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Gustav
PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2008 3:31 pm 
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I think all the hard routes (including Jabberwocky 33!) went down. Perhaps only Frazzle and Lab Rat (32's) did not see any ascents.

I lost track of who did what, so you guys that were here over this long and memorable weekend, please help me out to keep track?

PS Danny Pinkas also fell, but we'll put that on another thread... :pale:

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Flex
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PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2008 3:45 pm 
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Mr Pedley started a thread a while ago about a sport climbing renaissance and this is surely a continuation of that. I must say it is very exciting and motivating. I think there is a definite psychological factor when one hears that people are sending hard routes which spurs others to send harder as well.
Now, who is going to open the first 8c+ and 9a in SA?...
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Flex
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PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2008 4:27 pm 
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Further challenges to the strongmen (and ladies) of the North...
1) It's been a long time since I heard of a repeat of Satan's Temple (if ever) and Joy Division at Boven.
2) Tomahawk, 28, at Wigwam (next to Fernkloof) is awaiting a second ascent and there are 3 more lines that have been bolted there that are awaiting first ascents and will all be 29 or harder. As far as I know, all are open projects.
Get out there!
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nosmo
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PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2008 5:37 pm 
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And a couple of projects (open as far as I know) at Chosspile...From the Guide on saclimb:

Quote:
Central 'cave' area
OPEN PROJECT [B,A]
Was Sean Cremen's project but is now open, has the first bolt placed at the base. Starts 2m right of GOLLUM and angles slighlty right to join BULLY FOR BRONTASAURUS. Ends on same chains as BULLY.

BULLY FOR BRONTASAURUS 29 *** [10D,A]
Scramble up to the big cave in the middle of the crag. Move left to where you will see the first bolt. Move out and left onto the face.
First Ascent: Peter Lazarus

PIETER'S PROJECT [B,A]
Pieter Martin's project started in 2001. Scrambles up as for BULLY FOR BRONTASAURUS and then right from the cave, through the roof on the first x bolts of Richard's old project and then up the bulge to the top.
First Ascent: BB Pieter Martin

OPEN PROJECT [B,A]
Starts from the same cave as BULLY heading right through the roofs. This will be fairly hard and the rusted bolts need to be replaced. Please use stainless steel Hilti anchors! This was Richard Lord's old project.

---------------------snip---------------------------------

FOSSIL FUEL 32 *** [B,A]
Starts on some smooth coloured rock on the sloping slab about 5-6m left of GRIMSLADE. Some thin moves tending leftward and up to the roof and then through it. Not great for lowering off, take care. Some of the drop-in bolts also need replacing. Just before going for the big pinch there was a drilled pocket which was never used in any of the ascents and is now filled up to avoid cheating.
First Ascent: 2000 Ralph Brucher (BB Peter Lazarus)

RALPH'S PROJECT [B,A]
Ralph Brucher's project just right of FOSSIL FUEL started a few years back! This one is also into the thirties, probably harder than FOSSIL FUEL.

OPEN PROJECT [B,A]
Project bolted by Pieter Martin just right of RALPH'S PROJECT, this is into the thirties!

COLIN CRABTREE'S PROJECT [B,A]
The steep line between GRIMSLADE and PIETER MARTIN'S PROJECT, this will probably go in the thirties too. Started by Colin in 2002.


Any takers?
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nosmo
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:16 am 
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Routes that went:

Clinton got Strata 32, Beast 31, Jack of all trades 30, Monster 29

Simon Lowe nailed Jabberwocky 33, Hypertension 30, Chocolate Eclair 29

Apparently Ben Harper was around as well... Ben did you get anything interesting?
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Flex
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:35 am 
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I believe Ben Harper did Snapdragon 29, as did Steve Bretherick and Scott Sinclair did Jack of all Trades 30.
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Flex
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:47 am 
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I believe it may be time to give some more route/access info about Wigwam to those who don't know...

You drive through the gate to the Wigwam Hotel which is about 1km from Fernkloof, sign in and tell the guard you are there to climb and park by the entrance to the hotel. Remember that you have to report to the Hotel reception and pay for a day pass (I think it is R20 per person).

You then walk back along the road and turn right as soon as the rough bush becomes golf course. Stick to the edge of the golf course until you get to the tee. From there you will see an obvious path that trends right and leads you straight into the kloof.

The routes are as follows if you walk in this way (ie starting from downstream):

Running Bare - Open project (Mark Millar)

Tomahawk - 28 FA Marc Efune

Rest of routes are above a big boulder that you must scramble up...

Last of the Mohicans - Open project (Marc Efune)

Andy's Line - Open project (Andrew Pedley)

Siouxsie and the Banshees - 26 FA Marc Efune

Return of the Bison - 25 FA Greg Bormann (starts from boulder with 1st 2 bolts clipped)

Return of the Bison Direct Start - Open project (Greg Bormann - the direct start to Return of the Bison - may require an additional bolt)

Buffalo Come! - 24 FA Mark Millar


The routes are shortish (around 8/9 bolts) and steep and power/power-endurance is the name of the game. I believe there are some cool routes there but then perhaps I am biased.

Have fun and please look after the place and obey the simple rules listed above,
Flex
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Jaydy
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:13 am 
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Hey Flex,

Are the routes at Wigwam the same style of climbing as at Fernkloof (Strong Arm, Vandals, etc.)?
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Flex
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:39 am 
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Hey Jaydy, the climbing is similar but the wall is less featured than Fernkloof, so it can be quite technical and powerful.
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polkadot
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:26 pm 
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Flex wrote:
Last of the Mohicans - Open project (Marc Efune)


There's a route at Peer's Cave also called Last of the Mohicans. Opened by M Smigelskis...
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Flex
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 3:34 pm 
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Polkadot, I think it will be fine as the Mohican of Wigwam is a different kind of Mohican.
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oOdball
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 4:00 pm 
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Flex wrote:
Polkadot, I think it will be fine as the Mohican of Wigwam is a different kind of Mohican.


Would have to be, otherwise neither Mohican could definitively be the 'last'..

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Wes B
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 4:08 pm 
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There is also a huge wall in the upper area of chosspile that looks like it could be 9a but it is huge and overhanging has anyone else seen it?
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nosmo
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 4:57 pm 
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Not The Catwalk...?
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andrew p
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PostPosted: Thu May 08, 2008 5:06 pm 
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Satans temple would be fantastic send - pretty sure its NEVER been repeated, although 29 in the book, its actually 31, I spoke to a friend of Sefan Glowacs the other day. I tried it half heartedly once, its brick hard and a beautiful line. Then a repeat of Lab rat would be a big tick, Bovens hardest route I reckon, jabberwocky is 8b (32) not 8b+, just about everyone who has done it has indicated such so lets keep it real. The really hard stuff is to be found in WigWam, all hell will break loose when the durbs and capies get in there! Its blank, short and steep; a power climbers dream crag.
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African Climber
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PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:29 am 
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Gustav,
any news on Danny? :shock:
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Flex
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PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2008 9:26 am 
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Well said Andy! Those projects at Chosspile definitely need to be opened too though...
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dannypinkas
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PostPosted: Fri May 09, 2008 11:47 am 
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Real Name: Danny Pinkas
I'm fine, AC, thanks for asking though. Got a bit of a fright, that's all.
I took about a 1m fall on the top pitch of Butterfly. The quickdraw, a Mamba in very good condition (hardly used) broke. Unfortunately, the next protection was a very long draw(the route traverses from the right through an arete onto a headwall). This ment that my fall was stopped by the rope going over a sharp jug and not the draw.
So, there I was in mid space with the rope over a sharp edge and looking in bad condition, having to decide whether it is better to be let down or to pull up. Who says sport climbing is less exciting than trad?
Gustav, who had only read of such events before, assured me that I do not need to go on the same diet as Carl K. He attributed the draw's failure to something called Cross Loading. I'm really not technically minded so it would be better if someone else tried to explain it.
There is a nice photo of Nureen on the route in the photo gallery. I fell from about a metere below where she is and the small feature on the lowest part of the arete is the feature that the rope got caught on.
All is good, though. 5 metres of rope, 1 draw and a slightly bruised rib were the only consequences of this rather dramatic event.
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Flex
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PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2008 12:19 pm 
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Last weekend, Andrew Pedley opened a new 8a right of Jabberwocky called Vorpal Sword. Word has it that this route may well be added to the list of Boven classics. Coveted 2nd ascent anyone?
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