Noeuds dans Tonquani-Cedarberg Complex

This is the grandest and most scenic kloof in the Magaliesberg.

This is the grandest and most scenic kloof in the Magaliesberg.

Mountain Club of South Africa wholly owns Tonquani. Access to non-members is restricted by permits issued by the Johannesburg section of the MCSA.

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.

Ascends a steep looking slab with a break up the middle on the lower right hand side of 'Junction Kloof'. Scramble up non-de script rock to base of slab.

Climb the face left of 'Forever Young'.

Climb the break left of the 'Second Dan'.

Begin at the front of the buttress alongside a large knobbled tree on the extreme left of the upper amphitheatre.

1. [11] 25m

   Climb 3m in a recess then move up and left onto the main buttress. Move up 5m then traverse right onto the downstream side. Climb up stepped blocks to ledge at foot of 90o corner.

2. [10] 15m

   Climb in corner passing a tree with a large horizontal bough close to face.

Situated right of 'Second Dan'. Start on the right of the arete and to the right of a small recess capped by a shelf and left of tall overhanging square reddish corner.

1. [15] 35m Climb up 2m right of the recess and make an awkward move left onto the shelf. Continue without deviation directly up the crest of the arete to the top.

Note: A very clean route being steep and sustained in its middle section.

The climb lies in the middle of the upper buttress between 'Red Rooster' and GREY HEN. The climb goes up a clean well-defined corner which leads past a ledge 7m up. The climb finishes next to a prominent projecting nose on the top of the crag.

1. [20] 21m

   Climb the corner gaining the ledge at 7m with difficulty. Continue up the corner to a large ledge.

2. [19] 20m

   Climb the corner for 5m to where it steepens. Continue up the corner for 2m to gain a small ledge (strenuous). Traverse right across the face for 5m and continue up to the top.

Start 2m right of the 90o red corner described in 'Red Rooster'.

1. [10] 20m

   Climb up slightly diagonally right for 20m to a ledge.

2. [10] 15m

   Move slightly left and continue up grey rock to the top.

This climb starts right of 'Stop Press', below a steep face with a vine hanging down.

1. [17] 20m

   Climb up directly below the vine, move right to avoid the vine. Continue up to a ledge.

2. [21] 15m

   Above is a steep buttress with two breaks. Climb the left hand break.

1. [19] XXm No route description available.

Start 8m left of 'Let's Do It', behind a knobby stamvrug tree.

1. [13] 23m

   Climb 5m through a recess, making use of a lay-away hold and up to a small crooked tree. Continue up recess for 8m to an overhang, then move left, stepping down 1m to a ledge. Move further left 3m, then climb face above for 6m through a slight recess to a broad ledge.

2. [13] 18m

   Traverse easily left on broad ledge, then climb arete edge to top.

Note: Good rock, but has overhung vegetation in two places.

Start on the upstream side of the arete, near the extreme right of the upper amphitheatre (see map).

1. [10] 30m

   Climb in corner for 10m and move right 2m on to a block. Climb 5m up on the left hand side of the arete, then traverse right on a narrow ledge past a large loose suspended flake onto a square ledge on the downstream side. Climb the corner above for 10m until blocked by a small overhang (stance).

2. [13] 12m

   Move up 2m, swing left onto the arete and do a press-up onto the ledge (crux). Climb final face for 10m.

Note: It is better to keep the climb as two pitches to avoid rope drag.

1. [13] 8m

   Climb steep face to ledge. Continue up corner crack to stance below a thin crack.

2. [19] 25m

   Climb up thin crack to sloping ledge. Traverse diagonally down right and then delicately further right to a small ledge below a steep crack. Climb this and then diagonally up right to a resting ledge just left of the main recess (18). Climb up steeply (19) past overhang in recess to ledge with tree. Continue up on right to next ledge and stance. Climb up shallow rounded recess to top.

Start in a broad upstream-facing recess beneath the first high crag encountered when moving upstream from Junction Pools.

1. [7] 15m

   Climb the recess and emerge through a gap in a pile of wedged blocks.

2. [6] 25m

   Ad lib up the knobby faces directly above the stance.

About 200m right of 'Avalanche Corner' is a bowed slab with a yellow-brown face on the right.

1. [13] 25m

   Climb a slab into a red corner and overhang situated on the right. Traverse out right and up to a ledge.

2. 20m 15 Traverse left and make an awkward move up over an overhang to a ledge. Climb crack system to top.

The climb goes diagonally left up the scooped red face 200m upstream of Reunion Gully. Start 2m to the left of the corner used by 'Bloody Leg'.

1. 30m 11 Climb the crack line in the slab for 15m where the rock turns orange and the slab becomes vertical. Traverse 5m left and climb up to the right of a grey rounded blob of rock to gain a ledge. Traverse left and belay in the corner beneath the steep corner.

2. 20m 16 Climb the steep smooth corner above.

Situated to the right of 'Avalanche Corner' in a prominent red corner, which tends to overhang at the top.

1. 28m 15 Start 4,5m left of the corner and climb up, moving right and up until a small recess is reached (20m). Care must be taken on some loose rock here. Climb up to a piton on the right wall of the corner (left in place) and then move down 1,5m and traverse out of the corner (going right) past a nose onto a small ledge below a grey face. Climb the face to a stance below some overhangs (tree belay).

2. 14m 11 Starting right of the tree, climb up the obvious break and traverse left for 4,5m. Climb the red face above to the base of an overhang and traverse into a recess using a good handrail below the overhang. Climb the recess to the top.

Above the confluence of the two streams in Tonquani. About 110m east of a landslide on a noticeable formation where the lower half of the rock face projects out of the krantz forming a buttress while the upper half over the same length lags further back thus leaving a terrace which stands well out over high bush on the slope.

1. [7] 4.5m

   Up in chimney on left inside corner of buttress then left above chockstone on to easy rock where a good belay is found a few metres higher.

2. 25m 7 An easy scramble to the terrace over loose boulders. Keep right. This pitch can be started at various points. The object is a horizontal crack leading into a recessed corner on right hand half of face. This corner brings the climber to left end of a ledge which runs across the face 4,5m below the top. Belay.

3. ?m 5 A walk or crawl to the other end of the ledge and over masses of chockstones to the top.

The climb is situated on the left hand end of the krantz which overlooks the upper camp site, immediately to the right of a prominent rock landslide in a right-angled gully. This point is about 90m upstream of Reunion Gully.

1. [10] 25m

   Ascend face for 9m keeping close as possible to right hand wall, then move diagonally upwards and left for 15m to a cubby hole beneath overhang.

2. 30m 15 Move up on to corner overlooking the landslide gully. Climb up slightly overhanging recess and continue up corner until an overhang bars further progress. At this point traverse right on to vertical face and climb to top keeping as far to left as possible. The pitch ends about 3m left of a small tree near the top of the face.

Note:

Care is needed on loose rock at the start of pitch 2.

10m upstream of the 'Beyond the Vertical' gully (obvious corner).

1. 25m 20 Climb the corner to roof (4m). Peg under roof. Pull through on right and straight up wall above to right of recess. Move left at about 10m and follow obvious crack to top.

Starts 5m left of Bog of Eternal Stench, essentially climbs the pencil crack that is seen from below.

1. [19] 30m Climb up easily to the small ledge under the dihedral. Climb the right face and crack up to ramp. From the ramp climb the center of the face (avoid the corners on either side) up to a big block and another ledge. Joins up with BOES here to climb the splitter. Climb easily to the top.

Be sure to take small gear with you, nuts and cams.

Start 3m right of 'Cream Team'.

1. 12m 22 Crank up from a large square hold to just reach a small hold below a small roof. Rail left until able to climb up and back right to larger holds at the base of a short left facing dihedral. Pull up into this and exit right.

A 2m by 5m roof is situated on the true right wall of Reunion Gully. 'Cream Team' takes the obvious crack up the wall to the left of the roof.

1. 15m 19 Pull up from a hollow sounding rail to reach small holds and follow the crack to the top.

Takes the break 1 to 2m left of 'Cream Team'. Start 2m left of 'Cream Team' undercut base.

1. 15m 22 Climb a smooth slab to a bottomless cubbyhole beneath a roof. Pull through to a fin. Climb the crack up to the steep wall above, finally stepping right and using the arete to top out.

Takes the small open book 2,5 meters to the right of 'Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog'.

1. 23m 14 Climb the broken rock to the base of the crack system in the open book above. Jam up this then stem delicately to clear to the left and ascend to the same stance as used by 'Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog'.

Takes the layback crack high up, below the square roof some five meters to the right of 'Little Creatures'.

1. 22m 14 Climb the broken rock to start and gain the base of the superb layback type crack above. Stem/layback up this until the square roof is reached. Break right to clear. Ascend the arete to the comfortable belay ledge above.

Takes the shallow obvious open book midway between 'Little Creatures' and 'Jeremiah Was a Bullfrog'. Starts behind the gnarled tree (cairn).

1. 22m 16 Take off with difficulty to gain the 2m layback crack immediately above. Layback up this to reach a good resting ledge above. Move up to gain the distinct open book. Follow this until forced out left. Gain the left arete by delicate maneuvering. Follow the arete to the comfortable belay stance above.

Note:

An excellent short route.

Starts at the same place as 'Combat Rock' and takes the obvious open book 4m to the right.

1. 20m 16 Climb straight up the face to a ledge/rail at 6m. Move right into the corner. Climb the corner.

Start 4m to the right of 'Living in the Past'.

1. 20m 19 Climb straight up the face to a ledge at 6m. Balancy moves up right to a peg, then move right to a rest on a nose. Climb straight up above the nose tending slightly left to finish up the steep wall above.

Between Reunion gully and the 'Cream Team' gully is an upstream-facing wall about 20m high.

1. 20m 18 Start in the middle of the face (cairn) and climb the blocky crack to a ledge (6m). Move a meter right and climb up for a few meters until it is possible to move diagonally left to a recess which is followed to the top.

Start 5m to the left of 'Living in the Past' at a blunt arete.

1. [21] 25m Climb the arete tending right to the ledge (8m). Move up to the rail and move left to the base of the right-tending diagonal crack. Follow this to where it finishes and move 2m left under the roof/overlap. Pull through and climb the wall above.

Climbs the broken looking open book immediately downstream of the arete taken by 'Party Girl'.

1. [16] 25m Climb the steep broken open book and clear the small roof on the left. Move up the blocky ground above to reach the steep open book immediately downstream of the 'Party Girl' arete. Climb this and take comfortable stance on top.

Note:

A surprisingly good short route.

The route follows a line 3m left of 'Good Time'.

Climb the groove to a blocky ledge. Move to the back of the blocky ledge and climb the open book with a fist-sized crack at the top.

Climbs the obvious broken groove at the right extremity of the blocky wall on the opposite side of the narrow gully containing 'Good Time' and 'Party Girl' .

1. [14] 25m Climbs the groove, watch for loose shit here and there. Follow the obvious line to the top.

Note:

Loose in places.

Climbs the blocky face to the right of 'Foad'. Start at the tree.

1. [16] 25m Climb straight up the middle of the loosish, blocky face moving slightly left to pull through the roof at the top.

Note:

Not recommended.

The climb takes the obvious cracked red recess 12m to the right of the Reunion cave.

1. [17] 20m Start at the base of the recess and climb directly to the overhang which is turned with technique. Easier rock is followed to a stance.

Note:

An old piton three-quarters of the way up to the overhang suggests that the line had been attempted in earlier times.

Takes overhanging recess between 'After the Goldrush' and 'Foad' on the Reunion Buttress. Start 3m left of 'Foad'.

1. [19] 35m Climb up blocky face onto slab below overhang. Pull though overhang into recess above, and follow to top. The grade eases to 15 after 20m.

Note:

The presence of an old rusty peg in the easier upper section suggests that a previous party traversed into this upper portion of the recess, or an abseil took place.

The route starts from the top of the tapered block forming the right hand side of Reunion cave, and climbs straight up through steep rock.

1. [19] 12m

   Climb a slight bulge to footholds beneath the small overhang. Pull through onto easier rock. Move up and step left to stance at base of a recess.

2. [15] 25m

   Follow the recess/cracks to the top. (Slightly unsound rock).

Situated about 135m up kloof from Short Gully at the extreme right hand end of the Donkerhoek Buttress. Start just to the left of cave in a steeply sloping recess.

1. [10] 18m

   Follow the recess for about 11m until a small overhang is reached. Move out to the right and then continue up to a ledge. Traverse 3,5m right to a stance.

2. [12] 12m

   Proceed straight up a crack above the tree until an overhang is reached. A hand hold is available high up in a crack behind the overhang which enables one to lean outward in an exposed position and get round the overhang into a crack on the right where it is possible to move diagonally upwards to the right on to a good platform and tree belay.

3. 15m 10 Climb a narrow chimney for 4,5m and step out to the left onto the face. Climb straight up over some blocks to the summit beacon.

Variations:

1. ?m 13 Start the climb next to a red face topped by an overhang on the Reunion Gully side, 30m upstream from normal start. Ascend a crack and then traverse out left (crux) onto the smooth red face. Continue traversing left around corner arriving at stance at top of normal first pitch.

2. ?m 15 Climb crack system above the overhang. Instead of moving right, continue up the thin crack to top.

3. 35m 19 Start 3m right of the normal start. Jug haul up a vague recess to the first stance. Continue up variation 2 above, before finishing directly up the steep crack in the final few meters. This variation goes almost directly up the wall.

Climbs the wall to the right of 'Reunion Slab'.

1. [19] 25m Starting on the right of the wall, move up and left onto the wall and then straight on up through the roofs to the rap tree.

Start about 5m downstream of 'Reunion'.

1. [13] 25m

   Ascend a smooth but sloping slab, having a wall on its right and an overhang on top. Near the overhang traverse left for 8m to a slight ridge. Ascend this for 9m to a narrow ledge which can be followed to the right to a stance at the first tree.

2. 9m 5 Traverse right to a stance below a wide recess of red rock.

3. 15m 15 Ascend the red rock (steep) and traverse out left (mantelshelf) on to easy rock, which is followed to the top. Variation:

4. 25m 13 Make a small (piton) stance below the slight ridge referred to under first pitch. Continue upwards and to the left into a recess, which is followed to the top. (Obviates pitches 2 and 3.)

This climb is located on the grey lichen-covered face between 'Reunion Slab' and 'Donkerhoek Corner'. There is plenty of scope for variation in this vicinity.

1. [10] 22m

   Start just left of the slab in 'Reunion Slab'. Ascend grey face bearing slightly left until a ledge is reached with a tree at its left end.

2. 18m 13 Ascend from right hand end of ledge until the face steepens. Then move right into a somewhat dirty recess. Ascend the recess, or one of its walls, to the top.

About 9m to the right of 'Donkerhoek Corner' there is a crack running up the face, which becomes a thin slit after 6m. The climb starts 3m to the right of this crack, from a block 4,5m above the base. Once the steep section at the start has been completed a certain amount of variation is possible.

1. [16] 25m

   The take-off involves strenuous pull-up moves (crux). Move slightly left to crack up right edge of large firm flake. Ascend about 6m then diagonally up right 6m and then diagonally back left 6m to a good stance at left hand end of ledge (tree).

2. 22m 11 Continue up the crack directly above the tree. Then halfway up the pitch move diagonally left finishing just left of a bunch of creepers.

The climb starts up the prominent crack about 9m to the right of 'Donkerhoek Corner'.

1. [16] 40m Scramble up to the wide base of the crack. The crux is a few meters up where the crack closes. Continue with the crack until aloes are reached. Move left onto the face and climb more or less straight up to the top, passing a couple of old pegs on the way.

Climbs the smooth wall, with two bolts, to the right of 'Stone Needle'.

1. [25] 15m From the base of 'Stone Needle' climb diagonally right to the first bolt. Climb straight to the top past the second bolt.

Start 3m right of 'Donkerhoek Corner'.

1. [20] 12m

   Climb the thin crack to a belay in a recess (shared with 'Donkerhoek Corner').

2. 25m (16) Follow the finger crack behind the stance up. Climb left of a tree in the corner to a point below an overhang. Traverse right under overhang and go up right of it. Continue straight up to a grassy ledge. Tree belay.

From the point where Donkerhoek Buttress reaches down to stream level, follow the steeply rising ground on its upstream end to a point about 30m from the stream where the rock makes a 90° angle to the right. Climb this corner.

1. [13] 12m

   Ascend the corner. Move right at the top to a stance in a recess next to a 2m tall obelisk. (Crux in first 3m)

2. [10] 30m

   Move left and continue up broken corner towards the blocky overhang. Traverse left under overhangs across a pleasant red face for about 5m and ascend to the top via a recess at the end of the overhang.

1. [16] 45m Start as for 'Donkerhoek Recess'. Just before reaching the ledge with the large block, step right onto the face between 'Donkerhoek Recess' and 'Donkerhoek Corner'. Follow the crack/recess up, passing the vegetation on the right. As the crack veers left towards 'Donkerhoek Recess', continue directly up the face, to reach the leftward traverse of 'Donkerhoek Corner'. Finish as for 'Donkerhoek Corner'.

Variation: Finish directly at about 15.

5m left of 'Donkerhoek Corner' is an undercut hand crack going up diagonally right.

1. [12] 18m

   Climb the hand crack below a bulge. Follow the crack to a point where it turns into a large chimney crack above the bulge. Tree belay.

2. 25m (8) Follow the chimney crack to the top, keeping on the left corner in the middle.

It is also possible to move left onto the face and follow 'Beetlejuice' to the top on excellent gear at grade 10.

This climb starts 1m to the left of 'Donkerhoek Recess'. The climb is marked by a crack running through the overhang to the face above.

1. [15] 30m Starting 1m to the left of 'Donkerhoek Recess', climb diagonally left, past a small tree to a small stance below an overhang with a crack cutting through it. Climb the crack and pull through the overhang. Climb the face above for 20m exiting slightly left of an overhang.

1. A steep right angled corner is climbed until a narrow ledge running off to the left is reached.

2. Traverse left along the ledge and then ascend a steep corner with good holds to a small stance at the foot of a long flat face. Small bollard for belay.

3. Traverse right 2m (thin). Ascend the face to the top. exposure is noticeable but grips, although sometimes small, are never lacking.

Pitches 1, 2, and 3 can be climbed as one pitch.

Note: H. Wong etc. made the first ascent of pitch 1. Pitches 2 and 3 were first climbed in Oct 1946 by R. Charlton, E. Pearlstein, and Miss E. Chadwick.

When seen from the campsite on the opposite side of the river, the Donkerhoek Buttress features an impressive, light brown coloured slab that faces upstream at right angles to the river. This climb follow the finger crack roughly up the center of this face. Start about the center of the face below a prominent right facing corner.

1. [20] 45m Climb the right angled corner. At the top of this, step left and pull onto the slab. Pass 2 pegs then climb the very thin crack on small holds up the steep slab to the bulge. Move left and make a hard move over the bulge to gain easier ground.

Note: can be broken in 2 pitches 22m / 22m

1. [22] 15m

   Start about 5m to the left of 'Hyperadrenia', under a very steep, shallow open book. Climb directly up the open book to the stance shared with 'Donkerhoek Face'.

2. [20] 22m

   As for 'Hyperadrenia'.

Climbs the arete to the right of 'The Moke' and continues up the face between the final section of 'The Moke' and 'Hyperadrenia'.

Starts on the west facing rock facing upstream of the buttress where 'The Moke' and 'Right Corner Overhang', etc., are situated. The start is beaconed and is about 5m left of the first red open book (topped by a medium-sized tree). i.e. it is on the opposite side of the river to 'The Moke'.

1. [17] 40m Start in the deep chimney-like crack in which a large tree is growing (beacon). Continue up easy grey rock to where rock changes colour to yellow-red and steepens. Above are some small overhangs with a break to the right. Climb the break on good holds to a large ledge. Either stop here or climb to the top of the crag up the easy chimney-crack.

Start at the base of a ridge between 'Right Corner Overhang' and 'Donkerhoek Face'.

1. [17] 45m Ascend the long slab next to the ridge up to where the slab steepens. Step right and make an awkward move over a bulge to gain the slab above. Move up left to the base of a steep open book and after a difficult initial move continue up the crack to a small overhang. Pass to the right of this and move up left to finish or climb thin crack system on face above.

The left finish is in fact the old variation of 'Donkerhoek Face' which moves diagonally left from the top of pitch 2 of that climb.

The right finish in the centre (A.D. Barley and R.P. Barley 8 Mar 1969) provides fine exposed climbing.

A line below 'The Moke'.

1. [24] 15m Start below the right bolt. Move up to the bolt and then traverse to the second bolt. Follow the seam to the rail and step left to follow a second seam until it joins 'The Moke'.

A variation of 'The Great Dog Detective'.

1. [23] 5m From the first bolt continue straight up to the rail without traversing. Exit right at the rail.

Downstream of Short Gully is a buttress that projects out to the stream. The climb starts at the right hand edge of the projecting face that reaches into the stream. There is a thin (20cm) tall three growing right next to the arete, rubbing against it a few meters higher.

1. [13] 15m

   Easily climb up the face just left of the arete. (Protection is not great here - wrap a sling around the tree). Climb into corner above the tree and continue up to the eye-hole belay.

2. 25m (15) From the eye hole, continue up on sloping face tending right. Traverse 1m right just above roof. Continue up on good holds tending slight left. Move left into corner (crux) and continue a few meters higher. Traverse left and around the corner with fingers in good crimpy rail and feet just above the roof. Continue up on sloping face tending right and climb out just above the overhangs.

The climb is usually done in one pitch but communication is difficult over the noise of the stream from the top. The eye-hole belay is small and uncomfortable for more than one 2nd.

To the left of KALAHARI and about 20m above the river is a ledge with a big block. Directly above this is a short, overhanging wall with a flaring crack. Scramble up to the ledge. Boulder out the steep wall and crack and continue up the easy slab to the tree. Rap off. Fun moves but very short.

Start from a boulder in the stream between 'Right Corner Overhang' and 'Right Corner Crag'.

1. 17m 15 Step across into a shallow slanting groove with a corner crack (the right hand one). Follow this to its end (8m) and swing right and up right to the overhang. Pass to the right of this and then move left to flat ridge and up the ridge using flake to a small stance and peg belay below the overhang. (This stance is on the traverse of 'Right Corner Crag'.)

2. 20m 16 Ascend the steep crack at the right end of the overhang and continue by strenuous climbing up past a detached block (seems safe) to the next overhang (piton). Swing left on to the nose then up right on small holds to top.

The route begins in the recess just to the left of 'Kalahari', "steals" about 6m of 'Right Corner Overhang' and then branches off right from 'Right Corner Overhang' to take the steep lay-back/jam crack instead of continuing up to the smooth face of 'Right Corner Overhang'.

1. 20m 18 Climb the recess up to the overhang. Step right onto the arete, up 3m to a handrail and then left to a point just above the overhang. Up to the ledge and stance at the chockstone eye-hole common with 'Right Corner Crag' (old peg).

2. 30m 19 Continue up diagonally right as for 'Right Corner Overhang' to the Y-junction made by 'Right Corner Overhang' (left arm of Y) and the lay-away/jam crack. Strenuous climbing but good nuts brings you to the overhang topping the crack and a difficult move round the corner brings you into a steep but easy crack. Continue to the top and a stance common with 'The Moke'.

Note: Often climbed as a single pitch, using the start of 'Right Corner Overhang' to avoid the belay in the river.

This route is on the same buttress immediately downstream of 'Right Corner Overhang'. It commences at the foot of a recess which slopes up from right to left.

1. 23m 14 Ascend the recess to a point immediately beneath large overhang. Traverse 6m right beneath the overhang to eye hole stance at the top of pitch 1 of 'Right Corner Overhang'. The difficulty arises in making the final move onto the stance.

2. 11m 13 Ascend the steep shallow crack slightly to left of eye-hole until forced to left by overhang onto an exposed grey slab. Ascend the grey slab near its left (outer) edge to easy rock.

3. 15m 5 Continue directly up to grassy ledge with large stamvrug tree.

Start 4,5m left of 'Right Corner Crag' next to a niche.

1. 25m 13 Ascend the wall on good holds to a ledge below a huge flake which reaches up to the overhang. Ascend the flake crack at the right hand side to the overhang, then traverse to the left hand top of the flake.

2. 10m 14 Pull over the bulge on good holds. Continue up the rib to a ledge and tree belay.

This route is a girdle of the upper part of Tonquani, on good and clean rock, starting with the first pitch of 'Right Corner Crag'.

1. 25m 13 Climb up to the eye-hole stance of 'Right Corner Crag'.

2. 30m 17,A2 Climb the second pitch of 'Right Corner Overhang' to fix a good sling point as high as possible for a pendulum to the right. Climb down to start of the steep section, then pendulum to the right with difficulty, until a tape sling can be fitted to a small flake. Aid to the right (two pitons in place) descending into a recess. Climb the recess free 2m, then descending slightly at first, make a delicate traverse to the right to reach a crack. Make a pull-up to a stance on the right. This stance is below the step over of 'Donkerhoek Face'.

3. 45m 13 Follow 'Donkerhoek Face' past the step over, continue diagonally right into 'Donkerhoek Recess' which is climbed 10m, to the end of the little traverse of 'Donkerhoek Corner'. Reverse the traverse and descend 3m to a stance on a tree.

4. 40m 10 Traverse around the corner to the right 30m until a higher ledge can be gained. Continue right to a good tree.

5. 30m 13 Traverse right 3m and climb the steep crack in the red face until it is possible to move over to the right on a handrail. This is the steep face mentioned in pitch 3 of REUNION SLAB. Continue right passing below the crux of REUNION to a good stance.

6. 30m 15 Climb down 2m and move awkwardly around a ridge to the right into a V-shaped chimney. Climb up 2m to exit out to the right.

About one third of the way down short gully there is a projecting nose of rock with a poorly defined corner on the upstream side.

1. [19] 10m Pull through the overhang on good holds and climb to the top of the crag.

The route is situated approximately halfway down Short Gully and starts 2m right of 'Mike's Despair'. Commence at the foot of the grey slab below the narrow crack system and climb straight up. The route crosses 'Mike's Despair' at its first stance.

1. 35m 18 Climb the grey slab using the crack system for small protection. Mantle onto whoever is occupying the first stance of 'Mike's Despair' and break through the roof behind. Continue up to gain the open book behind. Follow the right-leaning #3.5 friend crack to the top.

Note:

The slab is excellent thin face climbing.

The route is situated right of 'Concertina', halfway up Short Gully, on the true right hand side, about 10m downstream from a prominent overhang-cave. The climb starts at the foot of a large grey downstream facing slab, in front of which grows a twin-trunked tree.

1. 20m 13 Climb straight up the thin crack/recess for about 12m then move diagonally right and over broken rock to choice of stances.

2. 15m 10 Move up to and climb a slightly overhanging open book recess on excellent holds, to reach the top.

Commences halfway down Short Gully on right hand side.

1. [11] 21m

   Straight up on corner for 9m then diagonally up towards right to foot of recess.

2. 12m 8 Climb in the corner between slightly overhanging walls.

Starts on right hand side of boulder problem mentioned in 'Lobster Pot', the line follows the steep V groove on the buttress above.

1. 20m 16 Climb up easy ground, past ledge with loose blocks to V-groove. Follow groove to, top passing small roof half way up.

Starts on left hand side of popular boulder problem in gully i.e. approximately 20m up from 'Manhattan'.

1. 30m 17 Pull up onto ledge and climb up onto second small ledge (4m). Stretch across smooth wall on right and pull up on small jugs into open book above (tree). Follow open book to steep but easy face which is followed to top.

Starts up open book 4m to right of 'Manhattan'.

1. [17] 30m Climb open book, moving left to crack when threatened by bulge. Move immediately back right and pull to right through roof. Follow easy arete above to top.

The climb is situated about 6m to the right of 'Left Corner Chimney'.

1. [13] 30m Up crack on left of large jutting undercut nose. Continue up crack and ascend open book directly above for about 9m until it is possible to move out right and up.

Starts 25 to 30m up Short Gully from 'Left Corner'.

1. [9] 23m

   Ease into narrowing vertical chimney on good handholds through overhanging tight section, then 4,5m higher and out of chimney to right and up to good belay on bush.

2. 18m 8 On vertical rock 6m to horizontal crack then traverse left to top stance of 'Left Corner'.

The ridge or buttress forming the downstream boundary of Short Gully.

1. [7] 18m

   Follow the corner ridge to the first belay point on a block. An alternative route to this point commences about 6m downstream from the corner.

2. [7] 25m

   Continue on the line of the ridge bearing slightly left into shallow recess then up a crack for about 4,5m to another block belay.

3. 15m 6 Scramble to top.

Commences in an obvious recess or crack at ground level at the traditional meet point. Above this point a number of grade 8 routes present themselves.

This is a pleasant un-sustained route ideal for climbers new to this grade. Start 4m upstream and around the corner to 'Broken Corner'.

1. [20] 15m

   Climb up on good grips until an off-balance position on a ledge is reached. Above are two crack systems. Avoid the crack system in the corner to the right and climb the crack up the centre of the overhang to easier rock above. Continue up to a good ledge shared with 'Simian Street'.

2. 20m 15 Traverse right for 2 to 3m and then ascend the face moving diagonally right until forced right into the corner shared with 'Broken Corner' (second pitch). Continue up this corner to a ledge. Instead of moving right as in 'Broken Corner', move left into a recess. Climb up this corner to a good ledge and tree belay.

3. 45m 8 Climb up recess above stance to a point where you can move left onto an exposed ridge. Continue up nondescript rock to the top of the crag.

Variation:

1. 15m 15 Climb up to ledge as in the normal route. Step right into a corner which is followed to the same ledge as the end of the normal pitch one.

The route starts immediately right of the original first pitch of 'Red Corner', i.e. at the foot of the right-angled corner which defines the latter route.

1. [18] 12m

   Start in cave-like recess at the bottom of the corner. After successive pull-ups on fair grips diagonally up to the right a resting spot is reached on the steep face. Alternatively tall climbers can straddle up the corner i.e. 'Red Corner', and after 3m make a wide step across and swing on to the face. From the resting spot move diagonally right to a platform stance on the outer corner.

2. 20m 13 Traverse 4m right to recess. Climb recess to ledge and tree belay.

3. 25m 7 Continue up the recess to top.

Variation:

By starting at the base of the second pitch crack, the first pitch and the traverse of the second pitch are avoided (13).

1. [18] 12m

   As for 'Broken Corner'.

2. 24m 21 Bridge up over the bulge on the left and climb directly to the crack. Follow this past a small overhang and continue to the large overhang above. Step left to steep groove which leads to a niche (peg runner). From crouching position in the niche traverse right until good holds lead up to grassy ledge. A sustained pitch.

3. 23m 13 Climb the wall above and make a move right which leads to easy ground.

The climb is situated on the true right-hand side of the kloof and takes the line through the roofs immediately right of 'Red Corner', to provide outstanding, sustained climbing on good rock with mind boggling exposure. The climbing is bold but protection is excellent.

1. [19] 18m

   The pitch starts on the extreme right hand side (upstream side) of the large ledge from which the climbing on 'Red Corner' also begins. Step right into the crack and move up to a small cubbyhole below a small roof. Make committing moves through this and onto the steep face above. Move up left to the large roof and make delicate moves left onto good jugs, then pull up onto a small ledge in a cubbyhole. (The stance is at the same point where one steps right before moving up to the roof on 'Red Corner'.)

2. 25m 22 From the stance move up onto the arete 4m left of 'Simian Street'. Climb the arete to the roof, pull strenuously through and continue up the short crack in the corner above to another roof. Move right around this onto a small ledge. Climb the short crack up the face immediately above, scarily to the top to gain a massive big ledge.

The climb lies up a steep reddish coloured corner about 60m upstream of 'Tonquani Ridge' and just downstream of the meet spot. From the corner downstream, as far as the climb 'Hawk's Eye', there is a steep white face which is topped by a containing overhang. The route follows the recess until say 9m from this overhang and then goes right on to broken vegetated rock, where the climbing ends.

1. [12] 6m

   Ascend in corner to a grassy ledge. A scrambling route to this ledge exists a short distance to the left.

2. 18m 17 Ascend 4,5m in left of corner, make a delicate traverse 2m to right on to right side of corner. Continue up to an overhang and then traverse left out of the corner on to a narrow rock ledge. (Piton belay.)

3. 14m 17 Go back into corner. Climb up very steep red face in left of corner to a small stance with piton and chockstone belay.

4. 11m 17 Continue up corner. Climbing is less steep, but delicate. Traverse right from corner where it steepens to stance on broken easy rock.

Note:

The route is exposed, stances small and belays not obvious. Time on first ascent (1937) 3 hours.

Variation:

2a. 11 Instead of pitch 2 above which is probably the most severe pitch of the climb, one can climb a face to the left and traverse right on to the narrow ledge with piton belay.

The climb starts at the big tree at the step-down from KITCHEN CORNER to the 'Red Corner' platform. It follows the obvious line up a shallow recess to a small chimney which cuts the red-brown overhang.

1. [15] 30m

   Move delicately up and left on small holds up a smooth face. Continue upward about 5m, then move right towards a small arete and gully. Climb the arete (or gully) to a small tree and continue to a ledge below the red-brown overhang.

2. 40m 14 Move 2m left to the base of the brown crack. Climb the crack past a small tree to a ledge. Continue up the broken face to a large ledge. Scramble 5m up open book to the top.

Scramble up the short wall to a grassy ledge, left of 'Red Corner'. Start at the left of 2 short recesses.

1. [13] 20m

   Climb the left-hand recess until it is possible to move into the right hand recess. Follow this to a ledge and move right to where a higher traverse line can be reached (old piton in place). Traverse left and climb a bulge to a ledge.

2. 18m 19 Ascend the wall above and gain the bottomless corner crack. Climb this through a small overhang, above which elephant's ears lead to a mantelshelf out on the left. Belay on this small stance.

3. 20m 17 Scramble over the belayer and climb up to the overhang, then traverse right below this. Finish up the last few meters of RED CORNER.

Note:

The lack of good gear at the 2nd stance will most likely convince you to merge pitches 2 & 3.

Variation:

Originally a 3m traverse right was made at the height of the mantelshelf on pitch 2, to the obvious ledge (20). From there, a grade 15 move was done to join the right-traverse below the large roof.

3a. 22m 20,A2 (The Monkey Puzzle pitch) From the small belay ledge make an awkward move up over the bulge. Move up and right passing just to the left of a big block. Climb straight up to reach the jam crack at the base of the roof. (Piton protection on wall due to loose rock) Traverse left under the roof until in a position to layback up its side. Move right and gain a position on the ledge (strenuous). Use 2 aid points to move to the lip of the overhang where a pull-up enables one to stand on the horn. Scrambling leads to a stance. (May 1982 N. Cleaver and A. Wood.)

Between 'Hawk's Eye' and 'Red Corner' is a steep wall capped by roofs. In the centre of the wall is a 6m high corner which starts fairly high up. There is a line 3m left of the corner which is 'Monkey Music'. 'Pumping Gibbon' gains this layback corner and climbs the roofs directly above. Scramble up about 15m to a suitable stance below corner.

1. [20] 30m

   Face climb diagonally right then back left to the base of the corner. Exit left at the top of the corner to stance awkwardly 1m left.

2. 20m 21 Climb straight up to a hanging white block. Traverse 2m left, surmount the block and pull through the final roof on the right. An aid peg provides good protection for the crux.

Takes a fairly direct slanting line from just left of the 'Pumping Gibbon' start to top of 'Red Corner'.

1. [19] 45m Starting 1 to 2m left of 'Pumping Gibbon', ascend the arete directly up to a stance (15m 17). Here the climb crosses 'Pumping Gibbon', continuing up just to the right of it for 5m before traversing 6m right below the smooth ramp. On the right hand edge of this slab (about 4m left of RED CORNER) climb up to reach a stance below a short open book (15m 19). Ascend this towards the overhang before traversing right along 'Pumping Gibbon' (15m 16).

The route climbs the line 3 meters left of 'Pumping Gibbon' i.e. between 'Hawk's Eye' and 'Red Corner'. Scramble up towards 'Hawk's Eye' start and stance at two square blocks.

1. [20] 25m

   Climb up 2m before traversing 2m right. Mantelshelf then continue up towards the 'Pumping Gibbon' open book. From the resting place here move 2m left and climb the crack to a semi-hanging stance 7m below the large roof.

2. 20m 20,A1 Climb up to the roof and traverse delicately left to where a nut can be used to aid further across the smooth face. Continue up to the top.

Follows the left hand dihedral/crack system which cuts the crag immediately left of 'Monkey Music' and 'Pumping Gibbon'. Scramble up bushy grey rock to a small ledge at the base of the narrow lower dihedral.

1. [22] 30m Climb the dihedral and continue up to a rest below the final left-leaning open book. Traverse left and climb up to a good hold, then climb diagonally right towards the top of the open book, where an overhang is turned and easier rock is followed to the summit.

Note:

The protection on this pitch is sparse and unreliable.

This route ascends an easy, pleasant line between 'Tonquani Ridge' and 'Red Corner'. Scramble up to the ledge a few meters above stream level, just downstream of the meet spot.

1. [5] 30m

   Climbing up the leftwards sloping ramp which starts a few meters left of 'Red Corner', until at the tree just below the roofs. Traverse 4m left to a belay.

2. 30m 13 Traverse 5m left around corner and ascend 22m. Traverse right to a large stance below an overhang.

3. 15m 13 Traverses right, and through or outside an "eye" in the rock on the right from which an easy ledge is reached which can be followed to the right to reach a great abseil tree.

Note: Originally climbed in an almost direct and vegetated line keeping some 9m to the right of 'Tonquani Crack'. Start about 9m above the pool at the bottom of which is the start of 'Tonquani Ridge'. After 30m, a traverse right led to the tree.

Variations:

3a. 15m 15 From the eye stance traverse 9m left over smooth reddish slab and then ascend to the top.

3b. 15m 13 A further alternative after passing through the eye is to climb the recess above, then hand-traverse left and climb up to top.

Climbs the steep wall directly below the abseil tree at the end of 'Hawk's Eye'. Scramble as per 'Hawk's Eye' and belay from the large platform directly below the tree.

1. [23R] 30m Climb the obtuse open book until able to step right to a crack. Make a tricky move to gain the hand crack in white rock. Crank through the roof above to a rest ledge on the left. Climb steep jugs to a wedged prong. Surmount the prong and place a nest of micros in a rail on the left. Step left and climb the tricky face to a short, right-facing open book with another prong above and to the right. Layback up and right and then climb back left to jugs. Climb easy but run-out jugs to the top.

Note: Small cams and wires (especially a good selection of micros) are useful. Runout but gear is solid

Ascends the wall almost directly beneath the 'Hawk's Eye' abseil tree. It is right of 'Talons' and just left of 'Accipiter's Edge'. Scramble up to belay from the big platform directly below the abseil tree.

1. 30m 24R Climb the slab on the left as for 'Hawk's Eye' until able to step right to a left facing corner crack beneath the biggest, upper roof. Swing right to the prow above the smaller, lower roof and climb up to the big roof. Suck it up to pull leftwards through the widest part. Stay calm in the recess above because you still have to pull straight up through two overlaps to get to the jugs. Don't screw up the last 10m to the tree.

Note: Protection on this route is poor.

Directly below 'Hawk's Eye', the line can be plainly seen. Climb 'Hawk's Eye' as far as the belay below the 13 pitch.

1. [22] 12m

   Climb up right to a tree then hand-traverse left to lip of the roof. Quickly pull through the roof until one can stand in a relatively comfortable position on the wall between the two overhangs. Traverse right and pull into a recess, above which a small but good hanging belay can be made.

2. 25m 19 Step out right and up into the corner. Climb this and finish as for 'Hawk's Eye' direct.

The climb starts on a small ledge in a recess above a pool above a waterfall. Cross the stream at the top of the waterfall and walk right for 3m against the wall to the ledge (footholds may be just under the water if the water level is high). The ledge is about 1m above the stream. The climb follows the crack all the way to the top.

1. [13] 45m

   Above the waterfall climb up inward flaring jam crack to ledge with tree. Climb into the small cave and out right at the top. Follow the corner to a large ledge with an overhang and the Burton Memorial.

2. [15] 45m

   Climb up the overhang and out on the right (crux). Follow the crack, and later a short chimney, to the top.

Note: An excellent grade 13 variation is to climb Tonquani Crack to the Burton Memorial and then Tonquani Ridge from that point. This involves walking left on a horizontal tree from the memorial which is now fairly rotten. This linkup can also be done by traversing left on good holds a few meters above the crux of pitch 2.

The rib immediately left of 'Tonquani Crack' is ascended directly with a finish independent of 'Tonquani Ridge', though the finish to the latter is more in line. Starts at the base of 'Tonquani Crack'.

1. [17] 15m

   Ascend the rib immediately left of the crack with an awkward move at 4,5m. Continue up the overhanging crack in the left corner to a small stance and tree belay.

2. 25m 15 Traverse left onto the face and move up to the crack in the centre. Follow the crack with an awkward move over a bulge, to a ledge. Move left and up into a shallow chimney capped by a block. Surmount the blocks with difficulty and continue up the crack line to stance and chockstone or peg belay.

3. 25m 15 Ascend the overhanging rib above using good holds (strenuous and spectacular) to a large ledge at the base of 'Tonquani Ridge' final pitch. This would be a true finish but the following is independent: Traverse right and ascend to huge chockstone. Surmount this and move right across a chimney to a tree belay near the top.

Variation:

The first pitch of 'Rib Tickler' as written up ascends the rib between 'Superramp' and 'Tonquani Crack' (about 4m apart) and is devoid of protection. This pitch is well protected, and a more direct line. Start 7m left of 'Rib Tickler' (i.e. 4m left of 'Superramp').

1. 20m 17 Climb broader crack/incut holds through bulge and onto face above. Follow face above to join second pitch of RIB TICKLER as it traverses left onto the face. (Apr 1986 S. Middlemiss and A. Margetts)

Commences on top of a waterfall about 3m high close to the rock face above a pool about 9m upstream from the start of 'Feng's Folly'.

1. [9] 18m

   Traverse left from top of waterfall for 9m, then climb 6m up crack to tree.

2. 25m 13 Step across an awkward gap immediately above the stance and traverse right across an exposed grey face as far as possible. Ascend 9m on thin holds to a tree growing in the crack on the right hand side of the ridge.

3. 12m 10 Climb the face to the left of the crack to a wide stance under a large overhanging recess (Burton Memorial here).

4. 22m 11 Step off from the tree on left immediately below the corner and ascend on face 6m then bear left to the outer edge and ascend a further 3m before traversing in to right, finishing up a short crack through an overhang to a narrow ledge of blocks.

5. 25m 13 Move from stance up to left to exposed crest of ridge. Ascend this ridge and pass through crack in overhang at top to complete the climb.

Variation:

1. 10 From the top of the first pitch of 'Feng's Folly', scramble up grass ledge to the right leading to a stance on a large block below a 6m face. From here traverse on rock to the right, finishing up at the tree in the crack at the top of the second pitch of the original direct route.

The climb follows the old aid route CRIB, but the last section may be climbed independent of the adjacent climbs.

1. [21] 40m

   Start 7-8m downstream from 'Tonquani Crack'. Climb the thin crack slanting left up over a small bulge, through a grey face to a large ledge.

2. 40m 19 Ascend the steep wall, keeping 2 to 6m right of the 'Highway' crack, and left of the overhang at the top.

Notes:

The first twenty meters of this climb rates 5 stars with ultra-thin climbing and great spectator participation possibilities! One may easily down climb via 'Tonquani Crack'.