Baboons Pass

**Fluffy** · 2012/06/19, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Sakkie

Yea we're back, and what a disappointment. Baboons have been turned into a dirt road. I'm serious.

In 2008 we went up to the school at Ha Mpepe, and that 14km took us 12 hours. 12 hours of rocks, rubber, sweat and....no, not tears, but a lot of blue finger nails, sore backs, etc, etc. Everything related to a helluva lot of hard work.

We left Ramabanta at just short of 10, stopped a LOT for photos, and reached the school in an hour and a half, driving a dirt road. I'm not kidding. There is not a single rock to negotiate. The planned sleep-over place just short of "Slide-your-arse" we hit at 12H00. At this point I just wanted to get home. We really wasted serious preparation, and drove over 500km to experience a farm-style dirt road.

At least the reunion Saturday evening made up for the dissapointment. It was really great seeing you again Jan, and meeting the other two Port Elizebetonians.

Here is a pic of the new Baboons...
Attachment 151456

Hi Sakkie,

For the not so brave crowd like me, how does the new Babbons compare to Sani Pass in terms of difficulty.

**Houtkapper** · 2012/06/19, 06:20 PM

Wow.. is it like that the whole way up? Might change after some rain if it isnt maintained?

**OFFROAD ADDICT** · 2012/06/19, 06:41 PM

Don't worry Fluffy, they are going to tar it now.

**Big Foot** · 2012/06/19, 06:50 PM

Guys

with all due respect to the "Kingsley Holgate's" out there, there are many other enthusiasts out there who may wish to do Babbons or Van Zyls pass - who cannot afford to damage their vehicle or replace it at any given time - and don't need to hang a wheel over the edge to get a thrill, and although I have done a pass or 2, on 2 wheels as well as four, is it necessary to run down an improvement to a given"track/road/pass" so that more like minded enthusiasts may enjoy the same.

Is 'breeboors' so important that we loose sight of trip for the destination.

Dunno

**Zombicon** · 2012/06/19, 06:52 PM

Welcome back Sakkie, glad you guy's made it back safely, even though the pass is now just a scenic route...

I was wondering... is that what it took to get those Jap bakkies up there not so long ago?

they had a bulldozer push all the major obstacles out of the way!.

**Fluffy** · 2012/06/19, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Big Foot

Guys

with all due respect to the "Kingsley Holgate's" out there, there are many other enthusiasts out there who may wish to do Babbons or Van Zyls pass - who cannot afford to damage their vehicle or replace it at any given time - and don't need to hang a wheel over the edge to get a thrill, and although I have done a pass or 2, on 2 wheels as well as four, is it necessary to run down an improvement to a given"track/road/pass" so that more like minded enthusiasts may enjoy the same.

Is 'breeboors' so important that we loose sight of trip for the destination.

Dunno

Also with due respect.

Baboons was never just a destination, it was an iconic challenge to man and machine.

You did it to test the limits, not just to get there and admire the view.

andre` · 2012/06/19, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by andre`

Journey should be a breeze. First 16km is maintained. There`s a Mercedes 1517 truck coming down the pass every morning. Last 8km is still the same.

Didn`t you believe me? Did you guys get any info if the "new highway" will be maintained after the waterline is completed?

**Dirk** · 2012/06/19, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by Big Foot

Guys

with all due respect to the "Kingsley Holgate's" out there, there are many other enthusiasts out there who may wish to do Babbons or Van Zyls pass - who cannot afford to damage their vehicle or replace it at any given time - and don't need to hang a wheel over the edge to get a thrill, and although I have done a pass or 2, on 2 wheels as well as four, is it necessary to run down an improvement to a given"track/road/pass" so that more like minded enthusiasts may enjoy the same.

Is 'breeboors' so important that we loose sight of trip for the destination.

Dunno

Baboons Pass was never about the trip, it was about the destination. I also do not think it was about being breebors either, but to challenge yourself.

There are plenty of gravel travel routes and destinations for those not wanting to go the extreme route.

Baboons was about the only destination in Southern Africa with that level of difficulty. There are plenty other places in the same area you can visit for scenery.

**Flagster** · 2012/06/19, 07:17 PM

There is a road around Baboons pass, so you can drive that road TO your destination.

Edit: a bit late again I see.

**OFFROAD ADDICT** · 2012/06/19, 07:22 PM

Well we still have the Hex here in Cape Town, closed for being dangerous, but i thinks thing still go on there on the quiet.

**XJ Junkie** · 2012/06/19, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by OFFROAD ADDICT

Well we still have the Hex here in Cape Town, closed for being dangerous, but i thinks thing still go on there on the quiet.

Apparently it is mostly impassable at the moment & the various routes are dramatically different to a few years ago. We tried to book a few months back, but they said no-ways.

Can you find out?

**Sakkie** · 2012/06/19, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Fluffy

Hi Sakkie,

For the not so brave crowd like me, how does the new Babbons compare to Sani Pass in terms of difficulty.

That first 15km is a farm style dirt road with magnificant scenery. A capable person will do it in a 4x2. No Jokes.

Originally Posted by Houtkapper

Wow.. is it like that the whole way up? Might change after some rain if it isnt maintained?

Not impossible, but it will take a couple of serious storms. I've seen it "fixed" before, but never to this extend.

But I didn't finish my story. We got to Ramabata before sunset on Saturday. A group of bikers were just back, and they were addament that doing the pass in a car would be impossible. That sounded promising. VERY promising. The bikers insisted that we'll be risking our lives trying. Their butts hit more dirt than seat trying to go through snow so thick that they could not keep the bikes up.

From the planned sleep-over spot, yes Henri, that one, everything changed. From that point on it was the real Baboons, and this time with snow up to 31 inches deep. Why 31 inches? Cause that's how high my tyres are, and in places they were buried!!! MAN, did that last 8km make up for the loss of the first 15.

Aging....I mean grown men suddenly turned into teenagers. After a fierce snowball fight or two or three, and building a hip high snowman which Willie just HAD to kill with the Jeep, and turning the side of the mountain into a 10m super slippery slide which Adele really enjoyed, we took on the back side of the mountain.

Within sight of Goliath Rock I was crawling forward slowly. Slowly because the camber of the road is towards the drop-off. The next moment the Frontier's nose just slipped to the right, and my right front wheel went into a ditch, for all practicle purposes over the ledge. Adele and I sat VERY still waiting for Willie to come pull us back. After getting the front wheel out and taking a different line, the back went into the same bloody ditch. This was serious. The iced up surface became VERY slippery, and the sun was setting.

**Sakkie** · 2012/06/19, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by Big Foot

..with all due respect to the "Kingsley Holgate's" out there,....

Your analogy is all wrong. Kingsley is NOT an offroader. He is an overlander and philanthropist. I take the Breebors comment as a compliment. Baboons was one of the only ones where man and machine was tested to the limit, and not all made it. Scenery you can see all over. Southern Africa is well known for exactly that.

Talking about scenery. How's this for a sunset.......a vehicle to take you to places few can, a fine lady willing to share your passion for adventure, and nature saving her best for moments like these.....

**JP vd Merwe** · 2012/06/19, 08:45 PM

Talking about scenery. How's this for a sunset.......

Great pics Sakkie!!!!!

**HeinrichC** · 2012/06/19, 09:00 PM

Well I posted earlier that I could see loads of snow cover over the Lesotho mountains from the plane window. Were is everybody else?? I am missing some 4x4's and people in the pictures.

**JurgenSteyn** · 2012/06/19, 09:36 PM

I really hope I can do baboons before it vanishes completely...

JP · 2012/06/19, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Sakkie

Your analogy is all wrong. Kingsley is NOT an offroader. He is an overlander and philanthropist. I take the Breebors comment as a compliment. Baboons was one of the only ones where man and machine was tested to the limit, and not all made it. Scenery you can see all over. Southern Africa is well known for exactly that.

Talking about scenery. How's this for a sunset.......a vehicle to take you to places few can, a fine lady willing to share your passion for adventure, and nature saving her best for moments like these.....

btw Stunning pics Tjom

**OFFROAD ADDICT** · 2012/06/19, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by XJ Junkie

Apparently it is mostly impassable at the moment & the various routes are dramatically different to a few years ago. We tried to book a few months back, but they said no-ways.

Can you find out?

Neil, they say its closed........it was impassable when the 4x4 clubs started many years ago, later, clubs took part and it was fun to build the road in parts to get to point B.

Later over the years, many guys went up.
Clarence lost his diff with us on Landy bend, and a few other casualties later on.
But if the farmer says no, well we have to live with that.

Now The first lot that i followed over the net ,up Baboons was Land Cruiser club and also Sakkies mob who did the school thing. I was more impressed with Sakkies crowd as it had a Hardbody there that went up.
Now if a Hardbody ( which lets face it, not the top of the pops) makes it up Baboons, then whats the fuss.
Henris mob rolled a Cruiser, Roughrider, lost a Jeep up there, ok bad weather conditions.
Now a fleet of protons took the cake....baboons has lost its spirit of a tough challange trail now.

We have to find alternatives.....so i am looking, but its not easy with other peoples propertys

**XJ Junkie** · 2012/06/19, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by OFFROAD ADDICT

Neil, they say its closed........it was impassable when the 4x4 clubs started many years ago, later, clubs took part and it was fun to build the road in parts to get to point B.

We have to find alternatives.....so i am looking, but its not easy with other peoples propertys

I could have done the Hex bout 2 years back when it was closed, but the organiser with the contact had to pull out because he got sick the night before. Its worth asking again.

Or there is the Ratel section at Wagon Wheel, but last time we went we were told by the owner that we couldn't go up due to the heavy rain. Vehicles would have slid off the mountain.

Or what about Johnny se Klip - Wupertaal?

This Hardbody would be ideal - LS6 & 37's, with Patrol suspension!

**Sakkie** · 2012/06/20, 09:40 AM

It took us a good hour and a half to dig a road around the Frontier to get the Jeep to the front. Willie pulled me out only to get the Jeep into a similarly precarious situation less than 50m up the track. This time the spike into the ground gripped and Willie winched himself out. This is where I decided that this is where the chains get fitted. Having a heads-up on the side slip, Jan and I could avoid it. From there it was Goliath and a group photo in the dark.

The remainder of the track is where we ran into the seriously deep snow. In places it was so deep it stopped the Frontier dead in it's tracks...on a down hill. Jan had to pull me back a couple of meters so I could take a run-up and use the front diff and bumper as a bulldozer. Fortunately I know the track well enough to know where the dangerous bolders are, and the road builders didn't get up there.

This last portion of the pass was an absolute blast. We didn't get to sleep up there. bit of a let down, but it was really nice to get into a bed with an electric blanket on it