The aroma of mountain buchu & wild rosemary on the morning breeze... A surround-sound symphony of black swifts shrilling , punctuated by the occasional screech from a peregrine falcon... And the first rays of the sun painting #FalseBay in a hundred amber hues ... . . That's all part of the deal when you join @mikewakeford on a #dawnpatrol ascent up the east face of #ElsiesPeak. Everything goes, from gnarly traverses & big-exposure ridgeline scrambles, to some of the top #tradclimbs on the planet. This peak's history timelines back to beyond the 20th century, with some of SA's most legendary climbers honing their skills upon these heart-stoppingly gorgeous cliffs. And how cool to sip our morning #coffee with a view of #DreamStreetRose, arguably one of the most epic trad climbs in #africa π . . You don't want to attempt any of the Elsies scrambles or routes on your own, though, for a whole host of reasons. Firstly, you may succumb to #MoronVirus and kill yourself, or waste precious resources in getting #MountainRescue when you get stuck on a flakey route. More importantly, this is an extremely fragile mountain environment and you don't want to destroy the delicate ecosystem eking out an existence here upon the edge of the bay. Rather book a solid mountain guide like Mike, who will enrich your experience a hundred-fold. . . The #TopGear Awards of the day go to my @vibramfivefingers & @vivobarefootza shoes, @ihfproducts #PolarGrit watch, the @groprosouthafrica #MAX360, my @core_merino base-layer, @sealandgear pack & the @ocun_za shorts. More info and bookings at www.guidedbymike.co.za (at Fish Hoek, Western Cape, South Africa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CF-qsu3pICt/?igshid=10b54ndyu74a5
