Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
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catherineatkinson93
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2017 7:24 am
- Real Name: Catherine Atkinson
Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
Has anyone done this route? Want to do it tomorrow and cant seem to find much on the Internet. Any info would be great!:)
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johannlanz
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:52 pm
- Real Name: Johann Lanz
- Location: Stellenbosch
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
As far as I know there are access issues with the Zietsmans (I think) who own the farm. I have an RD on a hard drive somewhere, but not at home to look for it.
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
I have it...a good day out. Unless you have been before doing it in a day will be a challenge. Access is through Adam Roff. You'll have to hunt his contacts details down on the forums as I don't have them
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johannlanz
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 3:52 pm
- Real Name: Johann Lanz
- Location: Stellenbosch
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
OK, so Adam's access is through a different farm to the Zietsmans, with a slightly longer walk-in. If you PM me I can give you Adam's contacts.
100% agree with Brussel above. If you are not familiar with the area, don't plan on doing it in a day. Plan to sleep in the kloof below the scramble, the night before. And if you're not familiar with big Western Cape country routes and route finding, keep in mind that these can be a serious challenge in all sorts of ways, and the whole outing is likely to be way more challenging than the route's grade of 16 might suggest. But go for it, just don't underestimate it.
100% agree with Brussel above. If you are not familiar with the area, don't plan on doing it in a day. Plan to sleep in the kloof below the scramble, the night before. And if you're not familiar with big Western Cape country routes and route finding, keep in mind that these can be a serious challenge in all sorts of ways, and the whole outing is likely to be way more challenging than the route's grade of 16 might suggest. But go for it, just don't underestimate it.
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
Ditto what has been said. Still the Klein Winterhoek Frontal is in my books the BEST at its grade and a must do country climb. Qualty rock and climbing pith after pitch in an extreme setting.
You may still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not. Cat Stevens
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
Book of lies has the criptic RD below. The walk in is a proper mission. If you find the trail, it's a slog, if not a nightmare...
"Klein Winterhoek Frontal (15) ***
Takes the left-hand skyline of the Amphitheater. Scrambling many pitches of (11-13) and one of (15) follow corners, cracks and obvious breaks directly to the summit.
FA G Londt & party 1921"
Guess that's why it's called the book of lies
"Klein Winterhoek Frontal (15) ***
Takes the left-hand skyline of the Amphitheater. Scrambling many pitches of (11-13) and one of (15) follow corners, cracks and obvious breaks directly to the summit.
FA G Londt & party 1921"
Guess that's why it's called the book of lies
You may still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not. Cat Stevens
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
Why can't someone add a full RD to the wiki? I have added most of the Du Toit's country routes, and Apostles.
I wish the climbing community would see the massive value this wiki is
I wish the climbing community would see the massive value this wiki is
Sandbagging is a dirty game
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
KWF is one of the best routes I've ever done of any grade anywhere.
Here's the RD I have. Route finding wasn't too difficult as far as I remember:
The route follows the immaculate line of the tapered pillar immediately left of the amphitheatre. This is R of a large groove/gulley that drops down the middle of the face.
From Campsite in Kloof follow rough path up then trending up r steeply onto grassy shoulder. Walk up grassy shoulder to the rock. Start Scrambling, heading vaguely up and R for the base of the pillar. There is a broad grassy ledge one rock band below level of base of amphitheatre.This rock band is the crux of the scramble. Various ways. Prob easiest to traverse to R skyline. You should now be on level with sickle of grass running into base of amphitheatre. (about 1.5 hours from campsite)
Route Topo photo taken from here.
Scramble a further ropelength or so to start of first pitch – a short R facing corner above a little ledge. There may be a beacon.
1. 50m 14. Up Corner. Traverse L below obvious smooth open book. (Original route goes up the smooth book above – it’s HARD!! They stood on each others’ shoulders). Traverse about 10m L of book, up ramp L then back up diag R on Pockets, then Rails, cracks, then Ledge. Belay above start of pitch.
2. 40m 14 (Fixed wire above belay is in the wrong place. I might have got this wrong on topo photo. Next corner R is correct. Original route traversed further R to awkward corner – pin. Not recommended) Up and R steep pull into corner, out L then Up to small ledge below Bullseye Overhang.
3. and 4. 50m 14, 50m C Up L of bullseye overhang. Then Either up crack step R onto Nose and straight up followed by C grade straight up pitch, or 5m L into corner/groove, up this out L at top, followed by C grade 50m diag R pitch.
Belay at narrow ledge system where rock steepens below clean wide open book.
4. C pitch described already
5. 50m 15 (Spikes Pitch) Up Open Book out R. Up L on suspect rock into shallow groove. Up groove till forced out L, up to good long ledge system going left.
6. 80m ‘C’ (Yates Traverse) Traverse L on ledge system, moving up slightly after about a rope length. Pass a beacon, belay on a massive chockstone in a massive chimney. (photo topo ends here). This chimney is part of the groove/gulley system that runs the full length of the face.
7. 30m 15 Up Bulging wall L of chimney on face holds (tricky) into easy chimney (another one). Up this move L to thin crack up to massive ledge. (walk-off ledge from oceans etc). Next pitch starts on R of bivvy spot.
8. 60m 15 Up rickety rock on ridge, over block down, up past block, up layback, belay on R. Beware nip in tail of this pitch!
9. 50m ‘C’ scramble to the top.
Descent: From summit follow beacons North along top of wall towards Groot Winterhoek. These lead to large grassy gulley which is followed to grass slopes and eventually back to the shoulder you started on. Descent to campsite about 2 hours.
Here's the RD I have. Route finding wasn't too difficult as far as I remember:
The route follows the immaculate line of the tapered pillar immediately left of the amphitheatre. This is R of a large groove/gulley that drops down the middle of the face.
From Campsite in Kloof follow rough path up then trending up r steeply onto grassy shoulder. Walk up grassy shoulder to the rock. Start Scrambling, heading vaguely up and R for the base of the pillar. There is a broad grassy ledge one rock band below level of base of amphitheatre.This rock band is the crux of the scramble. Various ways. Prob easiest to traverse to R skyline. You should now be on level with sickle of grass running into base of amphitheatre. (about 1.5 hours from campsite)
Route Topo photo taken from here.
Scramble a further ropelength or so to start of first pitch – a short R facing corner above a little ledge. There may be a beacon.
1. 50m 14. Up Corner. Traverse L below obvious smooth open book. (Original route goes up the smooth book above – it’s HARD!! They stood on each others’ shoulders). Traverse about 10m L of book, up ramp L then back up diag R on Pockets, then Rails, cracks, then Ledge. Belay above start of pitch.
2. 40m 14 (Fixed wire above belay is in the wrong place. I might have got this wrong on topo photo. Next corner R is correct. Original route traversed further R to awkward corner – pin. Not recommended) Up and R steep pull into corner, out L then Up to small ledge below Bullseye Overhang.
3. and 4. 50m 14, 50m C Up L of bullseye overhang. Then Either up crack step R onto Nose and straight up followed by C grade straight up pitch, or 5m L into corner/groove, up this out L at top, followed by C grade 50m diag R pitch.
Belay at narrow ledge system where rock steepens below clean wide open book.
4. C pitch described already
5. 50m 15 (Spikes Pitch) Up Open Book out R. Up L on suspect rock into shallow groove. Up groove till forced out L, up to good long ledge system going left.
6. 80m ‘C’ (Yates Traverse) Traverse L on ledge system, moving up slightly after about a rope length. Pass a beacon, belay on a massive chockstone in a massive chimney. (photo topo ends here). This chimney is part of the groove/gulley system that runs the full length of the face.
7. 30m 15 Up Bulging wall L of chimney on face holds (tricky) into easy chimney (another one). Up this move L to thin crack up to massive ledge. (walk-off ledge from oceans etc). Next pitch starts on R of bivvy spot.
8. 60m 15 Up rickety rock on ridge, over block down, up past block, up layback, belay on R. Beware nip in tail of this pitch!
9. 50m ‘C’ scramble to the top.
Descent: From summit follow beacons North along top of wall towards Groot Winterhoek. These lead to large grassy gulley which is followed to grass slopes and eventually back to the shoulder you started on. Descent to campsite about 2 hours.
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
- KW Frontal - Topo pic - Compressed.JPG (227.33 KiB) Viewed 1207 times
Re: Klein winterhoek frontal route description needed
Thanks Hector, and all above respondents.
I did reply to Catherine but from my personal eMail as she picked that up after doing a 'Search' for KW on ClimbZA.
The RD Hector has posted looks very much like the one from Adam Roff which I send out together with the access instructions Adam had negotiated with Jan Theron after the elder Zeeman died and the route through Bergplaas was closed.
The Wiki on ClimbZA will be updated once we know what access info may be put into the public domain as it is sensitive, and changes from time to time.
Regards,
Mike Scott ( scottmj@telkomsa.net )
I did reply to Catherine but from my personal eMail as she picked that up after doing a 'Search' for KW on ClimbZA.
The RD Hector has posted looks very much like the one from Adam Roff which I send out together with the access instructions Adam had negotiated with Jan Theron after the elder Zeeman died and the route through Bergplaas was closed.
The Wiki on ClimbZA will be updated once we know what access info may be put into the public domain as it is sensitive, and changes from time to time.
Regards,
Mike Scott ( scottmj@telkomsa.net )
Mike Scott