Routes as trad in Paarl Rock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FZ4iTP48pY

The offwidth 6m left of Illearth Stone.

Climb the seam splitting the middle of the boulder.

Gear: Rack of nuts and a hammer just in case the (permanent) piton is loose.

Climb the finger crack 5m right of The Illearth Stone, continuing up diagonally right and then to the top.

On the right hand side of the boulder is an undercut roof split by a crack. Climb the crack and finish through the offwidth further up.

Start below the Y-shaped crack system.

1. Move up the chute taking the left-hand break halfway up, continue on to stance amongst several blocks above.

2. Climb the chute on the left for 8m (above right is a 30cm wide ledge). Chimney up with your back towards the ledge until sitting on the ledge. Wriggle along on your bum until you can reach up left for a flake, pull up and traverse right into another groove.

Start below the Y-shaped crack system.

1. Climb the chute taking the right-hand branch.

2. Move right up a vague crack and on to the summit.

Start 35m right of Absence of Compassion.

1. (A0) Climb the face, using one point of aid through the crack.

2. Continue up and slightly right.

3. Scramble to the top.

The first crack just right of Turmoil of the Skin.

Between 'Cadeau' and Cannonfodder. A hard start leads to a flared crack and then good #4 and #3 Camalot. Traverse right and up across the face (no pro) to the excellent flake which goes all the way to the ledge. A fall just before the flake would be very serious. Use chains on 'Turmoil of the Skin' to abseil.

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.

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 chimney.

4. Exit right and scramble to the top.

1. [5B,C], Shared with Skywalk.

2. [7B,C]

3. [5B,C]

4. [3B,C], Shared with Skywalk.

5. [4B,C], Shared with Skywalk.

6. [6B,C], Shared with Skywalk.

The first chimney / large groove about 30m down the slope.

Start: As for Josef's Birthday Party.

1. Climb the dyke until it eases off and you can see where the second pitch (a traverse) breaks to the right. A belay is found higher up the dyke.

2. Traverse right to a small stance and (bad) crack for a (useless) peg.

3. Do an easy traverse up and to the right to reach a large dyke / chute.

4. Follow the chute until it steepens abruptly.

5. Continue up the chute or creep up the right-hand wall to the ramp above.

6. Climb the ramp to the crest.

7. Six meters left of the final pitch of Weasel there are some small holds which can be used to pull up to the top.

Start: 40m right of Josef's Birthday Party on top of a large boulder leaning against the face.

1. Climb the chute to a vague pocket in the chute. An old peg may be found about five meters up on the left. Belay from a large nut in the chute.

2. Continue up the chute to a large flake.

3. Continue up the crack until it fades out; traverse left into the next crack, and continue to the top of the crack.

4. Down the other side of the crack are small layaway grips which enable you to reach the top.

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

Start: 15m left of Carlito's Route, 4m right of a little quartz knob. Climb (solo) the slab moving through a first and then second bulge in the rock.

"Make it a real challenge and do it in your approach shoes" Start just left of Carlito's Route and follow (solo) the easiest line to the top.

"Not sure what this was supposed to be?"

Start by aiding (A1) up on three well camouflaged studs (bolt without hanger) to reach a twin crack system. From here free climb up. Old bolts!

Takes the vertical crack just left of 'Catharsis'. A #4 Camalot useful. Trad route with bolted anchor at the top of the crack.

Climb the crack 15m to the right of Little Dutch Boy. (Just right of Majola to rap chains)

"BEWARE!! A true alpine adventure, only for experienced climbers!" Start: About 50m right of Wonderland is a large gully system.

1. Climb the ramp / crack, then traverse left into gully, moving past a chockstone to belay from another higher up.

2. Continue up the chimney until a 'hidden valley' is reached.

3. Climb the ramp on the left, then move diagonally left up the slab into a chute, and follow this up to belay from a rock in a large cubby.

4. Follow the easy slab on the right up to another cubby above.

5. 1 Bolt. Move right heading for a ramp with small holds, carefully choosing your route over this steep bit, making your way to a bolt further up and then on to a bolted stance about 20m higher.

6: Scramble to the top.

Gear: Large hexes are useful on the first 2 pitches.

Partially bolted with old bolts!

An old classic following a diagonal rib of quartz.

P1 is normally climbed as a stand alone pitch and is a strong contender for the best single pitch at Paarl. P2 has no pro, is dirty and dangerous!

1. [5 Bolts & +-15 Slings], Climb the amazing diagonal rib using a combination of bolts and slings used to hook the large quartz jugs.

2. Continue following the chute / groove to the top (no pro). There is a halfway stance on the first pitch for abseiling.

Climb the roof crack, taking the left hand break (thin). At the slab, traverse right up the corner to finish.

Start as for Strange Attractor, taking the right hand crack. Finish the same

Old bolts!

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

Old bolts!

Climb the crack and then past three bolts on a pockety face

Old bolts!

Climb the crack and then the scoop to chains.

Climb the slab / crack.

Climb the crack.

Descent

Start about 30m left of the Scramble.

1. Scramble up the left-hand edge of the bushy slabs and boulders to a plateau. Walk up to the Splitter Gully where a precariously jammed flake can be seen.

2. Move up the wall and traverse the large flake to belay near the summit.

Solo. No bolts. Start to the left of Gecko, on top a grouping of rocks.

1. Climb the slab straight up towards a distinct crack / flake after 15m join Dyke's 2nd pitch (ignore bolts) which leads up to the large plateau above.

2. Climb the furthermost crack to the right (the easy recess just to the right is the "Gordon's Rock Scramble") to a ledge, on past a tree and up slabs to the summit.

Troll and Dyke overlap for Dykes 2nd pitch.

Solo, no protection. Take off from a rock 4m to the right of Dyke. Climb up to a crack / flake and continue straight up to the top. An easier variation moves out slightly left from the flake.

Partially bolted. Climbs the slab right of Belly Button Brigade, with two bolts protecting the steeper rock lower down and continuing unprotected to the top. Start a little ways up the gully or your belayer will run out of rope near the top.

Solo. No bolts.

Just right of a small wooded gully there is a very easy looking slab.

1. Climb the slab past a tree to the top of the block. Step off the block (possible walk-off).

2. On the left close to the block, near a patch of black rock, is a little edge; using the edge continue straight up.

1. 6 bolts

2. 3 bolts

Start 5m right of the large Splitter Gully.

1. Follow the leaning crack to a small ledge.

2. Continue up the easy slab to the top.

Start 15m to the right of the large Splitter Gully. Climb the chimney up to a ledge, and follow a large crack / recess to the top.

Start: The large recess / gully sandwiched between Big Yellow Flower and Project.

1. Follow the gully until it peters out higher up.

2. Move up right onto the slab continuing on to a large ledge; walk right and climb the easy slab to a single bolt stance.

Thin finger crack on the upper right portion of the wall

This route has a reputation and is seriously run out (re: Ed Feb's ankle). Starts in the first water groove right of the arête.

1. Climb the groove to a stance just below another chimney / groove.

2. Continue up the groove (no pro) until a scary move at the top gains the slabs leading to a bolt. Traverse about 13m left and climb a series of welcome flakes to a bolted stance.

3. Follow the slab up to a third bolt on a small scoop, move slightly right and up to a diagonal dyke. Follow this up until you reach some flakes above that are used to access a very large belay scoop.

4. Climb the slab up right of the scoop to reach the summit (no protection!!).

Samson opened this variation inadvertently when he went off route. He started with a rope and a partner but had to untie when his belayer reached the end of the rope. With no anchor in sight and no chance of downclimbing, Samson forged ahead into the unknown and into the realm of legend.

1. Shared with Sunset Warrior.

2. NOT PROTECTED. Climb the groove above, but instead of traversing left continue straight up the groove and then face to the crux at around 25m. Keep going until you run out of rope (untie from the rope) and solo up to the top. Belayer has to rap back down.

Climb the left hand side of the pillar up recesses

Climb the middle line on the pillar up recesses and cracks to the top.

Climb the big crack on the right formed by the pillar leaning against the face.

Climb the obvious crack / recess just left of Little Mouse. An extension is possible but will require the placement of rap chains (10mm holes have been drilled in anticipation).

This is an extension of the Stopykes Revenge crack, climbed as a single pitch with chains at the top. Take small cams and wires for the top.

Climb the right-hand side of the large flake and then follow the dyke to chains of 1st pitch of Scorched Earth.

There are two bolts at the bottom.You'll need some cams and then slings to lasso the horns on the dyke closer to the top.

Climb the long recess/chimney to the left of Jovian Thunderbolts (chains at the top).

Notoriously run out. Take an extra pair of underpants!

1. 6 bolts.

2. 2 bolts.

3. 3 bolts.

"The two Jeremy's were in fact the first to climb the upper Sands of Time traverse dyke but instead accessed it via a large flaring crack coming in from the right" Start: Either climb the first pitch of Sands of Time, or scramble up into the Splitter Gully. The route begins below a large crack / groove moving up diagonally left.

1. No bolts. Climb the potted face to gain the diagonal crack / groove and follow it left to the 2nd stance of Sands of Time.

2. 4 Bolts. As for Sands of Time.

3. 7 Bolts. As for Sands of Time.

Start below a large gully full of boulders. Keeping left, move up the gully until you reach several large pockets in the rock, continue up these for 3m until you can traverse right along a ledge into a small alcove. From here use the large 'jug-chockstone' to access the 'Wastelands Ledge' above. An abseil point for the three routes that finish on the Wastelands Ledge can be found near the top-out of Lock 'n Load; or scramble back down Avalanche.

Start from a rock leaning against the face. Climb the juggy recess up towards a little tree 25m up, continue on past the abandoned bolts and up a crack to belay from a tree positioned on the large Wastelands Ledge above.

Gear: Hexes and slings.

"Strange route but worth it for the amazing headwall crack above!" Climb the tree to a bolt, get on the wall and climb up to a crack, then diagonally left using edges to a bolt. Aid (A0) through the overhanging crack using 2 bolts and continue climbing the crack when you can place the first piece of gear.

Gear: Slings, small to medium cams, rack of nuts and extra mid-range nuts. Double ropes help reduce rope drag.

Interesting feature. Very three dimensional.

Start up the wide flared crack to pass the small tree. Continue up the slanted crack system which becomes a hand crack. Exit the crack to the left to below massive guillotine flake. Straddle this and the opposite wall to easier ground and a bolted anchor. Abseil is ±33m and requires a 70m rope.

Gear: Double #4 cam and triple #3, #2 and #1 suggested. Route idea and name by Stewart Noy.

1. "That Thing". This pitch is not bolted! It is a trad line, consisting of 40m of crack climbing, mostly offwidth. Consistently size 4 BD cams. You will need about 10 to 12 cams of that size. Near the top of the crack (around 30m) there are some anchors so that the line can be climbed as a stand alone pitch. The official end of the pitch is several meters past the toprope anchors, at a bolted stance. The second pitch starts past Crystal Chronicals, after scrambling up several blocks leaning against the face.

2. "The Wasteland". 45m, grade 20, 6 bolts. (Note: Crystal Chronicles joins this pitch at bolt no. 2)

3. 5 bolts.

Note: Several bolts were placed by unknown persons on the lower portion of the first pitch and need to be removed.

"Remains wet long after a rainy winters day"

1. Climb the crack.

2. Continue up the crack to the top.

Grovel your way up the first off-width corner.

"A dirty, sharp, loose and grovelly crack" - Andy de Klerk

Possibly one of the best at Paarl and possibly the first of its grade in South Africa.

Gear: Small cams, rack of nuts and extra small to medium nuts.

Possibly the most sandbagged 22 you will ever ave the pleasure of dogging up!

To access this route, start the hike towards Belly Button sector. Continue around the rock face on a bushy "path" and around some big boulders. Scramble up towards a small forest with bigger trees. This gem will be to the left of the small forest.

1. Stem your way up. Note on gear: small/micro nuts and small cams. Nuts are the best choice given the depth of the crack.

Easy scramble to the top of Gordon's Rock.

Enter the large cave and climb up the back to a skyline opening, taking the line of least resistance. Continue to the top via some boulders on the left and then carved steps.

Starts as for Ruby in the Dust and then continues up the offwidth

Climb the left-hand side of the flake past 3 bolts, finishing up the crack.

The opposite side of the flake starting from a ledge up to bolted chains.

The boulder can be seen 100m down left from Umkhonto we Sizwe. Traverse in from the right and climb the crack.

Climb the short short hand crack to chains.

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

Start up the crack, then climb out left along a crack until you are able to stand on ledge and finish up the crack.

Short high ball crack.

"The name says it all - Yosemite-style hand-jamming up a slightly overhanging crack"

Gear: Several large cams and a couple hexes.

Climb the thin corner crack to a compulsory mantle onto the slope, and finish up an easy off-width that leads to the top of the slab.

Gear: Small nuts and cams for the crack and mid-sized cams for the belay.

"Jugs aplenty, but scarce on gear" Scramble up the slabs and climb the prominent lightning bolt crack.

1. Head up the slab aiming for a prominent tree belay.

2. Continue up the slab for 10m and climb a vertical crack (#6 friend), and follow the slabs to a horizontal crack to belay from a bush.

Scramble 20m up from the road to a tree.

1. Climb the off-width.

2. Continue up the easy off-width.

1. 4 bolts

2. 5 bolts

3. 6 bolts

4. 3 bolts. Move diagonally right using slabs between the little bushes to an anchor

5. 4 bolts. Go slightly left up steeper slabs, then continue left of a large bush to an anchor.

6. 3 bolts. Climb straight up to a bolt, then diagonally right to the start of the steep upper sections.

7. 11 bolts

8. 5 bolts

9. 6 bolts

10. 3 bolts