Yo!To all the climbers out there! The news is out, all right. That little puney looking face on the way to the camp site is in the process of becoming a crag.I can't hide the fact that i am a bit pi**ed off with the publisher and the editor of the local news for printing the info without having had spoken to me about the issue directly beforehand. Such assumptions destroy land access. Those who invest energy in crag development do not appreciate sneaky news about sensitive land issues. Its reckless and will jeoperdise this lekker future crag. Well, its done now and printed in black and white for all to read... What do we do now? What makes matters worse is that my number given out in the article for all just to contact me (...?...)is incorrect and no one can get hold of me anyway. Its a mess. Please guys if you know of a crag being developped don't just go and blurt out the news just for the sake of it. Its destructive. As for the status of the access to this crag ,it is TOTALLY closed. OFF LIMITS FOR THE TIME BEING. To cut the story short ,please do not even go there for walks just to check out the crag and park cars where you not supposed to as the sensitive land access issue is being negotiated and the involved farmers are not too happy having anyone walking through their land. This issue needs your support and understanding. Please respect our efforts and stay off the property at least for the time being.Thanx and respect to all those who are willing to wait a little longer for \"all-clear\" to this future crag. Peace! (dutchpopcorn@hotmail.com)

While I agree that such info should not have been printed without consulting you as the first in to explore the area, how do we know this is not a ploy to keep all the best lines to yourself? I trust you will be prepared to take others in with you if they are interested?

Exactly where is this \"new/closed\" crag? If its the crag with the \"archway cave\" on the farm RH side of the turn off. The farmer is not in a position to allow bolting there. As this is suposed to be an important archaeological site & a major dig. If this is the fore mentioned crag both famer and bolter will be in serious kak.

Archeological site? OH sh8! I have inadvertently bolted one of those in the past - major probs! Serious PR dancing by the MCSA saved the routes (and my hide!) but I wouldnt recommend anyone repeat that mistake!

Yo Gri Gri and other climbers who are well concerned abou the issue here. This is not a plooy to keep the best lines to myself or those who were there with me, that is just too obvious.The crag is not hiden or secret, duuuh. As for the major archeological site story , well, so is the main crag and that route which has a bolt 1metre away from the bushman painting, which i'm sure you all have climbed yourselves... As far as my research went, there was an excavation there about 10 years ago which was successfully concluded. Please mark the following observation . There are no bushman paintings there and local sheppards frequent the cave to make fires inside the cave. Most bolted rock climbs in South africa are on restricted areas and have somesort of an environmental issue attached . Theres a second and third party involved at all times and that is precisely a reason why people who are involved don't want hordes of climbers to know about such developments. As you can see this forum will attract all sorts of comments and never ending disputes about plooys , laws, and issues. It is expected that all the statements here will be carefully picked, sifted,examined and commented upon as that is what a public forum is for. It is good and i appreciate your concern. Since the issue is public , you can be sure i will be informing you about all the developments there on the regular basis, that is if such developments will be happening at all... If you have any information that can be of help that will be appreciated much more rather than silly criticisms about plooys... The main issue is to please respect the efforts which are made in the direction of developing a crag responsibly and without major impact from climbers who are so concerned that the best lins will be stolen from under their watchful eye. C'mon guys , the request is right there, please don't go there .If you do we can forget about the whole issue . Thanx again , for all your understanding.

If you have other relevant information about the area or perhaps past history of climbers having had gone looking there before, and their adventures please email me on dutchpopcorn@hotmail.com. We are aware that all opinions and concerns count as well as their knowledge and can contribute further with the issue.

Cool Voytek, that sounds sensible and down to earth, glad to hear you have done research into the history of the area. Im sure everyone will be compliant with your wishes and give you guys the space to hopefully pull the rabbit out of the hat! Heres holding thumbs!

I have had some contact with Nature Conservation regarding bolting in the De Hoek area. Please could fokes contact me with regard to new crags. Not that I am all knowing, but because I have some idea of which crags are off limits and general issues. marshall@reworkafrica.co.za or 0836818713

From my recollections, this site, Boomplaas, is a significant archaeological site ! I would really encourage further investigation into it's status before embarking on any further \"development\". I have looked at that crag for years but was able to ignore it because of it's importance. As far as I know, although there are many paintings at the main crag (some of them highly unusual, and therefore also significant) that site was never inhabited to the extent that Boomplaas was. Many important sites have been \"protected\" from abuse/excavations by the fact that shepherds used them and sealed them with layers with sheep and cow dung. (behne@iafrica.com)