Veyeren Karen Wieffering Peter Worthington Reinstated Joanna Jayne Rejoined James Harvie Gabriel le Roux Fran Siebrits Transfer from Johannesburg Section Stephen Abbott Raoul de Villiers Deceased Members With sadness we announce the death of the following members: Transfer from KwaZuluNatal Section Cuan Watkins Transfer to HottentotsHolland Section Mark Abelson Katrin Stuve Resignations The following members have resigned: Justin Arendse Nancy Ball Amelia Bayman Jess Berndt Catherine Bierny Oliver Bierny Arnold Bok Dawie Bothma Mairi Brimble Tom Campbell Werner Claase Edwina Daniels Mark de Swardt Pierre de Villiers Simreen Dhariwal Jarrett Engelbrecht David Evans Alan Garlick Mountain Ears Digest Stan Phillips Theoni Photopoulou Shane Quinnell Ralph Raad Florian Regenfuss Michael Rice Ruth Rice Sarshen Scorgie Jonathan Skeen Arjan Smit Ian Smith Susanne Streun George Swingler Petronella Taljaard Nicola Tipping Heidi van Eeden Nicole Visser Werner Voigt Carmen Voigt Nicholas von Waltsleben Adam Whiteman Jannie de V Graaff - joined 1946 (d.o.b. 19/02/1928) Tony Gibson - joined 1970 (d.o.b. 10//02/1941) Robin Harvey - joined 1980 (d.o.b. 01/03/1954) IMPRINT This issue of Mountain Ears Digest has been published by the Cape Town Section of the MCSA. 97 Hatfield Street Cape Town. Tel: 021 465 3412/ Fax: 021 461 8456 Web: http://cap.mcsa.org.za Email: mcsacapetown@iafrica.com Or inekemos@zsd.co.za Editor: Ineke Moseley Printing: Blue Mountain Graphics The views and opinions expressed in Mountain Ears are not necessarily those of the Mountain Club of South Africa, it’s Sections, Committees or members. 25 March 2015 BOOK NEWS Harriet Tuckey: The first ascent - the untold story of Griffith Pugh - the man who made it possible. Library #2025 Jim Perrin: Shipton and Tilman - the great decade of Himalayan exploration. Library # 2026 To get the maximum benefit and enjoyment out of Jim Perrin’s fascinating history of the great decade of Himalayan exploration – in reality a partial biography of the two chief protagonists – it helps to be at least broadly familiar with the subject matter. The climbing/exploratory exploits of Shipton and Tilman are well covered in several other worthy volumes but Perrin does bring a somewhat new perspective to this crucial period of Himalayan climbing – a time when there were three full blown attempts on Everest plus a highly successful reconnaissance of the region in most of which both Shipton and Tilman were involved. Couple this with the exploration and ascents of Kamet and Nanda Devi and this was indeed the golden age of Himalayan exploration. Perrin brings a somewhat slanted perspective to some of the background – his obvious antipathy to the British “establishment” of the time is informative and distinctly biased as befits a card carrying member of the Communist Party. This view, of course, is at least partly justified but in this reviewer’s mind, fails to take into account the social mores of that period of history – a time when the British Empire was at its opulent height but enormous social changes were distinctly visible on the horizon. That being said, Jim Perrin has succeeded admirably in presenting the complementary characters of Shipton and Tilman and highlighted their extraordinary achievements. Achievements which have inspired later generations of climbers – including this reviewer. The praise in the comments on the covers of this book are well deserved . Tuckey hardly knew her father whilst growing up. He was a difficult man to live with – often absent during her childhood, going on expeditions as well as being involved in the training of British troops, during WWII. At home he was often verbally abusive to her and her mother. However she has clear memories of attending an RGS lecture on the successful expedition to Everest as a 7 year old. Dr Michael Ward highly praised her father for his research and adaptations to the oxygen equipment used and other work connected with the team. Later when she was an adult, this memory returned and she decided to research his life. This biography has been meticulously and widely researched. She conducted interviews of as many people as she could find who had either worked with or been on an expedition with her father. The sections dealing with Everest reveal tensions amongst the climbers - some of which are not mentioned in other accounts of the ascent. In fact, hardly any of the older accounts of the expedition make any reference to him. The attitudes of the time, shared by many members, looked down on researchers, claiming that an expedition was not the place to interrupt the focus of climbers on an expedition. They either didn’t know or acknowledge the fact that he was an accomplished mountaineer and had taken part in Himalayan expeditions previously. Nor did they recognise the value of physiological research. His attention to detail, particularly with regard to the oxygen equipment and the time of oxygen usage. He designed and had manufactured several items of their equipment , amongst others boots, down jackets, waterproof anoraks . He impressed upon the team the necessity of having appealing foods at altitude as well as advising them how much liquid they needed for high altitude climbing. His research work after the expedition the is just as interesting – helping to train British swimmers for Cross Channel swims. And the training of British athletes prior to the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games. He did upset his colleagues with his brusque manner and explosive temper. If he was sidelined in his research, rather than standing up for himself, he started on different project He was later given his own office complete with a budget. Several fellow researchers liked and respected him – he was a brilliant researcher and wouldn’t hesitate to perform tests on himself. This biography is sympathetically written whilst not failing to mention his flaws. A selection of other books recently purchased or received, (a number off fairly recently published books were donated) are listed below: Mick Conefrey: Everest 1953 - the epic story of the first ascent. A good account of the ascent if you have not had a chance to read any of the slightly older books. Beck Weathers with Stephen G Michaud: Left for dead: my journey home from Everest. Andy Fanshawe: Coming through - expeditions to Chogolisa and Menlungste. Voices from the summit: the world’s great mountaineers on the future of climbing. Many interesting views of leading climbers. Large book #L2015 Graham Pole: Walking in Bulgaria’s National Parks. An interesting area which is probably not visited much by South Africans JOURNALS IN THE LIBRARY. Please note that these are for reference only. Photocopy or photograph relevant pages Mountain Ears Digest 26 March 2015 SOCIALS/COMMENT Socials Programme April - June 2015 This is the programme so far - it is bound to fill up later. All shows start at 8:30pm. The Club house is open though from 7.30pm. The Library and climbing wall are also open. If you have asked for a braai fire, the boma is open from 6.30pm. Please check the Notice Board for further updates. Speakers are often organised at the last minute 13th March LOYALTY AWARDS evening at 7:30 PM The 50/60/70 Year Membership Award Ceremony. Please contact Rose, should you wish to attend, for catering purposes. 20th March Club house closed. Public holiday on Saturday 27 March 08:00 PM - Annual General Meeting: 7:30 pm for 8 pm Members only - come and support your Club and hear what is happening. Come to chat to some on the Committee whom you may not know. Refreshments afterwards. 3rd April Club house closed: Good Friday 10th April Andre Bredenkamp - Travelling the Great African Rift valley with Kingsley Holgate 17th April Wild Coast 5 day trail Port St John’s to Coffee Bay 1st May Club House closed - Workers’ Day 15th May Highlights from Patagonia - Oliza Boshoff & Bart Willems will share favourite stories and photos from Torres del Paine National Park, Cochamo Valley and other areas 22 May Teodor Iliev will talk on what life is like working as a guide for Venture Forth International, and will include short films by Teodor. A further comment from the Library As highlighted on page 6, journals are for reference only. Photocopy or photograph the relevant pages you require. I am very disturbed to notice that Alpine Journals for 2007 - 2009/10 and the American Alpine journals 2009 and 2012 have gone missing. If you should see it on a friends’ bookshelf please undertake to return it to the Library. Ineke Moseley Mountain Ears Digest 27 March 2015
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