1) MCSA 125-Year Anniversary National Meet – Southern Cederberg
2) 1-2-5…Climb – 8 October – 2016
3) Update on Drakensberg Closure/Non-Closure
4) 125th Anniversary Buffs
5) International Mountain Day
6) facebook and web pages
7) Section News
8) Snippets
9) Any newsworthy items
*******************************************************************
1) MCSA 125-YEAR ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL MEET SOUTHERN CEDERBERG
The meet will be from Friday 30 Sept – Sunday 09 Oct 2016. This
mountain range offers phenomenal hiking, rock climbing, bouldering,
trail running and mountain biking, just three hours from Cape Town.
Fri 30th Sept – Tues 04 Oct – Day trips around Sanddrif & Kromrivier.
Stay at a chalet, or camp. If you wish to stay longer, camping only
has been reserved till Sunday 9 Oct. Some longer multi-day hikes are
possible.
The meet will be based at Sanddrif. The accommodation booked is very
convenient for hiking and climbing which ranges from easy to extreme,
perfect for any and all MCSAers from across the country, of all
levels. Both venues offer chalets and camping. The Cape Town section
owns a great property called Breekkrants, about 20 minutes drive from
Kromrivier, one of the accommodation places. There are some off-day
activities too: wine tasting at Dwarsrivier. Really excellent wines,
not to be missed. Buy some to take home! A new microbrewery at
Kromrivier; An Observatory 20 minutes away; Maalgat, a great swimming
hole for keeping cool on a hot or lazy afternoon.
Bookings: Robert Breyer, Robert@cityrock.co.za; 084-651-3219 More info at
https://sites.google.com/a/mcsa.org.za/mcsa/home/MCSA_125_year_Cederberg_meet.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1
2) 1-2-5…CLIMB! – 1-16 OCTOBER 2016
We aim to log climbs of at least 125 routes and peaks, especially on 8 October 2016 (the 125th birthday of the MCSA), but also during the period of 1 to 16 October 2016. Register your peak or route NOW: www.mcsamagalies.co.za
The KZN section is adding some hiking fun in the Drakensberg to this initiative in October:
Pizza and Poker on Popple!; Summiting Sterkhorn (and other explorations in the Monk’s Cowl area); Ndumeni Dome’s Medieval Butter Tasting; Cathedral Peak Dinner Party; Climb Bamboo Mountain in your Crazy Hat
Where are our overseas members??
Contact: petrogrobler@telkomsa.net for further information
********************************************************************
3) UPDATE ON DRAKENSBERG CLOSURE/NON-CLOSURE
‘The issue surrounding the EKZNW Mont-Aux-Sorces area is still in discussion. The area remains open as it has always been to the public via Royal Natal and Witsieshoek entrances. However care must be taken when visiting the area, persons to preferably travel in large groups for safety in numbers. Over night camping is discouraged yet if necessary, then parties must explore the option of hiring a guide’
*******************************************************************
4) 125TH ANNIVERSARY BUFFS
Due to the high number of enquiries, the Magaliesberg Section has arranged for a second round of the 125year Buffs. The order form is up and running on the Magaliesberg website. Deadline for orders is 31 July 2016.
http://www.mcsamagalies.co.za/index.php/2014-08-19-20-47-44/buff-info
*********************************************************************
5) INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN DAY
The year 2002 was the International Year of Mountains. As this year drew to a close, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed December 11 to be International Mountain Day. This observance, which is celebrated annually, aims to draw attention to the important roles that mountainous regions play in water and food supply. This year International Mountain Day is celebrated on Sunday 11 December.
*********************************************************************
6) FACEBOOK AND WEB PAGES
National: https://www.facebook.com/Mountain-Club-of-South-Africa-181163071916739/
MCSA Search and Rescue Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MCSASAR
Cape Town: https://www.facebook.com/MountainClubOfSouthAfricaCT
EP: www.facebook.com/MCSAEPSection
Free State https://www.facebook.com/MCSAFS
Hottentotsholland: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mountain-Club-of-South-Africa-Hottentots-Holland-Section/385143928232942
Johannesburg: https://www.facebook.com/groups/141752442885/
KZN: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_185119868204602
Magaliesberg: https://sites.google.com/site/mcsamagaliesberg
Magaliesberg: www.mcsamagalies.co.za
Namibia: http://www.mcnam.org/
Paarl/Wellington: https://www.facebook.com/PaarlWellingtonMCSA
South Cape: https://mcsasc.wordpress.com/
Stellenbosch: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_132651793466552
Tygerberg: https://www.facebook.com/bksa.tygerberg and
http://sites.google.com/site/bksatygerberg
Worcester: http://www.mcsawor.co.za
https://www.facebook.com/mcsawor
Links for all section’s web pages are all on the national webpage.
*********************************************************************
7) SECTION NEWS
KZN SECTION
The latest club newsletter is up on the website. It can be viewed at: https://goo.gl/5a6Mhv
CHALLENGES FACING THE DRAKENSBERG CABLEWAY PROJECT http://kzn.mcsa.org.za/Resources/Drakensberg-cableway-challenges
MARTIN WINTER – PASSED AWAY
The club is sad to announce that Martin Winter passed away peacefully on 17 June.
Martin’s climbing exploits in the Drakensberg were legendary in the 1950’s and early 60’s. He sought out and led or helped lead some 15 recorded first accents.
He was also a rescue organiser before the days of helicopters, and was involved in some very tough and arduous rescues in the berg.
CAPE TOWN
A New Member rides in to pay his subs. Cape Town Section looks forward to a stable future!
**********************************************************
8) SNIPPETS
8.1) OLIVE NIEUWOUDT PASSED AWAY
Olive Nieuwoudt passed away peacefully at her retirement home on Thursday 23rd June.
The funeral service was held in Clanwilliam on Sunday 26th.
Olive was a long standing member of the MCSA and had received her 60 years loyalty award.
Generations of mountaineers knew they would always get a friendly and helpful reception from Olive when arriving at Kromriver farm, and her nursing skills were often called on as well.
Our thoughts and condolences are with all the Nieuwoudt family at this very sad loss of a wonderful person.
8.2) GREETINGS FROM ZIMBABWE
The Zimbabwe Mountain Club sends their greetings! The club is really strong at the moment. They have lots of trips away this year and the climbing section has quadrupled; Lots of kids who are so enthusiastic and keen. Isn’t it fantastic that in hardship we still find solace in the mountains!
8.3) NEWS FROM MALAWI
We are doing very well in Mountain Club of Malawi – very active members at the moment – and the climbing part of the club has been rejuvenated in the last couple of years. Check our FB group and our website www.mcm.org.mw
8.4) LOS SUPERTRAMP BLOG
https://lossupertramps.co.za/ blog tracking the build-up to our expedition to Mexico.
8.5) MAGALIESBERG BIOSPHERE
Are you interested in getting involved? The Volunteer application form is at:
http://www.magaliesbergbiosphere.org.za/
8.6) ALPWEEK
AlpWeek is an event jointly organised by: Alliance in the Alps; Alpine Convention; Interreg Alpine Space Programme; Association Alpine Town of the Year; CIPRA International; Club Arc Alpin (CAA); ISCAR Alpine Research; Ökomodell Achental. 11-15 October 2016, Grassau (Germany.)
Numerous thought-provoking sessions, market stands, and exhibitions await you as an opportunity to learn about current challenges and find common solutions in the fields of culture, demography, and quality of life in the Alps! Registration is open, please visit: www.alpweek.org. Sign up as soon as possible if you would like to benefit from room reservation fast track: rooms in the Conference hotel are pre-booked for participants until 7 July.
8.7) ISCAR
ISCAR would like to draw your attention to the extended call for proposals for the LabEx ITEM „Mountain regions, territories of innovation“ – International Symposium on 11 to 13 January 2017 in Grenoble, France. Abstracts are accepted until 7 July 2016!
For further information please visit the event website: http://labex-item.insight-outside.fr/colloque-innovation-montagne/index.php?langue=en&onglet=6&acces=&idUser=&emailUser=&messageConfirmation=
8.8) 35TH INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS (IGC) – CAPE TOWN – 27 AUGUST – 4 SEPTEMBER http://www.35igc.org/Verso/1/Scientific-Programme
8.9) 1ST INTERNATIONAL LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH OPEN SCIENCE MEETING 9-12 OCTOBER 2016 –SKUKZA, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
The theme for this conference is: Long-Term Ecosystem Research for sustainability under global changes: Findings and challenges of ILTER from local to global scales http://www.saeon.ac.za/ilterosm2016
8.10) INVITATION TO THE 11TH AARSE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE – 24TH -28TH OCTOBER 2016 –KAMPALA, UGANDA – CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
AARSE is the premier African conference for scientists and practitioners involved in remote sensing, earth observation, space science and geospatial technology in general. AARSE conferences are geared at keeping society and governments abreast of the exponentially growing technology, but also provide a forum not only for dissemination, but also for discussion on tackling the continent’s development challenges. www.aarse2016.org http://mri.scnatweb.ch/en/networks/mri-africa
8.11) VIDEO: ROCK CLIMBING IN SOUTH AFRICA
http://theadventureblog.blogspot.co.za/
********************************************************************
9) Newsworthy items for inclusion in MCSA National News can be sent to the Editor, Bridget Carrick: bridget.carrick7@gmail.com
QUOTE
“He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary.”
― Friedrich Neitszche
