Your Mothers His Face « Climb ZA :: Rock Climbing South Africa

Your Mothers His Face

13 Nov 2009 | By: Martin "Wusel“ Schindele

Reini redpointing the crux on pitch 3 (7b+)

Max, Reini and me are sitting in our sleeping bags at the bivi and are absolutely impressed with the red fireball, which is sinking into the ocean and makes the mountains in front of us blood-red!

This is exactly that what I was searching for, but can someone tell me why these 2 guys next to me are not 2 hot chicks?!

Somewhere in Africa!

To find the answer for this question, we drove to the airport to organise some cheap flights and took a plane to ZA. Someone told me that it is necessary to have a passport – and luckily I managed to organise one 2 hours before the flight!

It started once upon a time in the Allgäu/Bavaria where the cows are happy and the people satisfied. 4 ½ men and 1 girl decided to start an adventure somewhere in South Africa. Until now we only heard about the “Rocklands“.

But are there any other climbing spots in this big country?

Yellowwood Amphitheatre – TraSchlaBo

With the help of our South African friends (thanks Jeremy, Tristan, Knut…) we could find an object to satisfy our first ascent hunger: The YELLOWOOD AMPHITHEATRE

When we saw the picture of this great wall we were absolutely stunned because of the steep and overhanging rock.

Using the Du Toits Kloof Mountain Club Hut as basecamp with a 3 hour uphill walk each morning… this place was perfect for us.

Max, Reini and me decided to start with the first ascent, because the other 2 ½ Bavarians would arrive 2 weeks later.

Martin 'Wusel' Schindele on the first pitch of Episode I

The first day was perfect, we managed 3 ½ pitches of great climbing. Maybe we could get to the big ledge in the middle of the wall? No sooner said than done!
The following day we climbed up to the ledge. The last pitch we climbed in absolute darkness.

This was very hard, but a perfect adventure. Most of the climb we protected using traditional gear. The horizontal cracks are perfect for Camelots and other gear.
Few and far between we used bolts when the rock did not offer anything to us.

Wusel enjoying the run out on pitch 2

In total we used 6 bolts on 9 pitches, because of our style, the TraSchlaBo-style (which means Trad-Piton-Bolt). At the belays we always placed one bolt which was alongside a piton / cam or wire.
After 2 days in the wall the weather worse and we were forced to go Sport Climbing in Montagu. The climbing there is perfect too and we had a few perfect days climbing there (thanks Justin & Riki).
Then after a week of Sport climbing we get horny to finish the route at Yellowwood. Fortunately the weather forecast for the next few days is looking good and so we get up very early on the next morning for the final push to conquer the wall.

In 2 days the “Gebels” (our friends) will arrive and so we have only these 2 days to climb through the headwall.

Reini after the crux

After 4 hours of walking and climbing up the fixed ropes we arrived at the ledge. Max set up the bivi whilst Reini and I opened another few pitches. On the last pitch for this day we had a perfect sunset and it was PORNO to climb in this unforgettable gloom with the rock glowing bright red!

After a night’s cold bivi and nasty tuna for breakfast we started to the final push. The climbing was getting easier and so we arrived very early on the summit. Only now we saw that there was an easier way to reach the top of the wall from the other side ))

Wusel doing it Bavarian Style

Daniel cranking one of the top pitches

Here at the summit we were absolutely happy. Max, Reini and I had only started climbing together only a few years ago and it is amazing to share an adventure like this with one of your best friends!!!

‘’Your mother his face“

9. Pitches – 7b – 350m (6B – 5 Pegs)

Gear:
1 Set Rocks
1 Set Camelots until size 3
Slings
10 Quickdraws

1.Ascent:
Max Dünßer
Reinhard Hones
Martin “Wusel” Schindele
Kurt the Haulbag

Your Mothers Face is the line on the left and Episode I on the left

Episode I

It was very late when Daniel and I walked up the long way up to the Amphitheatre, but yesterday after finishing the first route we had drunk too much and so… J

Our plan is to open another route through the roofs and steep sections directly in the middle of the wall. We are very surprised at the climbing.
Sometimes the passages look harder than they reallyare and so we were very fast on the first 3 pitches.
However due to the late start we decided to leave the wall for the day. On the way down we discuss the grading of the pitches. But it is hard to grade something which is upgradeable!

This climbing we had today was by a long way the best we had ever climbed. So we graded the pitches by the horniness of the climbing

The second day was perfect, too. We climbed through a big roof and a steep red platter. During the climb I was on the stroke to get an orgasm!!!

It is the porno climbing, the steep and overhanging wall, the great few and the thing to share your dreams with your friends why we are doing these things. In these moments you feel deathless.

After joining the Rock Rally at Waterval Boven we would return to redpoint our first ascents two weeks later.

Ari on the crux of pitch 2

“Episode I – Fight against the dark side of gravity”

5.SL – 7c / UFG – 180m

Gear:
Small set Rocks
Camelots until size 3
a few Sliders, Loops
10 Quickdraws

1st Ascent:
Daniel Gebel
Martin “Wusel“ Schindele
Herbert Halbag

(We hope to come back soon to attach EpisodeII to reach the summit again)

P.s.: UFG is the grade of horniness and means something like absolutely porno J

Last but not least?

I don´t know how I can describe the great and unforgettable days with all the south Africans guys and girls at Waterval Boven during the Rock Rally 2009???!!!
It was like heaven to climb and party with you (especially the party on the last day J )! (Ed Note: To bad those body shot pics got removed from Facebook!)

MANY, MANY, THANKS – ZA climbing family !!!!!!!!!!

We hope to come back again soon! We´ll never forget the great time with you.