By: Zee van Zyl
This is truly one of the climbing gems in Cape Town.
There are many climbs on Table Mountain and a few on the 12 Apostles, but it is rare to find such a long spectacular route so close to the city. Usually one would have to drive for at least an hour, or two, to reach a long country route such as this is, but none have the views afforded by this climb.
There are two ways to reach this climb. One is to park at Kloof Nek, where the pipe track starts, and hike in from there. The other is to park in Camps bay at the start of the Kasteelspoort hiking trail. This is, in my opinion, the best option as it allows for a shorter hike to your car when you are done and your legs have turned to jelly.
Park in Theresa Avenue and hike up the jeep track until you reach the pipe track. This is one of Table Mountain’s oldest hiking routes dating back to 1887 when it was constructed to lay pipelines for carrying water from the Table Mountain reservoirs to the City of Cape Town.
Turn right and make your way along the trail which will eventually, after passing below Slangolie buttress, turn and head up the mountain. Once you can see the lowest point of the buttress on your left, leave the path and make your way over to it. Just before reaching it you will find a large flat boulder below the face. This is the start of the route.
Gear required for this route is a standard Trad rack for grade 16 / 5.8, a few slings and a 60m rope. There are no bolts on this climb.
Pitch 1
Starting from the boulder, climb straight up the ledges while moving diagonally right on the face, then back left to just below a roof with an obvious crack.
Pitch 2
Climb the crack straight up passing a, now permanent, cam . At the top of the crack, continue going up using the face on the right to an obvious ledge.
Pitch 3
Climb broken rock up for a few meters and then continue diagonally right. A few laybacks and an undercling bring you onto a large right facing ledge.
Pitch 4
Climb the short crack in the back corner and then traverse left to a vegetated ledge. Scramble up, moving always diagonally left, onto a ledge on the nose where you are able to finally see the city. From here to the top, stay on the nose.
Pitch 5
Scramble up until you are able to reach the base of a recess. Climb it to the next obvious ledge on the right.
Pitch 6
Climb through a recess to a big vegetated ledge. Walk across it to the next wall with a big face tending towards the left. Climb it to a stance on some big blocks on a large vegetated ledge.
Pitch 7
Climb the crack in the wall and continue up on good holds on a slight overhang. Climb the break to the left and up to a good undercling. Continue up slightly to the right and back left to a ledge, then straight up on good rock and continue up to a ledge with some big blocks.
Pitch 8
Mantel up the face and then traverse left to a crack around the corner. Pull through it and traverse left to an obvious break. Continue up through the gap to a vegetated ledge. Cross it and scramble up to the base of a big white face.
Pitch 9
Climb the recess to a bushy steep section and then scramble to ledge at the base of a big chock stone.
Pitch 10
Pull through the chock stone and scramble up through the boulders and up to the summit of Slangolie which is 2,559 ft / 780m above sea level.
Now I can already hear some of you saying that "Slangolie is a 12 pitch climb". Well to be honest, it is and it isn't. It all depends on whether you start from the pipe track below the buttress and add that rock band as the first pitch. It also depends on how far you run out the rope on the climb to shorten, or lengthen, the pitches. The first time I climbed it I did it in 12, the last time I did it in 9 pitches. It is all up to you, and remember that this is only a guide to the route. You should always make your own decisions while climbing.
For the descent, head across the top away from the ocean until you hit the main path heading from left to right. The easiest route down is to turn right and then, after a short while, right again to get back onto the pipe track.
If you turn left on the main path, the first gully on your left is Slangolie Ravine. This has a sign posted which reads "Dangerous Descent". Be advised that they are not joking. This gully has some fascinating relics from the past such as hidden doors into the mountain and railway tracks built into the slope, but it also has the scree slope from hell. You have been warned.
The shortest route down,and also the most scenic, is Woody Ravine. After a bit of a hike, it is the next gully to the left after Slangolie Ravine.
Now a warning.
It is possible that there are criminals on the pipe track. Check the TMNP website for notices and updates. The weather can also change dramatically, so be prepared. I always take a headlight and a jacket on this climb.
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