Can someone tell me what the access situation is at Coppermine. Yay, nay, unresolved?
Have there been any negotiations with authorities, or just take along your Wild Card and hope for the best?

Also, what's the current situation with the TDA Boulder and Deadwood Boulder?

Good question as I would like to know as well. I believe it is unresolved as I was stopped by an authority on one of my last trips. They essentially reminded me that climbing wasn't allowed (and since I am new to the area I had yet to know that). A local I was with said we were simply going hiking... and they didn't question the boulder pad on my back...

What is the protocol here? And why are there access issues?

A party of us got stopped by officials en route to Easter Island a few weeks ago and told that climbing was absolutely not allowed anywhere in the area. We reasoned with them that we had not heard of any bans and that turning back only to find out the next day that there were actually no issues would be a huge waste of time and effort.

The officials then tried phoning their head office from their vehicle to clear up the matter but could not get through. Eventually they relented, offering to turn a blind eye just that once and I gave them all my contact details (the real ones even!)and asked that they please get back to me so that I can spread the word on what the access situation is.

To date I've unfortunately not heard anything from them. The impression I got though is that if they ever give a formal answer, it won't be in the climbers' favour. Better maybe to just not draw too much attention to yourself when you go to these areas and avoid any afficial looking vehicles

That sounds pretty sad. I really hope we can come to some sort of solution.
Coppermine has some classic routes and I for one would like to go back there.

Maybe it's worth suggesting some of us going out there and build proper clear paths with a sign that tells people to please ONLY use that one route? Isn't that the main issue?

Dear All,

To find out what the access situation is at Coppermine you need to take the following steps:

First go to the following link:

http://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mou ... ckclimbing

This should take you to Sanpark's official website.

Then click on the following link which is on the right hand side of their page:

http://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mou ... report.pdf

If you go to page six of the 2006-2011 Conservation Development Framework (CDF) report you will see a map of the Peninsula setting out the various zones which range from High Intensity Leisure to Remote Wilderness. If you then go to page 9 you will see an activity versus zone matrix. It shows bouldering permitted in 'Remote' but not 'Remote Wilderness'.

The next step is to correlate the location of your particular boulder with shaded areas of the zoning map to see whether it falls in the dark green 'Remote Wilderness' or lighter green 'Remote'. If it is in the light green area you can boulder if it is in the dark green area you cannot. (You could do traditional climbing though or move the boulder - not recommended).

Being the MCSA's representative on the UIAA Access Commission I tend to leave domestic access issues to the local coordinator. However, since I live in Scarborough, and have had a confrontation with Rangers at Coppermine I decided to research this problem and came to the conclusion described above. My problem is that I am abroad a lot so I have not had time to map the exact location of the boulders and go to SANPARK HQ at Westlake to see where they are located on a larger scale zoning map. It would be helpful if someone with a bit more time on their hands could carry out this exercise and let me know what they find out.

What I would also say is that park regulations forbid breaking plants and moving rocks around so if the rangers can't fine you for bouldering they could give you a ticket for bashing a new path or moving a pointy rock out the way. Something worth bearing in mind.

Hi,

I am working in the GIS and mapping industry and might be able to help..
I will ask Sanparks nicely for their raw mapping files, the zoning areas in the link that Colenso posted, and then create a map that will show which boulder is in which zone and also a list of which boulder is in which zone. The only problem is I am in Pretoria, so would need the local guys with gps in hand or someone with gps coordinates of the exact location of boulders to send me those so I can map them.

If you have the coordinates or have a gps and are willing to run around there and go and take coordinates please pm me and we can take it from there.

the map on page 6 is pretty low res, but it is very clear that both the coppermine and easter island sectors are located in the light green (ie remote) zones. the map is too vague about the sectors on the main hill...

loneranger, i can send you a google map link with the boulders if that would help? i don't have a gps...

That would help for sure! sending you a pm with my email.

and TDA? the land is owned by the trust fund/body corporate thing of the property on the right (when facing the boulder) as far as i was told by security+ contractors building the fence. The fence was put up to stop "unsavory elements" from gaining access to the trust's property from the forest. This doesnt include climbers, unless they try to break into houses.

The access issues stem from the prick whose house is across the road from the boulder. I think he intimidates climbers away rather than having actual authority over the land. As i understand it, and have experienced, he's standard response was that he would call the property owners and the cops.

So, in order to secure access, it would probably take a meeting or two with the trust to assure them that climbers arent criminals (and offer a more balanced explanation of our activities there- its no good if all they here is the prick bitching). When i was last up there, just after they had completed the fence, the security guards had no issues with us climbing, and seemed to think that the owners would be fine with it. Various schemes have been spoken about, pretty informally, but the best bet seems to be signing into the area with the security guards at the wooden hut, and them controlling the gate.

If i was still in cape town, i would offer to do all the admin, but i think there are 1 or 2 people with the trust's tel number. I feel that this is something that can be easily rectified with a little bit of effort, goodwill and politeness.

Thanks for that info Colenso.
Yes I think Coppermine is JUST off the dark green into the lighter green area. (it's a few paces south-east of that larger dam, just left of Maylands)

The main Red-hill area is in the dark green which is good

dark green = bad