Routes in Africa for selected grade

The climb starts in the middle of a small face set at right-angles to the main kloof, immediately after the first narrow part of the kloof, after the junction with the side kloof on the true left side.

1. [7] 16m

   Climb a crack about 0,5m wide, in which is a large root. The first 6m is grade 7, after which the crack eases off and the next 10m is 5/6 which leads onto a sloping grassy ledge with a big tree.

2. 17m 7 Continue the same line, behind the tree and into the recess; at the second tree, more pleasant moves are made by climbing the face on the left of the recess, although the recess may also be climbed. 17m of grade 7 rock and scrambling to top.

The start of this climb is about 185m East of 'Lightning Ravine' and 30m to the right of 'Pinnacle Gully' where a distinct pedestal of rock about 10m high sits out from the base of the krantz.

1. 10m 8 Straight up the front of the pedestal.

2. 25m 8 Start at the foot of a small open chimney leading from the top of the pedestal. A long face is then climbed from the top of the chimney bearing gradually to the right through two cracks, the first being climbed on the outside, the second, near the top of the face, on the inside. The second crack, or chimney, on this pitch is formed by slabs leaning against the face. A stance may be used near its top but a short face after it leads to a good ledge. The top of the face is very exposed and the last chimney somewhat bulging.

3. 14m 8 6m of broken rock leads to the top of the gully coming in from the right. The gully is climbed for 3m where a step out round the corner of a slab leads on to a face where a further 4m leads to a comfortable ledge.

4. 24m ? Climb 6m straight up to top of climb and a further 18m of slope to summit beacon.

Note: The rock is generally sound and belays plentiful.

The start of the climb is marked by the same pinnacle referred to under 'Pink Corner'. The pinnacle is about 15m high and gullies lead up the back of it at either side to form a little neck about 2m below the summit and a gap of about 3m between the top of the pinnacle and the rock face. Start on the left of the pinnacle and climb to the neck below its summit against the main face. A small 3m face then leads to a gully which runs up diagonally to the left for 30m. Follow this gully to the foot of a chimney which is climbed for 8m to a stance on the right wall 3m above a tree. Crossing to the left side 9m of climbing leads round the corner up a subsidiary recess to the foot of a tree, whence easy rocks lead to the top.

The start is from approximately the same position as for 'Easy Option'. Having gained the rocky ledge about 9m above stream bed follow this to its left extremity from where a 3,5m wide slab inclined at an easy angle slopes up almost to the summit. The route lies on this slab all the way to the top.

An easy rock climb about 100m to left of 'PINNACLE WALL.

Commences on left of a huge "Sentinel" then a long traverse to the right follows after which the route of least resistance is taken up a bushy gully. Permits much variation in the upper sections. A grade 8 variation of this climb may be made by keeping to the face on the right after the traverse. Difficulty can be further increased if so desired.

At the upper reaches of Trident Kloof a steep grassy gully enters the kloof on the right side opposite the entrance of a well-wooded side kloof on the left side. This gully is bounded on the downstream side by a steep rock wall about 40m long terminating in 'Trident Chimney'. Starting at a point near the lower portion of the gully where it reaches the bottom of Trident kloof, the climb goes up the main rock face adjacent to the ridge bounding the gully. The route is not well defined and a fair amount of variation is possible, becoming more difficult downstream.

Go down the scramble is located about 35m back towards the farmhouse from the first electricity pole. At the bottom of the scramble, on the edge closest to the farmhouse, there is a small, weathered stump at the base of the rock. Start just left of the stump and climb straight up the face for about 3m to reach a tiny arête between two recesses. Climb straight up the arête to the top.

Begins in the gully to the left of the black streaks at water level near SQUARE ORANGE. In the gully a horizontal tree grows in front of a cave. [A - 12]

1. 40m 8 Start behind a stamvrug tree. Climb the corner above then the faces to the right of the gully. Don't change down - you can cruise on jugs all the way. End up just left of SQUARE ORANGE.

An obvious gully 18m to the left of 'Needle Crag' and ascending diagonally.

Start in a broad upstream-facing recess beneath the first high crag encountered when moving upstream from Junction Pools.

1. [7] 15m

   Climb the recess and emerge through a gap in a pile of wedged blocks.

2. [6] 25m

   Ad lib up the knobby faces directly above the stance.

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.

Climb in the recess at the left of the black-streaked rock at water level. This recess contains the start of TOP GEAR and KLEINBOOI. Start in the extreme left-hand corner. [A – 17]

1. 30m 7 Climb the easy rock to the left of an overhang at 15m. Then continue to the left of the overhang to a large tree. Move up to a small overhang with a root under it. Rail right on to the arête and then to the top.

On descending bear to the extreme right, beyond a small rock ridge halfway down. A tree marks the start of the descent.

Above the confluence of the two streams in Tonquani. About 110m east of a landslide on a noticeable formation where the lower half of the rock face projects out of the krantz forming a buttress while the upper half over the same length lags further back thus leaving a terrace which stands well out over high bush on the slope.

1. [7] 4.5m

   Up in chimney on left inside corner of buttress then left above chockstone on to easy rock where a good belay is found a few metres higher.

2. 25m 7 An easy scramble to the terrace over loose boulders. Keep right. This pitch can be started at various points. The object is a horizontal crack leading into a recessed corner on right hand half of face. This corner brings the climber to left end of a ledge which runs across the face 4,5m below the top. Belay.

3. ?m 5 A walk or crawl to the other end of the ledge and over masses of chockstones to the top.

Downstream of the gully containing PHEASANT PLUCKER is a small tree-choked cave. Start just left of this. [A – 22]

1. 30m 8 Climb the rounded face for 6m to a grassy shelf. Climb the pleasant knobbly face to a small overhang and move right to within a metre of PHEASANT PLUCKER. Climb left past the roots to the top.

Towards the right hand edge of the Dome a patch of trees and bush is concentrated at the top of the slope, leading up to broken rocks and boulders. Approximately from the middle of this patch of bush 'Dome Gully' shows up as a clearly defined feature leading up through broken rock and inclining slightly to the left.

The scramble down - typically down-soloed, be careful.

The ridge or buttress forming the downstream boundary of Short Gully.

1. [7] 18m

   Follow the corner ridge to the first belay point on a block. An alternative route to this point commences about 6m downstream from the corner.

2. [7] 25m

   Continue on the line of the ridge bearing slightly left into shallow recess then up a crack for about 4,5m to another block belay.

3. 15m 6 Scramble to 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.

This climb ascends the first steep buttress on the left (true right) as one enters the lower kloof. The start lies where the base of the cliff abuts the river edge. The climb starts opposite the lower campsite.

1. 35m 8 Climb the face tending leftward to a vertical crack. Traverse rightward from the crack and then climb the face towards a small overhang. Exit to the right of the overhang and continue to the top of the crag.

This is one of the several easy routes on the western end of the Dome where the rock is broken and lies back at an easier angle.

A great meeting place for ex-climbers introducing their children to climbing. Start as for Hot Plate and climb the wide crack to the top, moving left to avoid a bulge.

Commences in an obvious recess or crack at ground level at the traditional meet point. Above this point a number of grade 8 routes present themselves.

About 30m west of Natter Gully is a broken buttress inclining upwards to the right. This buttress can be identified by a V-recess on its left, which, in turn is about 10m east of 'Chatter Face'.

The route follows the buttress to the top and may be divided into two or three pitches.

Opposite 'Feng's Folly' where the left hand side of the kloof curves up into Red Gully is a 25m high grey buttress surmounted by bush. The top of the buttress, which is approximately at the base of the main face, may be reached by walking up the bushy slope on either side. Directly above the buttress, in the main face, is an obvious, wide, broken recess which slopes up slightly to the right. Traverse left 3m and climb to the top. This recess provides a route which is clear-cut and clean, characteristics which are usually lacking in climbs of this standard in the Magaliesberg.

80m downstream of STAMVRUG GULLY, the faces are some distance above the kloof. Bash through the bush and proceed leftwards to a very obvious corner with an easy-angled slab forming the left-hand side. The start is a good tree at the base of the climb.

1. 40m 6 Climb in the corner, moving generally leftwards. Stance just before the corner runs out

2. 25m 6 Continue up the corner for 2m and generally right onto the nose and then up to a good tree.

Start 2m to the left of PURPLE SKY, and continue straight up the crack (with a tree in it) to the top, moving right at the tree.

The ridge forms the right hand edge of the descent gully between 'Scandal' and 'Deluge'.

1. 43m 7 The route goes straight up the ridge.

A climb on the corner of Cedarberg and Tonquani. A number of grade 6 routes can be picked out on this section following the line of least resistance to the top. Useful descent route.

Begin just left of 'Haak-en Steek'. From the second grey grassy sloping slab walk onto the broad ledge on the right about 15m above the stream.

1. 20m 7 Move up 1 m, traverse to the right 2 or 3m to a blunt nose. Climb up this nose 11 m, move slightly left on broad ledge and up another 4m onto the big ledge.

2. 10m 7 Climb over the branches of a stamvrug tree to the right into a chimney which is climbed for 5m, and emerge right onto a good ledge.

3. 15m 7 Start at the right end of a ledge climbing up over two blocks. Move left towards the chimney and climb up the blocks to the top.

This gully provides a pleasant descent route. Two abseils of 20m and 14m from big yellowwood trees are required during the descent.

Commences just above swimming pool adjacent to lunch venue.

Route of least resistance is followed until a smooth chimney is reached on the left hand side. This constitutes the first difficult pitch. From there a diagonal face is climbed, bearing right (8) to a prominent pinnacle. The usual route is up this, bearing right, although the face immediately above is interesting. There is plenty of scope for variation.

Starts directly opposite CEDARBERG CRESCENT.

1. 34m 8 Ascend sloping grey face immediately to right of a large tree and deep crack to foot of dirty gully section. Scramble up gully to top.

As for Turret. From col between two peaks, scramble up to the South ridge and follow this narrow ridge to summit.

On the upper band of rock. Climb the pillar of rocks to the left of Sunshine Face.

Ascends the cleft in the NE face of the peak.

This is the usual decent route involving some scrambling.

Scramble 18m up right side of gully to point where grey slab (forming the square back of the large recess referred to in FROG FACE and RIGHT ANGLE) meets the right hand ridge of the recess.

1. 30m 7 Ascend corner between back face and right hand ridge to tree belays below overhang.

2. 18m 7 Climb right hand face to top.

Start in the same gully as 'Diverimento', directly above a steep rock incline. To the left of 'Diverimento' is a sub-gully and the climb starts on the buttress to the left of this.

1. 21m 7 Take off and pull up to a ledge at 3m. Traverse left for 10m and then up 8m to a ledge below a smooth face.

2. 15m 8 Traverse left to a grass ledge.

3. 10m 8 Follow an open book keeping to the left of a pinnacle.

Note: Appropriate for a large party of beginners.

Often used as a descent.

Start: on the right side of the buttress the rock protrudes at the base, and the path to Barrier Cave passes by. On the left side of this about 3m up is a large tree next to a small ramp. The rock is well polished by foot traffic.

Description: Climb up the corner to the base of the ramp, ascend this to the ledge above, then walk along a well trodden trail to the right behind a tree and climb a short tricky crack to another ledge 3m higher. Now walk left to the corner. A tree acts as a good belay. Climb up about 10m until you can traverse left (the 'Piano Traverse') to a short crack. You can belay here which makes communication easy, or move back and up another crack on the side of a stack of alarming looking blocks to a ledge above.

Continue up the gully, climb a crack moving onto the smooth face on the left side near the top to a loose slope. The crack now continues up to the top of the buttress but is filled with bushes, so climb the steps on the left. At the broad ledge above, walk left and scramble through a short rock band. Now head back diagonally right for the skyline of the buttress where you should see an obvious hook shaped prong of rock.

Continue along the crest of the buttress, which includes one or two short chimneys until, near the top, a smooth face is reached. This has a canopy overhang on the right. Move right and up onto the pinnacle of loose rock under the overhang. From the top move to the overhang, traverse left until you can move around and up a crack to the top.

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.

From the point at which Rock and Castle gullies join. traverse left(downstream) on to main kloof face. After traversing 45m, ascend 45m to top by any of several possibilities up a recess.

Start on the block below the low overhang on the far right of the crag. Pull up of the block onto the juggy face and follow chicken heads and gargoyles to the top

Starts opposite a large dead-looking tree with a hollow trunk in the centre of the kloof. Opposite Sorrento.

1. Ascend slight recess (6m) to the left end of a large sloping grassy ledge. Continue op on ridge on left of the massive recess above the grassy ledge. Continue to a large (6x1m) ledge and climb a 2m crack on the right side of the ledge to a smaller ledge.

2. From the left side of the ledge climb the face to the top. Keep left as far as possible in an exposed position. At some point traverse left on 30 cm wide ledge and continue to the top. Climb the chunky overhanging rock above the arch visible from the ground.

Descent route.

In the main kloof downstream of Knight Gully a long pool extends the whole width of the kloof, so that it is necessary to wade to cross it. This section of the kloof can be negotiated in either direction, and wading avoided, by ascending the right hand wall of the kloof to a ledge about 12m above the pool. Ascend to the ledge at the downstream end is assisted by "monkey ropes" hanging to a rock step at bed level. A traverse along this ledge for the whole length of the pool is possible.

The climb lies on the short but clean face on the left between the last two waterfalls and above the deep pool. Scramble 9m to the base of the face at the point directly above the outlet from the pool.

1. [8] 12m

   Start at the centre of the face and ascend past a small tree and then bear diagonally right to a stance behind the large block which has a tree growing against its outer side. Very exposed climbing.

2. 15m 7 At least three routes exist from here: diagonally right, straight up or diagonally left.

Situated on the line of a deep recess about 110m below a broken bay and almost immediately opposite a small cave on the left of the kloof at ground level. The climb is on the immediate upstream side of a definite rock ridge projecting into the kloof.

1. [6] 23m

   A 2m climb from stream level into niche below overhang. Upwards, bearing to left into depths of recess where crack leads to belay behind tree.

2. [8] 20m

   From first stance ease left to outside edge of recess then upwards on ridge to small band thence to right in exposed position on good flat stance.

3. [8] 37m

   On red rock immediately above bushes behind second stance. A grade 13 variation is possible.

Situated 10m downstream of COMANICI a direct clean route is available, avoiding grade 5 vegetated rock on the left and, higher up, on the right.

1. 44m 7 Climb straight up face (or on corner) for full rope length.

2. 8m 7 Scramble out straight up (5) or more enjoyably, walk 20m right behind a stubby pinnacle and climb short chimney.

Note: The climb provides a pleasant beginners route on clean rock with reasonable exposure for the grade of climbing. Spectacular views of the A2 section of COMANICI can be obtained from the final pitch, so take your camera.

50m downstream on a face opposite the pinnacle is a large and obvious 30m chimney which provides an easy climb.

Ref: MCSA Journals: 1941, pg 28 (with photo); 1945, pg 23; 1987, pg 28 and 1991, pg 83.

An easy gully just below MATERNITY COUCH. Comprises the farthest downstream point of access to the kloof on left hand side. Not to be taken lightly, particularly when wet.

Start 40m downstream of the Boulder Kloof meet spot. Start below a prominent right-angled open book with a tree in it about 15m above the start.

1. 30m 8 Start at tree on right below an easy face on left. Ascend 2m up face, traverse left and up recess and crack to tree with exposed roots.

Note: To right of route is a white grassy slab of approximately grade 5 extending to top. This provides an easy ascent or descent route out of the kloof.

The climb is on the left side of the kloof upstream from PINNACLE CHIMNEY on the corner formed by the descent gully and starts at an old well-constructed fireplace.

1. 16m 7 Climb the face bearing right to an upright sharp--edged rock. Go round this to the right then traverse left over the top and up to a 10m wide grassy ledge.

2. 17m 7 Climb up the face and later to the right of the buttress which gives way to large blocks and ledges finishing up on a squat block-like pinnacle to the right of a wide shelf separating it from the main buttress.

Ref: MCSA Journal 1947, pg 36.

Commence in Great Gully at its junction with the main kloof.

1. 12m 7 Climb recess behind a 35cm wide smooth blackish tree. Bear slightly left to large sloping ledge.

2. 10m 5 Traverse left and ascend a bush covered recess to a tree.

3. 12m 7 Climb through recess on right to a triangular patch of grass and a small tree.

Note: Pitches 2 and 3 are seldom climbed and the variation below is the more usual route.

Variation:

2 & 3. 25m 10 Instead of traversing left, climb directly up to small tree in recess. Move right onto nose and up diagonally right into a brown recess. Climb recess past a stamvrug tree. Continue up and left over blocks and step left under nose to triangular patch of grass.

4a 25m 7 Climb crack at back of ledge and move left to enter final chimney to top.

Commences about 15m downstream of RAF CHINK below a prominent cave.

1. 9m 7 Start over stream and proceed up to cave.

2. 18m 7 Continue up right-hand side of cave in corner. A grade 13 variation starts to the left of cave and traverses over roof of cave.

3. 15m 7 Chimney immediately above second pitch.

The climb is situated just left of some red overhangs 15m up next to PINNACLE FACE. Start at the upstream end of an avenue of ten trees, 1m above the stream level.

1. 18m 8 Find your way up easy rock to a fair ledge at the base of a large crack running to the top of the krantz.

2. 30m 8 Move up the crack past a tree to a large ledge 5m from the top where the chimney closes in. Move right for 2m then up a small face to the top.

Ref: MCSA Journals 1915 and 1945, pg 30.

Start at end of long earth ramp which commences about 50m above the junction of Middle Gully, just downstream of an exceptionally large chockstone blocking the kloof.

1. 12m 7 Start at the highest point of the earth ramp and traverse right for 6m past a small nose, then climb recess to a tree.

2. 18m 5 Traverse left along an upward sloping ledge into the bottom of a very narrow chimney behind a large block.

3. 8m 7 Climb chimney.

4. 9m 7 Climb sloping recess.

Variations: 2a. 6m 8 Move up leftwards then back right along a ramp to a block belay. 3a. 22m 15 Traverse up right, round the arete and up a bulging crack. Step left and up a shallow corner crack to the top. 4a. 15m 10 Traverse round a nose on the right and climb a crack in an exposed position.

From the normal gathering point at the bottom of GROOTKLOOF GULLY walk up the gully for 3m. Traverse left and then diagonally upwards about 9m (still walking). The climb starts at the bottom of a low open book recess. There is a small cubbyhole at the bottom of this recess (a larger overhanging recess is to the left).

1. 15m 7 Climb the open book about 4m and move right and upwards around a steep section onto an easy ridge of large steps and trees to stance below next face.

2. 12m 5 Ascend grey rock, bearing right to avoid steep red face, onto sloping grass ledge 9m wide.

3. 14m 7 Climb 3m in a corner, then traverse left over the top of a square block to a corner about 2,5m away. Ascend the recess, where there is one harder move, and continue up and slightly right to a small platform with a tree as belay.

4. 8m 7 Move to the left into a gully and climb up the side under the tree, traversing to the right over stance at end of previous pitch, continue up through a break, move to right under steep rocks and cross over top of chimney to finish of climb at a point where a small gully gives a walking route to the top of the kloof.

Commence 25m downstream from SLOB-A-GOB and 6m left of THURSDAY SPECIAL on broken rock with a slight recess.

1. 30m 7 Ascend the recess for 15m to a grassy slope. Traverse right, then continue up the line of least resistance to the shady tree mentioned in the second pitch of THURSDAY SPECIAL.

2. 14m 7 Climb from the tree in the corner up to the overhang. Move left and around the corner. Follow the ridge to the top.

This is a route starting about 10m below Middle Gully Right and sloping back at an easy angle except for the final 6m.

Scramble/abseil down here. Can be climbed to the summit but is not recommended.

This gully affords a convenient abseil route into the kloof for CLARION and other climbs in the vicinity.

10m upstream of DESPERATION and 5m right of a broken vegetated gully. Walk 10m up from the stream bed through bush to the start of the climb. Start at the tree which touches the face.

1. 25m 8 Climb the sloping face on a series of easy steps, moving right at the start and then straight up. Stance below a vertical tunnel which goes through the rock above.

2. 15m 8 Climb through the tunnel (evidence of use by indigenous population as a longdrop) and emerge to finish on a short face.

An interesting climb, good for beginners. Remains on clean easy rock throughout. Most of the climb is grade 7.

The climb is on a prominent buttress at the corner formed by the main kloof and the wooded gully opposite 'Trident Ridge'. Variations to the right and left are possible. Ascend the buttress to a small pinnacle, thence directly to top of krantz.

An easy route in the deep gully about 20m upstream of the Cedarberg / Lower Tonquani junction.

An easy route up the buttress on the left of a prominent cleft in the krantz some 45m west of 'Frame Route'.

On the left side of the kloof immediately below the entry of the side kloof is a prominent buttress which due to its good rock, easy angle and general rough structure offers opportunity for easy climbs of grade 6 standard with the possibility of many variations and the linking together of different routes.