it can be done ..
Apr 23rd
Hello all it has been a hella long time ,and a lot sure has been happening ,a lot that has to me cemented why i want to do this ,the has been a lot of hurdles ,up and downs ,merry go rounds,as you know i have been preparing for my next leg of my expedition my upcoming Ascent of Mount Denali highest in North America a colossal peak that stands at elevation of 20,320 feet (6,194 m) regarded by some seasonal mountaineers as much more testing than Everest i would like to think so myself though i have no experience on both peaks i mean on Denali you carry your own stuff and drag a sled of 60kg whereas at Everest the are yaks and Sherpa carrying everything for you ,
though to me this makes no difference because my style of climbing is that of Denali/Alpine that which was pioneered by my favorite Alpinists the likes of Reinhold Messner,Erhad Loretan ,Jean Troilet,Chantal Manduit ,the list goes on though the is a few number of climbers who climb this way nowadays because of the bombardment of the many sugarcoated commercial expeditions, this also again proves the stance that the are far more beautiful alluring peaks than the popularized mass advertised tickers the are more technical peaks like Annapurna 1 a, K2 and other deserving mountain peaks like Cerro Torre ,Ogre,and the Many untouched peaks in the Karakorum and Latok.
,but back on the news at hand ,some goods news though besides the seeming bleekness i have now signed a contract with Performance brand First Ascent so im fully kitted for Mount Denali and my upcoming expeditions i have also received gear from Swindle ,i have now booked my flights to Anchorage ive gotten my Visa and travel insurance and im on my last stages of excessing funding for the booking of expedition at the national park and other additional costs ,so that a big relief though it has been a hustle getting funding but with the help of such wonderful souls such as Clare James of South african Golf and leisure vacations ,Big issue,and mahala blog it has eased thing and quieted the headache of mountain of logistics .
iam scheduled to leave for Alaska 3 of May the expedition i estimate will take a month on minimum but nature has her own rules .i will update soon before my departure or begining of my expedition cheers for now and if you want to be involved in raising funds for Denali and upcoming expedition please do so at
Nedbank Pinelands
Code 104-709
Name Rotary Club of Pinelands
JFE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FUND
Acc No 1005 603219
Reference Monde Sitole – Alaska Denali Expedition
Lets do this
Feb 15th
Hope u all well and fully refreshed for the year ahead ,has been a very intriguing past year must say a lot of hurdles, and a lot of learning on the go and this year i must say ive hit the ground running been been busy now with a lot of interviews namely one with British magazine Monocle which is distributed throughout Europe and Tokyo.
as for this year im busy shooting with Mahala blog,Etv news,and a story with German newspaper Der Speigel .
now ive also been working tirelessly on the preparation for my upcoming expedition to Mount Denali the highest peak in North America ,ive been working on the logistical side of things applying for visa and all the relevant paperwork.im going to be starting my physical side of the preparation in the next 2weeks i wish to train with Sport science institute whom i have worked with before .
this is just a short report will give a fullength report in the next coming days .Ceyaa
We shall continue
Oct 27th
hello all hope all is well and superb on your side as is with me …what can i say life has been a roller coaster a worthwhile ride i must say though sometimes it can be seemingly tough but with perseverance and a futuristic faith one which is embodied in past explorers who wandered without the use and privileged of today’s sophisticated technology the very resilience and endurance which is evident in all my expeditions accompanied with a intent which is much greater than Ego .
A deep lure a calling surpassing all the fears we have been superimposed with by media and a conditioned society following in the words of powerful qoute that say Courage is not the absence of fear but the presence of fear but with the will to go on .
This is so relevant now because i have received alot of criticism for my Everest attempt without supplement oxygen funnily by climbers who have climbed for years but for me South Africas and climbing in general in the world is so dull ,safe and alot of pseudo Alpinist just follow repertoire and don’t reinvent and most of the guys who climb these peaks are not seasonal climbers meaning they don’t even climb on weekends beside the big mountain tickers and alot of people with me say u gonna die which goes back to what ive been saying alot of guys who die on mountains are people who are not seasonal climbers its just people who just have one night stands with these mountains and in search of cheap fame but don’t have a personal relationship with the mountains they do not realize that its not the mountain u conquer but yourself and that u are just a small dent in the mountain .
The mountain has produced many heroes and it remains to be the real hero not us ,we only share a bit of its glory if you have a more humble approach to climbing which is gained by spending time on them whether big or small ,the mountain then allows u to elevate if you humble yourself ,frankly to me the first list and quest does not intrigue me for i believe the has been people long before who have climbed these peaks like the Sherpa in Everest but with a different intent which is not driven by Ego i conclude with matter qoute by my climbing hero Anatoli boukreev that Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion.
On a fresh page the issue of the I magazine City press lifestyle Magazine came out 23October 2011 and i was on the cover it came out in large format alongside fellow extreme athletes Hanli Prinsloo and David Grier ,and another feature is one the November issue of Bona page 78 and on the upcoming issue of SAmen online magazine ,and on January Menshealth issue and last but not least please follow me on https://twitter.com/#!/MondeWalks and join fan page on Facebook .
WE GETTING THERE!!!!
Oct 7th
hello all it has been a minute and many moons since we last sighted or even talked ,hope life was exciting and awesome as usual if not ..what u going through is just a learning curve to fully reproduce a mature you ,dont despair we are given so called obstacles according to our might and if we think otherwise and are overwhelmed we simply have under estimated our full worth and haven’t event taped 10 percent of our potentials,.
A lot has been happening my side been getting bust leaving as usual ,breaking doors open hustling ,making stuff happen ive been recently been busy with work and logistical,admin for my upcoming leg of my dare2dream expedition where im attempting to climb all highest peaks on each continent and ski both south and north pole unasssisted. the motive i have said time and again is to re invigorate that latent ,intrinsic potential in all to dare2dream and envision beyond whatever they faced with and grab hold of their dreams nomater how small,big,absurd they might seemingly appear. and more practical to fundraise for the indoor rockclimbing wall and gymnasium i want to build in the townships of khayelitsha Cape Town.
Next leg of Dare2dream expedition is Mount Denali
Mount McKinley or Denali (Koyun Athabastan for “The High One”, Dghelaayce’e in Athna in Alaska , united states is the highest mountain peak in North America and the United States, with a summit elevation of 20,320 feet (6,194 m) above sea level The CIA factbook lists its summit elevation as 6,198 metres (20,335 ft)
Climbing history
The first recorded attempt to climb Mount McKinley was by Judge James Wickersham in 1903, via the Peters Glacier and the North Face, now known as the Wickersham Wall. This route has tremendous avalanche danger and was not successfully climbed until 1963.
- High camp (17,200 ft/5,200 m) of the West Buttress Route pioneered by Bradford Washburn, photographed in 2001
- Famed explorer Dr. Frederick Cook claimed the first ascent of the mountain in 1906. His claim was regarded with some suspicion from the start, but was also widely believed. It was later proved false, with some crucial evidence provided by Bradford Washburn when he was sketched on a lower peak.
- In 1910, four locals (Tom Lloyd, Peter Anderson, Billy Taylor, and Charles McGonagall), known as the Sourdough expedition, attempted McKinley, despite a complete lack of climbing experience. They spent approximately three months on the mountain. However, their purported summit day was impressive: carrying a bag of doughnuts, each a thermos of hot chocolate, and a 14-foot (4.2 m) spruce pole, two of them reached the North Summit, the lower of the two, and erected the pole near the top. According to them, they took a total of 18 hours – a record that has yet to be beat(as of 2006). No one believed their success (partly due to false claims that they had climbed both summits) until the true first ascent, in 1913.
- In 1912, the Parker-Browne expedition nearly reached the summit, turning back within just a few hundred yards of it due to harsh weather. In fact, that probably saved their lives, as a powerful earthquake shattered the glacier they ascended hours after they safely left it.
Mount McKinley West Buttress (lower left to upper right), August 2010
The first ascent of the main summit of McKinley came on June 7, 1913, by a party led by Hudson Stuck. The first man to reach the summit was Walter Harper, an Alaska Native. Harry Karstens and Robert Tatum also made the summit. Tatum later commented, “The view from the top of Mount McKinley is like looking out the windows of Heaven!They ascended the Muldrow Glacier route pioneered by the earlier expeditions, which is still often climbed today. Stuck confirmed, via binoculars, the presence of a large pole near the North Summit; this report confirmed the Sourdough ascent, and today it is widely believed that the Sourdoughs did succeed on the North Summit. However, the pole was never seen before or since, so there is still some doubt. Stuck also discovered that the Parker-Browne party were only about 200 feet (61 m) of elevation short of the true summit when they turned back.
Back to new developments
I have been chosen to feature on the
Cover of I magazine which comes out alongside the City press i feature alongside with
David Grier,Hanli Prinsloo,and Riaan Manser.
for more info on the magazine read below
The new i magazine was launched in City Press yesterday, Sunday, 2 October 2011, as the newspaper’s high-end lifestyle magazine supplement, published by content marketer New Media.
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The bold, 32-page, large format magazine, reportedly the first of its kind in South Africa, debuted in the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal markets, as a regular insert in the national Sunday newspaper.
The magazine’s title was conceived to reflect the confidence of its targeted readers, who are excited to be part of today’s growing, optimistic and multicultural South Africa and for its use as the universal symbol for information.
“i is truly a much-needed hybrid for today’s reader, a well-produced, entertaining and substantive modern lifestyle magazine wrapped up in a Sunday newspaper,” said New Media’s business development director Andrew Nunneley.
In preparation for the launch, the company put its top editorial staff with a brief to develop a sleek contemporary look, thought-provoking editorial and a unique smart tone to fill the magazine’s covers, which measuring in at 275mm in width by 350mm in length, are extra-large.
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New developments
be sure to look out for my article on the mahala blog ,SAMEN blog,Getway,and upcoming Drum and november and mid October issue of Bona .will update also as everything unveils on the other mediums like facebook and twitter.
MondeTalks series of presentation talks
ive also launched and conceptualized something by name Monde talks focused on introducting people to what i do and in that hopefully inspiring them to pursue their own dreams ,and forsakake the bondage of just existing and being just a average statistics ,plowing a certian seed in them to peservere and realize that the are more than what they are circumfrence with ,my talks are about to re inculatate and re invigorate that latent ,intrinsic potential in all to dare2dream and grab hold of the their dreams nomate how small big,absurd they might seemingly appear ,that is the very motive and driving fueling intent behind even my expedition and how are navigate my life it is my main Choreography.
a schedule of the tour schedule of the talks will be posted soonest.
for bookings and knwoledge about this talks contact
0849232585
New Partner(ships)
Sep 13th
hello all, hope u all well ,good and keeping safe in your adventures ,i have now almost fully internalised the whole elbrus expedition ,it was an exciting expedition one which gave me even more certainty and re assurance in my alpine growth though i was droped by a gear sponsor a day before i left for the expedition i continued because that was really the mindset of the whole expedition to surpass the attitude of Gagon when he says ” S’accomplir, c’est se dépasser “that is the whole mantra and the intent behind the whole expedition to surpass beyond the circumfrence ,anyways i wrote to you now to update you on a few new exciting developments firstly land for the building of the indoor rockclimbing wall has been found ,to remind you about the organisation i have opened by name Great African Ascents here is the information as follows_
2009 January i opened a NGO by the name Great African Ascents focused on
nature conservation and youth development through mountaineering .
The organization was opened
with the intentions to provide an alternative to youth bombarded with the sometime unfortunate
burden of living in the townships where youth can loose the capacity to dream because of life
shewed with poverty and sometimes disappointments .
Practically what the organization started
doing is doing camps every Friday to Sunday instead of bombarding youth with statistics about
global warming we believe in giving them an tangible experience so the will appreciate nature
unpretentiously not because they were forced .
in future we plan to open and indoor rock climbing
wall in Khayelitsha and do consistent camps across south Africa and ultimately across Africa so
as to expand the horizons of young people simultaneously altering a open minded and healthy
mind that will benefit in the building of a positive society .
the construction of the indoor
rockclimbing wall and wellness centre will be very exciting for the organisation ,programmes we
hope to have will be martial arts,introduce circus by the help of zip zap circus ,also maybe even
have a indoor swimming pool if possible but the wall remains the most critical alongside the other
rooms where we can carry out programmes such as drama classes and dance classes so as to provide
a variety for the youngsters.
Than secondly the other exciting news is that iam now the new Brand Ambassador for Caterpillar they are now my lifestyle sponsor ,a brand im happy to be associated , a brand that is represents ,strength ,resilience,daring,perseverance all qualities that are deeply etched in all my climbs and upcoming and simply the driving and motive behind my expeditions and the very choreography of my life .
iam humbled to be partnered with a brand of such pedigree and statue and look forward to a bright relationship .
until next time keep dreaming and make sure to join the Cat new South Africa page on facebook @
http://www.facebook.com/#!/Cat.Apparel.South.Africa
New heights
Aug 29th
hello all hope all is well,if i remember well my last entry was 3 weeks ago and i was still excited about going to Elbrus but at the sametime i got dropped by a gear sponsor a day before i left ,for me the whole odeal confirm my very reason/intent or motive of embarking on such a feat or endeover it was for me a demonstration of peseverance i want to shed to other youngsters to pursue their dreams nomater the circumfrence or obstacle for them to always protrude beyond ,it is that futuristic faith that has kept me till this very day .
yeah about the mission to Russian Cacaus mountains ,the journey was a very exciting one from missing my flights in Russia because of language barrier and traveling the outskirts of Russia by train after the expedition,i guess let me start at the very begining .
i arrived in Russia 15August 2011 after 4 Flights from Cape town,Dubai,Moscow,and Mineralyne Vody .i was a day early to the start of the ascent i stayed at a hotel in Pytigorsk .the following day we took military trucks into the forest and venturing into the basecamp of the Grand Mountain ,we the ten of us ,drove for about 6 hours in uncertain terrain but picturesque backgrounds i told myself from the very begining i will savour every moment psyching myself to the challenge ahead or rather lessons that lay ahead. we finaly arrived at Basecamp which is at about 2570m, that day was a rest day where we organised ourselves for the coming day which was going to be an aclimatisation day to atleast 3700 m then we came back again to basecamp then the folowing day we did the same but ascent an extra 100m the we also took half of our stuff up to highcamp which was 3750m then we cam back to sleep at Basecamp for the last day .
then following day we took the remainder of our stuff to Highcamp ,then from there we had another day to aclimitise where we climbed using crampons to Lenz rock at about 4570m then we stayed there to aclimitise for atleast an hour and a half the we descended to Highcamp once more ,8 of the 10 took a restday the following day while me and another guy who was a keen rockclimber went Iceclimbing it was lots of fun something im definetly pursuing in the not so distant future .
then we had two more days left to Atempt Summit everyone agreed on the second one ,we would on that day also attempt with another French team consisting of Ned Bouadjar who had already climbed Everest and 4 of the other seven summits ,we woke up at 11am to pack water and some snacks and bars for the long summit day we had precoceived ,we left at about 12am we trecked for 25minutes out of the rocky area to the snow area where we would wear our Crampons ,the first 2 hours were -25degrees and became colder and colder with the wind creping in, powerful percieng wind we climbed up until 100m up Lenz rock when one member chose to turn back a lad from Australia then we then because of the powerful wind decieded to go inside the wrecked army helicopter we stayed the for 11minutes then 5 of the team decieded to turn back considering that they could make it up the mountain but would probaly not have any fuel to make it down back into highcamp we then we the other remaining ventured on yet again we climbed for another 4 hours then we started seing a dichotomy even in our group were the was a bit of doubts and uncertainty ,in 1 more hour we arrived at the part were we needed to chose between us who would go either to the East peak (lower) or Westpeak (taller),it was a tough desicion eventually me and my freind Jeff Smith went to Westpeak and Maria Conceiao and the rest of the other guys went to the East peak but only Maria made it to the summit of East peak the other guys turning 10minutes after leaving for summit ,then as for us our journey was slightly diffrent ans strenous cause we had to first trek on the saddle before getting on the actual Peak it was a 1 traverse then we took another 1hour up the peak then another few minutes walk the other side then we were the ,we summited ,we both felt elated ,everything else seemed not to matter all the struggles and obstacles were all worth it and were lessons and incentives to reaching the summit.
i had a great time ,i learnt alot of stuff even some stuff which will take time to fully comprehend as i am still internalising the whole expirience.and yeah to the people i met on the mountain also chasing their dreams i salute you,a few who come to mind is the Intrepid Four guys who have dedicated their time in climbing the highest peak in Europe thet have already climbed 20 and are left with only 43 two of their members had their honeymoon on Mount E lbrus that it was i keep on being lured onto moutains time again because of such intrigueng people who live life to the fullest and not settling for the second best life we are served with on a daily basis one.
next up its Gashebrum a mountain that will serve as training for both my 8000er quest and 7summits quest ,until next time ,always remember “it is not that things are difficult that we do not dare things are difficult because we dont dare ”
Next step
Jul 27th
hello all hope all is well and superb yourside its been a while since my last post ,been very busy with multiple things firstly the sourcing of land for the building of the indoor rockclimbing wall and secondly with my next peak Mount Elbrus ,iam happy to tell that i have just finished with Visa bookings and will get my visa early next week so the trip is pretty much organised and ready ,im officially leaving on the 13 of August arriving in Mineralyne Vody on the 15th of August 2011.this trip would not be possible without the support of my partners Redbull,Rotary Pinelands,Jfe Security .i might not have alot of partners but what i appreciate about the partners i have is that our ethos,work ethic,execution is the same ,iam beyond grateful to be partnered with such Auras and Statues .
I will update as the expedition unfolds ,thanks again also for your support for listening reading paying attention and i wish that will also inspire you to grab hold of your own dreams and realise the is no dream that cannot be achieved ,nomater how small ,absurd ,big they might seemingly apear.
thanks again to you and my partners.
Mondewalks
May 25th
Hello family hope you well as i am ,on my side im soo stoked to tell you my new logo for MondeWalks is complete with the help of Lemonade Design studios a energetic innovative and creative brand im so happy to work with. they did a absolute great job ,i look forward to working with them more on the future as the brand widens .as for expedition developments ive just found out that after climbing Elbrus im off enroute Uk to a sponsors Confrence im a guest speaker at i also greatly excited about this also .
will keep you updated ..for now keep walking …
new developments
Apr 28th
Warm easterly greetings to all of you tigers and tigresses ,hope all is well as im am ,ive just came back from a ascent up Groot Wintehoek the thing i like about this climb is that it was just me and 3freinds no guides just us with our maps and compasses ,the path we took has never been taken before ,the mountain its self is still untouched even the the altitude is just 2077 m above sea level its still technical with all the scrabbling and rockclimbing especially tricky in rainy foul weather which we had to endure ,we slept outside for 2days without tenths and limited food and water as we left our bags behind for summit push not knowing it would take an extra day and some hours more ,but we survived it was a super uber fanta exprience .next im going to the Drankensberg ,actualy that is wer im going to be stationed for the duration of my expedition ,the hindrance at the moment is just im still loooking for more partners on boardfor the sutainability of the whole project ,on that note i think i should also introduce my new partners Jfe security these guys assisted me in my Tallship voyage and will also be involved in this expedition especialy the upcoming peak which is Mount Elbrus .
the only thing now im still having a problem with is finding a office space so i can sorta centralise all the logistical stuff regarding my expeditions but for now im happy with all the new developments and will strive on .i live u with a powerfull qoute i live by by Ralph Emmerson
“The definition of success–To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived–this is to have succeeded.”
until next time family ..keep walking and keep dreaming
Apr 19th
hello everyone hope all is good and well ive been busy as usual and im glad to say that i have one more partner onboard which is vibramfivefingers i have to say i admire their groundbreaking ,radical and revolutionary aproach to designing shoes that will better the quality of running and treking .
just some facts about vibramfivefingers
- FiveFingers delivers a number of positive health benefits, by leveraging all of the body’s biomechanics so you can move as nature intended.
- Walking, running, or climbing in FiveFingers, makes the body experience a sense of touch and feel that is simply not possible in conventional performance footwear. We call this a haptic response, and it describes your body’s sensibility to the world around you.
- The foot is the base of our body therefore this haptic response is the proprioception of the foot that are important for a natural gait and precise, powerful movements.
- The increased proprioception of our body together with the lower heel position leads also to a useful posture improvement.
- The natural walking motion reduces impact on your knees, hips, and lower back and stimulates the muscles of your lower legs and feet. You add strength, improve balance, and increase agility.
that is why i am proud to be partnered with these guys .
