the last pic

Thanks CapeHiker...so stoked someone finally posted these!

Is it just my imagination, or is that thing RUSTING already????

probably just dirt from someone's shoes. i hope!

Rust on stainless forms a coating, which protects it from further rust. Thats how stainless works.

IMO the rungs are great. Easy to fit. We should not be afraid to implement them to assist with acsess to crags/faces. Smaller & cheaper could easily be bent out of 10mm stainless bar.

On Tuesday 9 June 11, 2009, I walked up the India Venster trail and tried to cast a critical and jaundiced eye on the engineering work done at the scramble. I consider the job well done although I would not have personally done it that way and would have preferred a wooden staircase similar to that at the top of Nursery ravine (as opposed to a metal ladder) a little removed from the scramble, either immediately to the right or higher up round the corner in the gully. The reason for preferring a staircase is that is it is mostly free standing and requires minimal fixation to the rock; it does not affect the original scramble and it can also allow parties to pass each other coming up and down. Finally, although there are well placed staples for the final awkward exit to the scramble, non-climbers will not intuitively use them to straddle and will still be off balance and in danger.

Nevertheless, the staples are all by and large well placed and so are the chains.

I have two criticisms that do not necessarily need to be addressed.

• If you are less than 1.56m tall (and most kids, many woman and some men are) the second set of staples that leads one to a ledge where there is a chain as a hand hold is challenging as shorter people cannot see that there is a chain for a hand-hold over the lip. And one does have to use a small crimp or the very worn and slippery edge to see over the edge of the ledge and hence the chain.
• Secondly, the final awkward move onto the off-balance ledge has a staple that is in excellent position so that one can straddle it. There is also a chain that is easily reached with one or both hands to allow for hikers to pull themselves onto the ledge. I watched a fellow, who claimed to be a regular user of the route, climb this section but he could not and did not straddle using the left and right staples and rather, he did it his usual way by sort of shimmying up backwards like doing a Fosbury flop in high jump. So this section will still cause problems for inexperienced hikers (and even experienced ones). Of course, there is also still the option of grovelling through the hole at the back but this is not obvious to do. At least the chain provides a good hand hold.

How long does an injury like this hurt? I had a spiral fracture of my lower leg, which was repaired with surgery. I now have a stainless steel plate and 8 screws (because I tore all of the tendons). The injury happened in February, with the surgery a week later. It was extremely painful at first. Now it is not as bad, but still uncomfortable, especially during rainy weather or in the cold. It hurts enough all the time that I am aware of it, either throbbing or tingling or sharp, shooting pain.
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@ macapaley: Okay, so my take is your injury has nothing to do with India Venster?

If you have a spiral fracture, the presence of a plate and screws is probably what is holding your broken leg together. If it happened in february 2011, give the leg at least 6 weeks to heal. This is also provided that you're using crutches and not just walking on the leg as per usual. If you're unsure of the pain that you're experiencing, my suggestion is to contact your surgeon.

Happy recovery!