Mossel Bay
 | |
| Mossel Bay | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Latitude | -34.194250 |
|---|---|
| Longitude | 22.143720 |
| Climbing Type | Sport & Trad |
| Crag Gradient | Vertical & Slab |
| Walk in | 10 -35 minute flat walk with Abseil |
| Crag Aspect | Afternoon shade |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Area | Mossel Bay |
| Sector | Mossel Bay |
|
|
|
Mossel Bay has very consistent surf with mostly uncrowded surf spots. So, if you are a surfer and climber then Mossel Bay (now with sea cliff climbing) is a must go destination. Mossel Bay is one hour from Wolwerivier in Sedgefield and 1.5 hours from Oudtshoorn.
Mossel Bay yields the following breakdown of routes:
Routes: 38
Height: 8-28m
Grades < 17: 13 Routes
Grades 18-22: 13 Routes
Grades 23-26: 11 Routes
Grade > 27: 1 Routes
Access
Currently there are no access issues. Permission has been granted by the local municipality for bolting of the sea cliffs below the St Blaize hiking trail. No bolting is allowed on or nearby the Point Cave for safety reasons as the cave is a tourist destination. The cave is also situated above the St Blaize trail. Access to the crags is from the St Blaize Trail, which is on the south side of Mossel Bay Central.
Directions
The St Blaize Trail can be accessed from the tourist cave at The Point or from Cecil Shepherd Street as shown on the Google map below.
Walk-in
30-35 minutes from The Point cave.
5-10 minutes from the “Parking” indicated on the map.
The “Descent” shown on the above map gets you to a path that follows from the base of Lighthouse Crag to the base of St Blaize Crag.
Abseil bolts: S34.19425° E22.14372°
Walk in: S34.19269° E22.14478°
Lighthouse crag: S34.19283° E22.14475°
History
This crag was first bolted in the 80’s and five routes were opened by Danie Smit using expansion bolts. With the support of the Anchor Replacement Fund, these routes have been re-bolted with glue-ins. The new routes have been opened with glue-in bolts.
Time and weather
Mossel Bay has the second most temperate climate in the world (after Hawaii), so temperatures are normally cooler than other climbing towns. As the routes mostly face east or south, they have afternoon shade in summer and are mostly in the shade in winter. For this reason, winter climbing is more schlauky. After winter rains the rock takes a few days to dry as water tends to seep towards the sea, creating perfect British rock climbing conditions 😉
Potential
There are lots of new route potential, both sports and trad. Access just needs to be developed to get to the sea cliffs in neighbouring bays.
Rock type
Coarse grained, light grey quartzitic sandstone, with beds of varying thickness and consolidation, often covered with lichen.
Hazards
As this is a new climbing area, loose rock is inevitable in some places. Belayers should avoid standing directly beneath climbers. Some of the routes also have a layer of shattered rock - be cautious crossing these zones. Snakes have been sighted on the St Blaize trail. Communication between belayer and climber is sometimes difficult when the wave action is noisy. There were vagrants living in the caves on the path between Lighthouse and St Blaize Crags. The municipality removed them in January but the path is unfortunately still a mess with their litter. We will clean-up once the municipality has taken control of the area again.
PDF Topo Download
Lighthouse Crag
Scramble down to the base using the rope aid provided if needed.
Slab wall climbing
0. Bubbles ** 8m 13/4b [4B, C] P Adrian, Sep 2021
1. Foghorn ** 10m 14/4c [5B, C] D Smit, 1985 (RB D van Zyl)
2. Rhythmic Light ** 12m 18/6a [5B, C] D Smit, 1985 (RB D van Zyl)
3. Like Paint ** 12m 19/6a+ [5B, C] D van Zyl, Apr 2021
Steep wall climbing
4. Starboard *** 12m 22/6c [6B, C] D van Zyl, Feb 2021
5. Creaky *** 12m 21/6b+ [6B, C] D Smit, 1985 (RB D van Zyl)
6. Port *** 12m 25/7a+ [6B, C] D van Zyl, Jul 2021
7. Light keeper *** 24/7a 12m [6B, C] D van Zyl, Feb 2022
70s Crag
From the base of Lighthouse Crag follow the path right. After 30m, take the right fork to move up right to a higher tier.
Slab wall climbing
1. Seventies Rock *** 12m 14/4c [6B, C] FA G Devine, BB P Adrian, Jul 2021
2. Lucky Star *** 12m 14/4c [6B, C] FA C du Plooy, BB P Adrian, Aug 2021
7. Slippy Slide *** 16m 16/5b [8B, C] P Adrian, Oct 2021
8. Jungle Gym ** 16m 13/4b [8B, C] P Adrian, Nov 2021
From Lucky Star, scramble carefully in a Westerly direction along the base of 70s Crag until you reach more climbs.
Slab wall climbing
1. Seventies Rock *** 12m 14/4c [6B, C] FA G Devine, BB P Adrian, Jul 2021
2. Lucky Star *** 12m 14/4c [6B, C] FA C du Plooy, BB P Adrian, Aug 2021
3. Bluefin **** 14m 15/5a [7B, C] Y van Zyl, Sep 2021
4. Gregable *** 16m 14/4c [8B, C] G Devine, Oct 2021
5. Flying Fish **** 14m 16/5b [7B, C] P Adrian, Sep 2021
6. Orca **** 14m 22/6c [7B, C] D van Zyl, Sep 2021
7. Slippy Slide *** 16m 16/5b [8B, C] P Adrian, Oct 2021
8. Jungle Gym ** 16m 13/4b [8B, C] P Adrian, Nov 2021
St Blaize Crag
Either abseil into this crag from the chains of Queen’s Gambit or follow the path from the base of Lighthouse Crag.
Slab wall climbing
1. Breakwater *** 28m 19/6a+ [10B, C] D Smit, 1985 (RB D van Zyl)
(This route is mostly a crack climb which should preferably be trad climbed)
2. Octopus Dance *** 25m 23/6c+ [8B, C] D van Zyl, 2021
3. Orange or Yellow *** 25m 19/6a+ [9B, C] D Smit, 1985 (RB D van Zyl)
4. Lichenification *** 25m 23/6c+ [10B, C] D van Zyl, Aug 2021
Vertical wall climbing
5. Queen’s Gambit **** 20m 21/6b+ [8B, C] D & Y van Zyl, Jan 2021
6. Dragon Variation *** 20m 22/6c [7B, C] D & Y van Zyl, Jan 2021
7. Sicilian Defence *** 28m 23/6c+ [10B, C] D & Y van Zyl, Jan 2021
(The following two short sections (8 and 9) can be linked up with the routes above)
8. 1.e4 c5 **** 8m 25/7a+ [4B] D van Zyl, Aug 2021
9. 1.d4 d5 ** 6m 20/6b [2B] D van Zyl, Mar 2021
10. Alekhine’s Gun ** 20m 17/5c [8B, C] D van Zyl, Aug 2021
Nowhere’s Crag
From the St Blaize Trail entrance on Cecil Shepherd Street follow the path towards the sea. Take the right fork of the trail. This crag can then be viewed above Nowhere’s Bay and is accessible from the St Blaize Trail. Scramble down from the trail to access the top of the crag (dotted red line in the image below). Abseil in using the chains of route no 1 or the tree stump that crosses the path. Please note that route no 1 is the easiest way to exit this crag so you will have to be able to climb back up this route.
Vertical wall climbing
1. Thys’s Folly *** 25m 22/6c [11B, C] D van Zyl, Jul 2021
2. Tactile **** 22m 23/6c+ [9B, C] D van Zyl, Aug 2022
3. Brush me *** 24m 24/7a [10B, C] D van Zyl, Aug 2022
4. Antisocial *** 24m 25 [10B, C] D van Zyl, Feb 2023
Moominvalley
From Nowhere’s Crag continue walking along St Blaize trail until you get to the next bay. This is Moominvalley
Slab wall climbing
1. MëyMëy ** 13m 17/5c [5B, C] Y van Zyl, Sep 2021
2. The Ancestor *** 14m 23/6c+ [6B, C] D van Zyl, Jan 2022
3. Stinkie **** 13m 24/7a [6B, C] D van Zyl, Nov 2021
4. Snufkin *** 14m 18/6a [6B, C] Y van Zyl, Sep 2021
5. Sampioenspokies *** 20m 22/6c [7B, C] D van Zyl, Oct 2021
For the trad enthusiasts
Mossel Bay offers plenty unexplored trad lines. Try this spectacular 250m St Blaize Trail traverse which starts just below The Point cave and follows a line above the high- level mark. Make this traverse as easy or hard as you want and top out on the St Blaize Trail whenever you have had enough. There are also some interesting fins that can be climbed towards the end of this traverse.
Please email me for the Mossel Bay sea cliff climbing guide.
deonvanzyl100@yahoo.co.uk
Thanks