Routes as trad in Africa

Up the chimney 5m left of Lustknabe.

Up chimney just left of previous routes.

This route follows an amazing Dolorite seam. Take friends 0.5-3, nuts and a helmet. Abseil from top.

This gully provides a pleasant descent route. Two abseils of 20m and 14m from big yellowwood trees are required during the descent.

The climb is situated just to the right of the Eierkrantz buttress, between Snowflake and Wafer Crack. When looking at the face from below there is an orange scar at the bottom left. Just right of the top of the orange scar there are two prominent cracks going to the top of the face, the left one stopping just short of the top. The climb follows the left hand crack about halfway and then the right hand crack to the top.

1. Scramble up to the ledge where Snowflake starts. Easy if you choose the right line but rope up if in doubt. Start by scrambling up diagonally left to below some roofs. Traverse right on a ledge and another difficult move gets you to easier ground.

2. 23m (15) Start behind the tree on the left. There is a small cave just left of it. Climb up just right of the recess behind the tree to a small roof and a big rail. Traverse right for 5m and then diagonally left up to a grassy ledge.

3. 28m (13) From the right hand side of the ledge there is a crack leading up, climb this for 6m past one hard move with a good small cam. Traverse right on a good ledge for 5m. Further up the face there is a right facing open book. Climb towards this (this part is easy but pretty run-out). Climb the open book to a good ledge behind a block.

4. 26m (12) Traverse left into the left crack and climb it to a small stance on a block on the right-hand side of the crack at a point where the crack becomes vegetated and very overhanging.

5. 32m (13) Traverse right (exposed) for 9m until just before the right crack and then up to a ledge.

6. 29m (11) Climb up and out at the short chimney at the top. Scramble to top.

freed at grade 21

Two large diagonal cracks form a feature on the krantz that look like the Eiffel Tower. This route climbs the left crack.

Clean and sustained climbing with possibly one grade 15 move. The crux is in the 2nd half of the route.

The routes goes up a conical buttress. Starts near a big yellowwood tree midway between Groothoek Chimney and Black Eagle Crag below a big roof 15/20m up.

1. 30m (15) Climb diagonally right staying well Bellow the huge roof to a good ledge around the right roof corner. This is the outer edge of the ramp used by the first pitch of black eagle crag. Second half is grassy.

2. 20m (12) Follow right hand side of the corner leftward until one can step across left (grass) to a wide ledge with a big block on its middle that crosses the conical buttress.

3. 35m (18) From the left end of the ledge, climb onto blocks around the corner, then traverse right back above the ledge towards the roofs. Then diagonally left around the roofs. Climb the grey face and end up left to a thorntree & small yellowwood tree in Groothoek chimney

4. 25m (19) Climb the steep corner, first usable gear a cam about 5m up. Continue on the left wall and overhanging crack, then traverse left to a scooped out ledge with good cam placements gear below the roof.

5. 25m (15) Traverse minimaly right, then climb the face diagonally left until the base of a corner. Take the corner and head right, crossing a few birdshit covered blocks (not vultures though) until a belay ledge at the base of an obvious chimney. Opposite the crack à big yellow wood tree is a belay for ? probably black eagle crag?.

6. 25m (18) Climb the left slanting overhanging chimney above with much grunting. Good placement are available, bringing a few large cams up is worthwhile. Traverse left to bypass the roof and finish left to a good ledge.

7. 45m (13) Traverse right to the pillar. Climb the pillar then traverse back to the chimney. Finish easily to the top. Long and fun. If Pitch 6 made you swear to never climb again, this one will make you return to your senses.

Note: Excellent climbing made less serious by the proximity of Groothoek Chimney.

Two large diagonal cracks form a feature on the krantz that look like the Eiffel Tower. The left crack is climbed by 'Groothoek Chimney'. 'Black Eagle Crag' follows a line up the right crack and then on the face between the cracks.

The start is in a vegetated crack leading to some large overhangs in the centre of the Chevron, 15m right of 'Groothoek Chimney'.

1. (27m 12) Climb the crack to a point 3m below the overhangs.

2. (21m 10) Traverse right on obvious line to corner for 15m. Climb blocks on corner to a large ledge on the right. Belay on big tree.

3. (45m 16) Climb the steep ramp on the left side of the large ledge. At the top of the ramp traverse slightly left to a narrow overhanging face. Climb the face and the chimney above. When the chimney closes move out onto the left face (awkward) and climb up to comfortable ledge with a tree in the chimney on the right of the face.

4. (40m 14) Traverse left on the ledge, move down to pass a block. After the block continue diagonally up left to a detached block. Stand on the block and do a pull-up to break through the small overhang. Continue up to a series of comfortable ledges.

5. (27m 16) Climb diagonally right to an orange face.

6. (24m 13) Climb diagonally left and traverse on a hand-rail under the roof. Move into 'Groothoek Chimney' and climb this to the top.

Variations:

(Pitch 1, 17): Right of crack of pitch 1 there is another crack with overhanging roof. Climb this moving out left at top.

(Pitch 1, 17): Start behind tree between the two cracks. Climb the face.

(Pitch 6, 20): There is a break in the middle of the overhang right at the tip of the Eiffel Tower.

On the corner of Groothoek gully is a buttress with a tree on top. It is possible to scramble up it from the left. Just left of the buttress is a wide water streak right of a small (30cm) right facing corner. The original climb starts 30m directly above the right facing corner on a large ledge which can be accessed by traversing left from the above mentioned buttress. There is supposed to be a "very good direct start (17)" to reach this point.

1. 30m (21) Scramble up on the right of the water streak to a point about halfway up the water streak where you can traverse over it on a wide ledge.Climb the small right facing corner and then the face above it to a wide ledge. It also looks possible to climb the right facing corner from the bottom starting in a small cubbyhole at ground level if it is dry.

2. 30m (17) The belay ledge is 5m above the wide belay ledge for P2 of Black Eagle Crag. From the left of the ledge, traverse 2m left and then 3m up then continue diagonally up right for about 6m to a break leading diagonally up left for about 15m to an awkward step. Continue up to a large ledge. Sustained grade 15 climbing.

3. 8m (10) Traverse left towards pile of blocks at a point just before the ledge goes around the corner. Start by downclimbing about 1m and traverse left on excellent footholds and tiny handholds to avoid a short section of loose rocks. Belay just before the pile of blocks. It may be possible to combine this pitch with the previous one if rope drag is not too bad.

4. 30m (13) Continue up going diagonally right. Climb over a short ridge with big steps going up and right. Belay on ledge.

5. 30m (15) Continue up tending left to a point under the left hand extreme of the large overhangs. Swing left around the corner using good holds on a high ledge. Continue up in corner to the top.

Note: Pitches 4 and 5 are a variation of the original line that provides better climbing. The original line climbed much further towards the right to a grass and aloe ramp and then up various corners to a ledge leading to the right, finishing 4m left of Chukamisa.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Variations:

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

This is the usual decent route involving some scrambling.

About 10m left of Angelica is a small buttress against the main face about 10m high. Start in the corner between the buttress and the main face on the left side of the buttress.

1. 45m (13) From the top of the buttress, follow a faint crack that starts just left of the buttress to a small overhang (6x1m). Pass the overhangs on the right and continue up to a ledge belew a short 2m wide roof with a small tree on the left. (There is an optional belay ledge about halfway up this pitch).

2. 10m (12) From the right of the ledge continue up corner. To a small square ledge below a piton.

3. 40m (15) Climb the corner until a point before it becomes overhanging. Traverse right on good ledges to the nose and then diagonally left to top.

Note: The climb can be done in two pitches by scrambling to the top of the buttress (easy on the right) and then combining pitches 1 and 2.

Climb the thin seam, splitting the buttress, to the right of Angelica’s deep crack. This is easily seen from where the path enters the kloof at the base of Sunshine Crack. Walk around Angelica’s pillar and scramble up to a ledge at the base of the crack, about 25m right of Angelica’s pillar.

1. [19] 15m Climb the crack for 10m. Step left and follow the crack to a small ledge above an overlap.

2. [15] 30m Follow the crack tending slightly left to the large halfway ledge.

3. [15] 30m From the top of a small boulder, step into a shallow open book, then make a brave move to good footholds on the right. Continue up diagonally left to the big block on a ledge. Walk past the block, about 3m, before climbing more or less straight up for another 15m.

4. [12] 30m Make a beeline for the top, avoiding the grass as much as possible and finish spectacularly up some large blocks.

The route is 70m to the right of 'Chanel Crack' in a corner formed by a step in the face. The vegetation has discouraged subsequent parties.

This route climbs directly up the middle of “red sail” (same face as Vavoom) and breaks through the left extremity of the top overhangs

1. Scramble / rope up to big grassy ledge. 60m 13

2. Start at the base of an obvious crack feature in the middle of the wall. Climb the excellent crack until it ends after 20m and then trend up and right through 4 bulges with rails in between to a stance on a good ledge about 15m to the right of the start. (55m) 19

3. Traverse up and left, then climb on the right side of a prominent yellow pillar. Stance on top of the pillar on the left (good ledge) .20m 15

4. Step right off the ledge, climb up 4m then climb left and up until able to break through first overhangs to a good jam. Continue straight up and slightly left to pull through final overhangs on cape style jugs. Then climb straight up to the top on easy rock (60m) 21

Descent

1. Scramble 10m down main gulley between gasoline wall and red sail wall to a good yellowwood. Rap 50m off this.

2. Good ledge on true right (west wall) on red sail wall. Fixed nut and good thread. Rap 40m to grassy ledge.

3. Walk to massive yellowwood on far eastern corner of ledge rap off this to ground – 60m

Pitch 1: 50m 18: Gain the obvious crack on the left of the stance follow the easiest line up the crack system past a small block on the left with a manky piton. (20m) continue upwards until you reach a large ledge below the open book. Pitch 2: 60m 15: continue up the open book feature until you reach an obvious stance on the left of the crack. (2 people comfortably). Pitch 3:50m 16: climb up the crack until you reach a small overhang move diagonally left through the overhang and continue up the face trending left past a small tree on the left arête to a stance below a large yellowwood . Pitch 4: 50m 18: traverse right from the good stance back onto the face, trend diagonally right until you gain the right arête, bomb up the committing but well protected face until you reach the obvious stance before the easy scramble out.

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

The objective of this route is a lightning bolt shaped crack on a block at the top of the crag, where the gorge makes a bend. Start behind a huge boulder, true left, at the narrowest point of the gorge.' Climb up in the corner to a mantle move through an overhanging crack. Aim straight for the block, easy, and top out via the lightning crack.

Climb on the stream facing side of the block, start 2m to the left of the corner shared by slickenside, pull on good holds through overhanging bulges.

Climb on the face adjacent to the vegetated dihedral, start close to the corner

Start to the right of a 3m high block in an nice dihedral, Traverse right onto a ledge avoid nettles, some scary moves up a sloping dihedral to a small ledge, move left and up passing a small tree on the right.

Climb 2m to a small ledge, weasel your way (left or right) of a small chimney trending up and right follow you nose up to a good ledge with a tree, continue up on the left hand side of the tree. FA: Nic Grech-Cumbo, Delpoort Botma, Courtney Robinson, Mathias De Beenhouwer

Scramble to a ledge beneath a small roof, pull through roof off crimps to easy climbing to the right, follow vertical seam to top.

Start to the right of chimney, climb diagonally right up obvious line to ledge, traverse left under overhanging section into chimney. Climb to top. Stance at tree.

Start the same as for Crack A Doodle, at blank overhanging rock go slightly right and up, follow line of blank overhanging rock until roof ¾ way up, pull through roof on crimps to jugs then easier rock

Climb the obvious diagonal slab and rail left under the left hand side of the roof to a small ledge with trees. Continue more or less straight up to the top of the crag.

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

Between “KeK”and “FNJ” Skirting the first corner 2m up activates then mental focus for the route. Climb easily half way up to a roof corner crack. Pull through middle of block, with a long move to next rail. Powerful and commiting. Climb out slightly to right around corner and up straight. Easier climbing but still committing

Start at stream level and climb the obvious buttress, through a small roof halfway up the buttress

1. 21A1 Climb the corner under the big square roof and rail out left (pulling on cams) to the continuation crack. Hanging stance in the crack to the right and just above a tree.

2. 17 Follow the crack straight to the top.

1. 12m 15 Climb up a crack 3m right of the obvious corner under a huge roof. Traverse right into a cubbyhole and then continue right for a few more meters to a large ledge with a great view of the river.

2. 15m 15. Climb a cool corner and head straight up to a convenient abseil tree.

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

15m left of Big Fig. From the 2m high ledge climb up the crack system to the left of two wide cracks. 4m up then step left to a fist jam, up trending right to a short orange arete at the top.

Start 2 meters left of Big Fig Direct. Climb up on loose looking blocks for 5 meters then diagonally right to the tree. Keep left of the tree using it where necessary. Strait up in crack above tree to convenient belay and ab tree.

This route ascends the right most chimney crack on the main wall as the face tends to crumble away to the gully. Descend by rapping off the tree at the top or walk around to the gully at the back.

Start around the corner from Scorpion. Climb the obvious crack for 4 meters then traverse right into a shallow corner. Continue following the crack and move under and past the bulge. Climb the off-width crack to a big platform. From the platform go left and do three well protected moves to gain the easy but runout slab. Continue up to the anchors on the second pitch of Scorpion.

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

The conical mass comprising the tower is split about two-third of the way up by a well-defined grassy ledge which divides the climb into two separate portions. Viewed from the East, the monotony of the horizontal slabs is seen to be broken by two vertical cracks - one towards the right on the lower section and one almost on the left ridge of the section. The route generally follows these cracks except for a deviation, onto the left-hand face near the top of the lower crack below the grass ledge.

1. 21m (E2) Start on face to left of crack and proceed straight up over horizontal ledges.

2. 12m (E1) A short chimney leads to a grass ledge below a chockstone.

3. 15m (E2) Ascend chimney to a higher grass ledge. Proceed to the right of the main chimney over a face broken with horizontal cracks.

4. 21m (E3) Dassie traverses to the left for about 3m, then proceed upwards to a stance immediately below a series of overhangs. A traverse to the right from this point to rejoin the main crack bypasses the overhangs and a further short ascent leads to a stance on top of some prominent blocks.

5. 12m (F2) There is a delicate take-off to the left of a large flake. Further ascent in the main crack leads to a ledge below the final overhangs marking the last barrier to the grass ledge.

6. 30m (F3) Traverse to the left in an extremele exposed position then delicately ascend a face to a point immediately below the main grass ledge and about 18m horizontally to the left of the main crack. A pull-up over a small overhang completes this section.

7. 21m (E3) The route follows the left esction of the chimney straight up for about 18m where a step across is taken to the right and the ascent continues to the right of a narrow crack where a stance is availabl below an overhang.

8. 12m (F3) A tricky take-off into the crack on the left which is then followed to a ledge above which two further cracks, about 3m apart, split a massive block. The one on the left is probably the easier of the two but is a hard pull-up.

9. 14m (E3) Pass through the "worm hole" leading to a block which is traverse to the right. thence up a crack. A traverse to the left, ascent of three short recesses, a further short traverse back to the right and a climb to the top of a huge chockstone brings the climber to a point immediately above the last belay.

10. 21m (E1) An easy traverse to the left extends to the outer ridge of the tower. Here the route proceeds up a crack about 5m in height lying back from the outer buttress and leads to a stance on a block from which the summit section is visible.

11. 18m (E3) Traverse to the right to the final column of rock, where a pull-up leads to a ledge passing round to the right in a very exposed position from which the grass ledge is visible vertically beneath. This traverse lands the climber on a grass ledge below a crack from which an adequate belay can be given.

12. 30m (D) The final pitch is virtually a scramble to the summit taking a route tending to the right.

1. 18m (D) Commence on grey face 90m to right of frontal climb. Vertical 4m, horizontal 2. 10m to chimney, vertila 4m.

2. 9m (E2) Traverse 90m right around corner into deep chimney. Up chimney under chockstone.

3. 33m (D) Proceed vertically up 24m over loose stone and grass. Enter crack on right-hand face facing south, finishing on nose with large boulder, 9m.

4. 20m (D) Up slightly overhung face then right under pronounced overhang.

5. 11m (D) Climb up to boulder then right and up vertical sandstone with good handholds.

Proceed up gully to neck between Zimbabwe and the main escarpment.

Approximately 1.5km north of Zimbabwe buttress there is a long diagonal cleft (gully). The climb starts about 350m to the right of this diagonal cleft beneath the dome. 17m (D) Left of red corner with pronounced overhang in crack, climb under and behind chockstone.

1. 15m (E2) Straddle up corner.

2. 20m (E2) Follow crack to left of cone-shaped grey face.

3. 21m (D) Traverse 33m to left on grass. Commence vertically under overhang, go right 2m and then up over corner.

4. 18m (D) Up chimney under chockstone.

5. Easy scramble up long gully. Finish at back of arete.

Descent: Proceed into main gully and down as far as waterfall over rockbands. Continue around left (facing mountain).

1km east of the Zimbabwe climb one can see a ver prominent V-shaped rock formation, centered by a huge dome. Running up the right-hand flank of the “V” one can see a number of open book shaped cracks. Counting the very first small open book, the climb starts to the right at the bottom of the seventh, the last open book shaped crack. Viewed from close range, one can see a black streak running down the right-hand side of the open book.

1. 20m (F2) 15m up open book and traverse 3m left and up to tree belay.

2. 25m (F1) Start face to left of crack. Climb to good ledge under yellow overhangs (two mantleshelfs). Dassie crawl right along ledge for 4m. Ascend crack 3m. Ledge and piton belay.

3. 40m (F2). Climb chimney and step out left to ledge. Ascend corner directly above and follow crack to just under grass ledge, make delicate right-hand traverse and up to tree belay.

4. 35m (F1) Climb up centre of grey face to piton and flake belay under overhangs.

5. 20m (F3 A2) Walk 8m to right and ascend short chimney to upper overhangs. Move through overhangs (A2) (one piton left in place). Follow crack to tree belay.

6. 30m (E3) Walk right along ledge past yellow boulder to crack and ascend crack to ledge and belay.

7. 25m (E3) Climb crack and chimney to neck.

8. 25m (E3) Ascend centre of face 29m and scramble to top.

1. 20m (F2) Scramble up bushy ramp. Start in left corner. 2m up step to the right. Climb to ledge. Continue up open book until it is possible to move out to the left.

2. 40m (F2) Climb face above to roof. Traverse right and up to ledge.

3. 40m Walk left below huge roof.

4. 45m (E3) Climb diagonally right across face.

5. Scramble 50m up and right into original recess line.

6. 40m (F3) Climb recess. Place chock high up, climb down 2m and traverse right. Ascend face to ledge. Chimney to top.

7. 50m Walk left.

8. 90m (E3) Climb diagonally right to top.

1. 40m (F2) Climb crack via tree to large ledge.

2. 8m (E3) Walk across to rock face. Climb to top of small rock pinnacle.

3. 25m (F2) Step across to main face and traverse left for 2m to below overanging crack. Pull-up into crack and ascend face to tree belay.

4. Traverse and walk right for about 30m past two large open books to corner.

5. 25m (F1) Climb corner and face to block stance.

6. 25m (F1) Climb diagonally right to top.

Pitch 1 has been climbed by unknown parties prior to FA.

To the left of Afternoon Ascension one can see a big black face high up. 80m to the left of that a red pillar is clearly visible. The climb start in the corner directly below the right hand side of the pillar.

1. 40m (F1) Climb vegetated recess to ledge. Climb face with two prominent knobs behind tree. Follow recess above to big ledge.

2. 30m (F1) Climb chimney via chockstone to top.

The route generally follows the shallow recess about 30m to the left of the prominent chimney of Afternoon Ascension. At the base is a steep corner that peters out before reaching the shallow recess above. About 15m to the right is another corner extending from the left of a small overhang about 3m up to a larger overhang about 12m up. Start below this corner.

1. 26m (F3 A1) Mantleshelf up to face to a small ledge below the corner, then climb the corner to the upper overhang via mixed aid and free climbing. Move to the left under the overhang to a ledge and then traverse to the left around a bulge to a ledge at the base of a recess.

2. 40m (G1) Climb 6m diagonally to the left up a face, then traverse to the right into a corner behind a huge flake. Climb 7m to a ledge at the top of the flake, then traverse to the left to the arete. Move up a thin face to a small sloping ledge, then move to the left around the arete and into a corner. Climb the corner for about 18m to a small ledge at the top of a pinnacle.

3. 30m (F3) Continue 12m up to corner to a small ledge on the left-hand face. Continue up the face to another ledge, then traverse to the left until the large ledge can be easily gained.

4. 25m (F2) Climb the continuation of the recess to a large ledge.

5. 32m (G1 A1) From the left-hand end of the large ledge, descend to a small ledge and traverse to the left to the base of a bulging crack. Climb the crack, using two nuts for aid in the lower portion, to easier rock above the overhang. Continue to top.

Start 40m right of chimney. Scramble up to ledge.

1. 15m (D) Traverse left to foot of chimney.

2. 30m (E) Climb chimney to top of large chockstone.

3. 25m (F1) Traverse left around corner. Ascend recess to platform below chimney.

4. 25m (F2) Ascend chimney to chockstone

5. 25m (F2) Climb diagonally across right face towards tree. Traverse 5m below tree to right hand side of ledge. Mantleshelf up to ledge. Tree belay.

6. 30m (E3) Start in groove 2m left of tree and climb straight up to big overhangs. Traverse out right to corner stance.

7. 30m (D) Scramble via grass ledges to top.

The route goes up the prominent crack-line 50m to the right of Afternoon Ascension on the Eastern Buttress above the camp site.

Scramble up to a ledge and tree belay at the foot of the crack.

1. 36m (G1) Climb the crack (difficult to start) and then continue diagonally up to the left for 13m on broken rock before moving diagonally back to the right into the crack about 5m below a small tree. Climb the crack with difficulty past two small trees, to a stance on a small ledge with a good tree belay.

2. 13m (F2) Traverse to the right around the corner for 7m to a large ledge, and then climb up steeply to another large ledge with a small tree belay.

3. 11m (F2) Climb diagonally back up to the left to a stance in the main crack (Nut belay).

4. 36m (G1) Climb steeply up the crack for 8m before traversing to the right with difficulty, using a small finger-rail, to a foothold around the corner. Mantleshelf with difficulty onto a small ledge and continue up via two further hard moves to a ledge with a bong belay 3m below a prominent overhang in the main crack.

5. 30m (F3) Climb up to the overhang and continue strenuously past it on the left. Continue up the steep crack to a small ledge with nut belays about 5m below a large section of red rock.

6. 48m (F2) Descend 1m from the stance and traverse delicately to the left for 7m into a corner. Traverse further to the left along a grassy ledge and then climb up, bearing slightly left to a grassy stance with a tree belay.

7. 10m (D) Scramble to top.