3 students from Johannesburg are the first to climb ‘Devil’s Tooth’ in the Drakensberg Range

Date: 11 Aug 1950
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Location: back to this day in history search archive The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in South Africa, with Thabana Ntlenyana the highest peak in the country at 3,482 mt. The Drakensberg also consists of various parts, including the Amphitheatre and pinnacle rocks such as the Devil's Tooth. Until 1950, the Devil's Tooth was considered unclimbable, but on 11 August 1950 E. Scholes, D. Bell and P. Campbell formed a 'summit team' and completed the first successful summiting of the Devil's Tooth, still considered on of the 'Berg's toughest rock challenges.

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01Bristow, D. (2003) 'Best Walks of the Drakensberg'. Struik Publishers: Cape Town pg. 42
02Wallis, F. (2000) Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). 3 students from Johannesburg are the first to climb ‘Devil’s Tooth’ in the Drakensberg Range. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011750

South African History Online (2011) '3 students from Johannesburg are the first to climb ‘Devil’s Tooth’ in the Drakensberg Range', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011750 (Accessed: 3 October 2026).

South African History Online, 3 students from Johannesburg are the first to climb ‘Devil’s Tooth’ in the Drakensberg Range [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011750, (accessed 3 October 2026).

"3 students from Johannesburg are the first to climb ‘Devil’s Tooth’ in the Drakensberg Range." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011750. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "3 students from Johannesburg are the first to climb ‘Devil’s Tooth’ in the Drakensberg Range." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011750.