Its November we’re in South Africa’s sport climbing paradise, Waterval Boven, but apparently this is not the best time of year to be here. It’s raining as another highveld thunderstorm cruises through the valley. Sitting in our chalet at Tranquilitas drinking whiskey, I decide to interview one of our local climbing heroes, The Flex…
Archive | Articles RSS feed for this section
The Mental Toughness Error
Craig was pumped and needed to make a decision quickly. His last protection was a bolt ten feet down and to his right. He couldn’t see the crack for his next protection placement, but he knew it was just over the bulge above him.
Montagu and De Bos flood info
With the exception of the Montagu Springs, Montagu and surrounding areas are all back to normal. All services, shops and roads are running and life is back to normal.
Dave Drummonds accounts of the PETZL Rock & Road Trip (Final Day)
It had been a busy week, with lots to keep the Rock and Road climbers busy, Indoor Comps, mentor days, flash contests and ferocious red-pointing. They had all had a day of rest and now the finalists had one last day of climbing to prove their mettle. Before long things were falling into place, with the big screen and cameras getting ready to roll.
Astroman
Yosemite is home to one of the most concentrated collections of trad Crack climbs in the world. The route Astroman is arguably the most famous route of its kind and is just hard enough or easy enough to entice or inspire any seasoned or “wanna be” trad climber.
ACRA showdown
The vibe on the ledge was incredible and the crowd on the viewpoint over the valley enjoyed the action.
Historical references on baboons in the Cape Peninsula
Historically a number of troops were removed from the peninsula mountain chain either for management purposes or for medical research. Fortunately this practice was stopped and made illegal in the peninsula in the 1990’s.
World’s Steepest Big Wall?
John and Anne Arran have just returned from their most adventurous big-wall expedition yet. They climbed the first ever ascent of Amurí tepui in Venezuela up a clean wall near the line of an incredible 600m waterfall which is so off the beaten track it doesn’t even yet have a name!
Clinton Martinengo Interview
Clinton Martinengo is at the top of his game right now, he’s climbed and opened numerous routes around South Africa and now he is in the United States for an international climbing meet, a Yosemite trip and then some… I spoke to Clinton Martinengo the day before he left for Yosemite whilst the Spring storm [...]
Jimbo Smith Interview
Four of us huddle under the only shady bush for lunch at Joe’s Garage in Keur Kloof, Montagu, it’s an unusually warm Spring day, too hot to climb and so the interview with local hero ‘Jamie (Jimbo) Smith’ begins..
New Cimbing Area at Vanrhynsdorp
The crags have not been officially named yet, so as of yet, all that I can give you is the photos and that it is close to Vanrhynsdorp.
Exposure 1 Climbers 0
It all started in the ‘shack’ over a few beers, as most things do. Andy, a friend of mine out from England, asked if I’d do exposure with him and of course it seemed a good idea at the time. The valley had just burnt so the walk in shouldn’t be too bad, therefore it should be a great day out, because as you all know, the only tough part of exposure is the walk in and the walk out. Hmmm.
MCSA 2007 Supertramp Award
The entries for the 2007 MCSA Supertramp Award was very varied and ranged from super-long local hikes, exploring wild unclimbed African crags and mountaineering abroad.
Verdon, The Epic
We’d been up since 4am in order to get to the airport and catch the flight – so we decided to take it easy for the first climb and do a four pitch 4c. This was my first ‘proper’ big wall, multi-pitch climb – so for me it was a chance to get used to hanging belays and rope management. So much fun to be had …
New Ice Climb at Giants Castle
For the past six years I have been waiting for the Shisa gully at Giants Castle to come into condition to make an ascent of this previously unclimbed route. Only the final pitch had been climbed in the past and by top-rope only. This left the rest of the gully waiting for a complete ascent.
Lehlo Ho Nolo – Ice Climbing in Lesotho
Greg (Borman) and Mark Millar went to Lesotho last weekend to learn how to ice climb. Unfortunately it was too warm and the icefall we were hoping to climb was still very much a waterfall!
Climbing Shoes – (how to make em stick)
Listed below are Frequently Asked Questions about how to fit your climbing shoes:
Competition climbing VS Fun climbing
Sportclimbing on bolts has allowed us to push ourselves, and competitions should first and foremost motivate climbers to perform at their peak regardless of how hard they climb. I must concede that I will never win a climbing competition…
Call for Helipad to Aid Mountain Rescues
THE tragic climbing accident in which top Cape Town climber Hugh Stevens was critically injured last Friday has again brought into sharp focus not only the risks attached to having a wilderness area in our backyard, but also the heroic and often unsung work done by the rescue volunteers.
MCSA – The Legacy of the Apartheid Years
Most Club members are aware that during the apartheid years the Cape Town Section conformed to the socio-cultural norms of the time. It was an exclusively white organisation, which had also previously excluded Jewish people.
-
Bolt issue on Kalymnos
-
Space Race – a new route on Table Mountain
-
New Cederberg Hiking map – Names update
-
Alien vs. Predator. a.k.a. a review of the new BD X4 Cams
- Brian sending ‘Just Behrly’
