Routes in Western Cape

Solo the arête.

Abseil/ Rap station.

Solo up from below the roof.

Solo up the left streak.

Abseil/ Rap station.

Scramble up to the first bolt at the roof where the route starts. Bust through the roof to the chains on interesting holds. Less whining more climbing!

Solo up into groove.

Abseil/ Rap station. We used doubles ropes. A single 60m might work.

Start on the ramp below the left hand ar6te of the Main Wall. Climb the arête, exiting on the left higher up to finish on great jugs.

Abseil/ Rap station.

1. Climb the corner to a roof (as for Wakeling-Bird). Traverse left for a few meters until able to exit left into the break at the base of the crack using creative moves. Move up 2m to a stance.

2. Climb the crack strenuously until reaching a blank offwidth section after about 15m. Step left and climb a short face to a small ledge (may be better to stance here). Step right back into the crack and climb it for 3m until it fades, reaching a small alcove.

3. Move diagonally up and right towards the tree. Climb up past the tree using some pockets, until reaching easier ground. Traverse right under the roof until standing directly above the anchors of Big Fish (they are on an obvious ledge below you at this point).

Descent: roped scramble down to the anchors, first tending right, then back left. Abseil (35m). Alternatively, it may be more pleasant to extend this route and climb one more pitch up the diagonal crack to reach the abseil fig tree of Wakeling-Bird. It may also be possible to directly reach the anchors of Blue Train further right instead of scrambling down.

In memory of our friend Teo Iliev (1993-2021).

A sustained voyage with many excellent pitches, exposed positions and a wild finish leaning out over the entire cliff. This is a mixed route: mainly traditional with 24 lead bolts over entire route. It shares 3 bolted stances on A Private Universe (APU) and has additional bolted stances for efficient, inline hauling.

Start: at the large rock pillar leaning against the wall as for APU. The first pitch follows APU and then goes straight where APU continues right. The first pitch is described in detail as alternative breaks in the lower roof are more run-out and scary, and other parties have got lost on this section.

1. Up the leaning pillar and then continue up and slightly right to gain the narrow roof ~30m up. The break to aim for has a lower section of roof on the left (with a wide crack in its underside) and then another roof ~1m higher on right (see photo). At the lower roof section, rail right for ~1m – slightly grassy but can take a #4 Camalot. Pull back up and left to layback holds and pass the higher right-hand roof section on its left side. At this level, head easily up and right up for few meters, then head straight up the face to the narrow roof above (~42m above the ground). Move slightly left and then up a vertical crack below a large prominent tree. Bolted haul station to the left of the tree.

2. Move up and right to above the tree and then more or less straight up to top of the slabs. Single haul bolt below a rail.

3. (1 bolt) Start slightly left of the anchor up the face to pass the roof on its left side. Follow the arête, often on good holds to the left, past a bolt to the final overlap. Straight up to a bolted APU stance.

4. (4 bolts) The Pyramid. Starting slightly right, move left to the bolt and up the thin seam to a ledge. Head diagonally right along the side of the Pyramid (#4 Camalot useful) to the apex. Pull up onto the steep, blunt arête passing 3 bolts, then slightly left to a small, right-facing corner. Exit the top of corner to the left (cams at ankle height) and traverse left a few meters until able to mantle up to a ledge with double bolt anchor.

5. (3 bolts) Climb up past 2 bolts to a roof above a shale band. The second bolt can either be climbed straight with a reachy move or to the right on crimps. At the roof, move left and pull through at the third bolt. Continue up ~5m to belay at a narrow ledge with a finger rail 2.5 m higher up (#0.4 to #0.5 Camalot size required).

6. (4 bolts) Head up and left to the base of the arête (bolt). Pull around the arete and pass 3 more bolts, exiting right at the top of the corner. Step back left to a large left facing corner (optional stance) and then follow the weakness up and right to arrive at the bolted APU anchor on the far-left side of the Private Bivy (APU takes a lower rising traverse to the middle of the Private Bivy).

7. (1 bolt) The Boulder Move. From the anchor on the far-left side of the left-hand bivy ledge, boulder past the bolt, then straight up into the corner crack to a narrow ledge (small to medium cams).

8. Traverse right for ~2m and then diagonally up right on easiest line to the rail below the roof. Rail right for ~10m, passing under the steep, wide crack on APU to an airy perch with a rail for small to medium cams. It is possible to use similar gear in the rail and to step down and right ~2m to another narrow ledge for a more comfortable stance.

9. Start up a finger crack to the right of the perch stance and step back left to a prong above the belay. Navigate the steep recess to a rail under an overlap. Traverse left to the 3 bolt anchor on APU.

10. Traverse left on a good foot ledge, under the bolts on APU. Continue left, stepping down a level and then back up to a left- facing groove. Pull up the wide crack and left onto the face, then traverse a few meters further left to a bolted stance.

11. (3 bolts) Step right and then up past two bolts to a ledge. Climb the steep, fierce crack to a bolted stance above a small ledge (this is the right end of the Moonshine Cave – possible bivy).

12. (2 bolts) Tricky moves off the anchor past a bolt and small cam placement to a rail. Carry on up and then slightly left to the 3 bolt stance on APU (possible bivy on the Long Ledge to the right). Tend up and left (APU goes right) passing one more bolt to a big ledge with good rail for finger size cams. The Moonshine Ledge can be accessed by traversing ~25m left – lower out and haul bags if sleeping there.

13. This pitch wanders a bit and requires careful rope management (see photo). Directly above stance is a grey, left facing corner. Climb this until you find a wide gash that breaks off to the right. Follow this to a rail. Traverse right a few meters to some good vertical slots. Pull up to a rail, then traverse right again to an orange bulge. Up to a rail (APU bolts even further right), then traverse back left to a right facing recess. Finish up this to a broad ledge. Here, APU bolts go up and right, but move left and stance (finger to medium size cams) below the steep bolted face.

14. (4 bolts) The Sport Pitch. Fly up the overhanging face past 4 bolts to a rail at the roof. Traverse left until able to pull up onto easier ground. Step right and up to a ledge (bolted anchor). Can be climbed with 4 quickdraws and a handful of finger to medium sized cams.

15. A stellar pitch of moderate climbing. Start just right of the anchor and tend diagonally right for ~6 m, then tend left across the face aiming for the narrowest break through the overlap (with a semi-attached chock stone). Head straight up towards a small triangular roof, then move left to exit left via a vague diagonal under a slanted roof (see photo). Stance at good horizontal rail ~5m higher at a sloping shelf. To the right on the ledge is another possible bivy.

16. (2 bolts) Up left to a mantle by a bolt, then up and further left until reaching the large fin shaped rock (Moonshine traverses under it). Step right into the left facing corner with one bolt. Exit onto a sloping shelf and traverse right to a grey left facing recess. Up to the roof and rail right. Either stance at the first narrow ledge (more in line with next pitch) or slightly up and left on a bigger grassy ledge.

17. Follow the rising weakness on the right with a steep finish onto a grassy ledge.

18. The Space Cowboy. Start up the corner to reach the roof. Rail ~5m right (#4 Camalot useful) and pull up onto the enormous rib to ride the bronco and the end of the universe. Dismount and finish up and slightly left to find a bolted anchor over the lip.

Notes:

Suggested rack: 60m half ropes and 60m haul line (tag line saves weight for leader). Triple set of cams from micro to #0.5 Camalot, doubles from #0.75 to #3 Camalot and one #4 Camalot. Standard set of wires sufficient.

Hauling: See topo for recommendations. Tie off at each anchor to protect leader in case bags fall off ledges. Fortunately it is possible to do one haul through the Dog Leg. Pitches 7 to 10: a 60m line on the bags left at the Private Bivy can be tied tight at anchor 9 and the leader can trail the remainder of the haul line across the traverse and it just reaches anchor 10.

Take the crack thru the stripes! Share a few moves with Euphrates at the bottom before breaking away and climbing the stripes.

Alternate Start

Scramble up the massive vegetated blocky stack. Start on top of the blocks on the right. Climb the face, committing on good holds, heading for a thin crack on the left. Climb this to the base of a bigger crack on the left side of the wall. Climb this to the overlap and traverse right and up the right hand arête. Alternate easier ending is traverse left and up the corner. Belay from the U-bolt.

Samson opened this variation inadvertently when he went off route. He started with a rope and a partner but had to untie when his belayer reached the end of the rope. With no anchor in sight and no chance of downclimbing, Samson forged ahead into the unknown and into the realm of legend.

1. Shared with Sunset Warrior.

2. NOT PROTECTED. Climb the groove above, but instead of traversing left continue straight up the groove and then face to the crux at around 25m. Keep going until you run out of rope (untie from the rope) and solo up to the top. Belayer has to rap back down.

Start

The best way to find the start is to have a good look at the photograph. It starts almost directly below the rectangular overhang in the middle of the Amphitheatre. Above at about 5m is a shallow left facing corner.

1. 25m 22 Climb up the corner until it gets to a tenuous stemming move. Continue up to a ledge on blocks. Or move left across the slab on good holds to a crack system and continue to the rail. Move back right to the blocks and then from the right side continue up the overlap above. Diagonal up left and do a tricky move into the short right facing corner to a good belay.

2. 35m 25 Climb up to the rectangular overhang and then swing out left onto a thin rail. Have some tiny cams ready. Crank up and then do a tenuous stemming move to get to the easier ground below the large left facing corner. Continue up the corner with some funky moves to a rail under the overhang and rail right onto the exposed arete. Climb straight up from the edge to a rail about 4m above. Move right a couple of meters and then head diagonally up right on a low angle slab. Belay on a good ledge on the left.

3. 22 Climb directly up heading for the large left facing red corner. Place good gear where available as it becomes run out. Once in the corner go right on a gnarly gray rail. Move into the corner systems up to the right and climb up to a large ledge on the right.

4. 21 Step up off the left edge of the ledge and continue up the crack system for 55m to the halfway ledge.

5. 16 Walk left and climb up easy blocks to a ledge that is down and to the left of the obvious nose visible 20 m above. Alternative Pitch 5: 22 Climb the steep crack up to the left for 2 or 3 metres and then step right onto the red/orange face. Continue up to the shallow right facing corner and then exit left of the overhang on dodgy rock to continue a few meters to a rail. Rail right to a good stance,

6. 21 Climb the crack system to a hanging stance about 22m higher just before the steep right dihedral. If there are 3 climbers, then one may as well stay at the stance at the beginning of the pitch while the other clears the gear which is needed for pitch 7. Do not stance at the slightly lower ledge as it is less comfortable.

7. 23 Climb up to the rail and move right (small cams). Then move back left and pull onto the huge scary flake. Climb up this to the overhang and then step out left. Climb the overhanging crack system to where it eases. Move up left onto a ramp but climb straight through higher up by under-clinging the overhang. Do not escape up and left up the ramp which looks easier. It is dirty and horrible. Move up diagonally right to a rail and stance on the right on a sitting ledge. If you are short of gear, there is a thread point after the crux.

8. Step right across the gap and climb the classic crack for 10m or so. Then diagonal out left and up the face (run out) to a large ledge system.

9. 18/19 Find your way out up and right.

Takes a central line up the buttress to right the King Cobra Prow as view from the road. An intimidating and improbable roof problem on great holds with stonking gear. Do it!

Follow the right tending break to the ledge. Launch out through a pumpy horizontal puzzle to glory jugs up the face.

1. [28] 15m

2. [13] 20m

3. [21] 35m

4. [22] 10m

Fills in the gap between Bat and Crouching Tiger which is protected by the impenetrable, huge roof at the bottom. Use a space portal to teleport to the start of the route in the middle of the black face above the roof. Alternatively, climb part of any route on the side of the roof and then traverse in to the middle of the black face. The traverse is at the level of the second stance of Crouching Tiger or pitch four of Gotham City. Make a hanging stance just above a large, black flake about 10m left of Tiger's third pitch.

1. 40 m (18) From the belay climb almost straight up tending just slightly leftwards towards a 1m wide, featured roof. Pull through the roof on underclings and continue straight up to the huge ledge.

2. 30 m (20) Between Tiger's and the Frontal's final pitches is an overhanging corner with some vertical cracks. Starting off some large blocks, climb the cracks and up on the right. Up to the top with a final, tricky move past a left pointing flake.

Start from a boulder by two vertical white stripes. Straight up to the roof. Pull through and follow the thin vertical crack. When this peters out tend slightly right up the face.

Climb the left hand side of the pillar up recesses

1. [23] 12m

   ???

2. [15] 30m

   ???

3. [22] 35m

   ???

Start under a small roof. Climb through on the left to a rail. Pull through a small bulge and up the wall. Move right to a thin diagonal ramp/seam to a rail. Straight up a crack between jugs on the left/ 'Four Strong Winds' and a crack on the right /'Comes a Time'.

Right of the abseil is a very undercut section of the crag. This short line climbs just right of this to a lower ledge at about 2/3 the height of the crag.

[21] 20m

Start just right of a large, grey block at a ~5m high, shallow recess capped by a small roof. Crank up to the roof then reach a little right until able to reach past the roof and pull up left onto a small ledge. Climb straight up to the ledge.

The climb starts about 5m to the right of a large overhang, and ascends the main brown faces.

1. Climb the shallow, open-book to below a small roof. Traverse right and climb the corner to a large ledge.

2. Take off from the high spot on the right-hand side of the ledge. Pull through the roof to a small ledge. Climb the crack/corner to below the large roof near the top of the cliff. Traverse right below the roof, and where the roof ends, move up and exit in the corner.

Start a bit left of the Spookies. Climb up a short face,and then the tricky arete to the right of the corner. A strenous pull through the roof leads to easier climbing to the top.

Mega classic testpiece. Has a bolted anchor.

The first pitch described hereunder starts about three meters to the right of the crack pitch of 'Quiver Crag'.

1. [F A2] 27m Climb a slight crack in a white face using four pegs. Continue up free to an overhang above. Move to the right and up to a stance.

2. [F A2] 20m A chimney-like crack on the left is climbed to an overhang. Follow a crack to the left and upwards around the block then reach for the top of the block.

3. [E] 10m Walk clockwise around a big block and ascend a chimney to a stance on the right.

4. [19] 37m Climb up 2m and traverse to the right to a corner. Continue to the right for about 2m. The pitch goes virtually straight up from this point. A resting point will be found 8m above, slightly on the left, followed by a crack to another resting point a further 10m above. Climb the face above using layback holds to a ledge. Ascend from the right of this ledge.

Walk along left under the long overhang and exit out past a tree. The route goes up passed a large nose feature.

1. Start left of the tree move up slightly right and upwards, gaining a small ledge and then upwards for a few more meters until your reach a large ledge with a big block on it.

2. Climb up the chimney placing gear on extensions as you move up, twin ropes are a good idea to avoid rope drag (clip one rope left of chimney and then the alternate tope only after completing the chimney. Zig zag gently across the thin face (stay low before moving up) and stance in the shady corner.

3. Climb the layback with committing style and place small cams in the powder tufa's at the top of the layback corner to protect the second before moving out left on the ramp. Place some small micro nuts and micro cams in the thin rail of the ramp for 5 metres and stance where there is good gear and a wide ledge.

4. Climb the jugs straight up and then move slightly right on the thin face and then left again before moving upwards to finish.

Thin crack just right of Playtex. Take small gear.

From the ledge, Start below corner, climb up and right to ledge and continue and to nice stance in the corner.

1. 8m (18) Climb the left crack, rail right smearing feet and do a pull up move onto the ledge. Stance behind the boulder.

2. 22m (20) Climb the immaculate layback finger crack to a ledge. Can stance here or continue. Climb the thin left face off the ledge (there is gear) and follow the orange crumbly looking (but solid) rock up to a roof. One powerful move at the top then slightly left to pull through roof without too much difficulty.

1. [16] 25m

   Start up the juggy face, moving right thru a few ledges, climb the Hueco's and cracks to the stance. Might be better to stance below the descent route as better coms and less drag.

2. [13] 15m

   Climb fairly straight up the face, thru a small overhang and then to top out.

Start just left of Go Go Gadget and climb straight up to the first ledge. Reach up to a handrail, then straight up via gymnastic moves to and from the huge horizontal pocket (in the grey rock with an orange stripe coming down from its centre). Easily to top. Great climbing, pity about the ledge. Consensus grading needed.

This route is a variation of Mean Eyed Cat and follows the line under the second roof towards the right (instead of simply exiting on the left and straight up). It offers superb and sustained roof climbing with great exposure as the slab used for feet turns vertical and drops away towards the end of the roof. The cam placings in the roof split offer good protection; exit the roof on good side-pull flakes and climb up and slightly right to a biggish head of rock over which slings can be hung for anchors. There are also several smaller placings just below the head which can be used for protection or as part of the anchor set-up.

A good route of moderate difficulty. Would be more popular but for the walk in the middle.

Start: the route starts on the extreme left corner of Barrier Cave, about 3m Right of Valken Face.

1. Climb a small overhang at the corner and up a difficult crack to the ledge above.

2. Start midway between Face and Barrier Ravine routes. Climb a straight face for 6m until a small overhang is reached. Step right then up another 4m to a ledge, continue up for 8m (this is the crux of the lower sections). An easy crack slightly left is ascended for 6m. Stance beneath the the left of two cracks.

3. Climb the left crack and continue up the widening crack above to below an open face.

4. Scramble the face directly above the slope below the upper buttress.

5. Walk up to the upper sections which start about 13m from the corner overlooking Barrier Ravine.

6. Ascend the easy face veering left to the ledge above, and then up a small exposed chimney to a higher ledge.

7. Stand on a small ledge about 2m above the stance to a rail which allows one to traverse left into a shallow recess. Climb this to below a minor overhang, then traverse out to the left for about 5m, then up diagonally right to climb a small chimney, out for which you traverse diagonally left onto a large stance.

8. Climb an easy chimney in a corner to the right, then up a short face to the next broad ledge.

9. Walk along the ledge 30m to an obvious corner which is climbed all the way to the top of the buttress.

Walk around from KK (15mins) to where a gully leads up to a notch. On the right is a series of dihedrals capped by a 15m roof. Start at the base of the most undercut corner on the right.

1. A bouldery start allows access to an excellent corner past two small roofs to a ledge.

2. Climb up to a semi-hanging belay under the first roof.

3. Rail left, up to the big roof. Escape to a ledge.

4. Move left, climb 4m up to a roof and rail 10m right. Go for the top.

On the front of the Gendarme is a square recess capped by a roof. Start at the left-hand crack.

1. Climb the off-width, move right and up the wall tending diagonally left to a ledge.

2. Walk left to a corner leading up tot he roof. Climb up and traverse left to a layback crack breaking through.

P1 chossy corner scramble, follow crack to the left and mantle on a ledge. Surprisingly fun pitch. P2, overhanging crack line to the top.

Lower-offs and top rope access.

Start: ±3m right of the lower rap at the base of a short corner with a block at the base.

Climb the corner, to access a 2nd corner/ hand-crack capped by a small overlap, climb the 2nd corner and pull thru the overlap to access another overlap, move up and right to a break. Climb up the break tending left to the Protea tree, continue to the upper rap station.

A very straight line up the face, passing the large cream flake on it's right, then up right side of face. Tricky move over to gain ledge then straight to anchor.

A New Route on the Hangklip, Cape (MCSA Journal 1960, p109)

Start from the grassy ledge below the upper rock band and about 20m left of the big break that divides the Castle into two turrets.

1. 35m, 18. Pull up awkwardly through the left of 2 obvious overhanging cracks. Climb up to the right of the gully then right of the overhangs to a big ledge. Walk right along the big traverse ledge until 20m from the end of this ledge.

2. 45m, 17. Start at cairn immediately right of a large freestanding flake. Step off the flake and pull up on jugs through small overhangs then left to thin crack in a corner. Climb the crack and move 2m left to a stance.

3. 35m, 14. Climb up rounding the overhang to the left then up the juggy face tending right to stance below a thin crack just to left of the gully.

4. 45m, 18. Climb 10m up the crack to a hand and foot rail. Move left a couple of metres and then up diagonally left to the break in the overhang. Climb the face above tending right to stance below a scoop.

5. 10m, 12. Traverse left up through the scoop and walk left to stance below a big crack. Crack-a-long climbs the right face of this crack.

6. 40m, 14. Climb up the face to the left of the crack diagonally up to the left then back to the edge to round the overhang. Move up and left for about 5m before heading up to stance on the corner below the last tower.

7. 15m, 13. Climb the corner of the ridge and up wide crack to top.

Climb the face exactly between the hand crack of Huguenot Wall and the thin crack of the 'Huguenot Wall (Variation)' , directly to the bolted stance. There is no pro.

A short, fiery crux leads to easier climbing in an exposed position.

Start on the platform below the nose that forms Arms Race pitch 2. Approach from the Dream Ledge via the first pitch of Cableway Crag or Farewell to Arms.

1. [25/26?] 15m Scramble up onto the large block at the base of the large wide corner, the left side of which is the opposite side of the nose that Arms Race pitch 2 uses. From standing on the block, there are a series of underclings, the highest ones take micro cams. Pull onto the face and move up and slightly left via a series of technical and tenuous moves to gain good holds ~1m below the roof. Traverse ~1.5m left to a little platform past the left end of the roof above. Follow the featured face above for ~5m then tend right to a little stance is above the starting block, and ~5m directly below the break in the roof above (followed by Arms Race pitch 3). Consensus grading is needed.

2. [20?] 35m Climb up the large features and slightly right to the wide crack through the roof. Follow this as for Arms Race and at the first rail, traverse ~2.5m left and head up to the white face to an alcove below the knobbly, vegetated groove (stance on Lluvia Rosada). Step right and follow the face just to the right of the groove, and through a steep blocky section to finish on the wide ledge below the overhang.

Start: From a shady shelter behind some trees, about 20m higher up from the grey face used by Valken Edge. A Brown wall looms above, split by a brake leading to a stance.

1. Climb the face to the roof, then move left to gain the base of a prominent scoop. Climb the Scoop, then swing right around the corner on sharp edges and move up into a stance.

2. Wedge up a wide, overhanging crack on the left, then hand traverse left at the first rail over an alarming drop until energetic pulling up can be made.

3. From a higher ledge (shared with Valken Edge) climb a short groove on the right to a platform.

4. Traverse left and up into a huge recess, which is hidden from sight around the corner. Climb up, avoiding the 'Damocles Blocks' and exit strenuously at the top onto a ledge full of blocks.

5. Step up to a crouching traverse line and move left around the corner, stretch down to a lower rail and power jam across a rough rounded rail to the corner.

6. Climb the face behind the stance and finish on the right-hand skyline.