Du Toit's Peak All Trad climbing 8 routes in crag

The route runs up the middle of the North-West face, breaking through the red overhangs in the centre. The initial 150m takes the the ramp to the left of that used by North by North-West, under the conspicuous triangular roof (but using the right-hand edge of the ramp). The broad pillar ahead is climbed up its left-hand side (jamming cracks), and crossed to the right on top. Thereafter, the excellent middle section of the wall is climbed in a line trending slightly to the right, through the only roof in this part. (North by North-West is crossed to the right of the A1 traverse, pitch 11. This leads straight up to the huge red overhangs, which are negotiated via the break seen from the valley, running diagonally through from right to left. Grey rock is reached, which leads with difficulty on to a steep wall to the left of the rock fall scar.

Start: under the enormous triangular roof, behind a tree where the Recess route goes up leftwards. Climb and scramble 15m diagonally to the right to ledges on the right-hand ramp.

1. [16] 35m

   Climb the right-hand side of the ramp to a tree.

2. [17] 40m

   Above the tree, swing to the right (F3) onto a nose, then continue up the right-hand side of the ramp.

3. [18] 40m

   Climb up to a recess tot he right of of a small blocky roof, then layback strenuously through the gap. Continue up the ramp.

4. [17] 30m

   Continue up clean rock to a big ledge Traverse 15m right to the left-hand side of a broad pillar.

5. [20] 35m

   Climb the jamming cracks strenuously to the top of the pillar From the right-hand side of the pillar, climb to a ledge (E3), then traverse 15m to the right to a stance below a jagged jamming crack. The route now heads for the crack system leading slightly to the right towards the triangular roof (the only roof on this part of the wall).

6. [21] 40m

   Ignore the jagged crack, climb the vertical wall on the left. Move to the right on flakes after 4m, then climb up a good thin crack for 10m (peg runner left in), until a thin traverse to the right leads to a break up on good holds trending diagonally to the right. Stance 10m up the break.

7. [18] 30m

   Continue up the break, which turns into a semi-chimney, and belay on the ledge to the right (left is the A1 traverse of N by N-W).

8. [22] 35m

   Take off up blocky rock rock from the right-hand side of the ledge, then climb the crack leading to the right-hand side of the red roof (bong left in place). Climb the flared crack in the block in the roof (3 nuts), up to a rail under the final roof, where a hanging stance can be made on the right to avoid rope drag.

9. [18] 15m

   Climb the small ledge on the right and up on tiny holds to a roof. Move left (tricky) and climb a crack to a ledge. Belay on the right.

10. [18] 35m

    Traverse to the right, past a block, the ascend the wall round the corner on square holds, with occasional runners, ending in a difficult mantelshelf move onto a ledge.

11. [18] 35m

    Above is a large coffin-overhang below all the other overhangs. Climb straight up to the left-hand edge of the overhang, up the crack leading past on the left, until a step to the right leads onto the top of the overhang. Climb up to a rail under smaller roofs, then traverse to the left for 10m (delicate) to a stance amongst blocks.

12. [19] 40m

    Traverse 15m to the left along rails, until flakes lead to a recess and up to a roof (good runner). Hand traverse to the left to a narrow ledge below a grey face. Directly below, through the red overhangs is the Bong pitch of N by N-W.

13. [21] 30m

    Climb the compact grey face from the left-hand edge of the grey face, with occasional good runners. Stance slightly to the right of the previous stance.

14. [18] 15m

    Follow a handrail round a corner to the right to a hidden crack leading to a roof. Traverse to the right along another rail to the skyline Move 20m to the right to a steep grey face to the left of the old rockfall scar.

15. [17] 40m

    Climb diagonally to the right to reach rails leading back to the left across the grey face, then climb steep blocky rock to a chimney.

16. [12] 20m

    Climb the chimney and traverse to the left under a roof to a ledge. The final ledge is one rope length higher. Two finishes are possible.

17. [18] 45m

    a) 45m: Traverse 15m to the left to a stance and the corner of the wall. Round the corner, pass a huge flake, the continue diagonally to the left, climbing steeply to a traverse across an exposed grey face. Make difficult moves off a rounded ledge and up diagonally to the left on steep rock to the final ledge (reached directly below an enormous rectangular roof on the right-hand side of the tower above.

Traverse to the right for two rope lengths into the grassy bay above the North-West face. b) 45m (16): traverse to the right under the roof on pitch 16 and ascend a pleasant grey face to the walk off ledge. Finish to the right in the grassy bay.

"The climb should only be attempted by a leader capable of mastering the most difficult of present day (1977) G routes." "It is advisable for any party attempting this route to be familiar with the technique of prussiking.

Scramble up the first pitches of Renaissance or North by North-West to the big ledge. Start on the front of the Renaissance jam crack pillar.

1. Climb the crack/recess system and continue up to the top of the pillar. Scramble to the next ledge directly above.

2. The Dark Wall: Follow the vague break leading rightwards through steep grey rock. Stance in the recess.

3. Relief. Step right and climb directly up to the highest ledge. Start right of a long block.

4. Uncertainty. Climb up and left over uncertain rock, then up to a narrow ledge. Keep right and continue for 12m to a small narrow stance. Traverse 12m left to belay at a hollow slab (peg).

5. Climb leftwards for about 8m. Starting beneath a black roof rail 13m right to a recess which is climbed to a small ledge with grass and a block.

6. Climb up for 3m from the left end of the ledge to the roof, pass it on the right wall, and continue up and left. Go diagonally rightwards to reach more laid back rock (original Renaissance A4 pitch).

1. [13] 45m

   After an awkward take-off climb up the broken face.

2. [14] 40m

   Continue up the recess which is slightly left of the corner. Continue up to the base of an easy recess.

3. [12] 25m

   Climb up the recess to a ledge. Note: the first three pitches are pretty straightforward and obvious and leads you to the base of an enticing looking jam crack in grey rock. DO NOT climb this, but move a long way left as per next pitch.

4. [13] 40m

   Traverse left around the corner. Step across a gap and then walk left to the base of an easy looking recess.

5. [13] 30m

   Move up the recess and then over broken ground to a ledge. Walk right and scramble to the top of a pinnacle.

6. [17] 45m

   Tiles pitch - Climb right across a delicate slab, then up a corner to a small ledge. Climb up 3m, followed by a traverse to the left under a small overhang. Continue up a steep bulge (past an old peg) to a narrow ledge, then up slightly left and do a series of moves back up diagonally right to a stance. The 'Smith-Rutowitz Variation' to the original 'Tiles' pitch can be climbed as follows: 6a. 12 (20m) Walk left and climb the crack in a recessed corner to the stance. 6b. 16 (40m) Climb up on the right to the overhang above. Traverse right with hands at the level of a doubtful block to a ledge (full use of the block reduces the grade to 14). From the top of the 'Tiles' pitch or the 'S-R Variation' walk right along the ledge and scramble up between the wall and a distinct pinnacle.

7. [18] 20m

   From the top of the pinnacle perform an awkward take-off and pull-up. Move right and reach up high from a low lay-away hold. A piton can be found here (this section is about as hard as the 'normal route' gets). Then traverse 3m left and up to a rib/face to a stance (the 'Suitcase Stance').

8. [20] 10m

   From the stance descend a meter or so, then traverse right and up into a crack. Climb the crack to a semi-loose block and climb out on the left and up to a sloping stance. Note: the original line took the short, obvious, but off-balance and strenuous layback directly above the stance ( good cams/wires, climbing at grade 20). A slot hidden beyond the top of the layback helps one to heave up to a sloping stance.

9. [16] 30m

   From the stance, step up and left to avoid a small overhang. Pull up a short recess. Up 4m, then follow an inconspicuous traverse right for 5m. Climb the steep slab on the right, then move left and climb a crack to a stance below a Y-shaped crack.

10. [15] 45m

    After an awkward take-off climb the Y-shaped crack to a large platform. Move right, up an undercut flake, and then left to an edge. Climb easy ground to another large platform.

11. [15] 45m

    Above and to the right is a big corner/recess, capped by an overhang. That is where you want to be. Traverse right and then angle delicately across the white slab to enter the recess about 15m above the level of the ledge. Move up the recess until it is possible to traverse right (before a seemingly more obvious traverse line), exiting around the corner to a stance on a large ledge.

12. [12] 20m

    Walk right for a short distance and choose the easiest line up a very pleasant yellow face to a narrow ledge. Note: an alternative line not as far right provides delightful climbing at about grade 16.

13. [16] 30m

    Walk left along the ledge for 10m to its left-hand end. There is a shallow recess capped by a roof up and left. Don't be intimidated - go up and left around the corner. Ascend the recess for about 3m then step left onto a corner. Traverse left under the roof and up to a small ledge. Climb up and out right on a water-worn face to a stance. You are at the top of the route.