Cedarberg

Just a quick comment. All the pictures are now liked to the album on crackbook so if you click on them you can see more pictures.

The next leg of the trip was to drive up to Cedarberg with Karina. Julie had flown home and Dion was not able to join us as work and the real world we impressing themselves on him.

To get the trip started I rented a nice new (yes they still make them new here) Volkswagon Golf 1 - AKA Rabbit. We then jumped in and started driving. Dion drew us a map to follow for our travels up to the Oasis Backpackers in Cedarberg. Now for the non-climbers out there Cedarberg is a wild region very close to the world famous bouldering location Rocklands. There are amazing hikes and mountains up there.

The drive was beautiful, we traveled through Oudtshoorn, Montague (both climbing areas), Ceres (the juice making place), Rocklands and through the wilderness of Cedarberg. The drive was a little over 600 KM and took us all day including 50 KM down a dirt road. This place was really remote.

We arrived tired and worn out to this tiny backpacker as the it got dark and clouds overhead. After warming up by the fire and a quick vegetarian dinner owner Gerrit drew us a map for going up the Wolfberg Cracks and to go to the Wolfberg Arch.

I have to say, one of the most fun things about the Oasis backpackers was having Gerrit draw the maps. He knew I was a climber and so draw the map with explicit instructions on where to go and which route to take. He told me that I could climb over some of the cave-ins going through the hard route in the Wolfberg cracks but I should rather follow the route everyone else does by crawling under the boulders. He was such a character.

We knocked off shortly after the map was done in hopes of getting an early start. Shortly after sleep took us I was awakened by the sound of rain rattling against the tin roof. The rain continued through the night and into the next day. No hiking and a day of rest indoors was the order of the day. It was Friday and by night fall the entire hostel was filled.

Saturday was looking much better but we still didn't have a mind to do the Wolfberg. Instead Karina and I opted for a trip to the Stadsaal caves which were a shorter hike and nearby. We figured, cave = cover so they would be nicer given all the rain. The International Medical Students from Capetown decided to do the same hike but were quick off the blocks and headed out.

Gerrit drew us a map as was his way. He told us that with all the rain we would not be able to pass any of the rivers around our valley and the the only chance we had to make the caves or anywhere for that matter was to pass over the high road to Kromrivier. So our map was draw to go to Kromrivier which was good for me because I got to pass by Truitjieskraal, the best sport climbing area in Cedarberg. Unforetunatley for me the area was closed because of a fire last year so I wasn't able to get too close but there was fine boulder on the road opposite to the location.

When we arrived at the Kromrivier bridge we found the cars belonging to the Internation Medical students and the river flowing a good 8 inches over the top of the bridge. Clearly this river was too high for our little Golf One. We instead turned back to Truitjieskraal for some bouldering and exploring.

Karina did most of the exploring while I jumped on some of the craziest boulder formations I have seen. The sandstone here really is amazing. Much of the climbing in this location was quite easy or just a little to exposed to try the harder stuff. I did pop on a few really cool problems. I even crawled under a boulder that was the size of a small bus that was supported by a finger of rock only 4ft by 2ft. Really cool.

After bouldering and treking around for a few hours we jumped back into the car to check on the flooded river. The sun was shining and the rain had stopped so we were able hopeful that the water level had dropped. Sure enough, the water was now a couple inches below the bridge surface and we were able to cross.

Picture: Karina showing the amazing Stadsaal Cave formations.

We headed to the caves, covering the 10km in short order. We skipped the Bushman paintings and went straight to the caves. The formations were really unique; pillars carved from winds creating domes and what looked like hallways. Truly amazing. We also saw Bushman paintings that were about 1000 years old.

We headed back to Oasis as the night came, had dinner and went to bed as we were keen to do the Wolfberg Cracks and Arch the following day.

We were up earlier for the cracks but the a little slow off the blocks. We arrived at the base of the cracks to start our hike at 10:30AM. The woman who sold us the permit was a little wary that we were starting so late and told us that we would just make it back before dark.

Off we set up the steap hike to the base of the cracks. There were switch backs so the hiking wasn't all that hard. For though at home you would make quick work of it if you can do the grouse grind.

After 45min of slogging up hill (would have been faster if I hadn't been drooling over the beautiful multipitch trad climbs that were 4-7 pitches long) we reach the branch point to where you can go to the hard crack or turn left to take the easy road. We moved out onto some easy 4th class climbing to get to the start of the hard crack.

The hard crack was great, you start up hopping over a few boulders then squeezing through a dark crack tunnel into a sandy openning. It feels like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. once through the crack you are in this sandy clearing where you find that you two giant arches, maybe 25m high, that join to a parallel crack. The rock towers over you going up a 150m hiding most of the sunlight.

Gerrit told me in particular I must climb through the second cave in as you have to slide on your back then get up through a gap in the rock pulling yourself the whole way. He said it is fun and rediculous like you are going through a birthing canal. He said I could climb over is I wanted to but it would better to experience the hike as other non-climbers do. After climbing over the first cave in we came upon a single boulder with a gap underneath. Karina and I figured it was the birthing canal but since it was only one boulder was a touch easy to climb over.

Since Gerrit was so adamant about us passing through this cave in instead of over we did it. I have video footage that isn't included here but I'll show you guys. it was hilarious, but was we were to find out not the birthing canal.

Another 30m up the crack we found the real birthing canal and had to crawl through. Since this place is so dark and deep water tends to build up here. I had my jacket but was still very much in a puddle when I passed through the canal. I left my jacket down so that Karina could go through without soaking her butt as I did. The whole this was quite fun and good for a laugh.

We negotiated the next cave in as the crack got more and more slim. As we neared the end of the crack we found that my feet almost wouldn't fit at the bottom. Word to the larger people out there, be careful about taking the hard crack, it might not allow you to pass.

Having finished the cracks and reaching the top we now had a good 1.5 hour hike through the most beautiful terrain to reach the arch. There was amazing featured boulder of all kinds and overhangs along the way. I stopped to play on one but we were eager to make the arch in good time to climb it.


Picture: Me bouldering on some of the amazing formation at the top of the Wolfberg Cracks.

Karina is quite the champ hiker and we made good time. Me lagging at times because I would day dream about climbing some of the boulder but we arrived in good time. I go my shoes on and scaled the right side of the arch while I was still warm from the hike. We then state down and ate a good lunch.

Picture: Me after climbing the right side of the Wolfberg Arch.

After a good hour of repose we started back. The Int Med Students could be heard approaching the arch in the distance. They had left at the same time as us but were a little slowering making their way through the climbing and cave in sections. When we met them on the hike out they were eager to get there and head back. The one from Trinidad in particular looked a bit finished with the hike.

We took the hard version of the easy Crack on the way down. Gerrit assured us there was a cave in that would require us to jump a couple meters to get down but we never found it. The return trip was quick and easy. We had completed the entire journey in just a little over 6 hours including a 1 hour break (so if you are in shape you don't have to adhere to the 8 hours they estimate for the hike).

For our last day in Cedarberg we decided to do the Maltese Cross hike. This one was quite a bit shorter than the Wolfberg Arch which was good because we were a little more run down. The 30 minutes of stretching we had done after completing that hike saved us from being sore but there wasn't much reserved left in the tank.

Gerrit wrote us up another map. This time he added some treats for us; a hike up Sneeuberg (Snow mountain) to see the snow protea; a rare and endangered species of the protea flower. We set out, got our permit and started hiking having a good laugh at the sign say we shouldn't even THINK of the hike without a permit (see picture album for this one).

The hike was mostly uphill following a stream bed which was partly filled given the rain of previous days. After a couple hours we had reach the Maltese Cross and stopped for lunch. The route up was pretty but not as exciting as our trek the previous day but there were more attractive boulders along the way. One next to the trail with a stream running next to it had been climbed as evidenced by the chalk on it but we pressed ahead hoping to see the rare fauna at the top of Sneeuberg.

After our lunch we hiked on to find the trail up Sneeuberg. Gerrit had been given clear instructions that we were to talk exactly 1090 meters past the Maltese Cross then turn left up and unmarked trail towards the summer. He also indicated there was a trail at 1000 meters that we "must not take". After crossing a high plains that was very marshy from the rains we made over shot the trail because it turned out that it was in fact marked quite well with cairns.

Guessing that we had the right path we headed almost straight up the step path and found our way to a beautiful high mountain river. ALong the hike up we saw a mountain deer of some kind which had been grazing on the path we were hiking. It ran up higher looked back and then continue to run away. We continued on to find what we believe are snow protea. It was getting late in the day and we didn't want to push onwards up the mountain as walking in the dark down the team terrain was not a good option.

Picture: Karina and I up at the snow protea's. You can see the Maltese Cross directly left of my should in the background.

We turned back and hiked down slightly off trail the ridge line and keeping the river on our right. We reach the plains below and stuck to the left side where a trail carried us around the marsh that we had walked through to get there.

About 500 meters past the Maltese Cross on the way down to the car we stopped for a bit near one of the boulders I was interested in. We hadn't brought our climbing shoes up since we didn't want to carry the weight on the hike. So I took my shoes off and began climbing in bare feet. The problem was beautiful, maybe a V2 up this nice overhanging sandstone boulder. The feet are not great but he hand holds are quite nice.

You pull up on a two hand juge before you cross left over to a small jug then bump the right up to a crimp. Then a big left hang move to a jug. Your feet track to the starting hold then the righ hand crosses over top again to a medocre open hand jug. I then made a big left hand move out left and up to bring my hands almost even. The is where my feet cut off and I'm hanging mid air about 12 feet in the air. I get my left foot onto the only hold which is far left, hooking my big to on a teardrop shapped hold. The next move was a left hand to a big jug about 2 ft higher on the boulder.

I looked at it and allow a split second of fear of whether the hold was strong enough to hold me. I was high up. That would prove to be the distraction that would make sure I didn't make it. I attemped the move and my hand hit the hold but didn't latch it. I have a nice blood blister where the side of the jug ran down my finger. I was off and free fallling. I remember seeing a flash of the ground before I landed with an explosion of water.


Pictures: Boulder near Maltese cross that I fell off the top and sprained my ankle. The stream is just in the shade on the left side.

I had landed with my right foot on the bank of the stream below had torqued my foot back so that I took the entire weight of the fall on my heal and ankle. My left foot had landed on a boulder which was in the river but I was able to soak up some of the fall by collapsing onto it. I knew I was 'ok' as in not seriously hurt but that both heals were bruised and my left ankle which had landed heal first was sprained.

Karina had done a good job to orient me as best she could for the fall but did the right thing in not getting underneath me which would have just injured us both. I soaked my ankle in the cold stream water for 10 minutes till it began to swell despite the cold. Karina bandaged up my ankle with a tensor she carries on her hikes and gave me her shirt to keep me warm since I was all wet.

The hike down was funny actually, since I was the hop along kid and the sprain wasn't so bad that I couldn't weight it. The hike in that had taken us only an hour now took two and the sun had set when we reach the car. Karina drove us back and along the way we saw a big bushy tailed Jackel on the road. It bounced its way down the road tail huge and fuzzy.

That night I spent with my ankle in the air and on vitamin I. The next day Karina and I were to go back to Capetown so she could make her flight to Joburg the following morning. She drove like a champion (sure glad I had her on the rental agreement) and we made our way back using a map Gerrit drew for us. We got to go through this crazy pass on the way to Capetown with shere cliffs on the one side and steep mountain face on the other.

We arrived in Capetown with time to spare but decided to take it easy and organize so that Karina's flight the next morning would be painless. I was a little concerned that my ankle would still be too swollen and painful to drive but the next morning I was doing much much better.

We had breakfast at the Airport and kissed and parted ways. Not too sad a parting giving the joy we had together and knowing that October isn't too far off. Distance isn't too much for connected hearts.