The Grand Traverse ‘Spirit of Exploration’
Herewith a brief feedback from Christine Terblanche, one of the team members that successfully completed this year’s challenge… “Twelve elated hikers from the Mountain Backpackers and Midlands Hiking Club recently completed their 2008 Grand Traverse "Spirit of Exploration". Starting from Bushman’s Nek on Friday 2nd May, they headed Northwards, finishing 13 days and 230km later at the Sentinel (Amphitheatre), having climbed a total height of 11,900 m. They awoke on Day 3 to a "white wonderland" snow covered escarpment and experienced relatively good weather conditions thereafter apart from the 80km/h winds on a few days. Grateful thanks are extended to Maccaferri Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd Enviromental Solutions and First Ascent for their kind sponsorship and also to members of the re-supply teams without whom it would have not been possible to complete this challenge.
Celebrating their achievement at the finish are from left to right :
Christine Terblanche, Stephan Terblanche, Elaine Bushell, John Pickup, Keith Ashton, Luciano Columbo, Clive Powell, Teresa Whitfield, Christine Bro, Bobby Stanton, Grant Wilkinson & Irene Wisdom”.