Wolfberg

Wolfberg
Loading map... {"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"350px","height":"200px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":5,"defzoom":14,"layers":["OpenStreetMap"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":-32.488171999999999,"lon":19.267398,"icon":""}],"imageoverlays":null}
Latitude	-32.488172
Longitude	19.267398
Climbing Type	Trad and Sport
Rock Type	Sandstone
Season	All year round
Province	Western Cape
Area	Cederberg

Wolfberg Climbing Guides Free PDF Downloads

• Additional Photographs of Wolfberg Routes - By Gordon Forbes
• Wolfberg - guide to SE face and decent gully
• New Routes at the Wolfberg Cracks, Cederberg - by Andre Schoon 1979
• CapeRoutes Wolfberg Climbing Guide by Leo Rust
• CapeRoutes Symbols - by Leo Rust

Printed Guidebook

Wolfberg Cracks – Southern Cederberg, – A Climbers Guide - Available for purchase at Sanddrif Accommodation Office https://www.sanddrif.com/

How to get there

From Cape Town, get onto the N1 towards Paarl, then take the N7 turnoff towards Malmesbury. Stay on this road past Piketberg and over the mountain pass. About 25 minutes past Citrusdal, take the Cederberg; Algeria turnoff. Follow this dirt road (past Algeria campsite) for another +- 33 Kms until you get to Dwarsrivier farm. (normally about a 45 minute drive).

Fees & Permits

Contact details for Sanddrif Campsite:

• Tel: +27 (0)27 482 2825
• Fax: +27 (0)27 482 1188
• Email: sanddrif@cederbergwine.com
• Web: www.cederbergwine.com

You must obtain a permit to go up to the cracks area. You can obtain a permit at the Sanddrif reception desk (you need one if you are going walking as well) or you can contact MCSA in Cape Town.

Accommodation & Food

The last big town you pass is Citrusdal, this town or the petrol station (100 meters after the turnoff to Citrusdal) is the last place to grab any supplies. Camping at Wolfberg (Sanddrif Campsite) is extremely pleasant, with a big green field for tents. There are fireplaces and hot showers/toilet facilities. Cottages are available, sleep six people and supply the following: Basic cooking utensils, eating crockery/cutlery, fridge with a small freezer, beds (no bedding). The area does get visited a lot so you should definitely book before going out (especially holidays). You need to take your own food for the duration of your trip. As this is a wine farm, excellent wine is available by the bottle or case (this can lead to late starts however!)

Stay at Sanddrif Campsite. The owners stay at Dwarsrivier Farm, just up the road. A small selection of food is available and excellent selection of wine can be bought at the reception office. Fire wood is also available.

Attractions & Activities

Superb quality Trad climbing on hard sandstone, gear placements are solid. Multi Pitch Trad Routes on stunning rocks and a sport crag at the base. The drive is +/- 2½ hours drive from Cape Town up the N7 highway and the a 45 minute drive on a dirt road. A 45min walk gets you to the base of the climbing. There is good bouldering in the Valley of the Gods. There are many places to go for a swim, one of the best spots however is Malgat.

The Rock is Superb quality Sandstone. The climbing is multi pitch using Trad gear. The routes are typically between four and seven pitches long. The rock is awesome compact sandstone with great friction. Once you have summitted, you will need to walk back down (you may also have to jump a small crevasse :). The walk up to the climbing area can be anything from 20 to 60 minutes depending. Ask at Reception where the path starts (very straightforward). Some of the routes offer an awesome amount of exposure (suck it up while you can). Grades vary from 3/10 - 7a+/25.

At the bottom of the mountain is a sport crag called 'Sanddrif' there are a number of bolted routes there.

Map

Loading map...

{"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"800px","height":"500px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":false,"defzoom":14,"layers":["OpenStreetMap"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDwarsrivier office/reception\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Dwarsrivier office/reception\n","link":"","lat":-32.504007000000001,"lon":19.257656000000001,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/Sanddrif\" title=\"Sanddrif\"\u003ESanddrif\u003C/a\u003E Crag\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Sanddrif Crag\n","link":"","lat":-32.483701000000003,"lon":19.264116999999999,"icon":""},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWolfberg Cracks\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Wolfberg Cracks\n","link":"","lat":-32.472332999999999,"lon":19.275938,"icon":""}],"imageoverlays":null}

• Please note as of October 2005*** there is currently an 'access/permission' issue with climbing. You can still climb there.

• January 2006 The situation has changed and you are welcome to climb at Wolfberg. You must obtain a permit to climb at the cracks and at the Sanddrif crag. Not doing so you jeopardise access for everyone!!

No Bolting is allowed until further notice.

Season

Climbing is possible all year round all, though it does get very hot in December/January/February - July/August are very cold (frost like cold!) and you will probably see some snow on the higher peaks. Spring and autumn are choice times. In Summer, the trick is to be up early, walk up in the shade climb in the full shade all day.

Gear

A standard (but full) trad rack is advisable, double ropes and long slings are usefull to avoid rope drag. 50/60m rope/s will get you by.

Classic Trad Routes

• Energy Crisis
• Celestial Journey

Sport Climbing

Sanddrif Crag has some great easier (up to grade 22/23) routes.

Truitjieskraal is a short drive away.

Trad Routes RD

The following PDF files can be downloaded from: http://sites.google.com/site/wolfbergrd

• Mountain Club of SA – 1979 Route Guide
• Western Cape Rock – 1986 Route Guide
• Additional Photographs

New Routes

• Sunset Arete
• Prisoners of the Sun
• Destination Moon

Return of Principle (19) ***

Start as for After the Goldrush.
From the lowest level, scramble up a groove past a tree to the ledge 5m up. Move left to recess at base of After the Goldrush.
P1: 15 (30m) Pull into the recces and then move ~2m right onto the juggy face to the right. Climb up 2m then traverse right ~2m. Continue straight to the next ledge.

Walk ~20m right to a large bush at the base of set vertical cracks.

P2: 19 (30m) Climb the left, more distinct, crack to a small roof ~10m up. Pull through on the left side, then traverse ~2m right. Head straight up through the break in the step section above.

P3: 12 (10m) Pull up onto a grey, juggy face. Continue through the next break (with a long, narrow roof to the right), to the next ledge.

P4: 17 (30m) Stand on a platform to gain a break in the grey/red speckled rock just over a small roof. Afterr this, follow a light brown fin that forms the right side of a chimney. Pull over the bulge at the end of the fin to a small ledge. Continue up another short ramp to the next ledge.

P5: 18 (20m) Move straight up to a right arching crack below a narrow roof. Pull through the roof (tricky) and continue straight to the top via a second thin roof.

FA: Richard Halsey (rope-solo, Dec 2015)

Undertow (22) ***

Features a rising traverse of large undercling features.
Start between After the Goldrush and Imposter.

P1: 15 (25m) Climb the easiest break through the bulge to the left of the Imposterchimney. Step left and follow your nose straight up to the ledge.

P2: 17 (45m) Follow the fist crack just left of Imposter pitch 2 to a feature that looks like the head of an axe. Pass this on the left to a roof. Pull through (some loose sections) and up to the ledge. Walk right and scramble up to stance on a ledge (left of a tree below the left edge of the enormous roof).

P3: 22 (35m) Follow a wide crack to a ledge below the series of roofs/flakes heading diagonally up and right. Pull up under the first roof and make a tricky move right to a layback. Continue up and right past another roof and then under a wide flare. Step right and then straight up the steep face and use a layback crack to gain a small ledge.

P4: 13 (10m) Continue straight up the juggy face above.

FA: Richard Halsey, Julia Wakeling and Marian Penso (Jan 2016)

11a: Return of Principle, 11b: Undertow
Original image from the guide book Wolfberg Cracks - A Climber's Guide by Tony Lourens (with permission).

The Last Hardman (22) ****

Features an intimidating roof crack that is easier than it looks.
Start as for the Original Route, at the base of a rectangular tower.

P1: 19 (30m)Climb easily to a small ledge (where the ‘’Original Route’’ heads up and right). Continue straight up the face to the left hand finger crack above the overlap. Follow this to a broad ledge.

P2: 18 (35m) Start in the left of two corners (reddish brown and undercut) and follow a series of vague corners to layback crack (left of a roof, yellowish rock). Follow this to a ledge below the huge roof.

Walk several meters right and scramble up to below the obvious roof crack through the right hand side of the huge roof.

P3: 22 (20m) Climb straight up to the roof crack. Fight through this and pull around the next roof to a small stance. A #4 Camalot is useful.

P4: 17 (20m) From the stance, pull over a small bulge, follow a narrow corner arete and then straight to the top.

FA: Richard Halsey, Tommy Hardman Bairstow and Julia Wakeling (Dec 2015)

Snail Eyes (20) ***

Start ~ 5m left of ‘’Molestor’’.

P1: 20 (25m)From a long rectangular block on the floor, pull up onto the face near a large pocket. Move left, and up the face to a vague brown corner (the base of the right side makes a triangular shaped overlap). Pull through to a rail and up slightly right to the next ledge. Stance at the base of a grey recess.

P2: 18 (40m)Climb the thin crack in the grey recess (tricky), and then the ramp above. Head right and through a wide crack in a narrow roof. Continue straight and then slightly left through a steep section to a ledge.

P3: 17 (10m) A tricky start gains a vague brown corner below the next roof. Move left past a cave like feature to the next ledge.

P4: 17 (25m) Pull up onto the face ~5m right of a vegetated, vertical crack. Traverse diagonally left to the top of the crack and head straight to the top from here, passing a huge mouth shaped feature.

FA: Richard Halsey and Julia Wakeling (Dec 2015)

The Ding Ding (21) ***

Start in the same place as Prisoners of the Sun, from the stack of blocks.

P1: 18 (30m) Climb straight up the break, to a stance below a groove in a semi-cave.

P2: 21 (12m) Traverse left and up a short face via strenuous moves to reach a rail. Traverse left and up to a stance on a narrow ledge (shared with Quite Something).

P3: 16 (15m) Climb straight up the short face (Quite Something heads up and right) to a ledge. Walk right to a short right facing corner.

P4: 19 (10m) Climb the corner, starting on the face on the right. More tricky than it looks. Walk to the back of the ledge, where the next pitch starts from in the trees.

P5: 15 (40m) Pull up onto the featured face to the left of the big gulley. Soon becomes an easy, juggy ramp to the top.

FA: Richard Halsey and Rachel Strate (Mar 2022)

14a: The Last Hardman, 15a: Snail Eyes , 17a: The Ding Ding (21)
Original image from the guide book Wolfberg Cracks - A Climber's Guide by Tony Lourens (with permission).

The Honey Bunny (19) ***

Start just left of Eclipse

P1: 15 (20m) Follow a straight line, starting on a small flat spot a few meters left of Eclipse, up the face to ledge. Stance below a break in brown rock that leads to a left tending undercling.

P2: 19 (20m) Follow the break and undercling to the roof and rail left to a small platform stance.

P3: 18 (30m) Head up and slightly right (#3 Camalot useful) to a rail. Continue right to a vague, airy arete and follow this up and then left to a large ledge.Continue easily up the honeycomb features on the right and scramble up to a huge ledge.Continue right to stance left of a low roof, in about the middle of the wall that rises above the ledge.

P4: 16 (35m) Climb up a few meters to a slight bulnge, pull through this then follow line of least resistance straight up the face.

FA: Richard Halsey and Rachel Strate (Nov 2019)

The Hippo and the Zebra (22) ***

Start between Eclipse and Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

P1: 17 (25m) Climb the face at the boundary of grey and brown rock up to a narrow roof. Pass this on the left and up to a bush. Continue up the hand crack to the ledge. Stance a bit to the left under the large corner above.

P2: 22 (20m) Pull up into the large undercut corner from the left (some loose rock). Climb the right wall to a tiny ledge, and then follow the steep series of laybacks (crux) to a narrow ledge. Stance on the right.

P3: 19 (20m) From the left side of the ledge (to the left of an ancient peg), move up and left over the void until able to pull over the bulge (to the right of a roof) onto the face above. Continue up and slightly left. At a blank section, stand on top of a triangular boulder to gain the large ledge above. Stance below and right of a roof with another roof a few meters above it. This is ~5m right of the last pitch of Prisoners of the Sun.

P4: 16 (35m) Pull up onto the yellow, pocketed face and traverse left over the first roof. Move up to pass the second roof on its left. At the third roof, step left and pull through at a left facing, grey projection. Step right and continue up to the top. Belay at the hippo and the zebra (if you can find them).

FA: Richard Halsey and Tommy Bairstow (Dec 2015)

After Action Satisfaction (23) ****

A direct, varied line crossing Satisfaction Guaranteed. The first pitch is a tad committing
Start ~6m left of Satisfaction.

P1: 23 (18m) Climb a thin, intermittent crack up a brown streak within grey rock, to arrive at a ledge between two boulders. Place high gear, then use the largest boulder on the left to gain good holds. Move right and up the brown recess, then up and right past two rails to stance on the ledge (shared with Satisfaction). This is a demanding pitch and requires small cams.

P2: 21 (30m) Head up and left to the clean arete. Climb the right side of the arete (also using a vague crack ~1.5m to the right). Continue straight up to ledge and stance below the corner (shared with Satisfaction) .

P3: 22 (30m) Climb up the corner, then up the face and aim for the pocketed roof above. Pull through the left break using pockets to gain a tube like feature. Continue easily to the ledge.

P4: 18 (40m) Climb the steep juggy face above. The line goes between the staggered roofs on the left and the right. At the next ledge head straight up to the top.

FA: Richard Halsey and Marian Penso (Jan 2016)

Straight Satisfaction (21) ****

A direct ending to Satisfaction Guaranteed

P1 and P2 As for Satisfaction Guaranteed.

P3: 21 (30m) Climb up the corner, then up the face and aim for the pocketed roof above. Pull through the right break to gain the featured face above. Continue easily to the ledge and then up and slightly right to below a chimney feature.

P4: 16 (35m) Climb the face/arete on the left side of the chimney.

Richard Halsey and Garvin Jacobs (Feb 2016)

17b: "The Honey Bunny", 18a: The Hippo and the Zebra, 21a: After Action Satisfaction, 21b Straight Satisfaction
Original image from the guide book Wolfberg Cracks - A Climber's Guide by Tony Lourens (with permission).

Whinge Direct (25R/X)

An alternative third pitch to Whinge taking the blank face left of the arete.
Start about 4m to the left of the arete at a good rail.
P3. 15m 25R/X: Climb up a few meters to some small crimps in a thin rail. Traverse right on hard, very thin moves to an undercling flake and then climb up and left to better crimps. Continue directly up a vague break to a good rail where one moves right to join the arete. Finish as for Whinge.
FA: Guy Paterson-Jones and Hilton Davies. November, 2011.
NB: This route requires very small micronuts and was headpointed on pre-placed gear.

Pecking Duck (18) ****

Mildred has long been topless. Pecking Duck completes the line with something a little spicier than its classic neighbour ‘Little Red Rooster’

P1: 17 (35m) As for Mildred. Climb the arête to the right of LRR. After 20m, at the overhang, step right around the corner before continuing to the top.
OR: 20 (35m) Start 4m right of the arête, on a pedestal and up a thin seam, and straight up cracks to join Mildred at half-height. Step around the corner and continue to the top as for Mildred.

P2: 18 (35m) Start 3m right of LRR, and trace LRRs pitch 2 and 3. Face-climbing leads to a right-facing open book, and a headwall ramp leads the stance.

P3: 15 (15m) LRR’s final pitch arcs right-to-left via gargoyles. Instead, climb directly diagonally up and left over the void, via an overlap and clean orange rock to the summit.

FA: Ant Hall, Moritz Thilo, David Nel, Matthew Young; Dec 2013

The Road to Forty (21?) ***

Aesthetic arete visible on the right as you walk up the gulley toward the Knobless Robot. Sketchy gear in places, possibly some loose rock.

P1: 21 (20m) Start in the narrow section of the path in front of a large boulder. Pull up to a rail and traverse right almost into a recess on the right side of the feature. Pull up and left on steep grey rock to reach the slabby right side of the arete. Step left and up the arete to the bulge. Step left to gain good holds, up ~2m then step back right and up to the top. Tat rap point.

FA: Richard Halsey and Rachel Strate (Nov 2019)

Say No To Seventeen (24) ***

The Red Rain wall is flanked on the far side by a column with the Jeremy's Arete running on it's edge. Around the corner there is an undercut crimpy face - the route starts about 1.5m to the right of the arete.

P1: 24 (20m) Pull up to the good rail and place gear; a couple of hard moves gains the wall where there is a micro cam and a cunning nut placement (looks blank from the bottom); go straight up the face, tending right where the grips run out 2/3rds up and then moving left at the top to the ab point.

FA: Gaar Lausman; Dec 2013 (The route name came to be because it was decided to try this line instead of climbing Mildred)

Classic Trad Routes

• Satisfaction Guaranteed (19) 165m
  

The main feature on this route is the big left-leaning grey groove to the left of the overhanging bands on the south-west face.
Start from the ledges directly below the groove.
P1. 10m "F3": Climb past some suspect blocks into a short corner. Avoid a poised white flake by hand-traversing to the left so gaining a narrow ledge at the foot of the main groove.
P2. 30m "G1": Superb climbing leads up the back of the groove and out to the left around and overhang. Climb up the short corners above to a massive ledge on the right.
P3. 25m "F2": Go horizontally to the left on a narrow rail to a niche and then climb directly up on jugs to a belay ledge.
P4. 90m: An easy chimney gives access to an escape ledge whence scrambling on gargoyles leads to the summit.
FA: David Davies and Robin Barley. October, 1978

• Energy Crisis (20) 90m
  

The route follows a line to the left of "Lone Wolf" up a spectacular prow of red rock between the western-most Crack and the "Gaper's" Crack. It starts strenuously in the recessed corner to the left of the crest and then continues up easier but very exposed rock to finish on the incredible projecting nose at the top of the prow.
Start: In the left-facing corner with the obvious layback crack on the left side of the buttress between the first and second cracks.
P1: 15m 20 Climb the corner crack to a good ledge.
P2: 35m 15 Climb a groove for 5m then traverse right to the edge of the buttress and go straight up to a ledge.
P3: 20m 13 Climb the groove to a big overhang then traverse left onto an exposed face.
P4: 10m 18 Move up to a rail and traverse left around the buttress to a ledge.
P5: 40m 17 Climb up on the right of a hollow flake then step right and continue up bulges to a large ledge.
P6: 25m 17 Climb the red corner and traverse right to an exposed ledge then follow the grey wall to the top.
FA: R. Barley and R. Smithers with M. Hafner on P5 and P6 1979

• 

  Yvette van Zyl, Dëon van Zyl and Hilton Davies on Energy Crisis Dec 2021

• Little White Mind Games (22)
  

Start: 10m right of Day of the Jackals below a long shallow recess.
P1: 26m 22 Climb the recess, then move slightly left and pull through the roof three meters right of Day of the Jackals. Move right to belay on a tiny sloping ledge.
P2: 12m 16 Move up and right past white flakes and traverse right on a good handrail to a semi-hanging stance at a threadpoint on a red block, 6m below the white patch.
P3: 23m 22 Move onto the thin ledge then climb the steep slab 1m right of the white patch (micronuts useful) to follow a diagonal crackline which leads into a vertical, orange hand-jam crack. Belay on the ledge above.
P4: 40m 20 Climb the obvious overhanging corner (Gallows Bird P3) and continue diagonally across the face to the skyline. Go up to a small ledge then up a blunt arête to another ledge. Move up to a big rail at 2,5m, traverse right and finish up a shallow red corner.
P5: 22m 21 From the center of the left face, climb diagonally left past a recess (Wolfgang P6) and below an obvious pocket to the top left-hand corner of the buttress. Walk back to a grassy patch below a smooth orange face, right of a large chimney.
P6: 18m 22 Climb the middle of the orange face passing a sloping mantleshelf. At the next rail move left to the arête which is followed to the top.
FA: J. Orton and G. Fish 1998

• Omega (19) 168m
  

The route traverses in from the right under the "BP Overhang" on the corner between the south-east and south-west faces and takes the obvious line of weakness through the lower band of overhangs onto a grey face. It breaks through a prominent vertical step in the upper band of overhangs and finishes up the orange faces above.
Start at the left-hand end of the ledge below the south-east face.
P1. 23m "F1": Traverse to the left under the "BP overhang" to a small platform on the corner and continue around the corner on good rails to a narrow ledge.
P2. 15m "F2 and A0": Reverse the last part of the traverse and use a concealed flake and a peg to pull up into the recess below a ceiling. Traverse to the right across a face using a fixed peg for aid and move out under the overhang into a niche.
P3. 22. "F2": Climb up for 3m, traverse back to the left and climb a steep crack with some blocks in it to the level overhang. Traverse to the right past the overhang to a ledge below a short grey crack.
P4. 20m "E2": Climb the crack and continue up over large blocks into a cave-like recess. Move to the right and then back to the left onto a nose leadingto the broad ledge beneath the second band of overhangs. Walk to the left for 20 m to a wall forming a vertical step on the overhangs.
P5. 18m "G1": Use vertical hand jams, a peg and 2 nuts to move to the left across the wall and up to a small ledge at the base of a vertical crack on the corner above the overhang. Follow the crack to a stance on some jammed blocks where the crack narrows to a slit 5m below another overhang.
P6. 24m "E3": Traverse to a ledge on the right with a grey face above it, climb the exposed projecting corner and move back to the left belay directly above the previous stance.
P7. 16m "F2": Layback and jam up a tricky crack and then climb up easily past the pinnacle leaning against the face under an overhang to a large ledge on the left. Scramble 20m through a short steep band of rock to an undercut face.
P8. 30m "E3 and F2": Pull up through the overhang onto the face ("F2") and climb the face and a short recess on huge jugs to the top.
FA: Pete du Preez and Andre Schoon. November, 1978

• Alone in Space (22) 200m
  

The route follows the curved yellow crack system on the right-hand side of the south-east face and finishes on the magnificently exposed orange walls above.
Start in the vertical crack line directly below the huge detached yellow pedestal at the bottom of the curved crack.
Start: At the base of the obvious huge yellow crack system which splits the SE face.
P1: 50m 15 Climb the crack past a yellow pedestal to belay on the ledge below the 'Guillotine Flake' wedged in the crack.
P2: 20m 22 Climb up to a chockstone runner then descend and cross the roof crack. Continue up the crack to belay below the chimney.
P3: 15m 15 Step left and climb a smooth chimney to a sandy ledge.
P4: 33m 19 Climb up inside the attic, go through the window then follow the crack system straight up to a ledge.
P5: 40m 20 Walk left until able to climb onto the orange wall. Climb diagonally rightwards to the right edge of the face until able to pull over an exposed overhang above the arête to a stance.
P6: 5m Scramble up jugs to the top.
FA: D. Davies and R. Barley 1978
FFA: M. Roberts and R. Smithers 1978.

• Old Timer's Disease (21)
  

Start: On a ledge at the base of the wall around the corner to the right of Energy Crisis.
P1: 35m 19 Climb to a ledge then follow hollow flakes rightwards to honeycomb-like pockets. Rail left to a ledge.
P2: 20m 19 Climb up rightwards on a blunt arête to belay at a cave.
P3: 40m 19 Traverse left past some flakes and a smooth wall to a blunt arête. Move up this to a massive ledge.
P4: 15m 21 Climb the exposed arête past 2 pitons to the top.
FA: D. Davies, H. Davies and R. Barley 1992

• Afterglow (21)
  

Start: In a left-facing corner some 20m right of the Celestial Journey boulder.
P1: 50m 19 Climb the corner past a ledge until forced out left. Move up to a roof then out right and up a crescent crack. Rail left to a groove then go up 25m to a ledge.
P2: 40m 21 Move right off the ledge and climb up rightwards, then back leftwards under thin overhangs and past a peg to a ledge. Walk to the left end of the ledge.
P3: 10m 19 Step left and climb the grey face past a peg to a wide ledge. Scramble back over ledges to a rounded crack.
P4: 20m 18 Climb the crack until able to rail left to a large ledge.
P5: 30m 18 Climb up the grey wall above to a square, right-facing orange recess. Rail right and climb to the top.
FA: R. Smithers, M. Hafner and R. Barley 1979
FFA: M. Roberts and C. Leslie-Smith 1984

• Celestial Journey (22) 180m
  

Start: At a boulder below the smooth grey groove on the smooth SE face.
P1: 35m 22 From the boulder, climb the crack and follow the groove to a ledge on the right.
P2: 15m 20 Climb the groove and corner above to a large ledge.
P3: 30m 22 Climb the smooth grey face until a rail at 10m enables one to move 3m left to a peg and up to a small ledge. Continue to another ledge. Belay across to the left.
P4: 10m 19 Step left and climb the grey wall past a peg to a big ledge. Scramble up and right to the groove in the orange wall.
P5: 20m 21 Climb the left-facing offwidth and crack to a big ledge.
P6: 30m 20 Climb the crack above past a block to a groove which leads up to a hole. Rail 3m left then go up and left to a ledge and the top.
FA: D. Davies and R. Barley 1978

Day of the Jackals (19)
Start: Below a brown recess about 30m left of the BP Overhang.
P1: 18m 15 Climb the recess to a platform out on the left.
P2: 20m 19 Traverse back right and move up into a niche. Climb a shallow corner passing a triangular roof on the right to a ledge. Follow a vertical crack and smooth face on the left to a stance.
P3: 35m 12 Continue up the corners and move left to a stance below and right of the large grey ramp.
P4: 5m 18 Climb a corner and then traverse left on poor holds to a ledge on the ramp.
P5: 35m 10 Climb the ramp on jugs.
P6: 6m 10 Climb the rock band above then scramble up and walk right to a crack 15m right of a deep chimney.
P7: 30m 13 Follow the crack and move up the right side of a small amphitheatre and then back left through the overhangs.
FA: P. du Preez and A. Schoon 1978 (by a slightly different line around pitches 3 and 4). FFA: R. Barley and co. 1978

Descents

Front Face

The easiest method of descending from most of the routes on the Front Face is to walk north towards Tafelberg and then turn east and descend the Gaper Crack. For routes finishing on the southern end of the Front Face, find the deep gully cutting across the top between the Blocked crack and the Front Face, walk to it's eastern end and scramble easily down into to it. There is tat on a huge chicken head to the left as you look into the Blocked crack. Abseil 15-20m to a ledge. Follow the beacons, first slightly up the crack and then scramble easily down the crack until you can cross over on to a ledge on the left (looking out of the crack). There is tat on a chockstone between two boulders on the right hand side of the ledge. Abseil or scramble (somewhat dodgy) down 5-10m to a ledge. This is where the first pitch of Little Red Rooster tops out. Walk left (facing out) and scramble down the sloping boulders before walking back right to the large tree with lots of tat. Abseil 32m to the ground.

A new alternative (Dec 2015) is to use a tat about 18m right of the above abseil near Little Red rooster. There is a somewhat awkward start to the abseil (the feet are hidden under the roof). A single long clean 45m abseil will get you to the big ledge where the first pitch of Little Red Rooster tops out. Walk left (facing out) and scramble down the sloping boulders before walking back right to the large tree with lots of tat. Abseil 32m to the ground. This is easier, quicker and probably safer than the above abseils.

Gaper Crack and all other routes

Walk north and keep a look out for tat to abseil down into Gaper or continue north until you can scramble/walk down into Gaper.

Sandrift Crag

Sanddrif Crag has some great easier (up to grade 22/23) routes - its a five star climbing venue!

From the last route in Western Cape Rock guide on the left of the crag "impaled on the wall" go left 5 meters
Starting in the chimney crack is Bananarama 6 bolts grade (18)
Ayoba.....for Petes sake (21) First three bolts of Bananarama then step left and follow bolts to the top of wall
Venus (20) 7 bolts
Way left about 18 meters is Monkey Love 5 bolts (16)
A further 3 meters to the left is Milo Monkey 5 bolts (17)


From the last route in Western Cape Rock guide on the right of the crag go right 5 meters
Finding Neo 9 bolts (23)

Click here for Sanddrif / Wolfberg Accommodation

>> Back to Cederberg page