Eagle mountain

If you are like me you can relate to this feeling. As we drive south from Johannesburg with the moon rising from the east, the landscape starts to change. All of you who enjoy some kind of sport involving altitude changes, know the feeling. An exhilarating tickle in your chest as you look the hill sides become vertical and rock pillars sprout from the ground. Painted in silver and black by the rising full moon we watch the mountains grow beside us. We find the gate of Eagle mountain game lodge and call the number for opening. Immediately we see zebras, springboks and other animals I haven’t even seen before. Seems like real African savannah. We find the camp site under the mountain and put up our tents. I try to sleep under the stars but I’m forced into the tent by mosquitoes making extra holes on my face.

Morning breaks loose from it’s cage and sends his friend the wind to play with us. We are thankful to it for drying our sleeping bags, wet from mist, but have to curse it later during the climb. Discovering the game ranch has seen better days we have to make our own breakfast in the empty dining hall. The concrete floor has holes in it and spiders inhabit the toilet sinks. Perhaps consequences of the inflation of the South African Rand…

"Fight the feeling"

The approach for our climbing objective is again non-existent.  We park right next to the mountain face and gaze at the rock trying to find our route. It’s called “Fight the feeling” Grade 21 (6b+), 6 pitches long. In our guide book is a photo of “Rave Cave” midway up the route. Obviously we can’t resist the temptation and decide to pack our sleeping bags too.

Miki and Joonas at the start

Hike 15 minutes to the base and Joonas finds the first bolt. The rock type makes us smile. It’s hard and full of weird ball formations and extra cool pockets. Joonas leads up the slabby first pitch, Miki follows and I solo for speed. It’s only a grade 12 (something way below 4+) anyways.

Joonas on pitch one

The next pitch is only 9 meters but we have a fourth member in the party. The wind comes around the corner and starts howling in our ears. We can barely hear Miki when he gets to the belay station. The rock has turned vertical but the climbing is pretty easy with big jugs everywhere. I climb up last and get ready to lead the hardest pitch of the route.

Miki on pitch 2

Midway up the route I manage to mantle up to a slight ledge before seeing the next bolt a few meters to my right. I try to wiggle myself around the corner but can’t find any hand holds. I can feel by backpack pulling me awkwardly and realise I’m going to take a fall. The fall isn’t too bad, but as I feel the jolt of the rope stopping me, my back pack suddenly gets a lot lighter. I look back and see my yellow trad rack bag still falling. In slow motion it thuds on a rock on the ground and bounces onto a bush. “Shit!”

Luckily we’re not going to need the gear for this route. After discussing the options we decide to continue. The wind makes it impossible to communicate and we devise a system of messages with rope tugs. Joonas gets to lead the final pitch up to rave cave and I follow after Miki.

After pitch 4 in the Rave Cave

The cave is totally awesome. With lots of space and magnificent views we take a moment to chill. The wind is also caught behind the corner and leaves us alone for a while. Joonas wants to climb straight up the last two pitches but I’m getting a little stressed about the gear on the ground. We decide to abseil down with Miki, get the gear and climb back up via another route that’s traditionally protected. Protected being an overstatement as we are about to find out.

We abseil down a single 70m rope for two pitches and Joonas releases it from the anchor. The wind starts messing about with us again and the rope gets stuck in the retrieve. Tossing rope coils in the wind is also fun. Seems like gravity has changed as the coil darts straight up and gets stuck above me. We end up repeating two whole pitches and wasting at least two hours in the process.

We find the gear bag in a bush and head for the route called “Legde of renewed hope”. Three pitches of grade 9, 14 and 18. It tops out to the other end of Rave Cave. We solo up the first pitch in sneakers and find a ledge that is supposedly the start of the route. The line is somewhat difficult to distinguish but I gear up and start climbing. I grab the first hold, find a foot and push up. Snap and boom! The hold breaks loose and I topple back onto the ledge. Lucky I wasn’t any higher. A bit surprised by the poor quality of the rock we try to search for the start of the line again but there’s no other possibilities. The grade is only a 14 so “If I’m just careful and find good gear placements it’ll be okay.” So I start climbing again.

The guide book mentions a crack the climb is supposed to follow but there is none. I end up placing about 5 pieces for the whole 35 meter pitch before a final 10 meter runout to the ledge. My hope is everything but renewed although in the end I find relatively good placements for a belay anchor. Miki congratulates me on starting my solo career as he follows up next to me. The next pitch is as bad as the first one involving only one good cam placement which I celebrate midway up back to the Cave. Must have been the worst trad climb I’ve ever done. I even forgot to take photos!

The sky is getting worrying orange and red hues as we finally reach the cave. Joonas has cooked some pasta Napoletana for us and is anxious to get to the top. We gobble the food down our throats and Joonas gets to show off the fruits of his visualisation on the crux overhang. 

Planning the second last pitch

This takes us to the easy face and up to the summit of Mooihoek Mountain. The last rays of sun fade out as Miki practically runs up to the summit. Quick high fives and abseil down to our camp. The rope gets stuck again but we decide to worry about it in the Morning.

Miki racing the sun for the last pitch

Sleeping in the cave is magical but is surely interrupted a few times. Just enough to enjoy the clear moonlit sky and stars. I wake up to see the rope snaking down as if Elrond himself had enchanted it. I get disappointed as Miki tells me Joonas had hiked up to retrieve it. We decide to pack up, abseil down and drive to Harrismith for breakfast. Such a great adventure once again!

Waking up at Rave Cave