Routes in Africa for selected grade

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The gully/corner to the left of Escalator. 5.3

Routes 11,12,13 and 14 start right of the big pinnacle. It is possible to traverse right to these from the pinnacle area, though the traverse is harder than any move on the climbs. Climb a right-trending chimney to steepening and hence a tree belay. Now easy rocks to the top.

Time: Half a day. An obvious fully leads to the North-East Ridge. Then rope down to another gully which leads to the summit. A much better (if harder) variation to this route is to follow the first gully until the wall steepens. Go up and traverse left, then follow cracks up to a tat belay. Fun, maybe Severe climbing with a well-protected crux. From belay go up until te ridge, then follow right to top. Descent is back down the same route on tat anchors. Check this and add your own tat. 3 proper pitches, the initial gully can easily be scrambled or simul-climbed.

Climb the prominent wide gully on the SE Face. Take the right-hand branch leading to the main ridge at a prominent sharp V-notch. The most difficult parts are just before reaching the main ridge, and from here to the summit.

Variation: Where the gully branches, the left-hand route may be taken. This gully, less clearly defined, joins the other route on the summit ridge. (Grade III, J I Moore and H C Pereira, Aug. 1949). When free of snow this gully can be climbed down without abseiling (III). The tower buttress right of the South-East Gully may also have been climbed by a Cape Town University party, in January 1965.

To the right of the previous route there are two parallel cracks. The left one starts in a corner. Climb up the corner and continue up the crack. Towards the top move rightwards.

Historic route number: 94

Up the grey slab 20' right of 'Slam', this steepens to a good ledge capped by a roof. Move up left and swing left on good jugs to the next ledge. Move right to a crack, climb this to a ledge, and boulders to the top.

Historic route number: 93

This is the continuation of the chimney on 'Inside Job'.

Historic route number: 87

Climb the same start as 'Mistral' and continue up the line of the wide crack to the top.

Historic route number: 46

First impressions are that the grade is 22 A2, but we would be happy for a second ascent party to downgrade the difficulty. Will write up description, but anyone wanting to repeat the route, can contact me at any time. Three pitches, right-hand side of Springs Wall, through the left side of overhangs.

The first sport route on the left. Begin up an easy slab to steeper terrain. Somewhat runout.

This route was rebolted in January 2020. The bolt placements were kept the same as the FA party. Currently (1/25/20) no anchor but it's possible to traverse right to an anchor.

Launch Pad is a low-angled pitch suitable for beginners, partly because the route is pretty obvious and can be clearly viewed from the bottom. A shallow boulder on the ground near the base of the climb makes a fine perch for the belayer.

1. Begin climbing at the lowest and most western point of the Middle Buttress and ascend directly up the arete, choosing from ample holds.

2. Continue up the conspicuous ridge line to finish the pitch at a vertical wall. Construct an anchor using abundant natural pro.

BEWARE OF THE SLOPING FALL BELOW. Within the cluster of boulders in the area. This one is the first you encounter. On the smoothest face of this boulder there are plenty of pockets and bulbs to ascend on. Easy for new climbers.

Climb the easy but crumbly and vedgitated face to reach anchors at the back of a big ledge. Be careful of loose rock.

Climb the slab.

Climb the slab.

Sit start and climb up juggy holds

Climb the left crack.

Sit-start and climb up diagonal crimp features.

Climb the recess in the corner. Start on good holds and continue up straight.

Sit-start with jug and climb up.

Climb the juggy crack.

Climb the easy right arete.

The easiest way up or down.

Climb the arete.

Easy dihedral.

Climb the easy wall.

Climb the easy wall.

Start with left hand sloper and right hand crimp and climb up left.

Climb the crack.

Climb the juggy arête. Note: Also the downclimb

Start as Just One Second, climb up left to the top

Sit-start on top of a large boulder and climb the juggy face.

Climb the obvious line of jugs.

Climb the easy corner.

Climb the twin crack slab.

Climb the arête.

Climb the slab without the arêtes.

Sit-start and climb up on jugs.

Climb the undercut arête

Sit-start with left hand on gaston and climb straight up.

Climb the many easy lines up the featured face

Sit-start and climb the face.

Climb the arete.

Climb the slab.

"Strange route but worth it for the amazing headwall crack above!" Climb the tree to a bolt, get on the wall and climb up to a crack, then diagonally left using edges to a bolt. Aid (A0) through the overhanging crack using 2 bolts and continue climbing the crack when you can place the first piece of gear.

Gear: Slings, small to medium cams, rack of nuts and extra mid-range nuts. Double ropes help reduce rope drag.

Start by aiding (A1) up on three well camouflaged studs (bolt without hanger) to reach a twin crack system. From here free climb up. Old bolts!

Sit-start and climb the face.

sit down, both hands on the lower hole. Top out through vertical crack

Descent: Walk down the Cape Town side.

Start on the furthermost part of the prominent ledge. Climb the break to the top

On the left-hand side part of the ledge step (1-2.5m) over a gap and climb the break to the top

The route lies to the right of the amphitheatre on the Central Turret. It follows a prominent rib that merges into the face halfway up and thereafter it ascends the face above. The first pitch commences on the left of the rib. Scramble up 6o feet to the bottom of two recesses.

1. 80 feet 'F inf.': Ascend the left-hand recess and pass through the bush to a broad ledge.

2. 85 feet 'F': A short distance to the left ascend a large block. Traverse to the left along the top of the block and climb up to a stance (piton).

3. 60 feet 'F: Ascend the recess by continuing past a possible line of traverse to the right until a good handrail is reached. Traverse to the right and continue up to a corner and large block.

4. and pitch 5 - 240 feet 'E': Walk round to the Crest of the rib and climbs straight up to a broad ledge below some overhangs.

5. Same as pitch 4.

6. 100 feet 'E inf.': Climbs to a stance visible on the right-hand skyline sonic 60 feet above the ledge (bush). An attempt was made to climb directly above the stance, but was abandoned owing to a dangerously loose block. Presumably this was the route followed by Mamacos and Schaff.

7. 60 feet 'A2': Two recesses will be noticed above. Climb up a few feet and traverse to the base of the left-hand one. Ascend the recess (s pitons) and overcome the bulge (2 pitons left in place) to reach an étrier stance next to another loose block.

8. 120 feet 'F sup.': This pitch is extremely exposed. Traverse to the right for 25 feet into the recess. Climb up the recess to the handrail and then traverse to the right, past the abseil cord, to a small stance. The strata and grips are all sloping the wrong way.

9. 40 feet 'F sup.': A thin, overhanging slit is visible on the skyline above and to the right. Climb up through this slit to a hidden stance.

10. 120 feet of scrambling upwards to the right takes one to a broad ledge. Walk left for about 300 feet to an obvious break.

11. 50 feet 'E': Climb up the recess and exit to the right to a stance below a bush.

12. 120 feet 'F: Continue past the bush and then move left into a gully on rounded grips.

Time for ascent: 8 hours.

Sit start in the groove, top out.

Sit start, climb to top out.

Start in rail, long move climb diagonally right to good hold, then do battle with the bush to top out.

Climb the juggy arete.

There is a grade 3 variation that climb diagonally up left from the same start.

Sit start and climb face to top out.

Start with right hand in good pocket. Climb slab to top out.

Sit start, climb the prow to top out.

Climb the corner. More technical than you hoped...

Sit start with left-hand in a slot, climb directly up to top out.

Sit start and climb the left-hand seam.

Starting from the huge foothold, climb the slab between the arete and the crack (without using either of those features).

Climb the layback crack to TO.

Climb the big crack, from a sit-start. If you happen to own a full set of 13th century armour, then bring it along for this classic problem.

Sit-start on the lowest jug, CD to TO.

Start with hands on large block under boulder to top out.

Start with hands on jug block under boulder. Traverse right to face left of arete, top out.

Climb directly up, past overlap about 2m left of arete.

Climb right arete.

Start with both hands on large jug between 'cheeks'. climb directly up top out. Using a fist jam on this problem may be tempting, but consider your reputation...