Overview
Devil's Peak is one of the famous Cape Town landmarks, the north-eastern neighbour of Table Mountain. It provides the stunning backdrop to the University of Cape Town. The Cape Town side (north-west) of the peak is arid and gradually sloping, whereas the Rondebosch side (east, as seen from UCT) is precipitous.There are many different routes on the peak, although actual rock climbing is discouraged due to the unstable nature of the rock. One of the most popular routes is Newlands ravine, a fairly straight forward hike up to the saddle between the peak and Table Mountain, and from here one has a straight forward slog up the summit pyramid. A more exciting route is Mowbray Ridge, which is a knife edge for some of the way and offers superb views in all directions, as well as some simple scrambling. There are also numerous paths on the Cape Town side of the peak. A climb of Devil's Peak can take anything from about 2 hours to the best part of a day depending on the fitness of the party and the directness of the route chosen.
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Getting There
A good place to start is Rhodes' Memorial, a popular place for tourists, on the slopes behind the university. From here one can hike up to the contour path and follow this south to the base of Newlands Ravine, or one can head for the blockhouse at the foot of the Mowbray Ridge. Other routes on the Cape Town side can be accessed from Tafelberg road.
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Red Tape
No permits are required to climb the mountain, but due to its popularity there are many paths and a lot of erosion has occured, so stick to the paths and do not worsen the situation. No parking fee at Rhodes' Memorial, but parking can be full due to the popularity of the place. There is usually a car guard here so bring a little cash to pay him.
When To Climb
The things to watch out for are heavy rain which may cause erosion and may make the steeper sections slippery. Rain occurs in winter (May - August), but the mountain does not get snow, so it can be climbed all year round with much the same level of difficulty.
Camping
No camping allowed. No huts.
Mountain Conditions
www.weathersa.co.za will provide a forecast for Cape Town, however the mountain is usually very windy, particularly on Mowbray Ridge, so always carry a wind-breaker. There is little or no drinkable water on the mountain, so carry whatever you are going to need.
Additions and Corrections
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| Andrew Hagen | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | You may have a point. "Forbidden" was what I vaguely remember hearing once. I think "discouraged" is probably fair. Will correct. Thanks | |
| Posted Feb 13, 2003 1:47 pm | ||
| ben jammin | Untitled Comment | |
Voted 10/10 | ...forbidden? Since when? Not that Devil's Peak is exactly reknowned for its rock climbing, but I'm sure one could have some great chossy green trad adventures up there. The northern face opposite the minor peak doesn't actually look that bad... if one were to have lots of enthusiasm. ;-) | |
| Posted Feb 13, 2003 9:11 am | ||
| Andrew Hagen | Untitled Comment | |
Hasn't voted | You may have a point. "Forbidden" was what I vaguely remember hearing once. I think "discouraged" is probably fair. Will correct. Thanks | |
| Posted Feb 13, 2003 1:47 pm | ||
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