Noeuds dans Northcliff

Northcliff offers many natural climbs that mostly have top-rope bolts. The routes are fairly short and climb on hard smooth quartzite.

This is a small climbing area below High Cliff Road on the Western side of the road. Drive down Frederick Drive past Hearn Drive, keep left. After about 1.4km the road becomes High Cliff Road, about 600m after this point there is a roadside 'catchpit' below some townhouses on the left. A big concrete block on the left and a slight wall help identify the point at which to stop. Walk down the right to the top of the crag. It is an round smooth #slab of rock.

Climb the left hand side of the Biscuit using the face and edge of the slab.

Start as for Biscuit Direct but then keep left all the way to the top.

Climb straight up the centre of the face on exceptionally small holds. The crux being just after a move left is a pull-up on a rounded, small finger hold. Keep to the left as you approach the top.

Move up onto face (crux), move right and up diagonally right using jugs to the top. Move left just below overhang to finish route.

This is on the short but steep crag below the house on the North-West end of Northcliff Ridge. Walk past the trig beacon to some houses, head down along a fence and continue to the base of the cliffs. Walk left for about 50m to the overhanging faces above Nora Place.

The leftmost chimney. Climb the recess and do a chimney move to gain the small overhang near the top. Careful of the loose block at top.

Climb the steep ridge about 5m right of Kakibos. Move up on good holds through the overhang/roof.

Climb the recess 5m right of Surprise Ridge. Traverse right at the top to avoid the overhang.

Climb the steep (overhanging) face straight to the top. Avoid the ledge on the left. The route is sustained.

Climb the steep crack just right of Fingerbuster. Tricky flared jams help get you up this one.

The main crag below the main water tower, north facing and rather hot in the sun. From the parking go just right of the water tower to the top of the ridge. Walk a few hundred metres left (westward) along the top of the climbs to a scramble that takes you to the base of the cliffs.

Layback the crack just left of Adrenaline Cascade until you can exit to the left, and onto the top.

Climb up the large block about 10m left of Bad Boys Lesson. Climb up next to the crack (Northcliff Layback) until standing about 1.75m above the ground. Traverse 2m right and up to the top.

As for Adrenaline Cascade but head straight to the top instead of traversing right.

The route starts in a set of cracks 2m left of Destination Madness. Follow the cracks all the way to the top.

Find the small and deep overhang. Start here, reach above this overhang and crank the jug. Keep on the front of the buttress to the top.

This is a very thin, slightly slabby (easy angled) white face just left of Beetle Face (overhang on skyline). It is white in colour and has a small but deep overhang at the base. Start the climb to the right of the overhang, traverse left to get back on top of the overhang. Move up a ridge for 2m and then diagonally left to he top. The crux is at the start of the climb.

Climb the same as Bad Boys Lesson until you need to move diagonally left, at this point step right and mantleshelf up and continue to the top with an awkward move.

Climb the attractive face to the left of Cherry Face. Keep up the middle up this easy climb

The crack system on the left wall of the chimney provides the handholds for this climb. Climb up using the widely spaced holds. The face on the left round the corner is not part of the route.

Take the chimney up the deep black recess to the left of Boomslang Ridge. Exit to the right at the top. This climb is good for novices. The recess at the back of the chimney can be climbed but unfortunately is is dirty with bad rock.

3m left of Butterfly is an attractive ridge which winds from side to side. Start of climb is overhanging, climb ridge to top.

One of the best climbs at Northcliff. 7m left of Belcher there is a beautiful square overhang which from below looks like a butterfly's wing. Climb grassy recess to the left of the overhang at ground level (a small spike like nose) until you can hand-traverse right to the right corner of the face on an undercut ridge. Climb past last overhang to the top.

Climb the prominent triangular overhang directly above Butterfly.

Climb as for Butterfly but go up the undercut ridge to the top.

Climb the outside corner left of Belcher.

Climb the undercut buttress to the left of Chockstone Crack. Climb easily to crux which involves reaching far to the left near the chockstone. Continue up pillar to top. Avoid using the chockstone. There is a hidden handhold which may make the climb easier.

Climb up to below chockstone on left of Scull Frontal. Exit onto face on left and step back into crack, continue easily to the top.

A hard line. The climb uses a very sharp hold high up. Climb the overhanging nose right of Chockstone Crack, move to the top using two vita l holds on the left of the nose. The crux was once in days back done with aid (16/A2). Avoid using the side holds and the grade goes up to 22 (bit silly not using them though...)

This is a classic at Northcliff. It scales the huge black overhangs of the large nose next to Cowards Retreat. Climb up the ridge on the right to a ledge. Continue up ridge to awkward off balance move to gain small square handhold on the front of the ridge. Move left and exit onto foothold on the front of the ridge. Move left and exit onto foothold using a positive sidegrip around corner. Finally climb easily to top.

Climb the crack system next to large undercut black nose (Grandads Waltz). The start is about 5m to the left of Spiderman Face, up a small smooth open book.

Climb as for Cowards Retreat but branch left at cubbyhole and climb jam crack.

Climb the smooth white face, right of small undercut ridge in corner, to the top not using the crack on the left. The crux is at the top with an 16 variation to the right.

Ascend easy ground to the left of Swastika and continue up the crack, past overhang, to the top. The crux is the jam-through overhang.

This climb ascends he attractive scooped face to the left of Dooms Face. It provides exposed and delicate climbing. The name of the climb is associated with the swastikas painted on the face. Climb easily to the ledge below the face, above bushes. Traverse right above the overhang and up to small overhanging open book. Traverse to the left and on to the top.

Climb as for Swastika but instead of traversing left to the top traverse right.

Climb up to the ledge below Crack of Doom, then pull over the overhang and climb the slight buttress above, not using the crack on the right. The initial move is the crux (from ledge). The rest of the climb is delicate.

Climb easily up to the ledge below a large black crack with hourglass at bottom of it. Climb up the crack to the top, using the faceholds on both sides.

Climb as for Crack of Doom but climb the crack by jamming only.

Climb the steep ridge just right of Crack of Doom without venturing onto other routes in the area. The crux is just above the small triangular overhang.

A well known climb including the large overhang to the left of Asutha Ridge. Climb up the small ridge to the right until a very good flake handhold can be reached, then traverse 2m left and climb up the face to the top, this is the crux.

For more information on routes, access and permits please see the following websites:

Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) http://www.mcsa.org.za/ Look at “Who we are” for the different sections of the MCSA

Mountain Club of South Africa – Johannesburg Section website https://mcsajohannesburg.org/ Click on “Access and Properties” for more information Click on “Contact” to get in touch with the MCSA for more information.

ClimbZA website http://www.climbing.co.za/wiki/South_African_Climbing_Wiki Welcome to the largest & most comprehensive online database of Southern African climbing information.

http://www.climbing.co.za/forum/ A forum site to find climbing partners or to find out more about different climbing areas and climbs.

For more information on routes, access and permits please see the following websites:

Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) http://www.mcsa.org.za/ Look at “Who we are” for the different sections of the MCSA

Mountain Club of South Africa – Johannesburg Section website https://mcsajohannesburg.org/ Click on “Access and Properties” for more information Click on “Contact” to get in touch with the MCSA for more information.

ClimbZA website http://www.climbing.co.za/wiki/South_African_Climbing_Wiki Welcome to the largest & most comprehensive online database of Southern African climbing information.

http://www.climbing.co.za/forum/ A forum site to find climbing partners or to find out more about different climbing areas and climbs.

This climb started about 1m to the right of the ridge. Climb up to a small ledge, step left and climb up the ridge or continue above the ledge to the top.

Climb up to the small triangular ledge just right of the ledge on Asutha Ridge. Climb directly up to the top using an optional mantleshelf.

Climb the steep smooth face between Maidens Triumph & Phenominal Existence without using the corner on the left or crack on the right. The first move is especially hard for short climbers. Try avoid the left corner and crack on the right.

Follow the almost vertical finger crack in the middle of a white face with orange blotches. past two slanting handrails, to the top. On the crux use a finger jam to get above the bottom horizontal crack. This is a good, clean and direct climb.

This climb goes up the smooth, narrow face with sloping break 3m up between two cracks which are both off route. The crux is the move to get above the second horizontal crack.

Climb up the corner, 1m to the right of Maidens Triumph crack, using the tree for support. About 30cm above the tree (1984) move onto the face on the right and up to the top.

Climb as for DATBC but climb into the recess.

On the upper band of rock. Climb the bulge left of Lizard, finish on the overhanging outside corner above.

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

On the upper band of rock above Maidens Triumph. Climbs up the middle of the slab.

On the upper band of rock above Maidens Triumph. This route climbs the right-hand edge of the smooth slab on the left of a small gully.

This is the small climbing crag below and slighlty to the left (looking up) of the water tower. To get there go down the path from the water tower to the right of Northcliff Ridge area. Scramble down to the base and go right and walk to a buttress with dark overhanging faces at the base. There should be a hairpin bend below this point.

Climb the first overhanging recess/crack on the left, immediately to the right of some bushes.

Climb the second overhanging recess moving left after the overhang. A fixed peg is visible near the start.

Climb the same recess as Meenie but move right up to the base of a second overhang. Move strenuously onto the slab above and then to the top.

Climb the pleasant face situated to the right of Minie.