Routes in Boothill

Takes a direct line up the centre of the wall right of the gully. Start between the large crack to the right and the layback crack to the left. Climb up to a bolt, and then straight up past several rails to a peg. Climb directly up and through the top bulge to exit. Fortunately a chain anchor has recently been placed at the top of this line so climbers no longer have the almost impossible, sloping and grass covered exit. However, one needs to rap down to get to the anchors to thread. Not as much of a mission as it sounds, and well worth it. Without a doubt one of the best routes in Kloof Gorge.

• retro-bolted Feb 2010 by Gerald Camp with permission of the FA preserving some “flavour”.

• The large crack to right has either not been climbed or is unrecorded… Not too sure of exactly where the “layback crack to the left” is?

From the platform at the end of the buttress climb the crack in the middle of the face for three metres and then move diagonally right. Traverse left for two metres to below the obvious crack and follow this to the top. This little number is no push over and has sent more than one hard man tumbling in the wrong direction.

• Classic 17 – pro for the first 3 m is interesting. A direct version goes straight up, about 18, less protection, about 15m.

Climbs the face and cracks between C’est la Bon and Alien sex Fiend. Step down from the blocks and onto the face. Climb up the face past two pegs to a rail. Follow the cracks to the top.

• A must-do. Very varied climbing. There is a new bolt below the 2 pegs mentioned which was added when the peg it replaced was smashed out in mysterious circumstances. Start by scrambling down to the left of the C’est La Bon lunch blocks onto a ledge. You can make it a 20m climb by scrambling down to ground level and using the same start as the next climb – a very large loose block has been removed at the cost of some skin.

Climbs the arête to the left of C’est la Bon.  The first few metres are contrived and can be avoided by stepping off the blocks below the platform.  * A truly magnificent route if you avoid all temptations to move onto better holds on Liquid Desire.  Top moves are committing and fantastic.

This route breaks through the roof right of the caves found on the lower walk in. Climb through the roof right of the caves and up to a cubbyhole.  Powerful moves take you out and around the next roof. Continue to the top.

From the end of the buttress traverse out right on an easy slab below the roof. Climb up and into the corner.  Climb this to a ledge.  Move right around the arête and climb straight up.

• amazing exposure for a 13

Climb the break left of Little “R”. Two pegs

Takes the arête right of “Little R”.  Follow the bolts, generally staying right of the arête.

• These bolts are probably suspect by now!

Immediately below the top out of Shapimus Minimus is an obvious crack line (ie 3m uphill from the arête upstream of the lunch blocks).  Take this to the ledge and follow the crack up to the SM exit face.  Better than it looks, pro is good. Always in the shade.

Climb as for SM to the ledge. Walk to the left and finish up corner.

• Messy – only do it if you want to solo out…

A short but good problem. Start below the roof just right of C’est La Bon.  Climb straight through the middle of the roof then directly up the face on some dinky little holds. A no 1 friend protects the roof move. Thereafter gear is thin.  Quite scary and seen only 6 ascents as far as I know.

Start just right of C’est La Bon and climb diagonally right to a peg above the roof. Continue right to the peg on Dynamatic and finish up the wall above.

Up face just left of ASF arête to large ledge (shared with Remedial Interruption). This face start allows a separate line to RI (but is more commonly climbed as a variation to RI). 5m up face just to right of Remedial interruption crack (use crack for pro) and then layback strenuously into the obvious fist crack which tends to the right. 22m.

Climb the crack in the corner two metres to the left of Alien Sex Fiend to a large ledge.  Climb the corner to the top.

• Classic 15.  The usual start is around the corner from ASF through a gap in the overhang - somewhat hard for a 15. This then leads onto the very large ledge mentioned in MM and TF . It is very difficult to set up a top-anchor so anchor to the right of the exit to bring up your second and place a piece just before exiting. 21m

Start on the ledge at the base of Remedial Interruption.  Climb straight up the face and up the thin seam past a peg.  Avoid moving left onto Terminal Frost.

Start on the ledge at the base of Remedial Interruption.  Move out left onto the face and then up just right of the small roof.  Climb straight up the wall passing well left of the peg on Midnight Madness. Continue up the grey rock on good holds to a tricky exit.  This route passes close to Cowgirl Blues.

Start at the base of the blocky corner to the right of Running on Empty.  Climb up the corner to a good rest.  Move a little left then up to a thin rail and then directly up the dark brown streak. Exit to the left on the clean rock.

• The left exit is easy, a consistent at the grade exit is to head straight for the distinct break in the overhang. There is a direct version starting up the initial short slab and small roofs (with convenient jugs) to the left of the corner. Continue as per the normal version or keep it a separate line by going left of the lichen patch about 3 m left of the Cowgirl crux bulge. Commonly top-roped as pro for the top half (and bottom half of direct version) is sparse. 22m

Climbs through the roofs and onto the face left of Remedial Interruption.  Climb up some blocks to reach a crack in the corner below the roofs.  Climb up to below the highest roof and then move around the corner onto the face. Climb straight up the face.

• Start at the next corner 3m left of the Cowgirl Blues corner. Climb up and under big roof, then aim for vertical crack to left of roof. Can also exit roof to right onto slab.  Straight up slab exiting to left of protruding prow.  Start is a bit arbitrary so could be nicer to start on short face below Cowgirl Blues overhang and tend left to corner.

Start at the base of running on empty. Climb diagonally left across the blankish face up to the ledge which is visible. Gear is not that great.

• ie very shit!, ends on ledge.

Climbs the centre of the next clean face to the left of Running on Empty. Starting just left of the lower roofs, pull up on jugs to start (roof one metre off ground).  Climb up over a loose flake to a short open book above.  Break through the roof where a block has fallen out (peg).  Climb directly through the bulge above, exiting up the crack. * There is an aid route to the right of the next route that goes through the large roof and onto the superb face above.  Opened by Gerald Camp using 2 nut scratchers for hooks!

Start one metre to the right of Post Nasal Drip.  Climb directly up and through the roofs immediately left of the huge roof.  On up to a wide rail then a little right to follow the break of layaways. * Gives one the opportunity to climb the great wall above not accessed via other routes.

Start just left of the big roof.  Pull up on good holds on the corner and then move up and slightly left to the base of a short ramp.  Follow the obvious break/crack to the top.

• Long and fantastic – getting up the ramp is hard (could be 18)! 23m

Start about two metres to the left of Post Nasal Drip.  After a cranky start climb up the face to the base of an obvious openbook. At the top of this move out left to finish on a grassy ledge.

• Alternatively move right at top to finish up the Post nasal drip crack. Much easier than PND! Tree now grows about 1m away from starting overhang – don’t use it, there’s a jug! Once on top of the start ledge after “crank start” (about 3m up), move 2m left to obvious crack,  then up, then left again to blocky easy ground till you reach a large ledge – traverse right till below the open book – here you can belay. Alternatively and better is to go straight up crack to left of start block till get to ledge and use large ledge for hand traverse.  A variation to the right of starting blocks is much harder (about 21). 24m. An excellent “big wall” feel and great training ground for multiple pitch teamwork.

Starts just left of Flashpoint.  Climb straight up the face, moving slightly right near the top to a second set of chain anchors, place slightly lower than those on Flashpoint.

*  a piton is visible from the ground.

Climbs the blocky and overhanging corner left of Vagina Dentata.  The start is located by a blade peg very close to the ground.  Apparently its much better than it looks.  * It is definately better than it looks.

From the Bare Essentials ledge traverse out right to the top of the large pinnacle on the skyline. Continue up to the peg (on the left) and exit out right.

From the pinnacle on Poer-Poer continue up to the ledge to the right of the layback crack above. Finish straight up without using the layback crack.

*Although not as difficult as "Poer-poer", a slightly better climb.

Scramble up onto the big grassy ledge about thirty metres past the big crack.  Climb the crack/flakes on the right of the ledge, starting behind the tree in the corner.

• Far right of the ledge, somewhat off-width crack.

Start two metres right of Learning to Fly.  Climb straight up the recess and over the chockstone.  Be careful with the “not so chocked” chockstone.

Starts one metre to the right of the Bare Essentials.  Climb straight up to a peg which is passed on its left.  Continue up then exit right on small holds.

Climb the crack to the left of Solitaire to a jammed block.  Move slightly left and up a recess to an awkward exit.

• Obvious crack on left of ledge.

A direct variation of the Bare Essentials. Start two metres left of the big crack and climb up past a peg to join the other line at the left hand end of the ledge.

Start left of the Bare Essentials in the middle of a short overhanging face.  A boulder problem start leads to easier climbing on the ramp above.  Continue up the face to the top keeping to the right of the arête.  * Trust your gear placing skill or don’t climb it.

Climbs the smooth wall right of the Scream.  Climb directly up the face to two adjacently placed bolts.  Thin moves take you past the bolts and into a scary leadout.  A great route which may have additional bolts and anchors in the not too distant future.

Climbs the wall to the right of Signing Off.  Start on the small ledge just to the left of the tree and follow the thin seam past a peg and a fixed wire to an abseil point on the tree above.  (Bolted now).

• Can be easily approached by rapping in from the top off the Signing Off  big tree.  Just brush of the holds on the way down as heavy rain brings down dust. Opened  trad style, then retro-bolted Feb 2010 by Gerald. Probably best to belay off “big ledge” level to right of Signing Off.  Scramble up large crack to left and place gear for belay or belay from ground and hope you don’t fall before first bolt…

• Find this from the top by following a vague path along the grassy slope till you get squeezed between a small rock face on the right and the tree with the embedded rock on your left.

Climbs the crack up the obvious openbook around the corner from the grassy ledge.  Above the route is a tree with a rock embedded in a fork.  This makes a handy abseil point to reach the ledge.

• Fantastic route – good protection. Best start is from ground 1m to right of large crack using a layback crack up to a big ledge. 22m

Somewhere between Signing Off and Tuxedo Junction.

Climb the crack up the centre of the face to the left of Signing Off.

*Outstanding – sustained, very well protected from crack which starts about 1/3 way up. Small cams in horizontal slot and small wires in back of a flare might work before that.