Cape Town Hikers Tackle 106km Challenge in Support of Mentorship Programme

Photo Credit: 13 Peaks Crazy

What began as a personal endurance test for Jan Bergman became a fundraising initiative for The Character Company, which mentors boys who lack positive male role models.

Cape Town, South Africa (27 October 2026) – At 62, Jan Bergman was ready to take on Cape Town’s 13 Peaks challenge alongside Claus Mischker and other fellow hikers. Their ambitious plan was to cover approximately 106km and 6,500m of elevation gain in one continuous push, without stopping to sleep.

“It started off as stupidity,” Jan joked.

Having undergone a knee replacement four years earlier, he wanted to see whether he could still push his body to such limits. But the challenge soon grew beyond a personal test of endurance, becoming an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for The Character Company, a non-profit organisation that provides mentorship to boys who grow up without positive male role models.

“What they are doing is giving mentorship to boys who are growing up without a strong male role model,” he explained. “It really struck a chord with me.”

The group set off at 02:00 on Friday, 9 October, hoping to finish by the following afternoon. However, the mountain had other plans.

Despite favourable weather forecasts, they encountered rain, wind and temperatures of around six degrees on Table Mountain. The hikers also realised they had underestimated the demands of the route.

Jan developed cramp while ascending Platteklip Gorge and eventually withdrew at Kasteelpoort, about 20km into the challenge. The remaining hikers also encountered difficulties, including a knee injury, and the group eventually decided it was too dangerous to continue the original attempt.

“I was seriously depressed. I just thought this is enough,” he recalled, admitting that he had even decided to give up hiking.

But the wider hiking community had other ideas. Rather than abandoning the cause, the group organised smaller hikes over the weekend, conquering the remaining peaks in stages before reuniting for the final stretch towards Signal Hill.

The experience brought an unexpected lesson for him.

“You come to a point where, in essence, you have failed, but there are always people around who will help you. So never feel that you are alone.”

The experience also forced him to confront his own overconfidence. Despite having completed 12 Ironman triathlons, he acknowledged that his previous achievements could not replace proper preparation for such a demanding undertaking.

“It’s not asking for help, saying that I’m battling, I need help, really is nothing wrong with it,” he said.

With another attempt planned for May 2027, he intends to prepare more thoroughly and also hopes to develop the initiative into an annual event, with different sections of the route allowing families, children and less experienced hikers to participate, potentially including boys from The Character Company.