I have been looking through the forum and have just one question, I am not a climber and am more interested in abseiling down a few cliffs. My question is, are the cliffs and routes described in the Gauteng area for climbing only or can you just abseil down them instead? If so which is the best cliffs to abseil only?

Thanks for your help.

Dude, you are missing out on the best part! Abseiling is the boring (and somewhat more dangerous) way to get back down after climbing up

Most climbing crags have top anchors so that you can be lowered down after climbing, in general these anchors are not easy to access from the top (i.e. without having climbed the route). Most climbers would prefer people to not be abseiling down the crag as your ropes have to be dropped down and then occupy a set of top anchors. If you were very polite and careful not to knock stuff off when coming down or getting to the anchors and the crag wasn't busy it'd probably be fine.

I don't know what the story with the crags in Gauteng is but here in the Cape it is really irritating if people abseil down the crag (Lower Silvermine for instance) rather than walking around.

_________________
Happy climbing
Nic

As Nic says access to the top anchors is often difficult (dangerous) and as careful as you might be the chance of knocking rocks down by accident is high.

Ideally you want to find a dedicated area for abseiling - not necessarily a different location but where you can place anchors higher up and not put the people below in risk.



Separate question re: Lower Silvermine abseil: Would it not be a good idea to move the abseil anchors at Lower Silvermine to a safer location?

I cringe every time I see people using the abseil!! Almost always there are people moving around, close to the edge who are not clipped in. It's a matter of time before someone goes over the edge unattached - whilst I don't really care for the lemming on top, I do feel for the innocent person below who may be taken out by the falling person from above.

_________________
Climb ZA - Administrator

Northcliff crag (not very high, as most crags in the area) has anchors right at the very top so there is no need for you to lean over the edge and risk becoming part of the scenery. It also doesn't see many people, so chances of pissing some one off are slim.

But as Nic said abseiling is honestly boring. Rather start climbing.

Would love to start the climbing bit but have stuffed right hand and very wobbly knees so not much chance there at least. Haging off a rope i can manage no problems at least! LOL

How about we move them to an even more difficult place to use and then everyone will be forced to walk around and not risk kicking ropes/dropping ropes onto those below?

As far as I know, those were never intended as abseil anchors and really are just the top anchors of the 14?/15? route hence their placement in a difficult to reach safely from the top area.

_________________
Happy climbing
Nic

The abseil does not need to be put at a location that is hard to access (most climbers walk in anyway), it just needs to be out of the way of climbers. I'm sure a safer, more convenient location could be found and setup with abseiling in mind.
I know a lot of new comers to climbing enjoy abseiling + it is a skill that needs to be learnt/practiced.

_________________
Climb ZA - Administrator

Are you talking about the abseil anchors above the 18/19 to the right of Alpha and Omega?

I have never used any others and the ones I mention are perfectly accessible if you clip in. They are in a silly place, though - right above the shade. Almost always, someone is directly below them or on the route below them. Also, the rope-drag you get when you have to pull through after abseiling on them is immense!

That Lower Silvermine path isn't the greatest, though. Nothing kills the ego quite like falling off a wobbly log and hurting yourself on the walk-out after climbing all afternoon on vertical faces with no problem.

Apparently there is a cool abseil that you can get to from Echo Valley (According to my Uncle). So you walk up, there is some cave on the left that you can walk through. You pop out the other side and on your left there is a "100m" cliff with nice natural anchors on top.

If anyone has any idea what I'm talking about maybe give a bit of a better description

_________________
Climb for life!

Here is the reply I got from my Uncle
"Park at PORTER str on boyes drive just before the end where echo vally path starts. Watch out ...they break into cars there regularly.
Follow path up and keep left where path crosses river, keep going up between the two valleys. There is a sign near the top that says . Boomslang cave. Take that path and find the small entrance to boom slang. Creep in and keep left on entering, go right through mountain. When you come out turn left down path and little way down on your right you will see very big boulders that we use as anchors. Creep over them and face is below you ...huge view of Clovely etc. Put slings around those boulders and use them. Let someone go down the path on the left and check that rope gets to bottom. There are a few ledges.
Good luck."

Hope that helps anyone wanting to do it, send me pics I am interested to see this mythological beast!

_________________
Climb for life!

An abseil exists everywhere that a cliff with potential for anchors at the top does...

_________________
Happy climbing
Nic