Routes in Africa for selected grade

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.

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!

1. 21A1 Climb the corner under the big square roof and rail out left (pulling on cams) to the continuation crack. Hanging stance in the crack to the right and just above a tree.

2. 17 Follow the crack straight to the top.

"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.

From grade 8 fully using the block behind you, to 18 if you don't use it at all - or anything in between depnding on the extent.

This is a 15m high pinnacle on the right hand side, reached by following the stream past Castle and Knight gullies and wading through pools for about 100m. The pinnacle may be climbed by a difficult route on the stream side (15) or by a route (10) on the upstream side starting where the pinnacle joins the wall on the kloof.

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.

MCSA Journal 1965, p114-115

The route climbs the smallest of the Chesspieces immediately to the right and at the same level as The Castle

1. 90 feet 'E inf.': Step off some large blocks on to a face and then step out to the left on to a rib. Climb this rib for some way before moving back to the right and continuing up to a ledge. Traverse 30 feet to the left.

2. 50 feet 'E': Climb a face with mushroom grips. Move to the right near the top.

3. 40 feet 'E': The pitch lies above and slightly to the right. Climb the short undercut face moving to the right to where it culminates in a knife-edge. Climb the knife-edge to a stance.

4. 60 feet 'D': Climb up a bushy ramp to a stance at the base of a large chimney.

5. 30 feet 'E': Descending slightly, traverse to the left to a small stance beneath a flat face.

6. 50 feet 'F inf.': Stepping off a point, move up on small holds for 10 feet. Move to the right into a crack, and then climb a face to the right of the crack. Climb up a knife-edge to a cubbyhole stance. Scramble through a hole in the roof and continue up the face on the right (10 feet 'D') to a large ledge. The most prominent feature of the next section of the buttress is a large chimney. Proceed to the base of it.

7. 70 feet 'F': Start up a grassy crack. The first difficulty is encountered 20 feet up where the crack narrows to about 6 inches. A sequence of two difficult moves takes one from the crack into a peculiar wormhole which leads to a stance.

8. 35 feet 'D': Chimney up above the stance, moving to the right into another cleft which leads to a large stance.

9. 100 feet 'E': Climb a very broken-up rib. Step out to the left and then continue to climb diagonally to the left across the face. Continue almost straight up to a very large platform.

We avoided the top band of rock by climbing a further 100 feet of ‘D’ grade in a recess to the right of the final section.

Takes a direct line up the square buttress just downstream of the pipeline ramp. At the top there is a capstone pointing downstream. Start at water level, just downstream of a tiny waterfall. [G - 5]

1. 25m 7 Climb the centre of the blocky grey faces to a broad ledge with square grey blocks beneath overhangs.

2. 25m 13 Move up into the shallow brown recess and through the overhangs to the right (13). Continue to the top on delightful clean rock up the right-hand centre of the arête (11).

Note: Exposed, clean climbing after the overhangs. The grade 13 moves may be avoided by traversing left onto ZARZUELA.

The climb takes the prominent chimney situated just upstream of the descent gully with the water pipe. Follow this pipe up the ramp until next to a large cave. [Upstream of Pipe Ramp]

1. 20m 9 Climb up to the right of the cave onto a ledge. Ascend crack to next ledge and walk into back of chimney. Up chimney to the roof and move out onto the top of a huge detached block.

2. 18m 9 Move right into groove and climb this past a rusty peg to the summit.

Variation:

2 18m 13 Move up and left onto steep exposed slab and continue up to a large flat block. Step right and finish up the arête. (21 Jul 1985 L. Gardiner and T.P. Willmot)

At the left hand side of the smooth rock wall on which 'Lifebuoy', 'Shady Overhang' and 'Bat's Overhang' are situated. The route follows an obvious line immediately to the left of the smooth rock wall.

An easier start is up the deeper recess about 5m left of the smooth face.

A more difficult first pitch 13 is up the shallow recess about 1,5m left of the smooth face. From the belay practice ledge (large block here) continue on up right-angled recess.

Start on the beach side. Bum start, climb the right side of the flake using the incut layback.

This is the down climb on the opposite side.

Climb the easy slab without hands.

On the same buttress as Prelude there are two prominent cracks in the form of a V. Start just to the right of the left arm of a smaller inverted V cone, which is just to the left of the junction of the large V cracks.

1. 27m (E1) Ascend an obvious route, about 3m to the right of the recess, for 13m. Move to the left, and then climb up to the next big tree.

2. 13m (F1) Climb diagonally up to the right from the right-hand side of the stance then climb to a wide grass band. Walk to the right to the front of the right-hand crack and scramble up to a large tree.

3. 30m (F1) Climb 3m up the crack behind the tree. Move to the right for 4m and then climb the right-hand side of the recess. Piton belays are necessary and loose rock presents a hazard.

4. 40m (E2) Here the route is suitable beaconed. Traverse on a ledge out onto the right-hand face. Mantelshelf onto the next ledge and then ascend the centre of the face passing two beacons en route. Traverse to the left back to another beacon, ascend the recess for 1m and then traverse to the right back to the centre of the face. Carry on straight up to a large stance.

5. 30m (F1) From the back of the stance, ascend for 3m before traversing to the left to a right-angled crack. Climb a tricky 3m and continue to the left to a tree in a recess about 5m below a large overhang. Move to the left on an obvious and very exposed ledge. Either 'dassie traverse' on this ledge or climb up 1m to the next ledge and traverse on finger tips to a boulder belay point.

6. 33m (E2) Zig-zag up an exposed face using a series of mantelshelf moves to reach a good stance with a cairn on it.

7. 43m (D) Move diagonally off to the right for 13m. Easily scramble to the top.

This climb follows the ridge 50m to the right of African Bee. Most of the route is fairly obvious. At the top rock band a leftward detour from a recess onto a face is necessary.

To the left of Afternoon Ascension one can see a big black face high up. 80m to the left of that a red pillar is clearly visible. The climb start in the corner directly below the right hand side of the pillar.

1. 40m (F1) Climb vegetated recess to ledge. Climb face with two prominent knobs behind tree. Follow recess above to big ledge.

2. 30m (F1) Climb chimney via chockstone to top.

Can use gear and bolts on the way up.

Rap down to the start as there is no trail to the base of this crag. This goes for all routes at Kilembe.

This route climbs the wide chimney to the right of 'Human Racing'.

Historic route number: 58

This route climbs the first crack in the wall right of 'Frog Buttress'. Climb up to a wide bay where a crack runs diagonally left. G0 up and over the left end of the overhang.

Historic route number: 24

Unprotected for first 25'. Climb the centre of the large recessed grey slab to the horizontal break. Continue up slab above to top.

Historic route number: 9

Climb the easy broken face past two bolts to reach anchors at the back of a big ledge. Be careful of loose rock.

Route on fourth buttress. Climbs obvious diagonal open book (near arch).

Route on second buttress in alley. Climbs obvious lay back at 1/3rd height, then steep jugs to top.

Over the obvious, jammed, hanging block and up the corner on jugs.

Scramble up left and up the face

Scramble 20m up from the road to a tree.

1. Climb the off-width.

2. Continue up the easy off-width.