POLICEMAN'S HELMET (A1)
(Map #1 : J:21)
Opening Party: Roy Gooden, Rodney Owen and Alan McCarthy.
Date: October 1976.
This prominent feature overlooking the path up to Tunnel Gorge was
climbed using bolts as there were no placings whatever for natural
gear. Permission was first obtained from the Natal Parks Board. The
route is shown on the photo in the journal of the Mountain Club of the
University of Natal, Durban. It is highly doubtful that the bolts are
still safe. Some people will do anything to get their names on an RD.
Ref: UNDMC Journal 1977.
THE SENTINEL (Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m)
The Zulu name for this impressive peak is Ntabamnyama - the Black
One. It is the most frequently climbed peak in the Drakensberg, mostly
due to the easy access from the Sentinel car park. Provided that you
know where to go, the Standard Route provides a quick and easy descent
for the harder routes.
SENTINEL: Standard Route (D)
(Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m)
Opening Party: W J Wybergh and Lt N M McLeod.
Date: 29 September 1910.
Time: Just over an hour from the contour path to the summit.
This is a popular beginner's route. The climb starts in an obvious
recess on the west side of the Sentinel, about 100m above the contour
path and about the same distance diagonally up left from the nek
between Sentinel and Beacon Buttress. Climbing the recess involves only
one D grade pitch of about 15m. The pitch starts with an easy ramp that
leads up to a scoop. The scoop is often wet and slippery after rain. At
the top of the scoop, exit to the right and belay at a good peg with a
ring.
The rest of the route is simply a walk with a bit of scrambling.
From the ring-peg, head diagonally right and up to a knife-edge
overlooking the south west face. A path should be visible along this
section. From the knife-edge, turn left and head for the base of the
north west summit ridge on the left hand skyline several hundred metres
away. In order to do this is necessary to make your way diagonally up
and left across a huge, sloping, bushy ledge with a few minor rock
bands. The path, which is initially clear, fades and splits as you get
onto the huge ledge. By this stage, however, the objective, namely the
base of the summit ridge on the left skyline should be obvious.
The summit ridge involves a C grade scramble that is a somewhat
exposed. Beginners may want a rope here, particularly during the
descent. The path then leads along and up a ledge on the north western
face, giving access to the summit.
Descent: Follow the same route down. A short abseil is required from the ring-peg above the D pitch.
McLeod's Variation: Once on the
huge ledge, instead of walking diagonally left up to the north west
summit ridge, walk up diagonally right. Pass below the right hand end
of some rock bands and then head straight up the steep grass slope to
the final rock band below the summit. Climb a 15m E grade chimney. This
starts off wide enough for easy foot-and-back chimneying, but tapers
towards the top where it is blocked by a chockstone. Pull through over
the chockstone to exit. The summit cairn is just a short walk away.
This route is somewhat quicker than the standard route and involves
two pitches of climbing rather than one. Descend by the standard route.
Ref: MCSA Journal 1964, pg 42.
SENTINEL: Thatcher Route (F2/A1)
(Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m)
Opening Party: Mike Scott, Paul Gray and Butch de Bruin.
Date: 12 September 1975.
This route follows a nearly straight line between the "Angus-Leppan"
and the "Standard" routes. The start is from a knoll, the highest point
below the bulging slab-like faces of the WNW aspect of Sentinel. This
line crosses the Standard Route on the broad grass ledge below the
summit. After reading the RD, the significance of the name "Thatcher"
should become apparent!
- 30m C/D. Follow a diagonal line up to the right across faces and up
grassy cracks, to reach a stance in a chute below a small prominent
overhang on the wall on the right. Belay from a fixed peg behind a
flake.
- 30m F2/A1. Climb the groove to the overhang where there is a fixed
piton. Climb the overhang using either a sling in the piton or grass
for aid. (laybacks and mantleshelves are involved). From here make
another piton-assisted move (the knife blade piton was removed) in
order to stand on a tiny foothold and gain entry to a long grassy
groove. Follow this groove to a ledge.
- 45m E. Make a series of stepped traverses back to the left and up
on easy, interesting rock. This contains only one E move next to a good
knife blade-taking flake and ends in a lovely exposed traverse to the
left. The traverse enables one to outflank some overhangs and then move
up onto a long ledge.
- 28m E/F1. Climb the centre of the steep black face above, taking a
meandering line in order to avoid first a bulge and then a loose block.
- 40m C/D. Climb an easy groove in a corner to a ledge. Traverse left
and surmount some large blocks in order to gain the massive grass ledge
below the summit cliffs. A scramble of a 100m leads straight up to a
gigantic cleft with sheer faces on either side.
- 25m F1+. Climb the chimney with good protection. The move through
the top resembles climbing around the eves of a thatched cottage (Wow -
I really MUST try this route!) The stance is on a big grassy ledge. The
"+" in the grade is for people who don't like tight jamming and chimney
straddle moves in exposed positions.
- 25m E. Climb the continuation of the chimney past large chockstones
- beware of loose debris on one of them. The summit is now only a short
scramble away.
Descend by the standard route.
Ref: MCSA Journal 1975, pg 116.
SENTINEL: Angus-Leppan Route (F3 or F1/A1)
(Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m)
Opening Party: Pam and Peter Angus-Leppan.
Date: 17 February 1959.
Time: 3 hours climbing from the contour path to the summit.
This is a very popular route, being sunny and exposed on fairly good
rock. Although easy, it is not recommended for beginners, as the
consequences of a fall could be serious. This line on the huge north
face of the Sentinel used to be known as the Gendarme route and is one
of the best routes in the 'Berg at its grade.
From the contour path, head for the right hand side of the large
gendarme at the base of the north face. Scramble up the gully formed
between the gendarme on the left and the main face on the right.
Continue up the gully to a 5m rock step that blocks the gully. This
blockage may be passed in one of two ways. Most people follow an easy,
but unprotected zig-zag line (D) on the face of the gendarme, to the
left of the blockage: Climb up 2m, traverse left for about 10m,
up for 3m, and then back right for 20m (a bit thin for the last few
metres) to a position in the gully at the top of the blockage.
Alternatively, you can rope a pitch up the right of the blockage (F) -
this is particularly tricky when wet. From the top of the blockage,
scramble up to the nek between the gendarme and the main peak, climbing
through an easy rock band on the way.
- 20m D. From the nek, climb up easily, heading diagonally left and belay on a good grass ledge below a short steep wall.
- 20m E. "Grotto Pitch". Climb the wall to a small, vegetated
cubbyhole, with one awkward move on the way. From the cubbyhole
traverse to the left for 3m. Continue up an easy section for 10m and
into a short grassy gully. Belay near the base of an open book / large
recess(*) and adjacent to the start of a good rock ledge the runs off
to the left. (*) = See variation below.
- 25m E3. Traverse left along the rock ledge (exposed) which leads
around a corner and then up a narrow ramp. Belay at the top of the ramp
adjacent to the huge recess that splits the north face. Take care in
setting up this belay, as some of the rock is loose.
- 15m F1. Traverse to the right across an exposed slab, using spaced
footholds, and continue on to the corner. Climb up and belay at a large
block on the ledge above. From here, climbers following the leader can
be safely top-roped across the traverse. The only significant gear for
the leader during the traverse is a 3½ cam in a crack at foot level
after 3 or 4 metres.
- 35m D. Traverse to the right along a good rock ledge for 20m,
crossing a recess and continuing around a corner in the process. Climb
easily up to a belay on a large blocky ledge.
- 5m F3. Move up into the cubbyhole a couple of metres above the
stance. Clip a good peg under the roof of the cubbyhole and then, at
the highest point, reach round for a good hold and use this to move
diagonally up and right through the overhang. One intermediate sloping
hold is needed to stand up and reach good holds. This pitch was
originally aided up a line a couple of metres to the right of the
cubbyhole. It is also possible to climb this short section further to
the left of the main cubbyhole. From the top of this pitch you can walk
to the right along a broad ledge and join the topmost part of the
standard route. Alternatively, complete the route as it was opened, by
climbing the final pitch.
- 10m D. Climb the easy chimney in the rock band above the previous pitch and then stroll across to the summit cairn.
Descend by the standard route.
Variations: Pitches 3, 4 and 5 can be bypassed by a
direct route of two pitches that follows the open book / large recess
near the start of pitch 3. Although somewhat quicker, this line
bypasses the best pitches on the climb! Angus-Leppan's original Journal
article makes reference to this open book as a, "particularly evil
looking, green chimney . . . narrow, choked with growth and smooth
sided." but Dodding claims that it has been cleaned and is a reasonable
prospect using modern climbing gear. The details of this variation are
as follows:
Opening Party: Russ Dodding, Chris Lesley-Smith and Steve Kelsey. Date: 7 August 1998.
Pitch "3". 27m F3. Ascend the groove (unprotected at first) to an
obvious traverse line at 8m. Step delicately right, traverse around the
arete and walk to the right along the break to a large stance next to a
gully which is on the right.
Pitch "4". 20m E. Climb the arete easily to the blocky stance at the start of pitch 6 on the usual route.
There are also other variations to the start of the route. These all
begin lower down in the gully but all end with much the same pitch 6.
Ref: MCSA Journal 1959, pg 104.
SENTINEL: North Face (G/A2)
(Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m)
Opening Party: Roger Fuggle and Colin Shuttleworth.
Date: September 1970.
Time: 7 hours climbing.
The route follows the obvious break in the centre of the north face.
It is located just left of the Angus-Leppan gendarme and is clearly
visible from the car park. This is an impressive line which is fairly
serious.
- 45m F. Starting on the line on the right hand (northern) side of
the break, climb easily to a small overhang. Climb directly through the
overhang (2m F) in the back of the recess.
- 40m G. Climb the wide crack in the large recess to where only the
short and thin could chimney comfortably (30m D and E). Move to the
left on the face and up (2m G with direct aid) to a diagonal grass line
which provides easy climbing to a stance above the chimney.
- 35m D and E. Scramble up to below an overhang with a short, steep, rotten-looking recess to its right.
- ?m A1. Climb around the overhang on the left (3m A1),
then to the right, to a point from where a line up towards the left
leads to a very steep section of rock that obviously contains some
tricks.
- 35m F2, A1. Move to the right (6m F1) and then up, moving gradually
to the right as you ascend (18m A2) and avoiding a loose flake high up
on the right. The small ledge moving back towards the crack is a
cul-de-sac, so avoid this and instead, move up (3m F) and then to the
right. From here a ramp leads up diagonally to the left to a largish
platform (8m F1).
- 45m F. Move back into the recess and climb through a small
overhanging section (3m F). Continue climbing up then traverse to the
left along an obvious line (24m E3). Move back to the right to the base
of the final chimney (15m E and F).
- 12m E3. Climb the chimney to the top.
Descend by the standard route. This route has been done completely free at least once, grade unknown.
Ref: MCSA Journal 1970, pg 69. Copyright: MCSA-KZN 1998 ©
SENTINEL: Here Be Dragons (H1 / 23)
(Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m)
Opening Party: Mike Cartwright and Paul Fatti.
Date: 25 July 1992.
Time: 8 hours.
The route follows the north east ridge, i.e. the left-hand skyline
when viewed from the car park. It takes the centre of the buttress to
the prominent terraces at approximately half-height and then continues
up a vague weakness past a white patch of bird guano to easier ground.
The final pitch breaks through the top overhangs via a prominent
left-leaning break.
- 30m G3 (22). The key to this pitch is a conspicuous flake (3½ cam)
on the middle of the buttress about 12m up. Start just left of the very
prominent flake at the base of the buttress. Climb the slab past a
mantleshelf to the small overhang. Pass this on the right and traverse
left to the base of the flake. From the top of the flake, a tricky
sequence right and up leads to easier ground and a good ledge.
- 25m G3 (22). Gain the prominent recess up and to the right via a
large suspect flake. Climb the recess past a steep section to a stance
below some overhanging blocks.
- 45m G3 (22). Straddle up through the blocks to a thin rail up and
out left. From here, steep grass leads up to easier ground, which is
followed to the highest terrace.
- 35m H1 (23). The pitch follows the vague break up the slab just
left of a loose-looking flake at 5m and continues up to the recess
above. This recess leads to the white patch of bird guano. Steep slab
climbing leads to the flake. Step left to rest on a bulge and continue
up and slightly right into a resting place in a short recess. Move up
steep rock on the left past a good hold to a tricky sequence on rounded
handholds and then right into the main recess. Stem up and out right
and then up and left to stance on a narrow ledge.
- 30m F3 (18). Climb diagonally up left to a large horizontal break
and continue up and left to a stance in a blow-hole below the final
roofs.
- 45m G2 (20). Climb the obvious diagonal left-leaning break through the final overhangs (suspect rock) and scramble to top.
This is a bold line in a prominent position. Poor protection on the
crux pitch makes this a serious proposition. Descend by the standard
route.
Ref: MCSA Journal 1992, pg 108.
SENTINEL: South East Arete (G/A2)
(Map #1 : G:23 : 3165m)
Opening Party: Tony Dick and Roger Fuggle.
Date: 5 April 1969.
Time: 7 hours climbing.
This line faces across the Tugela gorge directly towards the Devil's
Tooth. It is more spectacular and probably less serious than the north
face route. It is approached by a pendulum abseil from an expansion
bolt just on the east side of the north-east corner of the Sentinel.
The bolt/s should be tested and replaced if loose. Climbing begins on
the arete proper where the south face falls away into the gully between
the Sentinel and Beacon Buttress. Recent reports indicate that the rock
on several pitches is dangerously loose.
- 40m F2. Climb up 3 m to the right of the arete, returning to the left to a comfortable, sloping stance.
- 40m F3 and A2. Hand-jam up the cracks above the stance. Move left
onto the south side of the arete and climb past several pegs to a small
stance. (This pitch has been freed by climbing to the right of the pegs
(20).
- 40m F3 and A2. Climb an open book to a triangular overhang. Peg
through the roof on sound channels, moving out to the right and up into
the large levelling on the arete. Small cams are particularly useful on
this excellent pitch.
- 50m F2 and G. Follow the only break which, after 10m, traverses to
the right under a large block, and then up to the right of this block
(G). Continue diagonally to the left to a comfortable stance at the
base of the large overhang that blocks the route. (An awkward stance
lower down has better belays.) There is a lot of loose rock on this
pitch. Climbers on the belay ledge should be tied in on long lines so
that they can move out of danger if necessary. Route finding is tricky
and much grabbing of grass is required.
- 30m E. Traverse to the right along the obvious break to a grassy
stance below a peculiarly rounded face. Easy, but quite loose and airy.
- 40m F2. Climb the face bearing slightly to the left (lacking
runners), past a ledge with protection to a sensational stance on the
nose of the arete. Chossy.
- 30m F3. Climb an open book to the right of the nose. The rock is
poor but nut runners are found to the right, half way up. Continue to
the left more easily onto the arete which is followed to the summit.
Descend by the standard route. Only the roof on pitch 3 has not been
done free at some stage. Although the rock is loose on many pitches,
all the belays are good - a small consolation
Ref: MCSA Journal 1969, pg 78.