Wigwam (sport)
DIRECTIONS
From Johannesburg...
Option 1.
Head toward Haartebeespoort dam via R512 past Lanseria Airport. At the 1st T-juntion you get to, turn left onto the R560 (past a Sasol garage). Continue past the Peacanwood Golf Estate and take a right turn (back onto the R512), that will take you over the Haartebeespoort Dam. At the next T-junction take a right turn and continue over Commando Nek and toward Haartebeespoort. At the 4-way stop (ther is an Engen on your left. This is a good point to meet your mates from PTA) turn left and you will travel parallell to the Magaliesberg range (R104) for approx 55km. Once you have gone past the Rainbow Chicken farm (approx. 5kms), you'll you see a sign to Sparkling Waters, turn left. Follow this road past the Bergheim resort (Fernkloof) and turn left into the Wigwam Hotel (This is about 1km from Bergheim).
Option 2.
Get onto the the N14 highway and head towards Krugersdorp. At the intersection with Hedrik Potgieter (Sasol Garage) take a right turn and drive until you reach a T-junction. At the junction turn right onto the R563 and travel past a Zenex station. Continue along this road for sometime. Once you have made it to the bottom of the steep pass and get a distinct smell of pig manure, take the next road left towards Bekker Skole. Continue onto the T-juction and turn right onto the R24 past Lovers Rock. Now travel parallel to the Magalieberg range, past Oliphantsnek. At the 1st 3-way stop you reach, take a right turn and the Wigwam Hotel gate is approximately 4.5kms down the road on the right hand side. The Bergheim (Fernkloof) turnoff is a further kilometer down the road.
Sign in and tell the guard you are there to climb and park by the entrance to the hotel. This is a private resort and the owner has kindly granted permission. YOU MUST report to the Hotel reception and pay for a day pass. The pass will cost you R25 per person per day which is very fair. Please behave when in the hotel/areas, horseplay and noise will be really bad for the way the owners view the climbers. Be polite, have a beer/food afterwards, it all helps to secure long term access.
PLEASE!
Please ensure that whatever you carry into the kloof, you carry out. The kloofs are narrow and access is fairly limited, make sure you go to the bathroom before entering. Please DO NOT urinate or deficate in the kloof as the water is currently pure enough to drink, lets keep it that way. If you have to go make sure you exit the kloof before you get down to business. Please bury your deposits to avoid nasty surprises. If you see litter (and there often is in the kloof, due to baboons raiding the hotel bins) make an effort to pick it up on your way out and put it in a dustbin.
Thanks.
ACCESS
To get to the kloof walk away from the hotel back towards the tarred road. There is a sign marking the start of a "Mountain walk". Follow this sign and follow the track (looks like it has been made by a quad bike of similar) up the hill to where the track ends. To access the steeper kloof (routes below), keep left and follow the path into the kloof (you should enter the kloof at a small dam wall).
ROUTES
THIS RD IS OPEN TOO IMPROVEMENT BUT PLEASE KEEP THE FORMAT CONSTANT! PHOTOS OF EXACT CLIMBING WILL BE ADDED SOON
- Wigwam Route List
Routes from the LEFT of the crag towards the RIGHT (upstream to downstream).
# | ROUTE NAME / AREA | GRADE | # BOLTS | RATING | BOLTING/OPENED INFO | DESCRIPTION |
1. | Buffalo Come! | 24/7a | FA. Mark Millar. | First route at Wigwam. Don't dork the 2nd clip. | ||
2. | < Return of the Bison Direct Start Open Project > | May require additional bolt. | ||||
3. | Return of the Bison | 25/7a+ | FA. Greg Bormann. | A crimpy number that starts from the boulder with the first 2 bolts pre-clipped. The intention was to start the route from the ground, but a blank section has put that on hold, for now. There has in the past been a ball of wasps about 3m below the chains, so take care. | ||
4. | Siouxsie and the Banshees | 26/7b | BB. Hector Pringle. FA. Marc Efune | |||
5. | Axe Wound | 32/8b | FA. Andrew Pedley. 2008. | Starts in the pit. Bouldery start leads to a half-height hard move which requires accuracy of movement and body tension to stick, or some sneaky beta... Compulsary showboat one-arm-hang clip of the 5th draw when sending for full pleasure. | ||
6. | Two Dollar NavaHo | 30/8a | FA. Marc Efune. 2008. | |||
7. | Last of the Mohicans | 30/8a | BB. Marc Efune. FA. Steve Bretherick. 2008. | A tough crimpy line snatched away from Flex by Curly Steve. Said to be easier for lanky people. | ||
8. | <Scratchy Apache Open Project> | BB. Marc Efune. | The first bolts above the boulder. | |||
9. | <Moose Knuckle Open Project> | BB. Andrew Pedley & Marc Efune. | Starts up the first bolt of Tomahawk then breaks left. | |||
10. | Tomahawk | 29/7c+ | FA. Marc Efune. | The kloof's classic line. A pumper all the way to the chains. | ||
11. | Beast mode | 30/8a | BB. Wesley Black. FA. . | Starts on Tomahawk and veers right. | ||
12. | Running Bare | 31/8a+ | BB. Mark Millar. FA. Andrew Pedley OR Marc Efune (please pick one as 2 people cant ascend 1st, just doesn't work that way). | Starts a few metres downstream of Tomahawk, off a large triangular rock. An intense start to a rest then a headwall with just enough holds on it. This sequence is a gift from god, totally brilliant. | ||
13. | Squawplay | 30/8a | FA. Andrew Pedley. 2010. | Slopy roofy start with large move out left, right of the large fig tree. | ||
14. | <Spread Eagle Open Project> | BB. Mark Millar. 2008. | Closed project that heads up about 5m upstream from WP | |||
15. | Wigga Pleez | 24/7a | FA. Mark Millar. 2008. | A thuggish start from the boulder leads to some easier climbing above. |