Vie in Western Cape del grado selezionato

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

Follows the most prominent crack lines on the Paarl Rock dome. Start below a narrow crack that becomes off-width, 13m right of Turmoil of the Skin.

1. Climb the crack.

2. Continue up and stance below a layaway crack.

3. Climb the layaway and then through the bulge.

4. Exit right and scramble to the top.

Start: Below the large brown corners left of 'Tafelberg Frontal'

1. [13] 12m

   Climb the recess to the ledge.

2. [17] 30m

   Scramble right to where the dark orange rock becomes more speckled. Climb 2 short walls into a recess up to the roof, then rail left to a small stance. End of this pitch not great for 3 climbers.

3. [19] 20m

   Climb up then rail right on a curved face with a slither of rock in the rail to stance on a great ledge.

4. [16] 15m

   Climb up to the dassie ledge, crawl left into a large recess.

5. [16] 40m

   Move left then up an amazing break, has to be the best of the grade anywhere. when looking difficult at the roof move right onto the face and up to a good ledge.

6. [15] 30m

   Climb Mamacos's variation to 'Tafelberg Frontal'

Climb a direct line up the face directly between Come take a Trip in My Air-Ship and Drive on.

Start left of the 18 on the main face.

1. [17] 20m

   Climb straight up to stance on a small ledge in front of a white face.

2. [19] ??m

   Crux pitch. Stay on the white face all the way parallel to the 18.

3. [18] ??m

   Join the 18 for the final part of the route

The route climbs the wall 10-20m right of the T-rex. Start from blocks and grass between enormous blocks.

1. Climb up to a ledge.

2. Climb a rounded layback flake and go diagonally right towards a wide gully/groove. Traverse left and up grooves to a large ledge.

3. Start midway between T-Rex's crack on the left and the gully on right. Climb the steep face to a small ledge.

4. Go diagonally left and up to a steepening. Rail right and follow grooves to a ledge. Traverse left to a dassie ledge.

5. Take the first break along the ledge and climb the groove to the top.

Follow pitch 1 of Knobless Robot until you reach the traverse out right (which would have taken you to the original stance). Instead of moving out right, follow the crack directly up to the small ledge. Can be done as 2 pitches (stance on the small ledge before the traverse out left).

Start on the right side of the gray/white pillar. Climb up onto a block, carry on up and left to access two cracks on very orange rock, climb this slab, headed for the roof/ corner above. Exit the coner to the right, then up a pocketed face. Above and right is a bolted stance, which is a good place to belay from as your seconds might fall at the roof crux and this ensures less work for yourself.

Climb the obvious crack that starts vertical and bends to become almost horizontal. Once you see a thin crack coming from the ground meeting the big crack you will be climbing, pull up and smear to another crack (that is the end of Silloette crack). Make your way to some big blocks in order to build your anchor.

Start in the gully and up the face until able to move left and up the right arete of the largest section of the Bushman Wall.

1. [17] 12m

2. [17] 15m

3. [19] 12m

4. [14] 12m

5. [19] 20m

6. [12] 5m

A Straight line. Technical and strenuous.

Start: about 8m right of Cameron's Frontal and 3m left of Fraser's Frontal Flake.

1. Climb the short face leading to a stance with a few trees (which is shared with Fraser's Frontal). Move up 3m, then traverse 4m right to a semi-layback crack. Climb the crack 8m to a stance.

2. From the right, climb the overhanging recess to a good stance, then traverse 18m left past a yellowwood and continue along a narrow dassie-crawl to stance on the left of a number of loose-looking blocks.

3. An interesting take off enables one to overcome the undercut, bulging recess. Continue up 1m then left on a semi-detached block. From the left end of this block ascend 8m, until forced to traverse 3m right to a small flake with an overhang above. Turn the roof by a pull using a high grip, then mantleshelf onto a stance just below the Halfway Ledge. Move right along the ledge to a recess.

4. Semi-layback 5m up the recess to a handrail running towards the nose on the right. Ignoring the higher rail, traverse 1m right until the lower handrail fades out. Search for a concealed cup grip in the face a little distance down right and swing down on this grip until minute footholds are found. Reach up tot the handrail (which appears to form a rounded grip) and pull up and stretch to a two finger grip. Gain a good handrail above, then traverse to the tip of the nose and ascend a short recess to a good stance.

5. Traverse 5m right and climb a recess for 4m. Continue to a good stance.

6. Climb 11m over a broken face, bearing slightly left of the previous pitch, to a small stance. climb a chimney on the right to the top.

The two pitches probably could be linked to one pitch.

1. 10m (19) The route takes a line beneath a huge hanging face with a spectacular hanging arete. Scramble up and start in a left arching crack directly beneath the hanging wall. At the base of the wall/roof step left to a ledge at the base of an open book.

2. 18m (17). Take the open book before traversing across the face using a good rail- to the arete, which is taken to the top.

Climb (solo) the slab / face about 30m to the left of Carlito's Route.

A squeeze between Cash Connection and 'Orphan of the Road'. Startup Cash Connection and step right to pull past left side of the low, small, square roof. Follow a vague seam, which is left and parallel to the Orphan of the Road crack. A tad run out. From the ledge straight to the top.

Start around the corner from Route X.

1. Climb the knobbly wall right of a wide crack. Trend right and back let to a ledge. Move right and up to the base of a layback crack.

2. Climb the crack moving right a the top. Walk about 25m left to the end of the large ledge.

3. Climb the grey wall left of the overhang to the top of the Gendarme.

Start left of 'The South East Corner' on a medium block. Step off the block and climb the recess to a small ledge. Climb up and right to the rail/ undercling, pull around the bulge into the right tending hand crack system to top out.

Graded 19 in the book but feels more 18

Start: Below the prominent arête is an open book.

1. 18 12m

   Climb below the open book then through it to stance on the ledge.

2. 16 20m

   Climb the face to the right of the arête to gain a crack, continue to the top.

Takes the vague arête on the right of the buttress at the entrance to the gulley.

Start: directly in front of a triangular block, a meter or so right of Fraser's

1. Climb the wall, traverse right, move up to a ledge, the continue to the right until it is possible to follow a diagonal line up and back to the left of the recess.

2. To the right of Fraser's pull up through an overhang onto a flat platform and continue up the recess above, then climb the short white wall directly ahead to a ledge.

3. Fraser's is now unavoidably crosses where it makes the long traverse from left to right over to a point next to the Postern "D" route. (Postern Face also crosses Fraser's Frontal here). Climb to a piton in the crack a meter or so from the left end of the ledge. After an awkward pull-up around a slight bulge, move up to a tiny niche, then pull through the overhanging wall on horizontal handrails to reach the Halfway Ledge next so some bushes and a large block.

4. Climb the large recess at the start of the Halfway ledge (where one has to descend from the blocks), up to an off-balance jam move next to a piton. A Delicate lay-back move leads up to the handrail under the overhang. Traverse left and up.

5. Traverse left to the base of the left or two recesses.

6. Postern Nose is crossed here as it used the easier recess on the right. Climb the recess using fingertip lay-back crack, which curves over to the right and is very strenuous. Pull up to a sloping ledge using two deep finger holds. Step up to the ledge and walk off to the right.

One of the few routes to face south, this line is at the very right end of the crag and starts in a open book/crack before stepping onto the left face, past a small protrusion to a rail, then onto the top. Best of luck coming down as the opening party got lost trying to walk off.

Old bolts!

The first not so nice looking crack system. Chains at the top.

Start almost in the middle of the amphitheatre. There is a large beacon under a small roof.

1. Climb the recess/jam crack

2. Up, and then right out to the nose. Up this to broken rock. Scramble up to the base of a ramp with a split block at the top.

3. Climb the ramp and into the crack.

4. Up right and diagonally up to a large ledge.

5. Starting near the middle of the face, climb up on jugs.

6. Traverse left into the corner, then up to a ledge.

7. Continue up for about 20m, then crawl right for 45m.

8. Climb the face, then further on, to belay below overhangs.

9. Traverse right around the corner, through a whole and to a ledge.

10. Traverse further and up a yellow face to easy ground

Start on the left of the entrance towards 'Apathy Wall'. Climb up to a rail, then to the right of the arête. Continue up and back onto the arête. Climb a corner and face to the top. Use the 'Apathy Wall' rap to get down.

Really good single pitcher

Access the ledge (15m up) via any route of your choice.

Start: 2m right of a chimney. There is a medium size flake resting against the wall at the start. Climb the break up to a pair of wedged plates (flakes), continue up and slightly left to access a short technical bulging slab. After this access abundant rails to up to a face, once established on the face move slightly right and up to finish.

Start on the central pillar and climb up over a small lip on 'ok' gear. Continue up over a small roof and straight up to the top of the wall on good rails. Descend off the back via a sketchy scramble or ab off using tat.

1. [12]:

   Climb the obvious crack past a tree growing out of the crack up to the base of the second crag.

2. [19]:

   Climb the outside of the crack and then the obvious steep crack (instead of traversing right for the scramble).

An adventurous climb on a wall that saw a handful of long routes put up from the 30's and the 70's. Lots of lichen and bush to contend with, but none the less the line follows good rock and sharing some parts of Grootkop Gable.

Either climb the route from the base, or start from P3.

Start: the route is best reached via abseil.

From the small neck separating Grootkop from Kleinkop, head down the bushy slope to reach a traverse level that cuts across the West face of Grootkop. Here you will find a a fair sized block on the ledge with tat around it. Abseil about 60m to a large ledge. Head down and slightly left (facing out) to a sturdy tree with tat. Abseil another 60m to the base of the wall. Walk about 25m to the right (facing in) to the start of the climb.

1. Start at the obvious break beneath a small overhang. pull up into the crack, and once established on the face, follow a lichen covered crack diagonally up and left. when the crack peters out, move a few meters right, aiming for a juggy break. follow this as it becomes steeper, going rail to rail until able to mantle onto a ledge. scramble up easily over some blocks for 8m.

2. Follows the 'half moon' feature described in Grootkop Gable. Start on the left, pull up and move right under the small roof until able to layback up the 'half moon'. at the top of this feature step left and then continue straight up the lichen covered face to a ledge (possible stance). Follow the big corner (used by Grootkop Wall), laybacking until just before a big bush. move left along a rail and then pull up to another rail before stepping slightly right to gain a lichen covered face. continue straight up, until able to scramble up and left to the Pillar feature mentioned in Grootkop Gable.

3. Follow the crack and pillar to a comfortable, cave-like stance (shared with Grootkop Gable).

4. Pull through the roof on the left (crux) and follow the crack up and right until you reach a large ledge and make a stance. Traverse left 35m. The next pitch climbs up a white face with a prominent flake about halfway up (possibly the same as Grootkop Gable).

5. Climb the face, aiming for the flake. once past the flake, continue straight up until you gain a ledge with a block that forms a short chimney on its right side.

6. Climb up onto the block and pull onto the face above, aiming for a small roof with a hole at the back. avoid the roof on the left and mantleshelf onto a bridge of rock (formed by the hole in the roof). Walk across the bridge and layback up the crack on the right until able to mantle onto a ledge. climb the short face at the back of the ledge, moving right to pull around the corner into a big recess.

7. Step left and pull up into a wide crack with a jammed block in it. scramble to the top.

Climb the layback crack in the corner to a bolted stance.

Climb the short short hand crack to chains.

Start: 16m right of 'Tafelberg Frontal'

1. [11] 30m

   Climb the right hand of 2 narrow cracks (lichenous) up to an overhang, when forced, traverse right and up to a ledge. Don't stance on the same level as 'Tafelberg Frontal' P2, rather a meter or 2 lower above the central crack.

2. [13] 20m

   Traverse to the right across an obvious nose, this is below 'Tafelberg Frontal' P2. Stay above the lip of the roof until obliged up, a delicate move leads to the ledge above. Join the last bit of 'Tafelberg Frontal' P2 and then stance.

3. [18] 30m

   Climb up and left onto blocks. Transition to the face, and climb in a leftward direction to the dassie traverse ledge to a lone flat block. Climb up below a black sharp column/rib, traverse right below a shield above and around a blonde rib (trapezoid in shape= white apron), continue up diagonally taking the path of least resistance to the right side of a small overlap which is ±in line with the bottomless corner above. Now move left and over the overlap continue to stance at the bottomless corner. Note it might be better to stance one ledge lower and right. As there is not a lot of gear to stance directly below the bottomless chimney.

4. [15] 30m

   Traverse left till on the dark rock with really large foot holds. Climb the face tending left, past a right facing corner and up the next break to the good ledge.

5. [18] 35m

   Climb the face on the left, and dance up the black streak. Tend left near the top to align oneself with the chimney/ massive flake. Climb inside the chimney/ flake to top out.

Scramble up ledges and two rock bands to the middle of the face and the highest easy grass ledge. Start in the middle where the ledge starts to fade.

1. Climb up the easiest line (avoid some loose flakes) to a large ledge below the roof.

2. Traverse right below the roof on a good rail to a small stance where the roof ends and the rock becomes white.

3. Climb through the roof at a jam crack. Continue up to a nose, and climb up steeply on the left of this easier rock. Continue over easy rock to a large ledge.

4. Continue up the dihedral just left of the roof above. Climb through the second roof and belay.

5. Traverse left on the obvious line on blocks, dropping down at one or two places. From the ledge climb to the apex of the blocks on the left.

6. Climb the face above on holes in the rock, up left into a steep break and thus to a rail. Traverse right and up to a stance.

7. Continue directly above on steep rock and then easier rock to a rotten ledge below the main overhangs on the face.

8. Move off the right-hand end and then up a hidden recess to a ledge on the left.

9. Move up and traverse left. Continue up and left to a steep section leading to a belay ledge.

10. Traverse left up the nose until the rope runs out (small stance).

11. Continue up scruffy rock to a good stance.

12. Climb up tending diagonally.

P1, A really good crux on this pitch. P2 Really excellent climbing with a good crux.

Start: On the ledge above is a hanging block. This is the start of 'Fanning the Flames' Start left of that route.

1. [16] 18m

   Climb the channels to the ledge, climb past the wedged in block, awkward, but gear is good.

2. [18] 22m

   Climb the break just right of the square overhang, move into the groove and up to top out.

Start around the corner at the far right. Climb up a slightly open-book- like feature (right of a tree) before moving out left onto the face. Climb the white face straight up on small holds. If the open book feature seems uninviting this pitch could be started on the far right of the face rather than going around the corner.

"Very Steep. Unlikely that anyone will fall asleep on it"

Start: Left of the Hottentot Cherry Tree situated to the left of Valken Face.

1. Climb directly up the face until its possible to step right using a flake- and up to the stance above.

2. Move up onto a block on the left then climb the face above until a sloping stance below an overhang is reached.

3. Climb 1m left then continue diagonally left on the face (delicate) before ascending to a small ledge, then climb the face above to another ledge. Traverse 2m right and climb up a short face, past a tree for 3m. Traverse left to some blocks, then up the the face to reach the ravine above.

4. Avoid the overhang above by climbing up right then left until a recess is reached. Climb the face until its possible to move diagonally left to a stance.

5. Climb through the overhang above and continue up a 6m ridge right until traversing right underneath another overhang. Proceed to a stance above.

6. Climb onto a thin block that peters out to the right. Climb the face right of Valken Parapet for 9m. An overhanging face with large grips will be seen above. Climb this overhanging section, traverse 1-2m right, then proceed diagonally left to a stance. Walk up the ridge to the top sections. The next pitch is in the recess of a ridge, right of the start of Valken Crag.

7.A Number of short recesses will be found to the right of the ridge. After 8m of climbing one reaches the first ledge. 10m of recess takes one to the next ledge,. A recessed corner with a large tree next to it is ascended for 22m for a bushy stance.

1. Climb about 2m up a corner above the beacon, then traverse left to a recess with a number of flakes lying against it. Climb the recess to until it is possible to exit left. Traverse 6m left and break through to the right of an overhang. climb 8m up a recess to a large ledge.

2. Climb the vertical face left of Valken Face.

1. [XX] XXm

   ???

2. [XX] XXm

   ???

3. [XX] XXm

   ???

4. [XX] XXm

   ???

Climb the crack to the left of Hidden Gem. Beware of big loose / hollow sounding rock at the top.

The main feature on this route is the big left-leaning grey groove to the left of the overhanging bands on the south-west face. Start from the ledges directly below the groove.

1. [17] 10m

   Climb a shallow corner to the right, then traverse left to a narrow ledge at the base of the groove.

2. [19] 40m

   Superb climbing leads up the back of the groove and out to the left around and overhang. Climb up the short corners above to a massive ledge on the right.

3. [15] 25m

   Go horizontally to the left on a narrow rail to a niche and then climb directly up on jugs to a belay ledge.

4. [15] 50m

   An easy chimney gives access to an escape ledge whence scrambling on gargoyles leads to the summit.

Start: 30m right of the 'Descent Gully' at the base of a recess.

1. Climb the recess and delicate features out left, heading diagonally left over 2 mantels, traverse back right to the base of a recess, which is directly above the start.

2. Climb the crack onto a ledge and then the layback crack above. Move left when possible to stance at the base of a long crack.

3. Climb the crack to the top. There is a rap to the left+ another below. Alternatively use the 'Apathy Wall' rap.

Short but engaging start to finish-technical

, one of the best in the 'Valhella Area'

Start: the next column right of 'Valkyrie' Climb the obvious crack to the top.

Walk below the crag till to just before the path steps down/ Just before the trees. The route starts in an alcove with a fairly large cairn.

1. 19 15m

   Start on the left of the alcove till able to stem across, pull up to the right of the bulge to gain a pedestal. Step right to gain the finger crack. climbs this to exit left and up to the top. Once at the ledge walk 4-6m left.

2. 19 25m

   Climb the recess to just a few meters below the roof, when possible traverse left. Continue diagonally left on good rails.

Right of 'Mooi River' is a finger crack. Follow this to the ledge, then step right and climb the short steep face above (this is actually a large block that appears to be balancing on the top of the gulley, so user discretion is advised).

Step thru the tree and onto the ledge that houses the corner crack. You might want to rope up for this. Climb the corner to the roof. Clip the bolt and pull thru onto the face. Follow the thinner right-hand crack to finish just right of the block. The top is technical and on small gear, your belayer can't see you. There is a belay bolt at the top.

"The simian crux from the cave is a big challenge" in 21st century speak that means a bouldery start.

1. Climb the recess by standing on the block forming part of the fireplace. Climb the recess to the overhang, then traverse left for a meter to mantel for a ledge, then continue traversing left about 3m until one stances with Valken Parapet.

2. Move diagonally right for 5m to a handrail which is followed for 2m to a corner on the right. Just a little left of the corner is a small stance, climb past it and continue 4m up the corner to a good stance.

3. Climb the face directly above bearing slightly left for 4m to an overhang section. Swing across to the bottom of an overhanging recess. Take the recess for 3m to where is joins an overhanging section, ascend this section for 3m then head diagonally left for 4m to a good stance (those grips appear to be rotten but are sound). Traverse 6m right to a large semi-detached block overlooking the crux of Valken Frontal.

4. Directly above the overhang shadowing the stance is a smooth face. to reach the face ascend the block on the right before moving left 3m. Climb up for 6m on small grips and traverse right to a small stance. Take another 6m face, moving left to a ledge.

5. 4m of flake climbing leads to the ceiling of an overhang. Traverse 6m right to a good stance below a large crack.

6. Climb up a short face into the crack before continuing to a small stance.

7. Climb 5m up the corner above to a small overhang. Traverse around the corner back into the crack, and keep on traversing onto the face on the right to a ledge. Proceed along the ledge for 7m.

8. Either climb 5m up and move to the fault, or climb the fault directly to the top of the Buttress.

This route is on a small wall above the main wall. Keep walking along the base of the crag then follow cairns up to the next rock band from the right side of the crag.

Takes the crack line up the grey slab to the R side of a narrow roof. Step back L over the roof & up to an abseil tree.

Grovel your way up the first off-width corner.

Head straight up the red face to the left of the cleft between the columns. There is enough gear but be careful. After a series of rails, continue up to the right-hand side of the column (slightly run out). Finish up the steep, blunt arête and pull over the top where the columns kiss each other.

Start at a jug at head height, 4m right of 'Sling' and crank up to the ledge. Head straight up the wall between 'Sling' and 'Sting'.

Start above and right of 'Melting Pot' Climb the crack to the top.

Climb the crack to the top, A #3, #4 and #5 are very useful. Amazing finish! Amazing route.

To the right of Balancing Act is a broken hand crack, and the right of that is a separate face. Climb the middle of this face to the top. Some tricky gear in places, and some slightly fragile rock.

"Arm yourself for this one, the name is apt."

Note: read the 1973 MCSA Journal which has a write up about the ascent- proper work went into this route.

Start: The Route begins in the first large breakaway right of Barrier Cave, about 1m left of the original start of Valken Frontal.

1. Ascend a rounded face to a dassie ledge. Standing on this traverse 4m left to the edge of a flake. A series of semi-layback moves leads to a small ledge.

2. Climb onto the narrow ledge to the left, then diagonally right to a very small stance below a bottomless crack. (This stance is on the traverse of the original Frontal Route).

3. Pull up into an undercut face, step right and into the bottomless crack. Ascend the crack to a cubby-hole (strenuous). Swing around to the right and hand traverse 2m to a ledge, crawl across the gap to a stance on the nose.

4. Traverse 3m right beneath a long narrow overhang. Pull through the overhang using a concealed diagonal finger-rail Step right and up into a rib like projection and reach across to a small flake which is just right of the overhang above. Lay-back up the side of the overhang and mantelshelf onto the narrow ledge above.

5. Traverse 14m left to a bushy ledge. Climb the right angled corner to the ledge.

6. Traverse right 4m over a large block to a narrow slit on the vertical face. Climb the slit to some blocks. Move right onto a small ledge.

7. Move up about 2m and traverse eight to the base of a crack. Climb this until it reaches a small overhang, step 2m left to another slit, parallel to the first and climb to a narrow stance on the left.

8. Climb through a crack in the overhang and follow the break to the final beacon.

1. [16] 20m

   ???

2. [18] 20m

   ???