Vías en Africa para grado seleccionado

Halfway up the ascent gully on the left hand side there is a smaller gully in the rock which may be ascended to chains at the top.

only rap anchors

Up the chimney 5m left of Lustknabe.

Up chimney just left of previous routes.

Left of 'Groothoek Gully' is a large block with a large tree on top. The climb proper starts on this block.

1. (6) Scramble up block. On top of the block find a corner with an overhang 5m up.

2. (11) Climb up the corner on the left face below the overhang. Traverse left around corner and up on good holds into a chimney above. About 5m into the chimney is a good block-belay.

3. (11) Continue up chimney to a large ledge. Crux has good holds and is well protected with a #3 C4 SLCD.

4. (9) Move around the corner on the extreme right hand side of the large ledge, from this point climbing continues up on good holds with a few steep moves in-between.

5. (8) Continue up until climbing becomes a scramble.

Variations:

(Pitch 3 & 4, 15): From the large ledge, move onte the left hand face at a point about 5m left of the main corner. Climb diagonally leftwards up face to the top. (2002, A. George, A. Porter)

Start as for FNJ, continue traversing left beneath the steep rock, continue up the recess between the two major faces, stance where necessary and follow your nose to the top up easy rock.

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.

Start at the base of an open book and follow your nose to a ledge with trees

Up to bolt then right to share chains of Loula

Starts on the right side of the hut on the granite slope. The route moves directly up. Ideal for beginners sport climbing.

Opened in a single 45m pitch on double ropes, this line follows the right hand crack on the south-eastern side of the crag to a point 50m below the summit. To get down, scramble under the boulders to the left at the top of the climb and scramble down the steep gully on the crag's southern side (to your right as you exit from under the boulders).

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.

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.

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 route climbs the easy rock to the right of BAPM, then crosses BAPM and ARTHER and tops out far to the left.

1. 20m 10 Diagonally up right then back left to ledge beneath BAPM's 2nd pitch.

2. 30m 12 Climb the main diagonal corner to the right of the candleflame then straight up short steep face to a small stance.

3. 30m 12 Move up and left to the big ledge below BAPM's top pitch.

4. 40m 11 Traverse about 30m left (crossing BAPM and ARTHUR) and pick the easiest line to the top.

Climbs the obvious gully half way between The Ramp and the Main Wall.

1. 50m 5 Scramble up to the foot of a dry waterfall.

2. 33m 10 Ascend the face to a thin tree belay in a recess.

3. 25m 12 Move out left, up, and back into a recess. Continue up to the overhang and move out right (12) onto an extensive ledge.

4. Scramble for 100m up bushy gully.

5. 33m 10 From this point the route veers off to the right of the main trend of the gully which becomes unclimbable. Ascend the face to a small ledge (piton belay).

6. 23m 7 Continue up face to a tree belay in a slight recess.

7. 33m 10 Continue straight up until about 20m beneath overhanging rock.

8. 33m 7 Traverse right.

9. 33m 10 Traverse right, ascend a little and continue traversing.

10. 33m 10 Traverse right, ascending at intervals.

11. 33m 10 Climb down a little, then climb diagonally up to the right. Scramble to the top.

Notes:

1. The route as written up is quite difficult to follow, and most people end up climbing something harder than 13, sometimes even as hard as 19!

Go up the large break tending leftward away from the central tree, when you get to a thick vine climb straight up on the right hand side of it.

On the south eastern facing wall of the gulley, Take the break where the furthest left hand roots of the central tree reach. Staying in the broken crack system passing the jagged 'teeth'

Starts on right-hand side of a grey slab in a recess, right of 'One-eyed Jack'.

1. 15m 10 Climb right-hand side of grey slab to ledge. Belay in corner as for ONE-EYED JACK

2. 20m 11 Traverse right across a face to a recess and a crack system (two small trees). Climb the right-hand crack and face to the top.

Start climb at high point 30m left of meeting place at an obvious black chimney with prominent small tree 10m up.

1. [11] 35m

   Ascend 10m to tree, then climb over bulge. Traverse left for 6m then move straight small corner to stance.

2. [9] 30m

   Climb up vertical wall above on good holds.

The start of this climb may be located by reference to three caves near the base of the rook and spaced about 30m apart. The route commences about 9m to the left of the most westerly of these three caves, in a small recess, and is marked by a beacon at ground level. The starting point is actually on a broad grass ledge which is reached by clambering over a rocky slope at the bottom of the krantz. Between the starting point and the cave on the right there is a natural feature on the rock having the appearance of an inverted broad arrow chiselled into the rock. This is greenish-yellow in colour.

1. 18m 9 From the beacon work up in the recess towards the left then traverse right over the top of the recess, thence upwards to the right towards the crack immediately above the cave. This crack is covered with aloes and a stance on a small ledge is found on the edge of these aloes almost in the crack.

2. 18m 11 From the stance in the crack step to left thence vertically upwards over good sound rock to a large sloping ledge.

3. 18m 8 This section is obvious and a number of easy alternatives present themselves. The most vertical is the best.

4. 25m 8 Work up to the final rock slope on the right or left of an overhanging rock immediately above the 'cave crack'.

Note: The rock is sound and holds good. The first stance can accommodate two people only with comfort. Top section is disappointing after the first two pitches.

Start on the sloping wall about 5m to the left of 'Hanging Boulder'.

1. 25m 10 Ascend bearing slightly right, parallel with a groove, to a small ledge that is actually the top of a large flake in the ridge overlooking the HANGING BOULDER gully (small stance).

2. 15m 11 From the top of the flake ascend vertically keeping slightly to the left to a large ledge.

3. 12m 8 Ascend vertically to the big ledge with boulder and thus immediately beneath the overhang that forms the top of the 'frame'.

4. 12m 8 Descend 6m to a ledge and traverse to the right along a narrow extension of this into the top right-hand corner of the frame. Traverse along a ledge around the corner and up to the final stance.

The start is easily located by reference to a prominent crack leading up to overhanging rocks, which are split and appear to be blocked by aloes. The climb follows the crack in two 9 pitches to a point just below the overhanging rock on the right, then traverses outward, and down to a point about 10m to the right of the crack. From here the route goes vertically upwards.

An alternative route opened by T. Louw and W. Curle goes straight up the crack through the split overhang. (10)

Not a particularly inviting climb but longer than others in the area. Numerous belays. Starts 5 - 10m left of 'Zig Zag'.

1. 15m 9 Choose a route up the buttress to a large rock split off the corner.

2. 22m 10 Diagonally up to the right inside the frame to a recess above some aloes 12m, then 9m up.

3. 12m 11 Traverse left onto the nose and up to a large tree which marks the junction of to route with RACK ROUTE.

4. 22m 9 Up the chimney for 3m onto a chockstone. Traverse right onto the face or into next gully. Climb 12m up until a small overhang is reached. A scramble takes one off the climb.

Start in main descent gully to the right of large cave seen 10m above.

1. 40m 11 Climb straight up the arete to the top (A difficult move at the start, a grade 15 bulging crack, can be avoided if desired - 11).

45m right of 'Tower Of Pisa' and 4-5m left of 'No Highway'.

1. 35m 11 Climb diagonally left from some large blocks to a defined recess. Continue up the recess for 25m to a small overhang, step over right and up to a ledge. Traverse right for 3-4m and up to next ledge below a wall.

2. 25m 11 Step up and traverse diagonally right across the wall to the edge and arete. Continue up the arete keeping left and aiming for some blocks on top.

Note: A very pleasant climb on good rock.

Starting almost in the gully, this climb follows an almost direct line over the grass ledge and straight to the summit. The start from the grass ledge is cairned.

Immediately to right of 'Four Man Gully' the crag is steep and foreboding. Further to right the upper section of the face lies back in the form of a bay or large recess where a good size tree is growing 20m below the top of the krantz. Below this tree is a smooth 6m slab which on closer acquaintance proves to be deeply slotted. It is bounded on the left by a wall and above by a clean-cut overhang tapering away to the right. The route attains the foot of the slab by a 15m grassy crack running up to the left. The slab can either be avoided by a 5m traverse right and an ascent of the rocks immediately to the right of the slab, but more merit is acquired by ascending the corner on the left of the slab and crossing the top of the slab to the right just below the overhang. The large bay is now reached whence an easy route could be made out to the left. It is more interesting however, to continue the direct line of the climb and avoid the final wall by a traverse on to the buttress on the right.

Variation (not recommended – loose rock): The lower section has been more recently climbed as follows:

1. 15m 10 Climb the semi-grassy crack running up left into an open book.

2. 10m 11 Move up and left to the foot of an inverted pyramid of rock where tons of rock appear to be supported on a single small square block. Enter the crack to the right, move delicately round the pyramid and climb onto its front edge. Continue onto the long grassy slope below the upper section.

Start on the true right-hand wall of the kloof opposite the junction with NETTLE GULLY in a gully ending in steep rock (downstream of 'Grotesque').

1. 40m 7 Start at the base of the grey face and climb/scramble 15m onto a wide ledge. Move right past the gully that forms the base of a prominent chimney with two overhangs. Climb the right-hand wall of the gully to a stance 15m above ledge. (This pitch can be divided into two sections if an intermediate stance is made at the ledge at the base of the gully.)

2. 35m 11 Move left from the stance and diagonally upwards to the base of the chimney and climb to the top.

Start left of 'Vuil Pheiler'. The climb follows a slab which narrows to one meter at the top.

1. 30m 8 Climb on the slab (easy at first) to a small tree where the rock is red.

2. 15m 11 Continue straight up to the top.

50m downstream of STAMVRUG GULLY a well-defined ridge projects into the kloof. The climb starts up the distinctive 10m high open book just downstream of this ridge.

1. 33m 10 Climb the open book keeping in the corner. Continue up the corner/chimney for a short distance before moving onto the face on the right. Climb the face passing a small stamvrug tree on the left to a stance next to a small pinnacle with a block on it.

2. 33m 11 Bypass the overhang 5m up by climbing the face just to the right of it and continue up 5m to just below a ledge. Traverse a few meters left to a well-defined crack and follow this to the top.

The right crack line of the two mentioned in 'Fie' is climbed. This crack lies in the corner between the back of the short gully and the downstream side of the short gully.

1. 20m 11 Ascend the crack line. Good Climbing.

The climb goes up the corner 5m downstream of the gully where 'Fie', 'Fo' and 'Fum' begin.

1. 17m 8 Climb the corner to the comfortable ledge below the large overhang on the right (gully) side of the buttress.

2. 20m 11 Climb the face on the right of the roof and traverse left to a big tree. Continue diagonally left to a big flake on the corner of the buttress. Surmount this and continue up parallel cracks to the top.

This route starts on the front of the low buttress on the left of 'Fee', 'Fie', 'Fo' and 'Fum'

1. 25m 12 Climb the recess to the left of the centre of the buttress to a good ledge (8m) (or climb the front of the buttress to the same ledge (13)). Continue straight up the obvious line to a stance below a left-slanting diagonal crack.

2. 17m 10 Follow the line of the crack to the top of the buttress.

This climb starts 35m upstream of 'Late Breeze' (5m upstream of 'Sugar Man') in a prominent recess.

1. 25m 12 Climb the recess up a series of steps to a short dual crack system. The right crack has a small nettle bush in it. Climb the left crack to a small ledge. Continue up the recess to where the crack steepens. By using either hand holds on the sides of the crack, or jams in the crack, ascend to a good ledge.

Start just to the right of 'Snack' where there is a small red-brown corner about 10m above the kloof floor with a roof above it.

1. 30m 11 Climb the face 4m right of 'Snack'. Continue up in the corner, move over the overhang and traverse right onto a slab. Continue straight up the slab and the wall above to the top.

Start on the true right-hand side of the kloof, opposite 'Ripple Mark'. The climb begins on a polished sloping black slab at ground level and initially goes up a smooth black corner which overhangs 30m up.

1. 25m 11 Climb a recess with some cracks higher up to a small stance. (At the stance be careful of large loose blocks, particularly if used as a belay point.)

2. 20m 9 Traverse diagonally left 20m to a large platform stance above a tree.

3. 25m 12 Climb a clean pleasant face to the top, with a steeper grassy portion at the finish (crux).

Climb the recess/gully between 'Zimbabwe Face' and 'High Rise' - 30m.

10m up from 'KB Three' on the same side (cairn).

1. 45m 11 Start at a high point behind a large block. Climb up diagonally left to the obvious break. Move up to the easy ground in the gully. Climb the good jamming crack on the left wall.

On the same side of the kloof and 10m upstream from 'North America Wall'. On the wall right of the recess (cairn).

1. 50m 11 Climb up left of the fault line to a squat pinnacle. Climb past on the left and continue up to the top. The climb can be split into two pitches at the pinnacle.

This route starts just upstream of the lower meet site (about 10 to 15m) i.e. downstream of 'Roamer'.

1. 30m 11 Ascend the slab to the left of a gully for about 15m, up to a small ledge. Traverse right for 1 to 2m to the arete. Climb this, continuing up easier ground to the top.

This climb takes the same buttress as 'Bonnie' and climbs the downstream face. Scramble up to the left of the buttress to a good tree belay.

1. 25m 12 Climb up the short face to a large ledge. Climb up the small open book to finish up the crack in the slightly overhanging face.

The climb starts up a broken sloping white face 10m upstream of the narrow gully upstream of 'The Swarm'.

1. 21m 8 Climb the sloping white face to the prominent corner which leads up to the right. Continue a few meters up the corner to a large ledge level with a tree on the right.

2. 18m 12 Climb diagonally right over polished red rock, keeping to the corner, onto a comfortable stance below the point where the corner leads straight up the krantz.

3. 27m 10 Continue up the corner to the top.

Note: This is a clean climb on top quality rock.

Situated opposite grey grassy slabs on far side of kloof, downstream of a pinky-white recess.

1. [12] 25m

   Leaving prominent ripple-marked slabs about 10m to the left, climb up just right of a shallow chimney, onto face and up this to a large stance (tree).

2. [10] 30m

   Traverse diagonally up left, then up an open book to the top.

This climb on clean rock is left of 'Fanny's Ridge' and to the left of a large red overhang, about 30m up.

1. [8] 25m

   Climb face to stance below chimney/crack with large tree above.

2. 15m 10 Climb up chimney/crack behind huge block to tree.

3. 37m 9 Ascend straight up for 6m then left onto slab. Traverse diagonally left up to the left-hand extremity of slab then slightly right up crest of edge to stance.

4. 18m 11 Climb up via crest of edge to the top.

The climb starts at a low buttress slightly jutting forward.

1. [9] 17m

   Climb a series of blocks in a shallow recess on the right of the buttress to a large ledge on top of buttress.

2. 11m 8 Climb short chimney up to second ledge.

3. 25m 11 Up chimney formed by pinnacle buttress leaning against face to a small cave and belay. This is the crux pitch and can be done in two portions.

4. 25m 10 Traverse right out of cave and across an exposed slab ascending on the right of slab.

The route finishes up the outside of the buttress or ridge which forms on its left the crack of 'Halfway House'. Start 30m right of the line of that route, 3m left of a white patch.

1. [11] 22m

   Ascend steep face to large grassy ledge.

2. 9m 8 Ascend face and traverse left to bottom of the crack on the right of the buttress.

3. 28m 10 Traverse left to centre of buttress and ascend recess to ledge.

4. 12m 8 Continue to top.

Start as for 'Halfway House'.

1. 12m 10 Climb diagonally left to the narrow ledge at the top of the first pitch of 'Blister Major'. Traverse left along ledge to same stance.

2. 34m 11 Traverse left around skyline and then ascend. The route follows the left edge of the grey wall. It passes patches of red rock, a crack, and a small overhang near the top. Alternatively the pitch may be started at the flake or ridge on the skyline (13).

The climb is situated about 180m to the left of Remhoogte Gully. At this point there is a 'set back' face framed on each side by a ridge and at the top by a prominent overhang. The start of the climb is about 45m to the left of a cave (2½ m high, 10m deep) at the top of the grass slope.

1. [10] 15m

   Start at the left hand edge of the face from a stout tree. Ascend corner to tree.

2. 25m 8 Ascend diagonally to right to a stance in middle of face where there are a number of white blocks.

3. 15m 8 Climb to another stance with block for belay.

4. 15m 11 Climb up to roof of overhang by one of several alternatives and traverse out left by means of a dassie traverse .

5. 9m 6 Ascend broken rock to top

About 20m to the left of 'Porthole Ridge' is another ridge marking the western boundary of the top pitch of 'Porthole Crag'. Still further to the left is a second sharply defined ridge having on its left boundary a vertical red face forming a recess with the buttress on its right. In this recess grow two large bushes about half way up, immediately below the brown face. The climb follows the line of the ridge keeping to the left of the edge where most of the climbing is on a flat face.

Start approximately 150m west of 'Breakfast Run' where there are no bushes on the slope below the climbs. The climb starts on a white slab facing towards Hartebeespoort Dam. The slab gets progressively steeper until it reaches the steep arete.

1. 35m 11 Climb the centre of the white slab (a little thin near the top) passing right of a tree which has no low down branches and which projects from the face at 65o. Continue up past a cluster of bushes, then traverse right across a gully and under some overhangs into a black recessed stance which can be clearly seen to the right when approaching the foot of the climb.

2. 25m 10 Climb above the belay stance on the right hand edge of the arete (still facing the dam) and up to the easier rock above.

Note: The climb appears to enjoy more winter sun than most others in the area.

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 about 3m to right of 'Easy Way Out'.

1. 22m 11 Ascend face moving left for 2m then straight up for 6m. Climb left into diagonally right sloping corner crack up to corner belay 14m.

2. 20m 9 Proceed directly up easy face. Ascend to top moving slightly left.

Start just downstream of 'Pink Corner' at easy grey slab with corner on right. Scramble up slab (5) to ledge and continue leftwards past trees to base of pinnacle (upstream side).

1. 25m 10 Ascend corner between pinnacle and main cliff and walk through behind pinnacle to far side (possible stance behind pinnacle). Step down slightly on downstream side of pinnacle and then traverse (crux) to tree (slight ascent) and on to large ledge (slight descent) and good stance.

2. 30m 11 Climb easily up leftwards to top of large block (15m). Step off block to left and ascend steeply to top.

Variations possible on front of pinnacle (10), and to the left of the block on pitch 2, (5) or right (13)

The climb lies up the corner on the right overlooking the deep lunch pool, opposite 'Pool Ascent'.

1. 12m 7 Climb the small gully just downstream of the corner to a large earth ledge and tree halfway up the corner.

2. 11m 11 From the tree climb up a small crack for 3m then traverse right around a nose In an exposed position to a ledge overlooking the pool.

3. 15m 6 Climb the easy face to the top of the kloof.

The climb is on the face immediately upstream of Castle Gully. It starts about 15m upstream of Castle Gully and about 10m left of a prominent white-pink patch at the base of the krantz.

1. [8] 3m

   Climb up the little buttress to a ledge with a block belay. Scramble to the left for 8m.

2. 15m 7 Climb (straddle) the recess and ascend easier rock to a ledge with a tree belay.

3. 12m 10 Up a 3m thin crack, then over easy rock to a large ledge below an overhang. Belay on a tree.

4. 20m 11 Up into obvious chimney through the overhang and out to the right when upward progress is blocked by a tree growing in the face. Up to a second overhang and then right across a thin face to a ledge, then up a thin slab to the top.

This climb is situated on the buttress referred to under 'Theme and Variations'. It starts about 12m down and to the left of 'Theme and Variations' and follows a ridge on the buttress.

1. 18m 11 Commence on the steep face to the left of the ridge, and work upwards and to the right, reaching the crest of the ridge at a tree.

2. 18m 8 From the tree ascend the ridge immediately above (steep but with good holds) and work out on to an easy face on the right.

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.

1. 40m 11 Climb the tight-hand side of a prominent buttress 50m right of 'Sentinel Traverse' with last 20m a scramble.

2. 28m 11 Traverse right on a short wall into the bottom of a shallow chimney. Pleasant climbing to the top.

Located in the middle of a grey amphitheatre overlooking the scree in 'Lightning Ravine'. Scramble up the bush covered subsidiary buttress abutting the main wall to a dark recess.

1. 20m 10 Climb the recess for 5m and move right on to the face when progress is blocked. Rejoin the recess higher up and continue to stance.

2. 20m 11 Continue up the fault to the summit.