Routes in Africa for selected grade

Climbed on top rope only.

Climbed on top rope only.

Off width crack

Climbed on top rope only.

Can go trad.

Can go trad.

18,20

19,21

Sustained.

Beautiful cam placements but terrible back ache

Excellent route with technical slab climbing on tiny edges and smears. New approach pitch - go left around to the arete and climb to the original start past 3 bolts, much better than the original chimney approach. Rebolted in 2022 by Robert Powell.

Climb the chimney and go to the left to find a white rock spot. Follow the tricky face climb to the anchor.

Bolted for short climbers. Tricky balance start, good friction up to the anchor.

We add an anchor on the right side, for top rope use. The large crack/chimney in the middle of the wall. 1) Grade 15, 6 bolts. 2) Grade 20, 8 bolts. NOTE: New anchor on the right side for top rope use of the first pitch. Added new bolt at the beggining to make it safer for begginners.

Starts with a strenous crack to a blank face, Friction climbing moves to your way to the anchor.

Tricky starting in the crack with a boulder move. Nice ledges for your hands at the beggining to move onto a thin face to the top.

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.

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

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.

Starts left of Too Legit to Quit. Are you👆 going left or right at the roof?

Starts just left of Intrusion, abseil possible with a single 60m rope.

This climb starts below a wide dihedral/open book, about 25m to the left of a large flake with a tree at its base.

This route starts 25m to the left of Where Eagles Dare and joins that route at the last pitch.

Start 10m to the right of Where Eagles Dare at a block. Note: If a party has to escape off the climb from the top of pitch 4 and has only a single rope, it is recommended to traverse right onto the ledge after pitch 5 of BDND or to abseil down pitch 4 below in 2 sections leaving some gear on one of the hangers just above the bulge.

Start as for Big Dreamers Never Die.

1. Climb straight up just to the right of the grey water mark.

2. Climb up to the right of the tree and left above the large ledge and up a ramp to a small ledge shared with BDND.

3. Climb up the crack/flake on the right to its top, then traverse left for 4m into the big recess (crux). Climb up the recess (sustained) until one reaches an awesome large shady ledge with chains. This is the same as pitch 5 of BDND

4. Traverse right over a tree into the base of a recess. Climb up the recess and at its top move up right into an exposed position on the nose. Climb up from there to the top.

Climb up the pillar with brown water marks. 1st pitch up the face on small crimps. 2nd pitch up the slab.

Start from a block, straight up the pillar.

Straight up the face of the bulge. (Skoenlapper, Super Cool Nifty and Miena se Muis use the same anchors.)

Use the crack then over the top to the anchors. (Skoenlapper, Super Cool Nifty and Miena se Muis use the same anchors.)

This nice climb starts a few meters to the right of the route "My Big Toe". There are some run outs in this route. The route was done by climbing and bolting from the bottom without prior establishing of bolts bias the use of a top rope.

Start 15m left of Naked Orange.

1. 30m (G3) Climb the steep crack (mostly G2 and G3). When the holds run out, make a hard traverse (G3) left and up on small knobs. Move back into the crack and up onto a stance about 5m below the roof.

2. 30m (G2) Traverse right on small holds to a recess which yields some protection. Continue railing to the end of the roof. Move up on the right to an easy traverse line back left. Where this ends (directly above previous stance) drop down and rail into the flared open book on the left. Climb this with difficulty and then onto the face above and through rightwards to a large flake. Climb this to a stance on the left.

3. 30m (F3) Climb the recess on the left to a grassy ledge where a scramble to the right leads to easy ground and convenient abseil trees.

The climb starts 10m to the right of where the boundary fence terminates against the rock face. This is about 100m to the right of the start of Hanglip Frontal.

1. 25m (F2) Ascend the steep recess to a ledge on top of a protruding spike.

2. 20m (G1) Continue up awkwardly on thin holds, move over to the left and climb up to some chockstones.

3. 25m (F3) Continue up to a small tree under an overhang. Climb the recess above and exit out to the left. Move diagonally left then up a recess to a stance.

4. 30m (F2) Climb the recess above to just below overhangs. Traverse awkardly left around a bulge until it is possible to climb up diagonally right then up through a break to a stance at a small fig tree.

5. 45m (F2) Ascend the corner above for 3m then traverse right about 6m. Climb up to the grass band. The top section goes up the very prominent recess which goes straight to the top (to the right of the leaning pillar). Beacon.

6. 25m (F3) Climb up on left then back right into recess. Climb a small overhang (fixed peg below) and continue up passing a smooth open book until reaching a cave.

7. 22m (F3) Climb out on the right side of the cave then up to a ledge.

8. 40m (G2 A0) Climb the recess above, move slightly right then back left into upper recess. Climb delicately up to under an overhang. Pull up onto a narrow ledge using one aid handhold (A0). Continue delicately up to a small open book. Move up then right and through a crack to a ledge. Climb up a crack then diagonally right to a ledge beneath an overhang.

9. 25m (G3) Move up and strenuously climb the overhang. Continue up the stepp recess (F3) until it is possible to climb right and up to a ledge.

10. 40m (E1) Climb to the top.

Notes:

1. This climb is poorly protected. In some places don’t even think of falling.

2. Micro’s are essential.

BAPM takes a fairly direct line up the buttress opposite the deep 'pothole pool'. Scramble up to small flat overhangs on the lower grey section of the buttress.

1. 15m 10 Climb past the overhangs on the left, step to the right and continue straight up to a large ledge below steep red and black rock.

2. 25m 19 Climb up 2m then undercling to the right to the left hand side of two cracks which form the candleflame shape as seen from below. Move up to the top of the 'flame' and continue up to the right to belay on a small ledge next to a tree.

3. 25m 7 Move around to the right into the main corner, which is followed to large ledges (this portion is common with MARTHA). Climb to the right to the ledge at the foot of the appealing final crack, which runs up a zone of red rock right of an overhang.

4. 25m 21 Follow the crack as it curves up to the right. When it fades, move up and to the left beneath the grey overhang. Traverse to the left past a dubious block until the top can be reached by climbing steep grey, lichen-covered rock (18A1).

Notes:

1. There are rap bolts at the top. Need replacement leaver biners or maillons. One 60m rap puts you back on the ledge at the start of pitch 2 from where its straightforward to scramble down.

2. It makes sense to do this route in two pitches – scramble past the 1st pitch on the right, and link pitches 2 and 3.

This short route is on the west face of a large boulder on the true left of the valley directly below the cave. Standing in the cave, the boulder is below (south) of the striking, bulgy wall, directly across the valley. The route climbs the A-shaped corner.

1. 15m 20 After Tricky take-off, climb corner to rail. Finish up left on jugs.

Descent: Scramble down the back of the boulder.

Start about 2 m left of Grand Illusion. Climb up then follow the grips up and leftwards to get gear on the arete. Finish up rightwards to top out. This was opened on pre-placed gear. Gear is minimal and not very good.

Climbs the face just to the left of GRAND ILLUSION.

1. 15m 21 Start a metre left of GRAND ILLUSION and head up the face, trending left. Place gear at a vague rail on the arête and then finish up right. Notes:

2. Gear is marginal. Opened on pre-placed gear.

3. Opened on an international MCSA meet, gritstone-style. Steve is from the UK.

Descent: As for GRAND ILLUSION.

A short overhanging finger crack on a buttress on the true left of the AVALON valley, opposite GRAND ILLUSION. The buttress faces south east.

1. 10m 21 Climb the crack.

Descent: Scramble off the back of the buttress.

This states enough thin layers of clothing worn at night obviate the need for a sleeping bag in winter at Blouberg. Its corollary says that enough poor protection before a long runout obviates the need for cowboy action on the route. The validity of both have been questioned.

1. 25m 21 Start 5m left of CRAG RATS AGAINST MILEAGE. Climb the corner crack until it ends. Ascend a further 4m to a questionable peg. Move left along the thin seam/rail to place more gear. (Peg, small Metolius and Walnut 0, 00). Climb up to the undercling and continue up to the ledge.

Notes:

1. If you are as short as Lobster, this is impossible. If you have a psyche problem, don't bother. Now sports a bolt (the bolt is most likely dubious by now)

Start about 500m left of the base of the ramp below a drip coming from an overhang about 40m up. Start on a boulder about 10m left of a large tree with a white bark. There is a small tree on the face about 8m up.

1. 25m 19 Straight up, through a diagonal L to a corner. Up the corner for a few metres, then right to a ledge.

2. 15m 21 Diagonally up and left to below a roof. Pull through and up to a semihanging belay.

3. 20m 20 Traverse right around the nose, and upwards past a drip.

4. 25m 16 Climb up and right to a cabbage tree. Traverse right to break, then up to a ledge. Traverse 5m left below a crack.

5. 15m 20 Climb steep crack to ledge then move 5m left, and down to below chimney.

6. 25m 17 Climb up chimney. Then left through overhang and up to a ledge/cave just below corner.

7. 45m 19 Start on right, up corner to below roof, then traverse left to arête. Up over easy ground to burned grass ledge.

8. 45m 10 Up diagonally left over pleasant clean rock to traverse level, traverse left to below chimney.

9. 25m 16 Up chimney then up through bush to top. Crawl 45 to 50 seconds (i.e. less than one minute!) stroll to pool at top of rock.

Start 20m left of LOST TRIBE at the base of a blunt arête. A steep corner can be seen about 10m up. Cairn.

1. 35m 19 Climb up diagonally left for a few metres over juggy rock (loose looking, but mega solid). Climb up to corner, climb it for about 6m, then move out left onto the arête, then straight up to a small stance.

2. 25m 19 Straight up for a few meters then traverse right and up (airy), and along a ledge until about 4m left of the 3rd pitch of LOST TRIBE (i.e. the big corner to the right). Climb up and left, then straight up to a stance on top of some blocks below a steep crack.

3. 20m 20 Climb the steep rock and crack above to a roof. Move 2m left and pull up through onto a ledge above. Walk 5m left.

4. 20m 19 Climb the crack/recess to a roof. Pull through the roof and move right and up to a stance on a small ledge below a flake.

5. 35m 21 Climb the corner/flake to the roof and make long moves right to gain a jug. Pull up then move 2m left to a shallow corner. Up the corner and the one above to until one can climb easily up to the left to a large scoop below a roof. Traverse about 5m left to stance on a narrow ledge.

6. 20m 19 Climb the crack above the stance to another ledge (8m). Move left then climb the steep face/crack above to a ledge. Scramble up from the stance to a bushy ledge. Bash to the chimney gully about 10m right and climb the tree and arête above to take you to ledges and gullies that are part of the LOST TRIBE scramble. Bash/climb to the summit. A casual stroll (via the maze) brings you back to the campsite.

Start in the obvious recess left of LOST TRIBE.

1. 21 Climb the recess to a stance common with LOST TRIBE.

A short route with excellent climbing starting 1m right of the main recess.

1. 35m 18 Move up slightly right to the bottom of an obvious crack, is climbed until able to veer left to the base of a recessed crack which is climbed to a stance on loose blocks.

2. 15m 21 (18A2) Traverse 6m left to below the first break through the overhang. Aid up, with 3 nuts, to a large ledge.

3. 35m 16 Climb up the recess until forced to exit right. Traverse 10m right and them up to stance on a block.

4. 20m l8 From the block drop down and traverse 2m right to below a crack. Climb the superb crack until able to move right onto a ledge with blocks.

5. 45m 16 From the right of the stance move diagonally up to a rail. Rail right then climb up to a tree in the gully. Scramble off to top of the maze.

Notes:

1. Variation: 4. 25m 20 Instead of moving right, continue straight up crack to ledge on the left with chains. 2 abseils take you back to the ground.

Start about 125 metres right of the base of the descent ramp. The initial cornercrack is situated 30 metres right of a large right-facing dihedral, and 15 metres left of an orange slab capped by an arch.

1. 42m 17 Climb the corner-crack for a few metres, and continue up the rightleaning break to a ledge. Step off a short pillar on the right, turn the overhang, and traverse left to move up to a stance a few metres beneath a long roof. One is now a couple of metres left of the start.

2. 25m 20 Climb diagonally left over red rock, then rail left around an arête using a dubious looking block. Climb up and right to a steep recess which is used to pull through the roofs to a ledge on the right.

3. 40m 19 Move up the left-leaning ramp from the left end of the ledge to beneath the overhang. Traverse right until able to pull through the overhangs. Climb diagonally leftwards, then blast straight up the grey face (not much pro) to easier rock and the highest ledge, a few metres beneath on obvious triangular roof.

4. 40m 17 Move up a couple of metres, then right to cross the prominent lefttrending gully-ramp. Climb diagonally right to gain a short chimney which is used to reach ledges above.

5. 45m 17 Walk right a few metres. Climb up and traverse left to the arête beneath the left end of a large roof. Climb up and right to negotiate the bulge above the roof. Climb the crack and continuation corner above, then move right and up into a shallow alcove. Exit left and climb a corner to a small ledge on the left beneath a large roof.

6. 35m 19 Traverse right beneath the roof, around the arête to a narrow ledge. Go right until able to gain the diagonal break leading up leftwards, through a small yellow wood tree. Continue traversing leftwards around arête (some way out in space) then climb a grey recess to a stance.

7. 45m 18 Move left and up, and traverse back right into a recess. Climb up to a crack, which is climbed past a small tree. Keep left and climb up until able to rail right to easier ground. Continue to the end of the rope.

Scramble to the top

A sustained climb on excellent rock, which ascends between LEFT FACE and GREAT GULLY. Start 15m right of the leftward slanting recess about 80m right of the alternate start of LEFT FACE, and 80m left of the GREAT GULLY. Start at a boulder below a prominent tree 25m up, which is just to the right of a large overhang stretching leftwards to the leftward-slanting recess. The first two pitches may be avoided by scrambling (7/10) up the recess to the large grass ledge.

1. 45m 16 Climb straight up to a slight arête and climb this, passing about 5m to the right of the prominent tree, to a ledge on the right. Climb the face above, bearing slightly left to stance.

2. 40m 16 Head straight up then left near the top, to the vast grass ledge from which the leftward-slanting ramp of the middle section of LEFT FACE starts. Walk leftwards across the top of the leftward-slanting recess mentioned in the start, and scramble up from a point 30m further left (about 20m right of the start of the ramp). Scramble up 10m and then 8m right to the foot of a prominent rock slab leaning against the face, leading to a small overhang 6m up.

3. 45m 19A2 Climb left-hand edge of slab for 3m. Swing right and climb slanting crack to overhang. Step back down and right to crack at right-hand side of slab. Climb to overhang past some loose flakes, and continue up shallow depression above using two aid points. Climb delicately to a rail. Swing left and up into corner and move up 2m to stance. Move diagonally right for 2m to crack which is climbed for 2m before swinging back left on small holds and moving up the shallow corner to below small overhang. Climb overhang crack above (crux - originally aided) and continue up and slightly left to awkward resting place right of two small trees. Step left on detached block and move up to ledge between the two trees. Move diagonally up right and continue up small recess to stance on the left.

4. 25m 19 Hand traverse right for 8m to prominent leftward slanting recess. Climb this, past an overlap on the left, to stance. Continue up leftward slanting recess to ledge below smooth face. Stance on the left.

5. 40m 20 Traverse 8m right to first recess through face above. Climb up 4m to small overhang and step left to base of shallow recess above. Move up, swing right on small holds and climb up awkwardly to a resting point (crux). Continue up recess above to stance on comfortable ledge above tree.

6. 35m 19 Step right and climb up to crack on the left of large slab. Climb crack and continue up shallow depression above (crux) to where angle eases. Continue up another 5m then traverse left for about 8m to tree in main recess. Scramble up leftwards along bushy ramp and continue leftwards on exposed but easy rock for about 80m to point just before shallow recess leading up from below.

7. 55m 9 Climb up on right-hand side of recess until able to traverse across it and continue traversing leftwards over pleasant rock to the top.