Lekker Time | chossclimbers.com

Go back to Paarl Rocks.
Go back to South Africa.

Crux of Lekker Time.

Back to Yellowwood Amphitheatre and its smoldering approach early the following morning. Our objective on the far left side of the wall proved considerably easier to access and we were climbing some 2.5 hours after leaving the car. Lekker Time, a 7-pitch 17 route and a recent (trad) addition to the wall, proved to be one of the climbing highlights of our trip. Fun pitches on good rock (and with minimal vegetation) with a short but thought provoking crux for me. Easy descent via 3 steep and long rappels. Soon enough we were tossing back Black Labels and Windhoek Lagers in the now very familiar highway rest area bar.

Photos

Shirley and Ross about to start the hike back up to the Yellowwood Amphitheater (Dec. 2017).

Low clouds during our morning approach hike (Dec. 2017).

Slogging up and nearing the outer edge of the burnt area (Dec. 2017).

Plant life in the Amphitheater (Dec. 2017).

Left side of the Amphitheater. Lekker Time route starts up the buttress at the extreme left of the photo (Dec. 2017).

Racking up at the base of Lekker Time in Yellowwood Amphitheater. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

Starting up Lekker Time route. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

Crux of pitch 1. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

An orchid in Yellowwood Amphitheater. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

Higher on pitch 1 of Lekker Time belayed by Shirley. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

Shirley and the Yellowwood Amphitheater. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

Somewhere on pitches 1 or 2 of Lekker Time (linked together). Photo by Ross. Click photo for full resolution (Dec. 2017).

Shirley on the crux moves of pitch 1. Photo by Ross. Click photo for full resolution (Dec. 2017).

Shirley on pitch 1 or 2. Photo by Ross. Click photo for full resolution (Dec. 2017).

Starting the lead of pitch 3 – probably the crux of the route (Dec. 2017).

Same point in time, different perspective courtesy of Ross. Click photo for full resolution (Dec. 2017).

Another long range shot from Ross. Just a bit higher than the previous photo (Dec. 2017).

And done with the crux (Dec. 2017).

A wider angle view. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

Shirley on the crux. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

Topping out on pitch 3 (Dec. 2017).

Views of Yellowwood Amphitheater from Lekker Time route. Smalblaar Ridge forms the right edge (Dec. 2017).

Leading the short pitch 4 (Dec. 2017).

Shirley starting up pitch 4 belayed by yours truly. Photo by Ross. Click photo for full resolution version (Dec. 2017).

Starting pitch 5 of Lekker Time (Dec. 2017).

Views (towards beer!) from Lekker Time (Dec. 2017).

Higher on pitch 5 of Lekker Time (Dec. 2017).

Leading pitch 5. Photo by Ross. Click photo for full resolution version (Dec. 2017).

Shirley arriving on top of pitch 5 (Dec. 2017).

Starting pitch 6 – very nice and exposed climbing here (Dec. 2017).

Leading pitch 6. Photo by Ross. Click photo for full resolution (Dec. 2017).

Shirley topping out on Lekker Time (Dec. 2017).

Shirley at the top of the route (Dec. 2017).

Traversing the exposed ledge system above Lekker Time to the rappel line (Dec. 2017).

On the final (of 3), free hanging, 60 meter rappel. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).

A short break in the shade of a tree in the Amphitheater gully during the descent (Dec. 2017).

The stifling final section of the hike down through the burnt area (Dec. 2017).

Dinner prep at the hut (Dec. 2017).

Shirley and Ross cooking dinner during our last evening at the Du Toits Hut (Dec. 2017).

Sending hard. Four nights worth of work at the Du Toits Hut (Dec. 2017).

Go to Apostles Buttresses.
Go back to South Africa.