Smalblaar Ridge

South Africa

Go back to Cape Peninsula.
Go back to South Africa.

Smalblaar Ridge
Smalblaar Ridge.
Our day and a half of leisure went by all too quickly and we were picked up by Ross in the early afternoon on Boxing Day. We headed back to the Du Toits Kloof Mountains and a different MCSA hut; this one reachable by car. It would be our home for most of the second week of the trip.

Up pre-dawn the following morning for a 15 minute drive to our next objective. We parked on the side of a highway and started hiking up through a burnt out wasteland. Fynbos fires are a natural and periodic occurrence and this latest one passed through the area a day or two prior leaving some smoldering patches. The hike got progressively steeper and we finally arrived at the base of our climb some 3 hours after leaving the car. The goal for the day was a handsome looking ridge on the right side of Yellowwood Amphitheater (site of new and intensive route development; almost all strictly trad no less).

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Smalblaar Ridge
Soot-covered Shirley.
The route, Smalblaar Ridge, was not long and we combined it into 3 or 4 long pitches. We were enjoying ourselves (outstanding views) and stopped for a leisurely lunch on the summit. I guess things were a bit too leisurely since by the time we made our way down the partially burnt out descent gully, Ross was surprised by how long we were gone up top. Things were warming up and conditions were positively stifling when we hit the freshly burnt area for the final 45 minutes to the car (upper 20s C). Thankfully, there was a beer-serving oasis at a roadside bar some 5km down the highway. This would be our routine for the next two days: climb, beer in the bar, wine over dinner in the hut and a nip of scotch for sweet dreams.

Photos

Du Toits Kloof Mountains
Shirley at the Du Toits Hut – our home for the next four nights (Dec. 2017).
Du Toits Kloof Mountains
Spacious interior – though maybe not quite as cozy as the Agtertafelberg Hut from a few nights prior (Dec. 2017).
Du Toits Kloof Mountains
The hut had an outdoor pool. Here Shirley is checking for any swimming Rinkhals (click photo for more detail – not ours, but a screen shot of a Snakes Of SA community page on Facebook).
Du Toits Kloof Mountains
Wider angle view of the pool and the hut (in the trees; Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley and Ross starting the approach hike up to the Yellowwood Amphitheater early the next morning. 3+ hours to the base of the route with the initial hour through this freshly burnt out area (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Bit of a wasteland (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Interesting flora on the hike up (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Views of Yellowwood Amphitheater from the approach gully.  Smalblaar Ridge forms the right edge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Looking back at the approach gully (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley and Ross traversing the Yellowwood Amphitheater on approach to Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Looking at the left side of the Yellowwood Amphitheater – our goal for two days later is visible just left of center (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley near the base of Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Base of Smalblaar Ridge. Chest Pieces formations form the backdrop. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Racking up for Smalblaar Ridge. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley (red) and I (green) scrambling up to the start of the technical climbing on Smalblaar Ridge. Photo by Ross. Click photo for full resolution view (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Leading the first pitch of Smalblaar Ridge. Photo by Ross. Click photo for a full resolution version (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Leading pitch one of Smalblaar Ridge – much longer than the description implies. Click on photo for full resolution version (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley topping out on pitch 1 (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Looking towards the Chest Pieces from Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley on pitch 2 of Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley on the short crux of Smalblaar Ridge. This is pitch 2 (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Topping out on pitch 2 or 3 (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Leading pitch 3 of Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley on a fun fin pinching move on our pitch 4 of Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley nearing the top of Smalblaar Ridge. We stopped about 30 feet below the summit mostly for the cool photo op (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Views towards the beer from high on Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Topping out on the route (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
A nice lunch spot (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Views towards Worcester on the “other” (vs. Cape Town) side of Du Toits Kloof Mountains (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Summit views (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Hiking off the top out point of Smalblaar Ridge and towards the descent gully (visible on left; Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Some kind of bird of prey but not sure which (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley in the descent gully. Lower portions were freshly burnt (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
The last short rappel in the descent gully. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley out of the descent gully in a burnt out area up high. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Ross, Shirley and Smalblaar Ridge (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Shirley covered in soot during our descent through the freshly burnt out areas (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Yellowwood Amphitheater (Dec. 2017).
Smalblaar Ridge
Resting on the long and hot descent. Photo by Ross (Dec. 2017).
Du Toits Kloof Mountains
Subtle beauty of the Du Toits Kloof Mountains (Dec. 2017).
Du Toits Kloof Mountains
Shirley and Ross heading in for a beer session at the rest area bar in the Du Toits Kloof Mountains (Dec. 2017).

Go to Paarl Rocks.
Go back to South Africa.