The Gaper Face Area guide

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Contributors

Thanks to the following people who have contributed to this crag guide:

Branden Doug Greeg Rose Greg M

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1. The Gaper Face 9 in Area
2. Index by grade

1. The Gaper Face 9 routes in Area

seasonality

Summary:: Sport,Trad
Description:: The place to be if you love thin face climbing.
Access Issues: inherited from Waterval Boven: Best is by car but see bus info below. There is actually no need at all to venture into Johannesburg itself (not that it‟s such a bad place, some people love it!). From Johannesburg airport (O R Tambo International) take the R21 south for a few kilometers then the N12 east towards Witbank, which becomes the N4. These are excellent highways and within two hours (several kilometers after the second toll gate) the turn-off to Waterval Boven is reached on the right. Note: the highway splits into two

1.5 kilometres after the second toll gate. Both are still signed N4 Nelspruit, but only one of them passes Boven! Keep straight, don‟t take the left fork, many first time visitors make the mistake of going left which leads in completely the wrong direction!

The expensive toll gate just before Boven can be fairly easily avoided by turning off (right) at Machadodorp, approximately 15 kilometres before Boven. Drive into Machadodorp then take the tar road towards Badplaas (signed) for approx 13 kms, then turn left towards „Nkmomati Mine‟. After 3.2 kms turn left onto a gravel road signed Waterval Boven. Keep on this, keeping left at the fork at 6.5 kms, the road leads past the Tranquilitas Adventure farm and the Wonderland crags and after another 8 kilometres or so into Boven town, about 10-15 minutes later than if you had gone through the toll. If it‟s been raining very heavily this road can be unpassable in a normal car, however it dries very quickly (within a few hours).

Once in Boven, Roc „n Rope Adventures is easily found, on the opposite corner is the Shamrock Arms pub. Stop in and say “howzit” and get directions, either to the Climbers‟ Lodge or to Tranquilitas. While in town pick up some beer and some cheap (but excellent) steak and boerewors from the butcher (Slaghuis), be sure to ask for the climbers‟ discount.

There are a couple of shuttle-bus services that leave/return to Joburg once a day. At the time of writing „Jereh‟ will drop you off at roc and rope. Contact them on 082 378 3614; they will soon have a website. The other service is the Lowveld Link

8

(www.lowveldlink.com) but they only drop at the Boven turn off from the N4 but its only 1-2 kms from there to Roc and Rope. Expect to pay between R 300 and 400 return.
Approach:: The easiest trail is the one coming in from Easter Face. Alternatively just keep walking right and uphill from the base of the Gaper Buttress.

	Route	Grade	Style	Selected ascents
1	Pocket Rocket 8m right of FIRST DIMENSION. Short and bouldery, not a giveaway. FA: Ian Guest, 1993	24	Sport 8	Greeg Rose 7 years ago Very cool route, pumpy and short, but very stout! Doug 9 years ago never ever 25
2	Lounge Lizard The leftmost route on the face near the corner. Reachy. FA: Clive Curson, 1994	21	Sport 7
3	Brain Dead Starts up a diagonal seam from a ledge about 4m from the corner on the left of the face. FA: Clive Curson, 1993	23	Sport 6
4	Gaper Caper Step off the right edge of the ledge - climb the face to the top. FA: Grant Murray, 1992	21	Sport 7	Doug 9 years ago surprising
5	Grockel Mania Start 2m right of the ledge. FA: Grant Murray, 1992	22	Sport 7
6	Gaper Trail Climb up as for TO GAPE OR NOT TO BE, then break up left past two bolts and a #3.5 friend placement. FA: Gary Lotter, 1992	20	Trad
7	To Gape Or Not to Be Climb the seam on the right (wires), then up the wall above past two bolts. FA: Gary Lotter, 1992	20	Mixed 2
8	Deck Chair Very thin moves up the blank slab 10m right of GROCKEL MANIA. Gets easier after a few moves. FA: Ian Guest, 1993	25	Sport 7
9	Gaper Go-Go Start below the triangular corner. Trend slightly left towards the top. FA: Gary Lotter, 1992	11	Trad

2. Index by grade

Grade	Name	Style
11	Gaper Go-Go	Trad
20	Gaper Trail	Trad
	To Gape Or Not to Be	Mixed 2
21	Gaper Caper	Sport 7
	Lounge Lizard	Sport 7
22	Grockel Mania	Sport 7
23	Brain Dead	Sport 6
24	Pocket Rocket	Sport 8
25	Deck Chair	Sport 7

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Area Guide for The Gaper Face

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Table of contents

1. The Gaper Face 9 routes in Area

2. Index by grade