Routes in South Africa for selected grade

One of the harder routes on the Ledge. Sustained and a touch exciting.

Start: Start on the staircase ledge about 5m to the right of the arête between 'Jeopardy' and 'Jacob's Ladder'

1. [31] 40m Scramble up the large layback seam for about 10 meters to a ledge. Climb up the centre of the overhanging face through a series of small roofs to the 'Roulette' rail. Plenty of smallish cams are useful to protect this bottom section. Resisting the temptation to sit on the 'Roulette' ledge, rail right for 1m, pull through the roof and climb directly up the face just right of the main arete to join the original line at the 'Captain Hook' rail.

2. Figure out a cunning way to get down and to retrieve your gear or join the final pitch of Roulette.

Rail right for 1m, pull through the roof and climb directly up the face just right of the main arete to join the original line at the hook rail.

Start as for 'Roulette Arête'.

Start as for 'The Squid and the Whale-Original'

Left of 'Roulette'

One of the harder routes on the Ledge. Sustained and a touch exciting.

Start: Start on the staircase ledge about 5m to the right of the arête between 'Jeopardy' and 'Jacob's Ladder'

1. [31] 40m Scramble up the large layback seam for about 10 meters to a ledge. Climb up the centre of the overhanging face through a series of small roofs to the 'Roulette' rail. Plenty of smallish cams are useful to protect this bottom section. Resisting the temptation to sit on the 'Roulette' ledge, rail right 2m and gain the next rail using the vertical crack. From this position, pull straight through the next little roof via difficult moves to establish in some underclings. Climb past a peg and move diagonally left past the crux of 'Jeopardy' to 2 more pegs and the 'Captain Hook' rail (the end of 'Jeopardy'). Lace the rail with cams and climb the blunt arête. Pull straight through the next roof and exit out left onto jugs on the headwall.

2. Figure out a cunning way to get down and to retrieve your gear or join the final pitch of Roulette.

1. [16] 35m

   ???

2. [32] 15m

   ???

Roof to the right of Cukoo's nest.

The very steep bulge has a bolt in it and anchors and is open for anyone to try..if you feel inspired.

Has one bolt and climbs a ridiculously thin seam through a bulge/roof.

Start as for Wolfgang, and then follow the line of bolts and seam up the wall to the anchor. Some trad gear is also required to protect the route.

Start with two pockets, big move up, climb up past big flake and continue up through roof and up headwall.

Start with good rail, traverse right move up using pocket...

Climb up left past trianglar seat in the middle of the wall.

Climb up left past trianglar seat in the middle of the wall.

Starts from the big block right of 'Boa Rodeo'. One bolt protects the bottom crux followed by some technical, run out endurance sections.

Open Project - 80m rope!

2nd line from the left. Easy climbing to blank section (Stack rocks/dyno?) followed by semi-parallel opposing side pulls with an extremely technical headwall, into the roof crack and blasts to the top of the crag.

knee pads recommended

A complex and sequential sport journey, not a give away at its grade! It was the first 31 in the country even though there was no 30 yet at the time. The direct start is grade 32.

80m rope!

Technical crimp/crackfest.

Has been retro bolted

Start opposite a gnarled yellow wood tree. Boulder up left to a committing dyno, then move right and climb the arête.

Route tops out

Open Project

Starts on the far right of the Catacombs. Exposed overhanging classic.

Open project.

Boulder your way through the immaculate cruxy overhanging stepped arete.

The route up the middle of the face, was SA‟s hardest climb for many years and still one of the hardest lines in Boven. Solid at the grade, opened at 33. Steel fingers and ace footwork are required. 70 m rope needed.

Attacks the grey water streak you can see for miles. Scramble to the top of the chossy pillar then power up and pull on.

12m Horizontal roof. Open project.

Starts 6m right of 'Snapdragon' and tackles the lovely looking smooth open corner using some rather small holds. Hard for the short.

Does't look hard from below but an absence of any useful holds on the headwall gives plenty of spice. Solid 8b. Starts just left of 'Tripolactic Fairytales'.

Climb Strange Days and just before the anchors, move on to The Activist.

Beautiful into climbing up the scoopy face of your dreams takes you into the crux of your nightmares. Recommended.

Some bolts on the blank face above a ledge, left of 'Joy Division'.

Short and bouldery power climbing through a 40 degree wall involving multiple varied cruxes.

A very hard move to turn the lip then easier above.

Stunning stunning stunning. Start on the far R end of the steep ‘chos’. Boulder up diagonally left to a jug on the headwall then bust out left and up the immaculate orange streak above. Doesn’t get any better than this anywhere..except for DW.

Involves a large dynamic one move wonder crux. Falco will buy a case of beer for the 1st person to repeat the line.

Clinton Martinengo

Video

Starts in the pit. Bouldery start leads to a half-height hard move which requires accuracy of movement and body tension to stick, or some sneaky beta... Compulsary showboat one-arm-hang clip of the 5th draw when sending for full pleasure.

Video

Starts a few metres downstream of Tomahawk, off a large triangular rock. An intense start to a rest then a headwall with just enough holds on it. This sequence is a gift from god, totally brilliant.

Groundfall potential when clipping chains

The extension to Paws.

Open project. 70m rope. Use knee pads and long draws to improve quality of life on this route.

Open

Very long line running up the entire left side of the overhang

Direct version of 'Stitch it'. From the obvious slopey right hand side pull keep going straight up, slightly left on small holds. Leave the chalk bag behind. A power test-piece.

Start up Stem Gem, before moving out right to follow the line of bolts on the blunt arête.

"The stuff of dreams; a spectacular spear-arête adorning the western corner of the hillside"

Start with your feet on the lowest boulders, preclip first bolt. Enjoy the intricate footwork and desperate stabbing for holds. Finish rightwards to for most fun.

Starts off the boulder. Climb up and pre-clip the 2nd draw. Dead-point your way to the chains.

Boven‟s 'King Line'. Climb up behind the tree to a ledge then the climbing starts. Up to a shake at a half height then a wicked 10-move boulder problem through the wonderful smooth rock, to good holds. One of the greatest climbs. 70 m rope needed. It is possible to move off-line to a jug far right just before the crux but this is a kop-out and would be graded 30/31.

Enhance your life by climbing this route on trad gear:

Joe

Or just do it the normal way, and clip the bolts. Climb up to the big roof, find your way through this and into the crux of Germanator.

Start up 'Monster' and move right at the 4th bolt. Some funky moves through the white roof, get a rest in the 'man trap' then finger jugs diagonally to the chains. 70 m rope needed. Low in the grade if you use all the latest tricks. Use slings on the bolts below the roof to reduce drag.

Twat Vier, Broken, and Stolen Secrets all share the same start. At the big roof, where Stolen Secrets veers right, continue straight, pull through the lip and up to the chains.

Not the Steve McClure 9a but pretty cool. Climbs 'The Beast' until 2/3 height then shoot straight up the strenuous crack. A nice variation on the original. 31 if you can get the jams right? use a 70m rope

MJ sending The Scream. Video by Thomas Luger

FA post on Facebook

Illona Pelser on Instagram: "31 maybe 32 (SA Grade), One of the most unique hard routes in South Africa"

Clinton Martinengo (Link): "An amazing route very unique to Paarl Rock ... I personally think it 32". Video

Climb 'Chocolate Éclair' then continue over the roof with a grunt, then up the headwall. Some very satisfying and crimptastic moves. The route remains dry during heavy rain.

Starts off the same ledge as 'Tokolosie', or from the ground. Up the orange vertical wall past hard moves including a very defensive little hold, take a rest at the ledge then up the leaning headwall via some real sequency climbing. Don‟t get butchered. Solid at the grade.

The one that killed the 'Jabberwocky'. Crimpy and gymnastic climbing to the right of 'Jabberwocky', shares first bolt with 'Hell Yeah'. An unbelievable climb, one of best sport pitches in SA. Need a 70 m rope.

Phlip Olivier

Matthew Hill

Blasts straight up to top of the crag via awkward pulls in the roof. Opened using the left sequence at the crux but a sequence on the right is possible.

The route has seven manufactured holds

left wall middle route

Starts up 'God of Small Things' then moves left then up on very small holds. Opened at 30! Alternative start bolted by A. Pedley, won‟t change the grade and nicer, being independent and direct. Opened at 30..! Needs a 2nd ascent.

Ask Damien if you can open it for him. Once you’ve both finished laughing, he might well say yes.

Matthew Stubbs

Takes the line up the middle of the face on small holds. Superbly technical.

1. 15 bolts

2. 8 bolts

3. ? bolts