Routes as sport in Mpumalanga

In the descent gully on left. Starts from the centre of the shelf and follows bolts direct to the top.

At the bottom of the descent gully, round the left facing out to the valley. Start centre of slab and goes direct staying right of the feature.

Find the secret entrance to a corridor hidden amongst the blocks. At the base of the descent gully into the Mayhem.

Once down the gully, turn left instead of right, it’s after about 20 meters and can be seen from the top. Hangers are all painted brown. The climb starts in a corner where you gain a ledge, and the climbing starts. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/ MCSA

Next climb around the corner to the right of Geomancer. Starts in a small cave. Gain the top of the block and step across onto the face.

Currently, the route closest to the waterfall. A tricky start leads to some fun and heady pulling.

Start off the tree stump and head leftwards.Hardware provided by MCSA.

Shares the first 3 bolts with 'Pompeii' then heads straight up. Hardware provided by MCSA.

Starts in a damp section between 'Deep Impact' & 'Pandora's Box' and leads onto marvelous meandering Mayhem magic.

Starts on a boulder then a journey with 3 crowd-pleasing roofs. A must-do! MCSA bolts.

In front of a small clearing and a large yellow arrow painted on a boulder.

Starts off a large boulder. Up then rail wildly left then up the leaning prow to some trickery, way too much fun. Bolts provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

The blade like curving arête gives sensational climbing. How classic? Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Starts at yellow wood tree, left of 'Changeling'. Through small roof onto face, a crux sequence leads to the chains.

Climb the open book corner to the left of 'Lunatic Fringe'. Try not to use the dodgy looking block low down.

Start in the corner of 'Changeling' then head right and up the fun technical face. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA

Up the middle of the wall. Starts with some cool moves up a mini arête then sustained technical stuff all the way to the chains. Bolts provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Up the easier looking diagonal series of cracks and breaks, just right of 'Lunatic Fringe'. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Starts just beside a small tree at an overlap. Powerful start with endurance wall climbing above. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Couple meters right of the above, with some hardness passing an overlap low down. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Up the face to the left of 'Burning Man', over the roof and to right and then back left at the top. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Up the middle of the obvious stellar red wall. A bouldery start (don’t cheat by starting on the left), and pumpy mid-section, then a crazy rail right then back left to some trickery. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

The obvious arête/leaning pillar is climbed with as much style as possible. Not particularly well bolted to be careful placing draws if it’s at your limit. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Starts in the corner and heads up through the big roofs. Full set of spectacular moves makes for a magical finale.

Climbs the diagonal ramp and exit by the easy break to the top.

10 meters right (facing the cliff) of 'Dead Cows Can't Dance' is a blank wall with a faint crack line up its right side. Starts by a tree stump. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Stay in the open book after clipping the 3rd bolt to avoid a bad fall. Campus on the arete for extra points. Much easier if you are a tall sapiens: about 21.

A few meters to the right of Matt's project. Scramble up the block behind the tree and start in the corner heading right through the roof and onto the face above. An attentive belay is especially important for the lower half of the route. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA

The obvious large crack/layback. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA

immediately to the right of the crack. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA

Starts in the corner behind the thicket, past through the roof with a grunt, might be nice to have a draw in the bolt ‘above the lip’. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA

The beautiful technical red face (see photo) then wild moves through the roof. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA

As the path starts a sharp descent, the route starts in the red corner. Stick to the corner and move left at third bolt. Using the precarious looking block higher up lowers the grade. Bolts rather close in places…

The face immediately to the right of 'Psycho Bambi'.

Starts at tree 6m to the right of 'Psycho Bambi'. Might be harder if you're short. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

Climb the chimney to the right of 'Gone in 60 Seconds'. Finish on the left.

Climbs the face on the free-standing pillar 20m right of Hop Toad.

Climbs a corner halfway between the embankment and 'Gone in 60 seconds'.

Starts in the corridor next to Alex's project, then move left for some tricky sustained slabby deliciousness.

The arête just left of 'Marakas'. The perfect corner climb.

Left of 'Drill Sergeant', at the back of the ‘embankment’. Climb the obvious crack/flake with some balance and technique. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA

The corner 5 meters left of 'Sharpen Up Cupcake'. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

From the gully, walk 15 m along the trail past the huge yellow-wood there is an ‘embankment’. The climb takes a discontinuous crack up a grey vertical face. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

“Tanning naked.” Start on a tricky slab, mantle then follow a right trending ramp to join the arête. Nice moves and views take you to the top.

Boven's finest in a nutshell: crack, arete, roof and sexy face. Amazingly sustained and epic moves throughout.

Climb good holds to the ledge. Move out left and commence the fun up to the last bolt. Attach your giant balls and crush it to the top through some thin, lead out climbing.

At the bottom of the gully is a free-standing tower. This mini alpine route starts in the slot to the right past a tree. Ubolts lead rightwards up the stepped slab to anchors on the higher summit. Some closely spaced bolts protect each step.

Hard-looking direct route through a flat face. Starting up the cave slot (as for 'The Raven') gain the face above. Follow the cracks and grooves to anchors. May be 21 for the tall.

Tagged. Great bolt-protected traddy climbing, with the same start as the MOTRD. After clipping the second bolt, move 3m right to the jam crack passing an intermediate U-bolt. One way to do this is to stand on the ledge, then undercling the roof! Jam to the summit.

Shorter than the 'The Raven' but has all the excellent hand jamming. Start off the top of a rock 4m right of 'The Raven', about halfway down the gully. Pull directly up into 'The Raven' jam crack.

6m right of 'The Raven'. Start at a blankish face below a groove 4m up. Climb past the groove to anchors. Easier if you are tall.

9m right of 'The Raven' at the rock step (same as 'Poisonwood Bible'). Climb up and diagonally left to anchors.

(Closed) 9m right of 'The Raven', goes straight up. Now closed pending safety assessment – loose blocks.

Don’t damage it! Opposite 'Poisonwood Bible' at the rock step (facing E) climb the break to a steep finish.

Opposite 'The Hobbit' start is a beautiful layback crack which widens slightly at half height.

A short diagonal hand/fist crack starts this climb, 2m down from 'The RAven'(opposite wall). Continue up the scruffy break to anchors on the right.

Brilliant! 3m left of 'The BFG'. Climb the crack that starts 1.5m up.

The left of 2 bottomless parallel cracks in the center of the face. Start 5m up the gully from 'The Lorax'.

Easier start to 'The Lorax' crack. Climb the right crack starting 4m up the gully from 'The Lorax'.

Tagged. Original start. Climbs into the right crack starting 2m right of a small tree under the crack.

Has a left slanting crack in the upper section. Start directly under the crack, 4m right of 'The Lorax' tag. An optional extension goes 2-3m up to a 2nd set of anchors on the right.

Starting 6 -7m right of 'The Lorax', climb past the overlap into a groove. Figure out which is the easier finish for you.

Unique pocketed orange wall. Can be seen from the top and accessed by abseil, its on the section almost directly (a little to the south) in front and below of the cow skull cairn. Or can be accessed by walking 180m left (facing the crag) from the 'Narrow Gully' (see above), shortly after the ‘grey slabs'. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/@mountain_club_of_south_africa

A good 160m from the narrow gully are the unmistakable compact 40m wide ‘grey slabs’, with very few holds on it. Stolen Goods takes the obvious weakness at its centre via some technical footwork and a leap of faith. Hardware provided by Boven Fund/MCSA.

A few meters right and around the corner of Jahne's Slab project. Big flat block base. Follows the openbook left corner that starts desperately under some blocks and then moves into a thin thin overhanging crack with feet still on slab. Dont chicken out left Opened on gear.

Starts directly right of 'Double Dealings'. Climbs inside the fin, out onto the face following a crazy fine line of crimps in the perfect sequence to keep you shuffling your feet.

Fun flowing crack that looks really inviting. Climb it. Starts 4m right of 'Double Dealings', stepping across from the slab to begin. Opened on gear.

Climbs the crack system 8m right of a big block. This climb is found where the path rises to an enchanting platform.

When approaching from the Library, go past a jumble of rocks where a steep gully comes down the cliff. The route climbs the face just left of 'Cheap Thrill'

Starts in the chimney to the left of 'Time Bandit

This is a spectacular crack line on an arête that climbs up behind a yellow wood. Amazing climbing, a truly unique feature. Line is just to the right of Jeane's slab. Open on Gear

Big open-book with a large crack. Starts under a tiny roof and ends after a tiny roof. Opened on gear.

Starts as for 'Payola', sharing the first 2 bolts, then make your way right onto the arête for some balancy trippy toe tingling twisting.

Starts just right of 'Golden Girls'. Follow the crimps into an orange ocean of sequential bliss.

Technical balancy short boulder problem that might keep you busy for longer than you bargained for. Can be done with 2 draws, extra 2 bolts are for working problem, midgets and kids. Carabiners at chains for quick escape. Easy after decyfering the sequence, impossible till then.

Technical thin powerful problem. A boulderer's route.

Arête on the right side of the obvious pillar. A technical fun fest. Bolts donated by MCSA.

Pull through the buldge to get to the finger licking goodness.

Climbs the secret corridor crack to some of the best jugs in Boven. Spicy.

The sweet fun route on the left arete of the "mini godno".Bolts kindly sponsored by the MCSA

This line is a visual replica of the Blade Runner line in Mayhem. It's roughly 50m left(closer to deck) from the Mini Godno and directly left of 'Evan and Goliath'. Bouldery crimpy start traversing right into juggy, balancy crack and arête climbing.

Overhanging classic crimpy face with a full body action pact power endurance sequence. Right of 'Sisyphus'

This route was bolted because of the obvious triangular feature protruding from the rock. Not the usual Boven style. Unique puzzling phenomenon. Not for the conservatives.

Starts on a stack a few metres above the path. An unforgettable sequence of majestic mayhem passing a unique off width, visible from below, leading to a beautiful head wall of pure bliss.

To the right of the tiny ominous cave. Line of big moves pulling left of big blocks to gain access to a head wall after a break, finishing on an arête that will leave you alone... dont flake it... dont yoyo...

Steep start 2m left of 'Bush Fire'.

Take your thinking cap - very technical and balancey. Starts up a crease 2m right of 'Smoke At Dawn' at 'Bush Fire'. Step up left after 4th bolt toward the arête to finish at 'Smoke At Dawn' anchors.

Tagged. Start at the crease. At 4th bolt, go straight up face into a tiny corner and the right hand anchors.

Starts up 'Bush Fire' at the tiny fig tree, break right across the corner at 4th bolt to join 'Bonfire'. Climb past the 1st anchors to the top.

Nice looking line but not that good. 2m right of 'Bush Fire' is a left facing corner. Up this keeping right of the bolts to avoid unnecessary difficulty. Climb to the overlap, passing the low anchors, left to the arête and up to anchors.

3m right of 'Bush Fire', tagged FLAMES. Steep start on big holds leads to a slab, then at the 4th bolt head a bit left up 'Bonfire' (past the lower anchors – 11/12 to here) to its anchors.

Tagged FLAMES. Up 'Flames At Sunrise' to the 4th bolt, then straight up through the left notch in the overhang. A fierce reach will find holds near the 1st anchors. Or continue up right 2 bolts to higher anchors.

Follow 'Flames Direct' through the notch. Just above the roof, step right then climb up to high anchors on the right.

2m right of FLAMES climb a short crack. Continue straight up to the right notch in the roof. Head up right to the 'Flames In The Sunset' finish. Variations are possible (eg left notch, 'Flames Direct', 'Bonfire')

6m right of FLAMES is another short crack at ground level above which is a very thin reachy slab: there is a temptation to use the cracks on either side. Go straight up to a break just left of the main slab past a large precarious-looking block to finish at 'Flames In The Sunset' anchors up and right. Harder after the worst block was removed.

1.5m right of the short crack of 'Daniel' (and 1m left of a big tree) climb the slab to the overlap, passing another short crack. Some very thin moves past 2 close bolts gain the upper slab, which eases off at another crack.

Tagged. Leading his people up the easiest way through this part of the cliff. Just right of the (lower) tree, scramble up to the 1st bolt. Head left on narrow ledges clipping bolts marked black on 4-5 routes. Go up and left past 1st anchors and left past the overhang to the 'Bonfire' anchors. Top rope to clean.

A great 1st lead into an exposed position. Follow 'Moses' to the 1st set of anchors below the last roof. Lower off before the Red Sea closes over you!

Or is it Dendrophile?! Easy start just right of the lower tree at 'Moses'. Straight up to the overlap, and clip a bolt high up left. Use the 2nd (left-leaning) tree to gain the slab. Follow cracks to the top.

The narrowing chimney right of the angled tree.