Vías en Africa para grado seleccionado

Bloc

Same start as 1. Traverse left to easy ground.

Left of 1 and 2. Start on the right end of the bigger cliff on low, big jugs. Move straight up, mantling the lip at the top.

Around the left of the main cave are some low jugs. Seated start as low and left as possible. Traverse right, then up and around the corner, finishing standing in the cave.

The route follows the obvious crack from the ground to its end for 55 metres.

From the top of the crack a pitch of easy, unprotected slab climbing leads to the summit.

This is a sustained and serious climb (not just for the lead climber) and caution should be taken with loose rock.

Protection: there are two bolts on the second pitch, but the main protection is with natural gear. At least one 6.5 cam or similar should be carried to avoid extreme run-outs.

Solo the arête.

Solo up from below the roof.

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!

Up left side of chimney. Missing last bolt and anchors

A great line up the massive crack you can see from town. Many belays are fixed but in very poor condition, take some cord. Can run many pitches together at the end.

L 1 65 m 6a Go up a varied crack and relay on the right. L 2 35 m 6b + Go up a first steep wall (1 bolt) then in stem a vertical jump initiating the crack of the following lengths. Avoid pulling on the two stuck scales and climb with finesse. L 3 45 m 6a Reassemble a fine plugged crack (1 spit) then this same crack over the entire length. L 4 45 m 5+ Go up a chimney at the bottom and reach the belay on a less inclined area. L 5 50 m 5+ An exceptional length taking place on sculpted rock between two cracks. L 6 45 m 5+ Go up a fireplace. L 7 45 m 5 then 3+ Follow the crack until it tilts. Gain a terrace to relay L 8 40 m 5 Go up a chimney. L 9 20 m 3+ Exit the crack by a chimney. L 10 70 m 3 Climb a small step and gain a foothold on the slabs on the right, allowing to gain a pass. From this pass, join the normal route of Jebel Taka to reach the summit in 45 minutes of hiking-climbing (slabs in 3). See 1939 Brown-Hodgkin route.

2 short pitches interrupted by ledge. P1 is bold, 5c/6a. P2 is the central line up the nice wall above, but has lost holds and is harder

Direct start to Dramatix

Start at the base of running on empty. Climb diagonally left across the blankish face up to the ledge which is visible. Gear is not that great.

• ie very shit!, ends on ledge.

Start 90m left of SKIN THE CAT. A long roof can be seen 70m up. Start directly below the notch in the roof. Scramble 12m up LHS of pillar to a ledge.

1. 50m 19 Up flake on right for 8m. Move left on to face, up tree roots to tree. Up groove (becomes a flake) then up wall. Traverse right to ledge, up, back left into corner and up the ledge.

2. 35m 19 Up to next ledge, then up right to pull through right hand V-notch. Up to grass ledge. Walk 30m right and up to under steep cave and scramble up. (25m left of SKIN THE CAT).

3. 35m 21 Move up about 5m left of corner and move through roofs at their smallest. Diagonally up rightwards to crack, up this, then left to ledge.

4. 25m 20 Up to cubby hole under roof. Pull through and up right to ledge.

5. 35m 20 Up and diagonally left across slab to below steep gnarly rock. Pull through and up to stance at base of chimney.

6. 40m 22 Delicate Slab Pitch: Up chimney and out onto wall above. Up crack system straight up to ledge. Traverse 12m right to base of corner behind tree.

7. 50m 18 Up corner/crack, move left onto arête at top, follow nose straight to top. Scramble to the top.

Start: 20m to the left of Cape Pushover, aiming for the obvious corner below the overhangs.

1. Climb the face and corner. Then traverse left along the lower (less obvious) rail until clear of the overhangs. A delicate move establishes you on the face. Tend to the right on another 8m of face climbing brings you to a stance.

2. Avoid the bushes by climbing the slabby blunt arête consisting of large boulders. Then a short steep corner below a V-notch (crux) brings you to the Smiley rap and a few meters of scrambling further, to the cave. Have a T, then rappel down. Or do one of the cave pitches.

Climbs the overhanging pink corner to the left of ?

1. [22/23] 20m Climb the awkward corner. Move right at the top. Be careful of wasps.

Starts on same ledge as GOOFPROOF ROOF, 10m to the right of GOOFPROOF ROOF where the overhang is at its biggest (small cairn).

1. 15m 22 Jump for hand hold on wall on right, and pull up on jugs until face level with roof. A vague rail enables you to move left to very good jugs at the lip. A long snatch for holds high above the roof, followed by an easy open book above up to ledge with small tree belay. Scramble off up to the left at grade 17.

Note: A #1 friend is useful for protection at the lip of the roof.

Located about 40m downstream from the top of the upper area on the true left. The route starts just left of massive overhangs (piton can be seen in small rail just below the overhangs)

1. 23m 21 Start on a jammed block in the river, gain access to a big jug just to the left of a crack with a layback/dyno move, once you gain the crack, climb it to the overhangs above and move left out to recess with two cracks, climb the left crack to a ledge with a tree on it.

2. 15m 15 Climb the finger crack on the right hand side of the ledge, follow the crack to an awkward move involving a handjam, this takes you into a chimney with a big triangular block above it, climb out of this to a larger sloping ledge.

3. 40m 22 Above the triangular block is a jam crack that break through the slightly overhanging wall almost to the top, climb this until the crack disappears following as straight line to the top as possible. The protection is great all the way through this route, many nuts are very handy for the last pitch.

Starts right of 'Coin de Rocher' The start of the first pitch is a tad bold. Technically more like grade 22, but fairly intimidating. The second pitch also starts off in a fiesty manner.

1. Start from a block a few meters right of 'Coin de Rocher'. Pull onto the wall at a vague seam and up to a finger rail. Step left and then up via tricky moves to the roof. Traverse 2 to 3m right until able to pull through where the roof narrows. Step left and head up the steep face to the right slanted slots. Climb through these to the platform above.

2. From the stance head directly up a line of right side pulls until the angle eases. This is a few meters right of the 'Coin de Rocher' pitch. At the next ledge continue straight up the line of least resistance to the top of the crag.

A fun line taking some rad features between comfortable stances. The line is pumpy and like all lines on the wall enjoys great views and exposure. The opening party scrambled up the gully and then to the right before walking left to the start, however one could add another pitch below.

1. About 3m right of the microwave sized wobbly block that is the start of the second pitch of Breeding Ground is a vague open book with a rather thin looking start. Take this until a shelf about 5m up, then head gently left over excellent rock for several meters, then vertically to the left side of a proud pillar which terminates 2.5m below a small roof. Take the left side of a a hanging buttress beneath a roof, then traverse right over the buttress to a stance just over the lip.

2. Head up the right of two open books directly above the stance. Negotiate the overlap and cracks above on pumpy face climbing to exit on a comfortable ledge. P2 and P3 could easily be combined.

3. Walk about 4m right to take an obvious crack to the ledge. Have fun on the See-Saw, you'll need it!

4. Yes, that crack through the roof you saw from the path- the one the two of you have been fighting over. Actually its more of a thick flake in the roof, and while it does make some noise when to tap it the thing is solid. But first start on the left end of the See-saw at a break with a pocket under a small corner of rock, then keep going up the face until the roof. About 2m after you pull through the roof take the series of parallel cracks heading slightly left to a block protrusion, then up to the top. Excellent pitch to finish you off!

Start right of The Leper Messiah next to a small open book. Climb up past a rail to a second rail. Climb straight up past two bolts to the top.

Climb any first pitch up to the big ledge. The route starts about 15m to the right of Fire-start’s second pitch up a left-facing orange corner with a beautifully parallel, curved layback crack.

1. 15m, 22. Climb curved crack (crux moves) up into a small roof topped by a big hollow-sounding flake positioned vertically in the crack. Depending on your level of daring, either climb directly through the roof on the flake, or first traverse out right onto the face, up a few metres and then back into the crack above the flake. Climb a few more metres to a tiny stance on the left about 5 m below a small, narrow roof.

2. 18m, 19. Climb to the left edge of the roof and traverse out left onto and up rounded holds for about 5 metres (protection sparse but available), before traversing right back onto the face (delicately move around the corner using pockets to place gear). Continue up crack to a sloped ledge on rounded holds. Move 2 metres right and climb up to the bottom left-hand corner of the massive dark grey block clear.

3. 25m, 16. From belay climb up some bare-looking rock to two good holds, then reach through to a good hold at the bottom of a slightly flaring crack, climb the crack up to a little roof, where one can step out right onto a flake sticking out from the massive grey block. Climb up trending left to about 8 m below the long, narrow roof and then traverse to the far left to belay on top of long loose-looking blocks just below the roof.

4. 25m, 21. Climb up left to the roof and pull through into the left-facing corner. Climb the layback crack for about 4m, before moving slightly right on thin holds over some blocks and upwards trending slightly rightwards to a long thing narrow ledge (sloping down leftwards).

5. 50m, 18. Roughly in the middle of the long narrow belay ledge climb up a smooth looking face on thin holds and continue up until you a narrow roof. Climb through this roughly in the middle just left of a thin crack which offers good protection, and continue straight up, passing left of a blocky roof near the top.

Starts as per Political Solution. After 5m break diagonally left over the blank face to the far left rails. Follow the thin crack to the top. A committing lead as the first gear is about 10 metres up.

Start on the blocks in the 'Verooka Palooka' corner, just to the right of 'Moon on Ice', and immediately to the left of a small tree. Climb straight up to the top past two bolts.

Takes the crack line between THE FILE and UNKNOWN PLEASURES. A long pitch giving surprisingly good climbing. Starts midway between the two above-mentioned routes.

1. 35m 22 Climb ledges to base of chimney/gully and then step left to gain the crack. Hard moves (protected by 2 pegs) to gain large layback flake, and then to small cubby. Awkward moves leaving this and then continue more easily following crack/groove line to tree belay.

Climbs the centre of the next clean face to the left of Running on Empty. Starting just left of the lower roofs, pull up on jugs to start (roof one metre off ground).  Climb up over a loose flake to a short open book above.  Break through the roof where a block has fallen out (peg).  Climb directly through the bulge above, exiting up the crack. * There is an aid route to the right of the next route that goes through the large roof and onto the superb face above.  Opened by Gerald Camp using 2 nut scratchers for hooks!

Climbs the obvious stepped corner system on the east face of the south Donjon. The route starts up a corner left of a 6m high pillar next to the rock face.

1. 43m 19 Climb the corner exiting left and up to the ledge on top of some flakes.

2. 38m 17 up the front of the pillar for a few metres then into corner on the right and up to traverse line. Traverse right and up to ledge beneath roofs.

3. 41m 22 Climb up corner/peapod/groove/chimney above to a stance below large roof (Originally climbed as 2 pitches (20A1 and 19A1) with a hanging belay).

4. 40m 20 Traverse right under roof and climb corner/chimney above to ledge on arête. (Originally 2 pitches, 19A1 and 19).

5. 40m 18 Climb the corner past a tree to a bushy ledge. Climb diagonally left up lichen-covered face to belay in gully.

Scramble rightwards up the gully then walk right along the ledge to another gully which is followed to the top.

Climb the 'Africa Shield', move right under the roof, and up the crack on Gusto. Then do the 'Metolius move' left and across the face, up the small corner on Gusto to a narrow ledge. Traverse left at the rail until the blunt arete, and straight up to the top.

About 300m down Ysterhoutkloof from the main campsite is a steep and fairly wide greyish wall on the right. On the left hand side of the wall, a large tree arches over to touch the top of the wall

1. 15m 23 Climb up directly below where the tree touches the wall.

A route up the centre of the wall, immediately opposite BLADE RUNNER.

1. 25m 23 Climb up the centre of the wall to gain the crack. Climb the crack exiting to a tree on the right.

1. 35m 23 Starts directly below DEXTER and DEXTROSE. Pull through bulge at bottom (strenuous and devious) and up onto slab above. Up slab and move slightly left and up steep bulging rock/corner past peg to rejoin DEXTROSE at 20m. Follow corner to tree.

Start at a yellow wall where the cliff bulges out from a blunt rib. Painted "BO". Climb ramp to steep wall and peg up crack for 15 m to ledge in notch. Continue pegging over roof and traverse right 3 m to ledge. Belay. Now free to top, first right and then straight up.

A direct line, with interesting pitches and the occasional run-out. With some more cleaning, it will be a 4-star route.

Access

Walk along the Right Face Arrow Face traverse. On the climbers left of the tunnels is a low roof ±15m up. Higher up, there is a long roof about 30m up. Start ±20m to the left of the left end of this higher roof, at a point below an off-width crack 20m above the path. Cairn next to the path at the base of the climb.

1. 25m (17) Follow a crack and short face to reach a small ledge. Continue up the face to the left of a small corner to a narrow chimney with an arête on the right side. Follow this to the off-width that was visible from the ground. Continue up to the ledge with a large sickle-shaped rock to belay on.

2. 25m (16) Climb the corner above and then a layback crack to a ledge. Head slightly left on a face and then easily up to a wide ledge. Walk ±6m right to the base of a clean corner crack.

3. 30m (22) Climb the corner and finger crack to a ledge. Continue up the short right-arching crack until able to pull through the steep left wall to good holds below the left end of the roof. Traverse left over a vegetated ledge and onto a large block. Move up and right to an easy angled ramp. Head straight up to a small grassy ledge (this section is easy but a bit run out with one good rail for gear about 2m from the ledge). A #4 Camalot may be useful but is not essential.

4. 15m (17) Traverse left and then up to a long, wide edge. Continue left along this until a long pull gains good holds above, which are followed straight up to a broad ledge (sparse gear). Walk right ±5m to a break in the lower overhang that runs across the back of the ledge.

5. 20m (17) Pull up to a wide rail and reach over the roof to good holds. Traverse left ±3m and then straight up until able to move easily left onto the big ledge with a tree at the base of a wide chimney. A #4 Camalot may be useful but is not essential.

6. 35m (21) To the right of the wide chimney is a left-leaning ramp with good holds, which is slightly separate from the face to the right. Follow the ramp for a few meters and step right onto a narrow ledge. Head straight up the edges on the face above to the next horizontal break. Continue straight up to a large block under the roof. Step right and up to pass the roof, then go diagonally left up a low angle slab to some large pocket-type features. From here crank up until able to reach good holds above the slopers. Continue easily up the face to the next ledge at a point just left of the bushes. Stance directly below the roof crack above.

7. 25m (15) Climb the leftmost side of the juggy face above to the top.

An alternative finish is to blast straight through the roof crack at the top of pitch 6. This was opened in 2012 as the stand-alone pitch called 'No Horizon'

Another fine line, this time with three very different pitches, however plenty of air and arete.

Start: right of the large platform on which PGA starts ( and the start of the second pitch of HGA) is a stand of tall bushes which marks the base of a beautiful, but slightly intimidating wall. The first pitch starts about 3m right of the platform, maybe 2m left of a very vague buttress.

1. A committing and sustained starting sequence. head to a thin rail (at time of opening had grass on the left end), then up to an open pocket maybe a bit larger than a fist. Above the pockets is an obvious rail, then onto the much larger ledge above. Step right 2m, then pretty much straight for a while on big holds to a stance underneath an overhang, on top of a bit of a tower.

2. From the stance climb diagonally left to an obvious protrusion that marks the base of the arete. Join HGA for maybe 3m until the crack left of it emerges, then follow this until a right facing lay-back crack takes you to a good ledge capped by a rounded, featured crack. Confidently follow this to the Sea-saw ledge for a stance. Best use the large thread thru for a stance

3. Immediately left and above the large thread thru is a thin vertical crack (facing left). Follow this and exit right, then up to a dodgy looking/sounding/feeling but obvious laptop sized flake left of the arete. Continue onto the arete, then up it to the base of the right tending overhang above. Take the right side of the arete to a left tending break to gain the arete, then straight onto a vertical crack on the face and continue up to the top.

Starts from the same block as Sizzle. Climb up to a peg, pull through the roof and continue up to a bolt. Finish slightly to the right on thin holds.

Start about 3m to the right of the start of LUNAR LIGHT TRAVERSE below the fig tree. Climb up to the rail and up on small grips to a small recess to the left of a nose and to the right of a fig tree. Climb up this for 3m to easier ground which is followed to the top.

Two mind-bending roofs and some stellar easier pitches. A very straight line.

Start: On the far right of the knight, (2nd last buttress on the chess-pieces) there is a scoop of compact orange rock beneath a 3m roof at 25m height. Start on a higher ledge at the left-hand side of this where the orange rock meets grey.

1. 22, 40m: Start up two orange recesses, step left and then straight up compact orange rock, past an unnerving grey flake to the roof and the apparently off-width crack that breaks the roof. Power through this, then cruise 10m up the giggle-jug-crack to stance on boat-anchors on the left.

2. 16, 35m: Straight up the steepest (vertical), dappled wall on a stellar pattern of seams and juglets. Eases off after 10m. Stance at the back of a fairly big ledge.

3. 15, 25m: Straight up the 8m, 20cm-wide crack on ears, laybacks and juglets. Continue straight. Upon gaining the ledge move 6m left.

4. 22, 30m: Up an easy crack system (the right of two) to the roof system just inside the right-hand corner of the buttress. Left then straight through the first dark overhang, a long stretch on some undercling crimps leads to good rails, and left into the twin cracks that break the roof. Establish in a stellar position on two ledgelets, then heel-hook, jam and crank up and continue to a stance.

5. 17, 20m: About 7m left of the right-hand skyline. (Should be 1m left of stance) Start on a pedestal, past a good rail to some thin moves (delicate) and to the summit.

1. [16] 12m

2. [20] 15m

3. [21] 20m

4. [20] 15m

5. [22] 20m

A meter right of the route After Taxes is a juggy crack. Climb this, pull through a small overhang and head straight through the middle of the somewhat blank-looking face above. NOTE: This is a bold route to lead. Small cams recommended.

Start below a low roof on the wall to the right of 'Big Mamma'. Pull through this roof below the small tree and finish up the break.

(People who burden us with route names like this probably need to visit a psychologist.)

Ascends the flake crack 4m left of RASP.

1. 25m 22 Fingery laybacking to slight break. Move right to shake-out rest at keyed-in block. Layback flared crack above to the RASP stance.

Short and powerful crack line just right of the bolts. Take care with gear placements.

Below the Black Ice route is a trapezoid (triangle with a flat top) shaped roof. Start on the left side of this.

1. 50 m (22) Climb up 2m to the wide rail under the roof (a friend size 4 or bigger is useful, but not essential), move out leftwards around the corner and continue railing for about 2m (strenuous) before thin feet allow you to climb onto the narrow ledge. Alternatively, do a harder (a grade or two) move in the recess at the start of the narrow ledge. From the ledge, continue for about 15m at grade 19 up to a tiny triangular belay ledge just up and right from a small right-facing red corner.

2. 25 m (19) Continue climbing straight up, doing a stretchy move for a good hold to get through the blank rock band and continue upwards aiming for the rightward trending layback flake just next to the abseil point.

Start 5m left of HYDRA just before the head of the PHOENIX subkloof.

1. 20m 22 Climb the layback type crack, past a peg at 4m to a block (crux). Move slightly left and up onto easier rock ending just right of the large roof.

Note: This route was kindly prepared by S Kelsey. Perhaps "Steel" should read "Steal".

No info. Please message MCK if you have a description (https://www.mck.or.ke/contact)

A direct line, with interesting pitches and the occasional run-out. With some more cleaning, it will be a 4-star route.

Access

Walk along the Right Face Arrow Face traverse. On the climbers left of the tunnels is a low roof ±15m up. Higher up, there is a long roof about 30m up. Start ±20m to the left of the left end of this higher roof, at a point below an off-width crack 20m above the path. Cairn next to the path at the base of the climb.

1. 25m (17) Follow a crack and short face to reach a small ledge. Continue up the face to the left of a small corner to a narrow chimney with an arête on the right side. Follow this to the off-width that was visible from the ground. Continue up to the ledge with a large sickle-shaped rock to belay on.

2. 25m (16) Climb the corner above and then a layback crack to a ledge. Head slightly left on a face and then easily up to a wide ledge. Walk ±6m right to the base of a clean corner crack.

3. 30m (22) Climb the corner and finger crack to a ledge. Continue up the short right-arching crack until able to pull through the steep left wall to good holds below the left end of the roof. Traverse left over a vegetated ledge and onto a large block. Move up and right to an easy angled ramp. Head straight up to a small grassy ledge (this section is easy but a bit run out with one good rail for gear about 2m from the ledge). A #4 Camalot may be useful but is not essential.

4. 15m (17) Traverse left and then up to a long, wide edge. Continue left along this until a long pull gains good holds above, which are followed straight up to a broad ledge (sparse gear). Walk right ±5m to a break in the lower overhang that runs across the back of the ledge.

5. 20m (17) Pull up to a wide rail and reach over the roof to good holds. Traverse left ±3m and then straight up until able to move easily left onto the big ledge with a tree at the base of a wide chimney. A #4 Camalot may be useful but is not essential.

6. 35m (20) Tricky gear. Traverse right on the narrow ledge 5 meters up and over a slanted, squeeze type feature to a huge jug. Pull up to a smooth ledge with succulents growing at the back (but avoid the dangerous loose boulder to the left). Pull up and right, and then slightly back left to the low angle slab just over the roof and continue as per the direct pitch. Scramble right and up to a small platform below the final face.

7. 25m (15) Climb the leftmost side of the juggy face above to the top

An alternative finish is to blast straight through the roof crack at the top of pitch 6. This was opened in 2012 as the stand-alone pitch called 'No Horizon'

Start in the bottomless right facing open book, then run up the face between two cracks - don't get sucked into either of them - even when you really really want to! The line keeps pretty much straight and ends as the head wall tends left.

Directly opposite 'Oedipus Sunday' is an obvious open book capped by an overhang with the open book continuing above. The meat of this climb is the last pitch, which is excellent. If you just want to climb this, then it makes sense to rap in from above. For completeness, all the pitches are written up here.

1. [13] 28m

   As for pitch 1 of 'Rolex' to the large grassy ledge, or traverse right from the easy gully on the left.

2. [13] 20m

   Ascend face directly below open book to ledge.

3. [23] 22m

   Climb open book to ledge. Continue up the thin dihedral above, exiting to the right.

Start on a ledge four metres left and up from Satellite.

Pull up right and then back left to a huge bucket. Move straight up to a poor peg. Continue up and slightly right to the top.

Above the right hand side of the boulders mentioned in THUNDER THIGHS DIRECT is an obvious v-shaped break in the roof above. Pull up initial overhang using underclings to the rail, continue up to break, then climb through break (crux) to easier ground, continue up vague recess above to the top.

Scramble up about 30m to an obvious ledge that cuts across most of the face (or climb the first pitch of William Tell to gain the ledge). Follow the ledge out right until you see a cairn marking the start of the route. The route starts up an undercut and overhanging face with many sidepulls and good edges. A pumpy start.

1. Step up and gain the face using sidepulls. Continue straight up, passing a thin rail and up to a higher rail beneath a roof. Rail out left for about 5m until able to pull up onto the face above. Either face climb or use a crack just to your right to gain a hanging stance beneath a roof and bulging black streak.

2. From the stance, move right and climb up using a large block and juggy break to a rail beneath a roof and the bulging black streak. Follow the thin vertical seam bordering the right hand side of the black streak (crux). Easier climbing leads to the top.

Directly in between Folsom Prison Blues and Pounce. Start up the undercut face on thin rails and head up directly to the large roof. Proceed through the roof for about 2m using the thin vertical finger crack in it. Cut loose and head up the splitter crack directly above. Continue up faces to the top.

Start just to the left of lightning bird, a boulder problem to the ledge, rap off the tree.