CONTENTS

1. PRESIDENT’S RAMBLES
2. SOUTH AFRICAN FIRST ASCENT OF K2
3. REVIVAL OF SUPERTRAMP AWARD
4. 2022 NATIONAL MEET – FULLY BOOKED
5. 2022 JOURNAL – CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
6. FACEBOOK AND WEB PAGES
7. ITEMS FOR e-NEWS

1. PRESIDENT’S RAMBLES

It has been too long! Hopefully this is an indication that all those involved with this newsletter have been active in the mountains. Firstly, I would like to express the national committee’s grateful thanks to Greg Moseley for compiling and managing the national newsletter long after his term of President came to an end, this has been a great benefit to all of us. We are planning new ideas and formatting of the newsletter.

By now most of you will have received your 2021 MCSA Journal, again thanks must go to Jenny and her editorial team this is a critical and treasured asset of the MCSA. Thanks also to the many contributors which ensure that the journal reflects the activities and ethos of the MCSA the past year, and also that it is difficult to put down! A secure, digital, searchable, “smart” version of the journal is being tested by members of the National Committee, and hopefully soon be available to all members whose Sections adopt this initiative. The hardcopy will remain available to members, and a backup of the digital journals will be held by the Journal Committee.

Since the last newsletter we have had the 101st July Camp! My daughter and I enjoyed this year’s Camp immensely. We express our grateful thanks to Rikki and her team, the hike leaders and to the KZN Section for keeping the Camp going.

We have also had a joint meet between Johannesburg/Magaliesberg/Namibia sections. This was a fantastic event. We spent time at Spitzkoppe where all those who wished to reach the summit did so and also enjoyed the great friction climbs in the area, a new experience to many. We then relocated to Omandumba for fantastic camping and climbing in the Erongo mountains. We are grateful to Corinna, Roland and our hosts from Namibia Mountain Club. This is an event which must be repeated.

On the UIAA front a lot has happened and although you receive regular newsletters through your sections the following aspects are worth checking out: The UIAA Safety Label: https://theuiaa.org/uiaa/what-is-the-uiaa-safety-label/ where you can now search for certified equipment through a dedicated data base. The UIAA Webinars Mountain Network Series, the next, #4 will feature the 2022 Mountain Protection Award and take place on 3 December 2022, the previous Webinar, #3 was the inspiring “Mountain Women & Herstory”. The UIAA Management Committee held its latest meeting on Saturday 27 August. The main points addressed meeting were:

  1. The decision to dissolve the UIAA Ice Climbing Commission and put in place an interim governance solution for the immediate future. Plans for the 2022-2023 UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour remain on track.
  2. Approval of the recommended budget for 2023 (for General Assembly voting on 29 October in Banff, Canada).
  3. Approval of task descriptions for three UIAA Commissions: Youth and the newly formed Legal Affairs and Training commissions.
  4. Confirmation that the UIAA Alpine Summer Skills handbook in English will be released at the UIAA General Assembly.
  5. The MC agreed to approve to the General Assembly two new member associations for active UIAA membership. These are, Ecuador: Federacion Ecuatoriana de Andinismo y Escalada FEDANE, NPO and Peru: Federación Deportiva Peruana de Escalada. Additional applications are currently being assessed.

The national committee is in the process of forming a new Climate Change Committee to ensure that this receives our focused attention and that we implement the UN initiative: Sports4Climate Change. However, this should not only be the focus of the national committee but of all Sections. Not only do we need to work towards signing the UNS4CA Commitment letter but as mountaineers we must personally strive to reduce our carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 as a minimum and achieve a net-zero emissions target by 2040. Our new Committee, once formed, will contain expertise to guide us in achieving these goals.

Looking forward to meeting many of you at the national Camp hosted by the South Cape Section in a few days’ time!

Look to the Hills!
Paul Carstensen

2. SOUTH AFRICAN FIRST ASCENT OF K2

What started off as a fascination 25 years ago turned became a reality when John Black, Warren Eva, Allan Dickinson and Robby Kojetin as they prepared to make this dream reality when they left home on June 13, 2022 to travel to Islamabad, Skardu, and then Askole, and finally make the 100km trek to K2 Basecamp (BC) and how they made South African mountaineering history. On 22 July 2022 John and Warren, both members of KZN Section, stood on the summit of K2, becoming the first South Africans to do so.

Read the article from the KZN newsletter here.

3. REVIVAL OF SUPERTRAMP AWARD

The Supertramp Award is back after a hiatus of six years. The concept is

  • to provide support for expeditions organised and undertaken wholly by MCSA members particularly young South African mountaineers;
  • the applicant must be a fully paid-up members of the MCSA (of any section) for a minimum of two years;
  • that the award be granted to a single person, whether or not the expedition team comprises two (or many) young South African mountaineers. The recipient may then decide the manner in which the money is spent.

The base amount is R30 000. An additional amount may be considered for exceptionally deserving ideas. . . So, if you are young and adventurous and need funding for a trip of your lifetime? Head over to our website and read up about how to sign up – the deadline is 30 November 2022 for the 2023 Award. https://mcsa.org.za/supertramp-award/

4. 2022 NATIONAL MEET Dates: 14 – 22 October 2022

Thanks to an overwhelming response from MCSA members, the National Camp has reached capacity, and we have closed applications so that hikes do not become over-full, and spoil the enjoyment of those who applied early.
We look forward to welcoming everyone who has committed to the camp to the beautiful Garden Route, that we are privileged to call home. See you in October!

5. 2022 JOURNAL – CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

The MCSA Journal is published one year ‘in arrear’. Contributions for the 2022 Journal should reach the Editing Team through the Journal Editor jennyapaterson@gmail.com by 31 January 2023. Guidelines, a StyleSheet and photo template for journal submissions can be found on and downloaded from the MCSA National website: https://mcsa.org.za/about/journal/

6. FACEBOOK AND WEB PAGES

National: abbreviated link for the national MCSA Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MCSA125/ Links for all the sections’ web pages are on the MCSA national webpage.

7. ITEMS FOR e-NEWS

If you have any items of interest to share through this medium, please email to: secretary@mcsa.org.za