Boven News:

Gustav report: http://www.climb.co.za/news_detail.asp?newsid=539

Mark Millar report: http://www.climb.co.za/news_detail.asp?newsid=541

+ a new blogspot of 'South African Adventure' http://climbsouthafrica.blogspot.com/

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Andrew tells about Monster...

http://climb.co.za/news_detail.asp?newsid=543

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Anyone climb anything this weekend?

Went To Faulty Towers, climbed a few routes, the next day we went water skiing and I couldn't climb the next day due to sore muscles - everything still hurts!!

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Went climbing at the chosspile for the first time - the walk up was quite a mission (including three stray dogs who stood snarling at us and then luckily ran away - the dogs ran away.. not us .. okay almost )

We climbed Sauron and Aragon unfortunately we didnt bring helmets with us and the rock is quite \"blocky\" and jagged, looking at some of the run-outs if we fell the rocks would have stopped us before the belay so we didnt risk anything. By the way - someone has added an expansion bolt right before the chains on Sauron unfortunately the hanger is missing - would have been very nice to have something to clip there.

Had rain on Friday , no climbing... , then went to Pinnacle Gorge for the weekend . Managed to do 4 routes inbetween the rain... . Was sitting , sipping coffee and looking at the amazing view from behind the Pinnacle most of the time . Walked out in a bit of sunshine and left the farm in rain .

We waited in the rain on Hog 2(MCSA meet), then moved on to Mary. Lots more rain. Wet camp fires...wish guest was there. Opened 3 new routes. Pee-ed with rain & hailed in the middle of one of them. Fantastic weekend.

On Saturday Margherita kicked my lazy butt into gear and we headed up Clifton Crest, Lion's Head. My first time on the route....lovely stuff!! Thanks Mzzz Introna for helping me shake the cobwebs from my new rope (bought in Oct, used twice since....eish, I sense a long overdue new year's resolution coming on here!)!

Monday saw me, Mark Cowan, Micky Wizzzz, Brian Warshow, Georgia Court, and Margherita Introna heading up to Redhill for a spot of bouldering. I had the bright-eyes, but certainly not the bushy-tail, and hence did more chilling than climbing. The others cranked quite nicely though! Oh ja..... we got to gawk at Emile quietly cruising Elfen Lied-8a like it was a kiddies jungle gym..... reeespyect bro'!!

over the easter weekend, fridge and I headed off to Boven to do some awesome climbing! After spending a few evenings with some durbanites, dutch and french climbers, we managed to get onto some really awesome routes and had a great time! Although the weekend was somewhat chilled out, it was great!

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\"Because it's there\" - George Leigh Mallory
(March 1923, interview, The New York Times)

Visit The Mad Traveller!!!

I admit, I've been pretty lazy when it comes to climbing since Urban CRag closed. We do the odd trip to strubens

and we did the Rory Lowther at Swinburne but other wise pretty much no training.

I took my 3 year old son to the rory for his birthday and took some time helping him boulder. He had an absolute jol. It was really good to get out again.

I havent been entirely stagnent though. I was doing quite a bit of wakeboarding in summer and dirtbiking on weekends. also grab the odd sandboarding trip.

Really miss climbing though. I reckon we'll hit it again when it warms up and i can feel my fingers again.

Part of the reason for not climbing is also that I tore a tendon in my finger which just didn't heal. I'd rest it for months, climb when it seemed right, stuff it up and repeat. just kinda resigned myself to the fact that it will never be 100% so may as well grin and bear it!

lata

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Waynarky
http://www.extremelysa.co.za
Adventure Sports Directory and Mobile Climbing Wall.

Local lumber jack 'Jason Temple-Forbes' sent Up for Grabs (31) at Oudtshoorn last weekend. The route is 32 in the book, but general consensus is that its actually 31.

Jason says the route is one big endurance pump with no serious hard moves. He also bolted an extension to Phallic Mechanic, which he plans to open soon.


There seem to be a lot more routes/boulder problems above grade 30 going down recently. Who will be the next South African to send a route/problem over grade 30!

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Happy New Year Everyone!!

We'd like to compile a list of 'who's climbed what' for publishing.

Please send us your respective send(s) from the last month or two with your best picture attached
List the name of the route, grade and crag name.

Grade, type of climbing does not matter... send your news to us at info@climbing.co.za

Cheers,
Justin

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Where and what is that route in the pic on the first page of the thread.
thnx

I climbed out of bed this morning! But felt really heavy. Although I did manage the deadpoint for the snooze button, before falling.............zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Viruk: to the best of my knowledge that route (pic below) is Woza Moya (19) opened by Doug Ward on Feb 2003 at the Underside, Silvermine.

The underside topo can be found here


Photo by Riki Lawson

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Hummm, thank you. It looks quite exciting, I must pay it a visit next time I'm in the area

Yeah Viruk, thats a good route, it doesnt look that great from below but climbs really nicely. Underside has some of the best quality rock Ive ever climbed on - superb!

Ok here it is, this is what I have so far... if you have more sends, mail them to me or just reply on this post. Due to time and effort I haven't put any photos up here (however many of them are in the gallery)

Thanks to everyone who sent in their sends (it's nice to know whats happening in and around SA). The grades appear to be rising steadily, of particular note is the KZN crew who were pulling down hard at Oudtshoorn (I think all the guys in the party cranked all the 31's in the area) with the girls cranking hard too!

Happy 2009 everyone
Justin & Riki




Joost Swetter (from Holland)

Oudtshoorn:
Paws (26)
Bigfoot
Lost Safari (28)
Meno Paws
Seven (29)
Behr hug
Phalic Mechanic (24)
Mama Africa

Montagu
Point Break (29)
Thuster (27) (onsight)
The Activist (30)
Burning Chrome (29)
Nuromancer (23)
Cyber punk (25)
Twin fins (onsight)
Two 25's ??? (onsight)
Lady of Lourdes (27) (Jimbo's new route at Heaven route)
Holy Moly (26)


Naureen Goheer nailed her Nemesis Thruster (26) at Supertubes
Oudtshoorn:
Clintons Royal Flush (28/29)
Repeated lost safari (28) and MenoPaws (27 & 28)
Onsighted Unless First a Dream (25) at the Vision
And Wild and Wet on her second go (25)
Montagu:
Holy Moly (26) at the Steeple
Thruster (26)


Micky Wiswedel (who is coming off a shoulder injury) grabbed the 2nd accent of Jimbos new route at Oudtshoorn and much more...

Sid Vicious (27)
Johnny Rotten (27)
Skinny Legs and All (27) (2nd go and 2nd ascent)

Phallic Mechanic (24) Flash
Behr Hug (24) On Sight
Brother Bear (25) On Sight
Sisterhood (25) 2nd Go

Illona Pelser:
Sid Vicious (27)
Brother Bear (25)
Thruster (26)
Beautiful Day (25)


After a quick insult session from The Godfather (KZN's latest method of motivating one another) , Stuart Brown got his route 'My Route Down By The River' (unconfirmed 30/31) at Waterworld last week!
Stuart also ticked off 'The Optimist' (26) at the Scoop.
Regula Brown opened a new route at Waterworld called 'monkey see monkey do' (19) Left of Arendsig

Montagu local Boertjie/Scotsman Christo Van Zyl has been sending like crazy and should have Point Break under his belt in the next couple of days too...
His hit list below:
At the Scoop
Neanderthal Rex (27)
Cool Like That (29)
Twisted Steel (29)
Ben Dover (29)
Monkey Pump (29)
Not For Sale (31)
Optimist (27)

Another Montagu local, Danie Pienaar nailed Neanderthal Rex (27) and is working hard on Cool Like That (29)

Heinrich Kahl from KZN has impressive list
Oudtshoorn
Flashed Brother Bear (25)
Behr Hug (24)
Seven (29)
Lost Safari (28)
Sid Vicious (27)
Big Foot (26)
Paws (26)
Johnny Rotten (27)

Montagu
Burning Chrome (28 hard)
Flashed Cyber Punk (25)
Holy Moly (26 hard)
Onsighted 'Church of Fredirico' (23)


Jimbo Smith has been busy (and is the proud owner of a new drill)
He bolted and opened a 27 (28m, about 9 or 10 bolts and chains, called 'Skinny Legs'- and proposing calling the wall 'Skinny Legs and All') at Oudtshoorn on the overhanging walls about 100m to the left of the main climbing area (as you are facing the cliff).
Directions: Follow the path left of the main wall for about 100m to the deep (hidden) cave, then scramble up onto the plateau left of the cave. Its an awesome route - unlike anything else I've climbed.

He also bolted a closed project to the right of short circuit in Oudsthoorn (with a left hand finish to it). Feels pretty hard and he is keen to back on it soon.

In montagu he bolted and opened a 27 (Lady of Lourdes, ~25m 11B and chains) to the right of 'Wild and West' (25) (think that's the name) (i.e. Its the 4th route from the left of the main wall and uses the first 2 bolts of Wild and West). Also really cool. Sustained vertical climbing for the first half before pulling through a roof.

At Hilti Crag in Montagu he bolted a 25/called 'Drill Thrill'. Right hand most route (Short, 5 bolts and chains).

Jimbo's sends:I onsighted Automatic for the people at Milner in Dec 2008 (8 pitches of 25/26)
In Oudtshoorn he redpointed El Nino (30) & Up for grabs (31) in Nov 2008
Short circuit (31) & Seven (wimp finish) (29) in Dec 2008
In Montagu (Dec 2008) he redpointed
The Activist (30),
onsighted Sink the Pink (27)
At wigwam he redpointed Tomahawk (29)

At fernkloof, Faberge (28) and onsighted Vandals direct (27) Nov 2008

"Did a whole bunch of easy but F$%#ing scary run out slabs at Spitts koppe in September 2008 and climbed for a few weeks on the limestone sea cliffs of Portland, (Dorset, England) in August - did I mention that it rained a lot!!"

Justin and Riki Lawson bolted a line called 'The Boer and the Brit' at The Fort (down by the river) which goes at about grade 20/21 - however the route requires another 3/4 bolts (i.e. there are a few long leadouts still) - Don't visit this crag when the wind is blowing!
There are two trad routes (up the cracks) to the left of the route.

Julia Wakeling is busy trying hard to flash her Masters but took a break to go climbing and ticked off the following...
Not Yet Major (25) at Fawlty Towers (redpoint)
Basil the Rad (23) at Fawlty (onsight)

And then spent 3 days at Tafelberg for new year!
Onsighted Comes a time (20) in the decent gully (calling it a classic!)

Guy Hubbard and Steve Brethrick both sent Fossil fuel (32) at Chosspile mid December last yea !!

Yunus Davids has been a busy!!
2008.11.08 Fire Alarm (23) Silvermine, Fawlty Towers – Redpoint
2009.11.11 Don’t Mention the War (27) Silvermine, Fawlty Towers - Redpoint
2008.11.15 Not Yet Major (25) Silvermine, Fawlty Towers – Redpoint
2008.11.23 Not Yet Major (25) Silvermine, Fawlty Towers - Redpoint

2008.12.13 Thruster (26) Montagu, Supertubes - Redpoint
2008.12.13 Eddy of Bovidence (24) Montagu, Legoland - Redpoint
2008.12.13 Bolt Your Bitch (22) Montagu, Legoland – Redpoint
2008.12.13 Wax My Gun and Have Some Fun (21) Montagu, Supertubes - Redpoint

2008.12.14 Pink Bubbles Go Ape (22) Montagu, Ramset - Onsight
2008.12.14 Master of Rings (21) Montagu, Ramset – Onsight
2008.12.21 Roulette (20) Table Mountain, Fountain Ledge – Onsight
2009.01.01 Hannah’s Wine Tour (20) Montagu, Ramset – Onsight
2009.01.02 Leaptide (27) Montagu, Supertubes - Redpoint
2009.01.02 Slap and Tickle (21) Montagu, Legoland - Onsight


Ian Durbach and Stephen Davis opened a new line next to 'Danger Mouse' at the Spout on Tafelberg. The route goes at about grade 14 (surprisingly) and there are a couple of lines to the left that go at about grade 20 and 17 respectively

Roger Nattrass who was in Montagu on holiday with his family, onsighted 'Never Say Goodbye' (27) at Bosch

Overheard
"Who placed this bolt here?"
Sean Maasch on Thruster

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Hi All,

We at ClimbZA (and the greater climbing community) want to know what is happening out there!!
This is a request for you all to send in news as it happens - You can submit news via the following methods:

- Posting it in the forum
- Emailing it to news@climbing.co.za
- SMS to 072 431 4206 - you can send cell phone pics too

If its climbing related --> Trad, Boulder, Sport, Country, (buildering?) send it through!
We don't need a literary masterpiece, just send us the facts and anything else of interest / that occurred (reading about someone getting sandbagged is always fun

Sending a related picture with your news makes it that much more interesting Low res pics / cell phone pics are no problem - bum shots rule ok - send em.

Yours in climbing,
Justin Lawson

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Report by Andrew Pedley.

The Monster Wall at Boven received a super new addition this weekend.Though not particularly hard, Space Cadet (29) deserves mention if only for being massive and a bit mental!

It weaves an improbable line up a majorly steep section of cliff. Though totally safe, the climb is not for the faint-hearted; healthy run-outs and the requirement for long slings instead of quickdraws give it a traddy feel - there are some amazingly exposed positions and potential for some tremendous air time!

The climbing is absolutely superb, from ground to chains, including technical arete, burly roof, an exposed TM style handrail, awkward crack/layback and a pumping headwall. Space Cadet adds to the handful of great routes already on this wall, for which we are truly grateful!

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Robert Breyer got over himself, ignored his fear, forsook the blue alien and styled..... no! he flew up the crux pitches (2 and 3) of Farewell to Arms. This route was written up as such:


First ascent 1978 D Davies and D Cheesmond

Grade G3 M0 or 22 with a rest (followed at H1 (23) free!)

(My, my how interpretations have changed!)
Start just to the right of the start of Cableway crag.

Pitch 1: 20m G1:

Climb the thin layback crack till it peters out at below the roof. Then traverse left round the corner to belay below the sloping recess.

Pitch 2: 20m G3:

Climb the overhanging recess for 3m and then move left to the thin crack. Up this past a flake to the roof and then move back right to the recess. Pull through the roof and continue to the Cable Way crag rail and make a hanging belay or combine the next pitch.

Pitch 3: 20m G3 M0 or H1:

Climb up past rails to below the small roof. Make a move left and continue up the last moves of the Touch and Go’s 3rd pitch. (The leader used one rest point on the traverse when opened. The second man freed it at H1 standard.)

Pitch 4: F2: Use the last pitch of Touch and Go viz. delicately traverse right to the recess which is followed to the top.

Congrats Robert! When in doubt run it out

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Report by Neil Margetts:

I had an old project at Tranqualitas 50 m right of the Who’s line arête and 50 m left of Eldarado.
I was just not getting around to it so I gave it to a visiting Czech climber last weekend. Climb goes as follows;

Nitro’s Tick fever 25 10D ****

Start 50 m right of the Who’s line arête and 50 m left of Eldarado, just right of an obvious corner with a crack in it. Climb up through overhang and up face above to chains.

F.A. Jan (coco) Novacek 22/3/2009

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On Wednesday, Tony Dick and I did a complete ascent of the new route inspired by Hilton Davies on the Cobblestone Gendarme. It is 5 pitches graded 18, 21, 20, 18 21. The last pitch is potentially very serious as one lay backs up some very hollow flakes. The pitch is the most aesthetic but too actually detracts from the route as a whole.

We also climbed the first 3 pitches of L'Edge. A better name for Africa Edge. The second pitch is the crux of the route as it is very tricky to onsight. If you manage to work out the trick, the move is actually a mere 20. But if you don't, and there is a 90% chance you wont, you may find it as hard as 23 i.e. you are likely to fall off. So we settled on the grade of 22. Maybe if you are close to 2 m tall you can bypass the move altogether...

We then went and played on Sanitorium. Man this is a hard route if you are short. Tini did it 1st go on a TR but Tony and I struggled to do the moves...

This weekend in Montagu:

Nadine Methner made an impressive flash of Thruster (grade 26), at Supertubes. She has also recently ticked off Fire in the Hole (27) at The Hole & Burning chrome (28/29) at the Palace, Montagu

Stuart Brown cranked his new project at Waterworld, grading it 29 (grade to be confirmed) and its called Firestarter

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Last weekend:

Montagu:
Jeremy Samson redpointed Firestarter at Waterworld (Grade +-29) on his fourth attempt, calling it one of the best routes in Montagu.

Richard Behne and Stuart Brown were both pulling down hard on the weekend.
They both did the following routes:
Point Break (29) at Supertubes
Cool Like That (29) at The Scoop
Days of Thunder (28) & Voices (24) at Worlds Apart

Not bad for two guys in their mid 40's! Stuart also did Whoa She Poopie (29) at Supertubes.


Regula Brown Redpointing Voices (24)


Richard Behne chilling out on Days of Thunder (28)

Cape Town:
On Sunday, Nick did the India Venster route for the second time in 3 months.

Lucy Edelstein, 4 years and 4 months on- sighted the same route with the odd supporting hand at the crux section. She walked all the way to the Cable car station.

Margaret hauled the kiddy carry pack that remained unused all the way to the Cable Car station and she was left lagging by Nick and Lucy as they raced up the final ravine and then hot heeled it to the cable station.

Duncan Edelstein, age 7, climbed the route unassisted to the Ledge and then climbed Arrow Final with the odd little pull at the reach moves. He climbed so fast that I could not haul in the rope fast enough. No fear!


Duncan on Arrow Final May 2009


Lucy climbing through the Venster at the Crux of the India Venster route

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Report by Ben Harper:

Last weekend, Arjan De Kock and Ben Harper sent the 'The Dream I Knew' (31), a Montagu classic that has seen few repeats since it was opened in the early nineties by Steve Bradshaw (Senior).

To the best of my knowledge, ours were the 4th and 5th ascents of this magnificent line.
The route is quite technical - more than you'll typically find in Montagu, but Arjan figured out some brilliant sequences, which makes all the difference.

Way back when in the nineties, Steve Bradshaw coached a couple of us Stellenbosch locals, and on his promotional poster was written "* Opened The Dream I Knew (31)", so this route always held a certain mystique for me. It was good to see it go down.

Montagu local Christo van Zyl is also working the route.
He recently sent 'Up for Grabs' (32) at Oudtshoorn a few weeks back.


Arjan De Kock walking The Dream


Ben Harper sticking the crux of The Dream


Christo van Zyl's 'Jam Hands'

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Report by Heinrich Kahl

Heinrich Kahl, Herman Lombard (Harry) and Hermann Rabe (all students of Potchefstroom) have had a good few months so far - here's their ticklists:

Heinrich:
Life after Enlightenment 27 Trad (FA) - Cederburg Gorge
Swordfish 28 - Swinburne
Acromax 29 (millionth go) - Fernkloof
Poisson Flambé 25 (2nd go)- The Hole
Devil's Advocate 26 (2nd go) - Bronkies
Just Yoking 27 - Harrismith (Mt. Everest resort)
Spunky Monkey 7B - Swinburne
He has also opened two new boulder problems - "Ouma Rusk's Swingers Club" 7A, and " Ouma se moer" 7B - at the Mt. Everest resort campsite, on the large boulder near the campsite's gate. More information on those on 8a.nu

Harry has had a brilliant time so far!
Chocolate Eclair 28 (flash) - Boven
Panty slap 28 - Boven
Acromax 29 (repeat) - Fernkloof
Stitch it 30 - Boven

Rabe has been busy, but never seems to keep himself uninjured for longer than 2 weeks...

Spunky Monkey 7B - Swinburne
Green beetle 7A+ - Cederburg gorge
Escape to reason 7A+ - somewhere in Ctn
Ouma rusk's swingers club 7A
Untitled nr.4 7A
Sidewinder (Fernkloof traverse) 7A - Fernies.

They are busy exploring the boulder fields at Upper Tonquani, also known as Klipdorpie. Among the masses of shitty crystaline textured boulders, there is a good amount of gems on smooth rock. So far, they've opened a handful of problems ranging from the 5's to about 6C+, with a couple of projects in the 7's. There's still a massive amount of unexplored, high quality rock, with problems of serious difficulty. A detailed description will be loaded on wiki routes.

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Good to see the Capesters putting in some effort, Dream looks very cool. Up in the North new routes still dropping like flies. Me and flex managed to open ''Running Bare'', a bouldery and gymnastic 31 at Wigwam, and now there is another new route at the God No Boven; ''Tokolosie'' 29/30, left of Back Country Butcher - so many routes waiting 2nd ascents now - come on dudes! Benjamin de Charmoy and visiting Czech climber George got the 2nd and 3rd ascents of ''Pitfighter''. The young Candice Bagley from Durbs got ''Lotters Desire'', 28, very impressive; the best send of the Durbanite trip I would say. Candice is so amped on climbing which is great, expect big things.

Andrew

Yeah well us old codgers in the Cape are still sharpening the sharper end of the rope with Tony Dick, Tini Versfeld and me all bringing down Sanitorium 25 trad to our own level of mediocirity and red-pointing it. This is the route that Adnan peeled off and dinged his head courtesy of the imbibition of a little excess tequila the night before (his words.)

On Tuesday I went up there with Clint Martinengo and he so reminded me of myself by getting gripped, then scared and pumped and failing and failing on this same route. But today we styled it and hiked it. (Besides the fact that Clint has been rigging a stadium rather than climbing for 4 months).

Clint also on-sight flashed Cock n Bull 24 and TATASC 23 at the Ledge, the latter being a rather sharper ended trad route...

All these routes are, as are most routes, at least a grade easier with beta and about 3 grades easier once you have worked them.....But they are very much on the sharp end.

Hans-Peter Bakker & I, onsighted & opened the nasty-ass off-width to the R of the Legend at Mary. I have eyeballed it for years...so it was a truely sweet ascent. We climbed it in 2 pitches, P1 - 21-ish 42m, P2 -19 56m & a short scramble to the top.