This is the
home of the range's best water-ice routes. They are located on the
south side
of the massif. Ice forms from late May, right through to late August.
The best
time is usually mid to late July. The ice is very consistent, even if
there has
been no snow. Almost all the routes form from streams and
seepages.
They are best approached from the Giant's Castle Camp. An eight-hour
hike with
full kit over the Giant's Castle Pass gives
access to the
upper reaches of the mountain's south face. Unlike most other
winter-climbing
areas of the world, these climbs are usually accessed from the top. The
lip of
the south face has numerous flat areas to camp, from where the climbs
are then
reached either by abseiling or scrambling down to the beginnings of the
icefalls. The top of “Makaza”
is the usual base
camp.
Giant's
Castle
holds the best conditions for ice climbing because, in this area, the
escarpment edge runs from east to west for about four
kilometres. This
then forms a long, cold and shady cliff-edge where temperatures seldom
rise
above freezing point for the entire winter. Furthermore, a
long grass
slope running up towards the main summit stretches above the cliff
edge. This acts
as a huge catchment for
snow and rain, which later
runs down over the edge and provides the moisture to cause “fat”
conditions.
There are also numerous easy-angled gullies, which fill with deep snow
in this
area. These do not become hard water-ice, but slowly consolidate over
time to
become ‘névé
ice’ or very hard snow.
Currently,
several major climbs have been done on this peak and numerous others
still
await first ascents. Most of the unclimbed falls are steep, multi-pitch
routes
that will require more skill and determination than the present
generation of
local climbers can deal with.
Eastern Gully
Grade:
II, 2
Time:
6 hours
from hut to summit.
Approach
the
Eastern Gully from Giant's Hut. This gully starts from the
top of the
narrow valley below which the hut is located. The climb consists of
easy angled
névé-ice.
There is a small waterfall at
the start, which can sometimes be awkward. The climb consists
of a superb
gully running all the way to the top of the escarpment. The
exit is just
south of the summit of the peak. Reliant on good snow falls.
The Giant’s
Hut is an ideal base camp.
Giant's Frontal in Winter (Sherman's
Route)
Grade:
II, 2
F3
First
winter
ascent: G. Raubenheimer,
G. Stewart. July 1996.
This
route is the
winter version of the original rock climb.
If approaching from Giant’s
hut,
walk up the amphitheatre below the summit, heading for a nek
on the right. From this nek,
traverse right to an
obvious rocky gully that leads to the upper grass ledge. This gully can
also be
reached from directly below. When on the upper grass band,
walk left
(south) past the start of Schole’s
Route and the
Giant’s Nostrils caves until below a short cliff with a chimney. The
main head
wall of the Giant is now directly above. The chimney is the first
pitch. This
route will only be snowed up after major snow falls and prolonged cold
weather.
(1) WI 2 F3
15m. Ascend
the short icy chimney to near the top, then break out onto the right
hand wall
and up. Move up broken ground and then left about 20 meters to the next
rock
band.
(2)
F3 15m. Start below an
overhang with a left facing open book on the left
of the
overhang. Ascend via a slab and layback to a large
ledge with an
abseil point. This pitch is free of snow. From the abseil point
traverse left
all the way to the main ridge. Scramble up onto the ridge crest then
scramble
to the summit, usually in snow.
Descent:
Scramble
all the way back to the top of pitch 2 and a bolted abseil point. Then
scramble
down to the top of pitch one to more abseil chains just right (south)
of the
top of the chimney.
Shisa Couloir
Shisa Couloir Area -
About 15 minutes walk east of Makaza amphitheatre is another smaller
but very steep gully of ice. Two routes are located here.
Shisa is the Zulu word for hot.
She's a Man Eater
Grade: III WI 4
First asecent: G. Frost, M. Sporen 13 July 2006
Approach:
Descend the route by multiple abseils . The climb begins at the bottom
of a long steep section (50m) with an overhang in the face about 40m
above the ground.
Pitch 1 (50m WI 4)
Climb on the right hand side of the ice fall avoiding the overhanging
section on the left then move leftwards with the ramp to a stance on a
flat section.
Pitch 2 (30m WI 2)
Continue up the ramp on easy ground to a stance on a flat spot below a
rocky scramble dividing the climbing pitches.
Pitch 3 (walk)
Walk along the rocky section to below the next ice pitch.
Pitch 4 (60m WI 2)
Continue climbing up to belay at a large boulder in the ice on the
right hand side of the gully below the ice chimney that leads up to the
upper section of the climb.
Pitch 5 (20m WI 3)
Climb up the face to a ledge below the overhangs above.
Pitch 6 (35m WI 3+)
Climb the break on the right up to a large ledge and belay at the back
of the cave section (protection from ice falling from above).
Pitch 7 (40m WI 2)
Traverse leftwards on ramps and ledges to below the centre portion of
the face and belay on a small ledge just to the right of the central
ice pillar.
Pitch 8 (25m WI 4)
Climb up from the stance then tend leftwards to the pillar. Climb the
pillar directly to the top and belay behind a rock to the left of the
top-out.
This route needs a good season to form completely. Pitches 5 and 6 can
be combined.
Faber-Castell
This
is a fairly
consistently forming 40m “pencil” of ice that forms on the eastern side
of the Shisa gully. It
has only been top-roped so far.
Makaza
Grade:
III WI 4
First
ascent: J. Ingman, R.
Guest, R. Pocock.
1985.
Time:
4 hours of
actual climbing.
Makaza
is a
long, 300m icefall running over the south escarpment edge of
Giant's
Castle. The climbing is not sustained and harder sections can be
scrambled around.
>From the top of Giant’s Pass walk down towards the south
escarpment edge and
then eastwards to the first major river which runs over the
edge. Map
co-ordinates 29° 21’ 00’ S, 29° 28’ 20’’
E. There is a level
patch of ground at the lip of the icefall where most parties camp while
climbing in the area. A circular stone wall for wind protection is also
located
here. From the edge, abseil and scramble down to the start
some 300m
below in the gully.
(1)
WI 3
50m. Start in a narrow amphitheatre of ice some 300m from the
top.
Take the middle line up steep ice for 20m. The angle then slackens off
into an
easier 30m ramp.
(2)
WI 2
150m. Continue up the drainage, climbing several easy smears
until the
final 25m wall is reached. Many lines exist up this huge amphitheatre.
(3)
WI 3 The
classic line goes slightly right of centre up some pleasant slabs. Or
left of
centre there is a chandeliered curtain at half height. Start under the
right
edge of this curtain, climb up to it, traverse under it to the left and
exit
straight up. WI 3.
On
the extreme
right on steep slabs is a line named “Return to Fear”. (WI
4) First
ascent by G. Raubenheimer
1996.
On
the extreme
left is a steeper wall of about WI 5.
Makaza
is
the Zulu word for cold.
Future X
This
route has
never been properly climbed. It can be located by following the stream
from the
summit of the pass till where it flows over the southern escarpment
edge, ie. just east of
the Main Event. In good winters this forms
into about 5 long pitches ending in a fall 50m, plumb vertical pillar.
When it
is lead one day, it will probably be the most serious and longest route
in the
whole of Africa (considering that most of east Africa’s
big ice routes no longer exist). The upper half of this
pillar has been
top-roped by G. Raubenheimer.

Future X
Main Event
Grade:
III,
WI
4
First
ascent: J. Ingman, R.
Guest, R. Pocock.
1985.
Time:
3 hours of actual climbing.
From
the top of
Giant's Pass, walk straight down to the escarpment edge to the south.
The top
of the icefall is then located a few hundred metres west, in the corner
formed
by a long spit of land jutting out over the Lotheni
Pass.
Map co-ordinates 29°
21’ 4’’ S , 29° 27’ 28’’ E. It is a huge
150m icefall with
several climbable lines possible. Abseil to the start. Belays at the
top are
hard to find. Some grass pitons can be useful.
(1)
WI 3, 40m.
>From the middle of the gully, climb steep, compact ice until
the angle eases
below a large bulge of rock. Move right and up to a belay 40m above the
starting
point.
(2)
WI 2, 35m.
Continue up until under the main head wall.
(3)
WI 4-5, 50m. Climb
any number of variations on the huge wall above.
Tight Screws Cold Hands
Grade
: III WI 4
First ascent: H. Esterhuyse, H. Weight, R. Zipplies. July 2006
Half an hour’s walk from the camp site at Makaza towards Main Lotheni
Couloir. Pass the top of the Main Event and keep walking towards the
massive Main Lotheni gully to the west. About 5minutes
walk. Tight Screws... is a
broad, west facing gully which is a subsiduary of the Lotheni
river.
Approach the first belay by carefully scrambling down the right hand
side (looking down the gully) to a grassy ledge which offers good
abseil-anchors in the corner using a large cam, nuts and/or pitons.
The first abseil takes you 40m to a grassy bank directly below the
abseil anchors. Place ice screws and abseil another 20m to the bottom
of the first pitch.
There is a third pitch lower down the gully. Access this by scrambling
down a further 50m and then abseiling about 20m.
Pitch 1 (20m WI 3) This is generally a well formed ice wall and less
chandeliered than the second pitch. Climb straight up the middle up
steep ice.
Pitch 2 (45m WI 4) The second pitch is quite spectacular with beautiful
chandeliered Ice. Climb up the middle to the top (vertical crux) and
exit by traversing to the left where the anchors are set up.
Walkie Talkie
Grade: II WI 2
First ascent: Colin McCoy, Ce deCarvalho, G. Raubenheimer.
Approach as for Tight Screws... Carry on walking with the main gully on your
left till the next gully runs up from the bottom at an acute angle.
Abseil off the edge to where ever the ice starts. Climb 2 or 3 easy
pitches of ice. The top section onto the escarpment is the steepest
section.
Pigs Can Fly
Grade: II WI 4
First ascent: T.Mann, I.Bailey 14 July 2006.
Approach and abseil as for Walkie Talkie. At the top of the Walkie Talkie gully
climb the steep ice on the left just before the final section.
Big Foot Little Step
Grade:
III
W2
First
ascent: C.
de Carvalho, M.
Robertson, D. Robertson. 1991
This
route
is located in the next gully immediately east of the final pitch of the
Main Lotheni Couloir. The route is
usually approached via abseiling down the route. It is also possible to
abseil
down the upper pitch of the Main Loteni
Couloirs in
order to get to the start.
Climb
the gully
usually on névé
and patches of water-ice. In sparse
years the gully is loose and rocky. Exit the gully by a 35m pitch onto
the
escarpment.
Note:
This route
may have first been climbed by Jeff Ingman
and party.
Main Lotheni
Couloir
Grade:
III,
WI
4/5
First ascent:
J. Ingman, R. Guest, R.
Pocock.
1985
Time:
4 hours
climbing.
The
climb forms
in the upper reaches of the Lotheni
River.
This climb was described by Jeff Ingman
as the “plum”
of the Loteni
valley. It is a Drakensberg
Classic of world quality.
It
may be
approached from Giant's Pass and by abseiling to the start. Scramble
down to
where the river drainage runs over the escarpment edge. Co-ordinates
29° 21’
00’’ S, 29° 27’ 15’’ E. Abseil and scramble down
three separate ice
pitches to the start. It is usually possible to scramble around the
short
middle pitch when getting to the start. The distance between
the second
and third pitches is about 150 metres.
(1)
WI 3 45m.
This pitch starts in a deep and remote section of the gully a few
hundred
meters down from the edge of the escarpment. A long
sustained pitch
followed by walking. WI 3 if
keeping to the right or
WI 4 if straight up the middle. Scramble for 150m to below
the short
middle pitch.
(2)
WI 2 15m.
Climb easy ice to below the final
pitch.
(3)
WI 3 35m. This final pitch is
usually climbed on the left until large icicles are encountered hanging
from
above. Traverse out right on often chandeliered ice. Exit straight up.
(WI 3/4,
45m). A very spectacular pitch.
Comments:
If
always taking the easiest line, this climb usually goes at no more than
WI 3. In very sparse years some
sections may be WI 5.
Main Lotheni Couloir
Madiba’s Choice
WI
3
This
is a short
“boulder problem” at the top of the Main Loteni
Couloir.
The river flows over a 5m
drop-off some 30 meters back from the final pitch of the main
route.
Curtain Call
WI
1
This
is an ice
smear high on the easy-angled slopes of the Loteni
river above the two above-mentioned routes.