Latest climb pic.

[PaulB]

Hey Andrew

Ya, Simon opened up the Blue Horizon project at 32, I decided to upgrade The Doubting Game to 32 (since that move is bladdie hard), and Roger opened his Arete calling it Mango Tango, 31. Super looking line. Faye reckons her route is around 29/30 with some super fun climbing.

Oh, finally managed the moves on Helium Dreams before I left. Man, some of the coolest moves! Must be 34, minimum. If my sequences are right, more like 35. Open to any takers :-)

Get out there!

Paul

[andrew p]

Thanks Paul, When I get back from the forested abyss (Brazil) later this year I will check out Mango Tower and Blue Horizon, maybe not Doubting Game thought as that move looks indeed very heinous (I watched Clinton on it whilst taking pics). I am also keen to start linking on Digital Warfare, pity you not around to join in, its the best line in the world in terms of aesthetic appeal. Andrew

[vander]

Who's that sending Amandla? Looks friggin' AWESOME!! Well done!

[mullet]

It's some oke called Arjan or something. Never heard of the guy before

[vander]

Haha! Thanks for helping my ignorance mullet
Usually I read of high end climbers doing stuff on the limit of human ability and I'm like, "Wow, that's cool!", but I have no understanding of how insane it really it is.
I stood under Amandla a couple of weeks ago and my brain couldn't even compute how to get my feet off the ground! It looked impossible...
Respect Arjan!!

[mokganjetsi]

that is a SUPERB shot of arjan on amandla! but after a few hours on the homepage it is replaced with a pic of some building eish

[justin]

There you go Willem - back on the homepage for your viewing pleasure

[Chris F]

Sweet shot. Again dare I ask grade? Looks in the 8s.

Actually that crack in the wall to his left looks a bit more my style! What does that get?

[Geoffrey]

8b+

[pierre.joubert]

Fred Nicole 8B+

[Chris F]

hard then.

[PaulB]

Well, Faye got her project pictured last week! Grading it 29. By all accounts a classic line! Well done Sis! Bryan looks like he might just tie up Rodan. Nice pic, looks cold!

[andrew p]

Well done Faye, stellar route judging by the pics, I want to climb it!

Yes Rodan getting a spanking Paul, that new beta of yours!! Joey thought v soft 8c so I think prob 8b+
oh well, its still the hardest in Boven...for now..

Andrew

[mokganjetsi]

what a brilliant pic of dylan on raptophilia!

[justin]

Working a project at Wilgepoort. Pic by the Portage

Awesome pic - what is the grade expectation of the route?

[Chris F]

That rock looks lovely.

[iank]

23, if you can believe that Dancing on a High wire is 24

[Hector]

"Routes that feel easy for the grade are. Routes that feel hard for the grade aren't."
Hehe. We got completely spanked the day before by Dancing on a Highwire (a Smith route). His words: "There was some grade compression in those days". Love it

Justin, its all fairly academic. No one will go try it no matter the grade. And yes, that is a challenge...

[Dark Horse]

Yo yo yo shew, that picture of jimbo on Africa arête is beautiful... That climb is so aesthetic and beautiful top of my to do list.. Great photograph, looks like a great book so I just ordered one.


Jimbo Smith grabbing the final jug on Africa Arete (25).
Photo from the book 'Cape Vertical' by Jeremy Samson

[justin]

Nice shot Douw
Makes me really look forward to visiting this crag


Richard Halsey opening Big Green Coconuts (23), a new trad line at Houdenbek.
Photo: Douw Steyn.

[Chris F]

Hourglass pic takes me back! I think I did it in about 1991 or 2. Thrutched way up awkward first pitch, and then sweated my way up second in full summer sun with a tiny rack. Belayer sat on the ledge and fried, had to go lie in a pool afterwards to cool off.

[Hector]

Hourglass is a real classic opened by the Barley Brothers in 1969. Out of interest, there are a handful of stellar routes on this same piece of rock:

• - Sands of Time is the 19 slab to the left of the Hourglass crack (Smith, O' Meara, 1988)
  - Xtacy is the 17 hand crack out the RHS of the roof (Kruger, Giddy, 1985)
  - A Brief History of Time is the 24 thin face between Hourglass & Xtacy, topping out just right of the top roof (Colenso, Smith, 1988)

It's a better crag than Strubens but I couldn't say if the grades are "hard" or "soft"

[shorti]

I just love that route and I've climbed all sorts of variations on it. It is funny as hell to watch short people climb it. The last two times I've climbed it the old way - big step over halfway up the cave, but I kinda prefer going all the way to the top of the bottom half of the cave and then do a really tight squeeze through the narrowest part. If you take a deep breath you can jam your chest and catch a rest (without breathing, you'll fall through). The conditions are absolutely perfect at the moment. The cave is bone dry and clean and it is pleasantly cool. Last time I climbed it with Marley (about a month or two ago) it was freezing! We thought we were clever to approach from the bottom of Lower Tonquani to skip the deep wade just stream up of Hourglass, but I forgot how many shallower wades lower down there were. Marley won the fight to lead first and I had to resort to dancing, jumping and jogging on the spot in the bottom of the cave desperately trying to warm my limbs

Sands of Time is great climbing, but the gear is desperate!

Chris, I added more photos on my facebook page, if you are keen to see them, you are welcome to add me as a friend...

[Montie]

With reference to the latest pic of Andrew somewhere in the freestate, that area looks really cool!!
Looks similar to Harrismith...possibly a new crag at Eagle mtn?
Would love a little info on the place... any ideas?


Simple, this is the tope pitch of power pigeon at Everest, see the huts in the back ground offered accommadation for the missionaries who stayed there.

[andrew p]

wow Ebert, thats a stunning pic of T pex, seriously really original, nice work. I never noticed that tree was so beautiful. DId you send the route? One of Willems le Roux's finest creations, solid at 27. Love the crux move to the 'spastic crimp' (sorry if thas a rather un-pc name but thats what the hold is known as!). Andrew


Alex Bester climbing T-pex,27,Photo PW Nel

[Richard]

I see Stem Gem is now only an 18!!!!! I'm really getting old!!!


Jeremy Samson on Stem Gem (22) at Paarl Rock
Photo by Stine (from the book 'Cape Vertical')

[justin]

Was wondering when someone was going to spot that.
The route has now been upgraded to 22 or G3 - Hope this makes you feel younger Richard

[Richard]

I'd be happier with 23 or 24! In fact I can think of far less painful 28's!

[Chris F]

I know it's hard to take a bad pic of Ceuse, but that one is just great.

Cent Patates = Ten Potatoes?

[Gustav]

100, as in centenary?