Swaziland

The largest rock in the world is Uluru in Australia (which is not accessible to climb).

The second largest is directly underneath me.

Sibebe Rock is a beautiful hike up from a river valley onto a green plateau with wildflowers and big rounded lichen-dotted boulders.

The hike up and across offers views of the 3 billion year old granite face. If this were in California it would be lousy with climbers and while I love a good climb, I am presently glad that the beauty is bereft of other people.

Bruce and I used a combo of apps, google, and talking to people to figure out how to do this hike, but ultimately it came together easily as a local fellow ran off to find us a guide who was happy to show us around. Marcus looked underprepared - no socks, no water- but he hustled up that mountain like it was flat ground. I consider myself pretty fot but was huffing and puffing to keep up as we clambored up the very steep slope.

The hike included some beautiful caves, through one of which we scrambled and climbed out the back entrance. Never would have found that on our own!

The summit offered sweeping views and a sketchy unprotected class 5 descent. Not for everyone, at all. I found myself trying really hard to NOT think about the costs and logistics of being airlifted off of a mountain in a 3rd world country into a local hospital... I have a high risk tolerance but this was definitely outside my comfort zone both in terms of unprotected rock climbing in street shoes and in terms of "what if?"

No badness ensued.
I did get a chance to remind myself to ask more questions of guides in the futire before blindly trusting them.

We got some pictures, absorbed some vistas, paid our guide (about $10) and headed back to the resort that is perched on an almost-the-summit shoulder a few km back along the trail.

The resort was a little bedraggled but has a great collection of large birds: peacocks, turkeys, and an ostrich roaming the grounds.

We grabbed a light lunch and watched a storm cloud form and head directly towards us. Nothing motivates a hike quite like impending rain! We hustled down the steep descent, mostly following our upward track, and reached the car juuust ahead of a light sprinkle. The storm never really coalesced but the moody gray afternoon was a nice contrast to the brilliant morning sunshine.Leggi altro