Umgeni Valley
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| Umgeni Valley | |
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| Latitude | -29.475563 |
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| Longitude | 30.239679 |
| Climbing Type | Sport & Trad |
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| Province | KwaZulu Natal |
| Area | Umgeni Valley |
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Umgeni Valley is a relatively new climbing venue situated in the sleepy town of Howick, 20mins North along the highway from Pietermaritzburg. Predominately a single-pitch Sports climbing venue with a few high quality trad lines found amongst the bolts (including the world famous ‘Crack Addiction’ and the X-rated ‘Hard Man’) The crag faces South-East looking over the valley to its sister crag at Hilton and down towards Albert Falls Dam. A great place for hot summer’s days as the majority of routes are out of the sun and shaded by the tall mist-belt forest surrounds. Grades are on the higher side with the majority of bolted lines being in the low to high twenties although there are a handful of teen grades.
ACCESS
Entry to this WESSA run reserve is via the office at the main entrance off the Karkloof road. Climbers must sign a register, pay a small fee and take a permit/receipt with them as proof of valid entry. The crag is accessed either along the higher Dwarves Dawdle trail which drops down into the valley, or the lower trail that leads along the base of the crag. The majority of routes are found up-valley (away from Albert Falls Dam) of the wooden staircase joining the higher and lower trail. There have also been several new routes bolted down-valley (towards Albert Falls dam) of the staircase. Ask for a trail map at reception which will help with general orienteering and location of the ‘wooden staircase’. Contact details, information, maps and directions can be found at: http://wessa.org.za/what-we-do/environmental-education-centres/umgeni-valley-centre.htm
Basic route descriptions can be found below or simply purchase a copy of “A Climbers Guide to Natal Rock” by Roger Nattrass which has all a climber needs to know about this venue.
Routes
from left to right if you're facing the rock, Howick Falls upstream [incomplete only fully bolted routes included]:
The Gypsy Buttress
The Hairy Hat Man 22
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Gypsy Queen 27
Faye Brouard, 2008
The Doubting Game 31/2 (sandbag)
Paul Brouard, 2008
Stone Haven 30
Roger Nattrass, 2008
The Heroes Wall
So Ill!! 27
Scott Sinclair, 2008
The Blue Horizon - Project 33
Roger Nattrass
Nothing Heals like Cold Steel 27
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Caterpillar Conquest 25
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
The Plot Sickens 22
Trad crack
FA, G. Raubenheimer
Crack Addiction 20
Trad crack
FA, ?
When Heroes Stumble 25
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Sucking Diesel 24
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
Age of Paranoia 23
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Glamorous Fool 18
Roger Nattrass, 2008
The Tower of Power Buttress
This area can be identified by the base of the wall having a vertically fractured section of rock leading up to a chossy break about 4m abouve the ground which all the routes climb through.
Exactly, Cheesehead, Exactly 25
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
Perfect Ground ***** 22
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Agnes The Skinhead 26
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Thunderstrike 27
Roger Nattrass, 2009
Smackdown 28
Start as for ToP but move left after the dyno move at the third bolt.
Roger Nattrass, 2008
The Tower of POWER!!! 29
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Akward Turtle 24/25
Andrew Scott, 2008
Manic Mechanic 25/26
Roger Nattrass, 2008
Trad corner
Blitzkrieg 25/26 to be confirmed
Start under roof and follow seam tending right. Head straight up to ledge. Finish on FF.
Andrew Scott, 2009
Friendly Fire 23
Start on WoG and move left around corner at ledge and up imposing face to top.
Andrew Scott, 2009
War On Gaza 24
Dave Drummond, 2009
Jail Bird Shaik 18
Trad Route up Crack in face, ending at chains before top.
Gavin Raubenheimer
Technica 20
Trad Route up corner, ending at chains before top.
Gavin Raubenheimer
Baby Bees Don't Sting 21
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
With Added What-what 22
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
Immaculate wall
Zulu Lulu 17
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
Woza Xhoza 19
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
Stoned Immaculate 26
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2008
Look Out Below That Things Gonna Go! 25
Faye Brouard, 2008
The Corticoid Factor 27
Stefan Zwanepoel, 2009
GALLERY
Colin McCoy on Technica (20)
