Legal Note, Liability & Disclaimer All climbing & bouldering is very dangerous & always at your own risk. Nobody is forcing you to climb. You choose to climb, so choose to go home before the risks become too high. Remember even small injuries can take weeks to heal. No responsibility for inaccurate or incomplete information will be accepted by the various contributors to this guide. The landowners accept no liability at all. Climbers take full responsibility for themselves at all times. Loose rock is common, solid rock becomes loose & RD writers make up most of the information anyway. This RD is only a guide & is no substitute for experience, training, common sense & a touch of caution. So you are on your own take care! Note from the scribe: It took consistent effort, time, work & organization to get this guide ready for your pleasure...for free! Thus please respect that all the information & photographs are strictly Copy Righted. You are more than welcome to down load, e mail, view & print out down this guide in its unchanged format, with logos & all information intact. This guide may not be uploaded to a web site other than www.easterncaperockclimbing.co.za without written permission. STAR RATINGS Classic problem Great problem Good problem ABBREVIATIONS & SYMBOLS BS SS LH RH Bum Start Stand Start Left Hand Right Hand Highball - high possibly dangerous problem Lowball - small low problem
General St Francis is a seaside fun-in-the-sun holiday resort town. Bouldering is part of the fun, keep it fun! The boulders at St Francis are spread out, become wet, are affected by tides & have lots of easy problems. St Francis is not Rocklands or Font. It is what it is! Remember grumbling makes the problems wetter. Access: There are no restrictions to access or bouldering. Accommodation: Cape St Francis is a beach holiday resort town. There are tons of holiday cottages, B nbs & beach house type accommodation on offer. Google! Camping is only in Jeffrey's Bay. Google! Random Hazards & Environmental Points Please pick up as much litter as you can, yes other peoples litter. Let s try to make-this-a-thing to do Please try to stay on the paths & don t damage too much vegetation. Remember check the tides & wind direction. Crime is relatively low in St Francis, but still take the usual precautions, like don t leave valuables in plain sight. Have fun! St Francis Brewery s Wild Side Beer is the very lekker. Remember the driver must only have one small one! Directions & Map Get smart, use Google to get there! http://www.easterncaperockclimbing.co.za/location/cape-st-francis History Apparently the first climbers to boulder at Cape St Francis were Rob Mac Geoghegan, Brad Sharp & Kim Cadle, in the early 0s. Kim s parents had a house on the sea front & some fun was had fiddling on easy traverses & problems. Keith James consistently visited the boulders through the 0, 90 & the 000s. In the early 000s the rumours of boulders lead to Morne van Der Mescht, Jessica Jeffries, Martin Renz, Neil Mostert & Dricus Bezuidenhout taking a drive out to investigate. This became a period of frequent use & most of the harder problems were pushed. Much appreciation & thanks goes to Neil Mostert who wrote the first guide in 00. Interest during the mid 000s lead to a visit by top South African boulderers, Julia Chen & Marijus Šmigelskis. They added Queen of the West (C), Hob Scotch (B+) & various As, the hardest problems at Cape St Francis. Julia, sadly passed away in 0. Her life is remembered with a small area named after her, see page. Neil Mostert s guide only recorded the harder more prominent problems, so in 0 this bumbling scribe decided to record a more complete & up-to-date version with all the other fun (easy) problems included. As this is a web based guide it can be considered a continual work in progress. It is easy to change. So please send missing details, corrections, additions & adjustments to info@easterncaperockclimbing.co.za All information will be greatly appreciated.
Eastern Cape Climbing Venues Port Elizabeth 0 Coombs Gorge EL urban crags & boulders Toorberg Swartberg Lady's Slipper Amatolas Yellowsands & Inkwenkwe Graff-Reinet 9 Towerkop Van Stadens Fort Fordyce 9 Lalapanzi Compassberg 0 Oudtshoorn PE urban crags & boulders Hogsback 0 Morgan Bay Transkei Gamkaskloof Bouldering Sleepy Hollow Stutterheim Bola Hole in the Wall Elands River Langkloof Winterberg Hill of Execution Kirkwood 9 Nguniland Mary & Martha Port St Johns Cape St Francis 0 Kouga Wildernes Hangklip Groot Winterhoek Uniondale Pass Tygerhoek Garden Route 9 Naga's Kloof Titzikama 0 Eagle Gorge Groot Rivier Momentum Gorge Plett Crags Pinnacle Gorge East London Cockscomb NSA Grootbos & Kleinbos Windmill Hole Nivera Buffalo River Baviaans Grips Kudu Kaya Waterkloof Grahamstown Alicedale Howieson's Poort Moodies Bouldering 9 Thornkloof 9 R Ladismith N 0 Oudtshoorn Uniondale Willowmore R N9 0 Steytlerville R9 R 9 Plettenberg Bay Nieu Bathesda Patensie Graff-Reinet - Middelburg N0 Cradock R Hankey Uitenhage Jeffreys Bay Tarkastud Port Elizabeth Aliwal North Queenstown Stutterheim 9 Hogsback 0 R King Williams Town Fort Beaufort N - East London Alicedale R 0 9 Grahamstown - N N Mthatha N Port St Johns Coffee Bay More route guides can be found on www.easterncaperockclimbing.co.za
Parking Parking Soft Page 0 Treasure Chest Page Picnic Pebbles Page 9 Cemetery Gates Page Easy Living Page Parking Parking Queen of the West Page Squid Guts Page Spelunker Page Red Heart Page Pirate Page 0 The Cove Page
Long Walk Page Sirena Page 9 Julia Page Týr Page Ship Wreck Page Treasure Chest Page Maori Ave Parking
/ / 0 0 9 9 Walk-in Seahorses in Flight A+ BS as for Seahorse, climb to slot then dyno to top out on block. Seahorse C+ BS on good holds, follow crimps & small holds on face. Killing Machine A+ BS, then slight R to corner. Sea Saw B BS on good hold on corner, throw to rail & climb to top out. Will of the Strong C Iron Heart C BS, diagonally R to corner, top out. BS on RH jug & LH on crimp, up into diagonal rail. Traverse L on jugs & rails. Through the open book & then low through the blank face & arete. Top out in gully crack. Fish Finger B BS, second move to good hold, then big move to crack & climb to top out. Night Witches BS, up prominent crack. 9 Sabaton B BS, then diagonally R to top out in crack 0 Project? Up the blunt arête. Sharky B SS, climb to big holds halfway up & go straight up to top out. Bullets Fly BS, up prominent layback open book. Commemorate the Fallen B+ SS in the open book, traverse low L through the blank face, around the arête & up the gully crack. Return to Forever C BS then directly up the slab to top out L of Bullets Fly. Spongebob A+ Get up on good foothold, step across L & climb face. Don t use holds on arête. Aerial B SS, climb the arête. The Cove
/ / 0 0 9 9 Walk-in Aerial B SS, climb the arête. Soldier of Three Armies C Lying-down-start in nice jug in roof of undercut. Up into a crimp, then top out R into crack. Smoking Snakes C+ Lying-down-start in jam crack that runs out of undercut. Up crack moving L into further crack. 9 Crayfish A BS under the roof on two in-cut pockets, a deeper one on the R & a crimpier one on the L. Climb out & up to top out. 0 The Art of War B BS on match crimp, with foot in perfect round pocket deep under the roof. Directly up to top out. Inmate 9 C BS in oposing finger jam & side pull. Up on jug arête. Vag Farmer C BS on jugs, rail R, with lots of heel hooks all the way R to stop on the off-width diagonal crack. Mild Steel BS under roofed notch. Break out of roof L & top out. Mussel Licker BS under roofed notch. At roof rail R & break out of roof R. Top out. Krieg Panzer B BS under roofed notch, break L below roof & traverse all the way L. Its a huge pumpy traverse. Blubber B BS using big crack hold under small roof. Climb out & over bulge to top out. Don t use boulder on L for feet. The Cove
0 9 / 0 Blubber B BS using big crack hold under small roof. Climb out & over bulge to top out. Don t use boulder on L for feet. Resist & Bite B BS, move L into wide crack system. Foghorn C BS far back as possible on good obvious holds & climb out to top out. 9 Far From the Fame C+ BS deep under undercut, then break out R, up on jugs, then top out. 0 Orca B+ BS, in the double crack with your feet on the deep back wall. Directly out staying in the crack Sea Breeze C+ BS on crimpy dinner plate hold quite far in, climb straight out to top out. Pornotopia C BS on crimpy dinner plate hold quite far in, climb out, then move L, then directly up middle of prow. Starfish A BS on crimpy dinner plate hold quite far in, climb out to L & top out. Dead Men Running C BS on slopper, move R & up into prominent juggy crack break. Re-Think This A BS on the far L, up overhang on jugs, break out L onto ledge. Panzer Krieg B BS on on far L, above a bad landing. Traverse all the way R into notch corner. Bad landing if you fall. The Cove 9
/ / 9 0 Tainted Love BS on far L, rail R, through V notch & up crack on RH side of V notch. Goodbye Ruby Tuesday B BS on far L, rail R, through V notch & continue railing, around the corner. Up crack on the far RH side. Children of the Revolution BS on far L, then directly up crack above. Lady of the Slain BS, then directly up prominent crack above. Smoo B+ BS on LH side of cave. Move to good hold on roof lip & find holds on face above roof. Top out. Smee B+ BS on RH side of cave. Move to holds on lip of roof & find holds on face above roof. Top out. Musket A+ BS into horizontal, up on bald blunt arête. Siren Song B+ BS in crack under little roof, move up to good holds, then diagonally R to top out. 9 Another Fallen Brother C BS, into rail, bounce to next rail, then top out through a bald section. 0 Hell Hath No fury C SS on rails, directly up through smooth spot. Top out. Iron Will B BS on far R, rail L on rails above roof, round the corner, through the V notch & up the crack on LHS of V notch. Warrior Still A BS below arête. Up the arête, only using the arête, not the stuff to L & R of arête. Set Us Free C BS on middle of small face, top out. Destiny B BS below short arête on R. Pirate 0
9 0 9 0 Marginalization A BS far L, traverse low, the whole dam thing, then top out far R. Ready for War BS, up easy prominent crack system. Project? BS, up double crack on blunt arête. Sex on the Rocks BS, up easy prominent crack system. Kill the Light BS, up easy prominent crack system. Accept the Blame BS, up easy prominent crack system. Under the Blade B BS in lay away, move R into rails, then reach over the smooth spot to a high rail. Top out. Paralysis Through Analysis C BS on rail, up into pocket then a quick move to rail above & top out. 9 Aye Aye Captain C Dyno. Start on holds in small crack, dyno up to big crack & climb over top to top out. 0 Energy of Change A BS, into rail, then up to pocket. Top out. The Price A BS below arête. Up the arête then top out. Note the bad fall. Make sure you have enough pads. Pirate
/ 9 Captain of the Barrel A+ BS far back on under clings & climb out. Eish! A+ Uush! B+ BS on gong flake looking dinner plate hold that looks like it will break. Use the back wall for your feet. BS on gong flake looking dinner plate hold that looks like it will break. Don t use the back wall for your feet. Use only cracks & holds on roof for hands & feet until final section after roof ends, where you can use whatever. Make it a Double A+ BS far back on under clings & climb out. Pay Back The Doubles BS on jug deep under the overhang, out into jug rail, then topout Staying Sober A+ BS far back on under clings & climb out. Clever & Strong A Crouch-start on R, rail L using slopers on top & basically any means. Wibly-wobbly SS on top level, up easy break. 9 Strong Juice C BS on lower level jug rail. Up then out R on nose. Red Heart
PE A Sea C CT / B Spelunker can at best, be described as a low dark tunnel under some boulders. It s more of a hole! It is truly quite grim & awful! But there are some challenging problems down there waiting for the next retched manimal. Creatures of the Under World C BS far back & as deep as you can on slopers on C. Come out of the darkness in direction of PE. Raven in the Night C+ BS on good jugs on A, fight your way out of the tunnel between B & C. The Dark Ride A BS on jug diagonal rail, move into the tunnel on B. Fight, claw, scratch, gouge, jam shit it is quite desperate. Don t pop a hernia! Spelunker
9 / 0 9 0 0 9 Retribution A BS on sloper & side pull jug. Up easy ramp. Sabotage B BS on slopers. Up easy ramp. Bow Wave C BS. Climb the arête. Pirates Don t Hug B Hug the arête & the crack all the way to top out. Vengence - SS. Up easy prominent open book. Swing the Lead Climb straight up to top out. Revenge A BS on side pull & sloper bulge. Top out. Squidguts C BS. Start on small crimpy holds in vertical crack & climb up to sloped rail, then straight up to top out. 9 The Gathering A BS, up RH crack, at the diagonal sloping rail move out L. 0 Resistance SS, up prominent LH crack. Cleaning Act A+ Start with RH on good hold, make big throw to arête & climb to top out. Walking the Plank A Traverse from good holds on R all the way across face to end on boulder. Ghost Ship A+ Traverse from good holds on R to approximately middle of face, then do big move up to lip. Flying Dutchman B Dyno from pinch in horizontal crack L & -finger pocket R straight up to lip. Squid Guts
9 Scream SS up easy ramp. Last Runaway BS, up easy ramp. Fallen Under BS below prominent crack. Slaves of the New Order BS below easy arête. Up arête, moving R near the top. Queen of the West C BS on crimp, top out directly. Eyes of My Maker BS below break. Hero of the World BS below R trending diagonal crack. Up the crack. Golgotha BS below R trending diagonal crack. Break out L. 9 In The Raw BS on horn, into easy R rail. Queen of the West
Razors Edge BS. Straight up to easy rail. Traverse all the way L on rail, then top out. All Guns Blazing BS on pinnacle, with feet to the R, after start only use pinnacle for feet. Fire Your Guns BS directly up. No Satisfaction BS directly up. Black Ice BS directly up. Desperation BS directly up. Lost in Paradise BS, move slightly L at the top. Easy Living
0 Running to You B+ BS on fairly good holds, climb face to top out. My Temple SS on jugs, top out. Fight A BS LH in hole, RH on the arête. Up onto arête & top out. Strange World B BS RH in hole, up L to rail. Top out. Blood Religion SS, up easy break. Spiritial Dictator SS on sloper, up arête. Cemetery Gates
9 0 Reverend BS on jug on LH end, rail R on slopers Incomplete BS, up crack break. Crucfied for My Sins SS, up very blunt arête. So Unreal SS, up on crimps. My Misery SS, on sloppers, directly up on rails to top out. Lock The Door BS, up crack break. Memories Still Remain C BS on lower step. Up the arête. Pass The Cemetery Gates C SS, up juggy arête. 9 Cemetery Gates A BS on rail cracks. Up on slopers. 0 I Will Remember SS, up ramp. Took My Youth SS, up crack break. New Found Joy BS in jam crack rail, up easy break. Reverse My Life C BS in jam rail with back to the back breaker boulder. Up using the underclings. Complex Years BS, up ramp. When She Died BS, using crack, up the arête. Cemetery Gates
Under the Blade SS around the corner on sloping pockets. Traverse R to the other side. Can be done either way. SMF Traverse A BS in fist crack, move L into rail. Trend L to top out. Tears of Retribuition B+ BS just L of blunt arête, start on pockets. Up into prominent two finger pocket. Your Demise A BS on crimp, up into pockets & top out. Games We Gota Play A BS on crimps & side pulls. Top out directly. Project? BS just R of the arête prow. Directly up to top out. Project? BS under arête prow. Top out. Picnic Pebbles 9
Soft Cock BS with heal hook. Out to the L & top out. Pimps Pleasure BS in rail, directly up & top out. Zero Tolorance C Lying down start under roof, over the lip & mantle on to the top. Soft Sector 0
Zirbit A+ BS on good edges & crimps, do big move up to sloped rail & continue straight up to top out. Shimmer B SS straight below gully on top of boulder & climb up to gully. Sun King BS on side pull, up diagonaly L. Merchants of Air C BS under edge, up & over the top moving a bit R. PE 0 9-9 0 Sea CT 9 Treasure Chest
9 0 Pearl Jam A BS on low crimps, then move directly to the top out. Black Pearl B Black Pearl Ext B+ BS on low crimp hold, up to crimpy rail, move further L on crimpy rail, then out & up L to in cut hold on lip of roof. Look for holds on face slightly more to L to climb to top out. BS on crimpy rail, throw out up & L to in-cut hold on lip of roof. Look for holds on face slightly more to L to climb to top out. Holding Ground BS in hole on rounded rail, top out directly. 9 March Ready BS, into easy crack. Top out. 0 Arg B+ BS on big hold in crack, climb up & over bulge onto slab to top out. Sick Mother Fucker BS, into easy crack. Top out. Against Our Will A BS under jagged arête, rail L as far as possible, then top out. You re an SMF! A BS on rounded pocket, boost for rounded holds near the top. A if you are short. Easier if you are tall. Treasure Chest
0 9 Knobbed - BS up lay away. Sweet. Old Hob Dyno A Dyno from rail to top out. Old Hob Traverse A+ BS on jug-ish hold on face near corner, traverse the sloppy rail to L & top out on the side. Hob Scotch B+ BS as for, but stop halfway on rail & dyno straight to top out. Old Hob Arete A BS on jug-ish hold. Up & move R into jug arête, onto arête. Top out. 9 Hobbled A BS on RHS of arête.top out over steepest part of the arête. Don t use the boulder to the R. 0 Like a Knife in the Back - BS on jugs. Up on jugs. Kingdom of Rage - BS on lay-away. Top out. Nasty Dwarf Porn A Low-sit-start on slopers, bounce out directly. Treasure Chest
Treasure Chest 9 Dreams of a Nation - BS, up easy crack system. Welcome to the Abandoned Land A BS on the R, rail all the way L, then top out up the crack system. Try to Delight BS on rail, top out directly. Politics & Bullshit BS on rail, top out directly. Survival of the Fattest BS on rail, top out directly. We re Not Gona Fake It BS on rail, top out directly. 9 He Said She Said BS on rail, top out directly. Treasure Chest
Julia God Loves Rock & Roll A BS on crimps, feet deep in small cave, rail L & out via side pull. My God Given Right BS on crimps, feet deep in small cave, directly out. Sinking My Claws BS on side pull, into undercling. Into Your Flesh BS on rail, directly up. Looters BS on crimps, directly up. Breaking the Law SS on crimps. Directly up. Fear of Finding the Dead C BS on crimps, up on middle crack. Remember the Dead SS on rail directly up. 9 Maredon SS on rail, move out R & up. 9 Shipwreck
A B C Salvage BS on arete, follow the arête up. God of Wrath A BS on slopers, up over ramp moving slightly L. A Wicked Game B BS on crimp rail, out slightly L. Merciless Onslaught A BS below rounded overhanging arête. C Highway Star BS on rail, up onto jug. Feral Sausage BS on crimp jugs, don t use the lower band at all. Girdle of Emptyness BS on huge jug on lower band, directly up to the top. Assault Attack Crouch start on big rounded rail, directly up. Sword Made of Steel Hang start on jug rail, directly up. Nowhere to Run Hang start on jug rail, under crack, up using the RH arête of crack. D D Watery Grave Hang start on jug rail, directly up. Burial At Sea SS on arête, directly up arête. Kriegs Marine A BS on crimps & side pull, directly up. D Tavern of the Seas B+ BS on slopers & crimps. Aku Aku BS in crack open book. 9 Kontiki C Hang start on rail jugs, directly up arête. 0 Junk Man SS o jug under crack, up crack. Senor Kon-tiki Fati-Hiva A Hang start on jugs just R of arête. Move R into rail & the directly up L of crack. Hang start on jugs just R of arête, up to rail. Rail all the way R. 0 9 Shipwreck The Snow Goose Hang start on just L of arête. Directly up arête.
9 0 Silent Scream BS, up diverging cracks. Tears Desend BS, RH on pinch, directly up. Here You Stand BS on rail, directly up. 000 Frozen Tears BS on rail, up blunt arête. Hammer of Thor A+ Start far R, traverse L to where boulders meet, top out without using the other boulder. Frozen Winter C BS on crimp rail, top out. Before the Truth BS in jam crack, traverse R to where boulders meet. No top out. Forsake me Now BS in jam crack, slightly R & top out. 9 Faded Hope C BS,.m R of the arête, directly up. 0 Broken Dream C BS, under the arête, directly up. Lost in This Life BS, RH side pull & LH jam. Directly up. Believing the Lie BS on slopy rail, directly up. Týr
Only The Good Die Young C BS on crimp. Top out. Laughing in the Rear View C BS on crimp. Top out. Nothing More A BS on R, traverse low all the way R. Top out on slab. Gone C BS with side pull, directly up. The Great Forever C BS with side pull, directly up. Like a Dream A+ BS under arête, directly up. Julia B BS using side pull. Directly up. Scribe s note: This is a small quiet area that got developed soon after the news of Julia Chen s passing in June 0. I never met Julia, but her passing upset me & continues to upset me. Julia
0 9 My Mind s Eye BS, RH on fat horn, directly up. Metal Symphony BS on rail, directly up. Ride the Night BS in jam rail, directly up. Downfall BS on rail, directly up. Euphoria BS on low rail, directly up. Seven Keys & 9 Doors A BS, LH on side pull crimp & RH on pinch, directly up. The Last Call C BS under black roof. Move out L, directly up. The Other Side A BS on low ledge rail on R, traverse low all the way L. 0 9 9 The Path to Decay BS on low ledge rail, directly up. 0 Voices Within C BS on arete side pull. Traverse R without using the top. Save Me From Myself A BS on L & RH side pulls. Directly up. Lost in Life BS on sloppy crimps. Directly up. Lethargica BS on RH side pull. Directly up. Sirenia A Sister Nightfall BS on rail, directly up. SS on the L, traverse R with feet about m above ground. Keep traversing around the RH corner. Seven Sirens & a Silver Tear Crouch start on rail crimp, directly up. A Dream That was Mine A SS just L of boulder. Directly up on thin crimps. Sail Away My Little Sister A SS on boulder, thin moves, directly up. 9 To the Other Side A SS on crimps just R of boulder, directly up. 0 Lights are Fading SS on diagonal crimp, directly up. Sins Are Far Away BS, up crack. Time Slips Away BS on rail, just R of crack. Ride the Night BS in jam rail, directly up on jugs. Sirenia 9
9 0 Back of My Mind BS then up the arete. No Key C BS on RH side pulls, directly up. Don t use the huge flake. You Don t Care C BS in crack. Top out. Life Fades Away C BS in crack. Top out. Pay the Keeper A BS low under cling jug, top out. 9 Mercyful Fate BS with side pull, directly up. 0 Set My Mind Free BS & finger crack, up over rails. Hope you read to the end Mountain Club stoogies Sirenia 0
A A A C D D B A Walk-in from road Pool B B A Calculated Chaos SS on rounded jug, up into crack. Orders From the Future SS on crimp, directly up. B C Done & Dusted C Hang start on sloper rail, up break Return to night BS up break,. Turn It Arround BS on jugs, up break. Nothing Is Real BS under nose, top out. The Dance A LHS of passage. BS on jugs, out under overhang. Dissatisfaction Guaranteed A RHS of passage. BS on good jug deep in passage, rail R & top out. 9 Disenfranchisement A BS on rail under most overhanging section. Directly up. D 0 Bottom of the Barrel BS, under low nose. Top out over the nose. E A Better Place BS on diagonal rail, directly up. Don t Tell Me BS on diagonal rail, directly up. C This is a small insignificant area that is about km walk in the direction of Cape Town. It s a fun area if you are not planning to boulder hard, but feel like new stuff & more walking than bouldering. 9 0 D E Long Walk
Sirenia
Sirenia