A wrong turn on Rhino Peak left a young hiker trapped in a freezing-cold gully. The only clue rescuers had in locating him was a glowing light that came from the Southern slopes of the mountain….
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (06 August 2026) – A 24-year-old hiker is recovering after an extraordinary overnight rescue on Rhino Peak, where he spent hours stranded in freezing conditions before search teams finally reached him.
As per Mountain Club of SA – Search And Rescue, the hiker had successfully summited Rhino Peak on 3 August but became disorientated on his way back down after taking a wrong turn. This led him down a snow-filled gully above Mashai Pass, where he became trapped.
“He made several attempts to extricate himself from this position. Using his cell phone he raised the alarm. He could not describe his position accurately. He sat on a small knoll in sub zero temperatures, for what must have been a terrible night.” the search and rescue group shares.
Without being able to accurately describe where he was, rescuers faced an enormous challenge. Teams from the Mountain Club of South Africa Search and Rescue, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and local security companies gathered at Garden Castle Ranger Station and headed onto the mountain as daylight turned to darkness.
They searched through the night in sub-zero temperatures with only one possible clue to guide them – a light spotted high on the southern slopes of Rhino Peak…
The following morning, the rescue operation intensified. A helicopter was brought in alongside additional technical rescue specialists. Two rescuers were air-lifted onto Rhino Peak itself, where they searched the steep gullies from above while the helicopter scanned the surrounding mountains.
The ground teams called out into the icy dips below and eventually, they heard something that sparked hope. The hiker called back.
The helicopter crew was then able to pinpoint his location about 200 metres below the ridge. Shortly after, he was carefully airlifted to safety.
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While this ordeal ended with a safe rescue, it’s also a reminder of how quickly conditions can change in the Drakensberg during winter and why preparation, route planning and knowing when to call for help should always be at the top of every hiker’s mind.
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