Climb ZA

Howzit

The wall above Kosmos at Harties looks like it'll go - has anyone been up there and what is the access arrangements? Would be a shame if this wall has not seen an ascent.

I could spot at least 3 lines, with a couple of pitches to the top.

You're referring to the wall on the left as you drive towards the 4way stop with the flea market?

Yeah. I was in Kosmos yesterday and looked at it head on.

I am not sure excactly where you are refering to....but 4 years ago Pieter Martin scoped out a face above Kosmos village and bolted a number of routes there. If you come over the dam wall, you turn left at the Engen garage and go over Komando Nek. You turn left to go to Kosmos village. Just before the boom entrance to Kosmos village is a estate development on the mountain side that has been lingering for 4 years to get going. It has a very obvious grey brick sweeping ramp / road going from its entrance going steeply up the mountain on the right then sweeping up left. If you follow the ramp up then at the op head straight up the mountain to the faces above and then move right you will encounter a slab. There is a 24 going up the slab and then a roof at the top. Moving further right a few 100 meters there is large project (17 bolts) going through steep stuff. When we last worked it huge amounts of choss were still coming off but it will be a mean route once cleaned. Moving around the corner a bit are 3 more route close together on nice clean rock. a nice 22 and 26's. There is scope for a few more. Hidden way to the right and up a gully is a long 18 as well.

There area was named the Cosmodrome. So far Pete and I are the only ones I know to have climbed the routes there. Its worth a look at as other route potential may become apparent. The only concern is that the estate development may cut off access.

Yes, you have the right location, Colin - Good Beta - thanks. Do you know if there is any trad potential?

When scouting a wall for sport routes one looks at the rock with only a sport climbers eyes so we were looking for more steep stuff with natuatally less gear placements. So the area where we put the routes up was not really suitable for trad. This is essentially what one would want as it is a waste to bolt a climb that can be climbed with natural gear anyway. With this in mind we specifically ignore the more broken stepped faces to the right of where we bolted. These faces geographically would be directly above the start of Kosmos Village and curving around toward the dam wall. Soooooo...to answer your question. I THINK there may be oppertunity on these faces.

The Wits Mt club trad climbed the wall above Cosmos in the late 1980's. They were all out there for the occasion of Mike Cartwright's 21st birthday party which was held at his folk's place in Cosmos.
Possibly the Wits Club have some old records ?

I climbed at Kodmos a few times in the 80's and maybe even the early 90's. The place does not lend itself to safe trad climbing. But we did do a few routes there. Sort out the access before you destroy the place with bolts. Find Mike Cartwrights parents or ask Mike what the story is or should be. Try Roadrats@Hotmail.com or michael@humanconcepts.com