It's been a slow year that's needed a bit of a kickstart and hopefully this was it.
After wandering around aimlessly, getting lost trying to find the boulders we were looking for we finally made it to the zone a little battered and scraped 😂
Some contagious energy brought to the party by @paradigm_climbing_coaching , @dynobryno and @landrylushima , I watched @wozza_reid pull onto this unique and committing yeet and immediately dispatch it!
I was instantly inspired and felt compelled to jump on the send train while it was still in the station and less than a minute later was standing on top of the boulder with everyone laughing and joking about what had just happened. ⚡⚡
✓ Swingdom 7c/+
Another @mattiasbmclimbs vision.
Good times.
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@madrockclimbing@bigrigclimbers@vertigogear
#bouldering #climbing #southafrica #adventure #outdoors #rocklands #dyno #rockclimbing #adventure #escape
Exploring Alicedale - Thanks to the locals for guiding us around for the Alicedale leg of the Renegade trip. A hidden gem of the Eastern Cape, plenty of potential and peace in the quiet surroundings ! The lines are raw and the landings wild - bring a good crew and lots of pads and a good hat maybe even umbrella !
⚠️Be weary - thorn bushes + pads are not a friendly combo, caught with enough force on the pad + person in front of you they can pack a spikey punch/thwack !
More info @ www.ntabaproject.co.za
Oh the people you meet! ⛰️💚🦕
For me the thing that stands out most about climbing is the people and the way in which those connections form into friendships within the mountains.
I think that this community we all find ourselves in is so rare to any other sport/subculture/community and lifestyle that I’m aware of or have found myself in.
Meeting people in the mountains. Living with those people whether in the same campsite or scattered over the Rocklands valley all while getting to know one another in the big nature sharing a positive physical experience together is just rather fucking beautiful and so insanely unique to me!
These two are an example of the many new connections formed. I’m stoked that I got to have a day with Zoe and Alan before @zoe_steinberg trip has come to an end and I’m already looking forward to re-connecting with you next year! @mulletstyles I’m stoked you’re not going anywhere (not too far anyway) and looking forward to climbing with you more 🤟🏼
I’m really very stoked for the friendships I’ve made so far, to the ones that are still growing and figuring themselves out and to the ones to come. Viva la Rocklands ⛰️💚🤟🏼🦕
Not quite #ThrowbackThursday, but we’re still reminiscing about the Vertigo Renegade trip (at the end of 2024). Bouldering at 2500m above sea level in the remote tarns of Sehlabathebe with our psyched staff and ambassadors.
A note : while this may look inspiring, it is certainly not a winter destination - so hold off on back that gear…for now 😉
More beta at ntabaproject.co.za/topos
Age is just a number, but this new age leaves me contemplating the meaning of life in a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy kind of way 👾
Something I've realised, is it's the decisions we make on the daily that shape how we feel on this journey through life.
Making poor decisions can leave us feeling really drained and awful, run down and hurting.
But making the right ones leave us refreshed and full of energy. Happy, strong, youthful, and ready to tackle anything life throws at us.
Here's hoping that 42 holds way more of the latter than of the former. 🎂🍻
Sethlabathebe bouldering:
🎥 Who'd have Thot
🎥 Spotter's Remorse
It's not Thursday, but here's a climbing throwback to one of this past year's highlights. A trip to Lesotho with the awesome team from @vertigogear exploring some of the amazing areas that our beautiful country has to showcase.
Find plenty more info on ntabaproject.co.za
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#climbing #bouldering #roadtrip #lesotho #adventure #exploring #southernafrica #discovery #tobetterlifechoices
Artform 8A/+ ✔️
After a handful of sessions over the past few weeks, today was the day for this awesome overhanging squeezer went down in front of the biggest crew I've ever seen under one boulder! 😂
I used the calf pad. Thank you @sendclimbing It helped. But it being a 27°C day in the middle of summer probably didn't. So six of one, half a dozen of the other 😂
Not my smoothest or most effortless attempt. The tank was almost empty on the top out and I nearly managed to peel out of some sinker jugs but thankfully didn't.
Shoutout to today's crew of 10+ and everyone else who dragged pads, brought psyche and did some sending rituals 😂
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@vertigogear@vertigo_adventures@madrockclimbing
#capetown #rockclimbing #bouldering #summer #climbingisourpassion #adventure #nevergiveup
Shouting out to all of my climbing friends 😜
I felt the need to open the debate on the novel usage of existing climbing equipment.
Climbing style and ethics often falls into grey areas and always seems to be one of the most discussed topics out there so here's a little poll concerning the novel use of climbing kneebar pads!
Dab or no dab?! You tell me if you think my expertly aimed flick of the @evolv_worldwide sitpad counts as a dab or not? 😂
Another one from last weekend. This one a real 💎 put up a while back by @adhocrandom
Spotted Eagle Owl (He gave it 7A, but no way it's easier than 7B!)
I had to improvise with a paddle because I couldn't isolate the moves without actually dabbing on the leaning boulder to the left. It made for a super satisfying move that I've hardly ever come across outdoors!
Thanks @ansie.outside for helping revive the 📸
😂
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@vertigogear@madrockclimbing@chalkcartel
#climbing #bouldering #capetown #unique #dyno #rockclimbing #climbingisourpassion #getoutside #improvise #neverstopexploring
'Greater than the Thumb of its parts' - FA
So cool that there are still new gems to be found right under our noses!
Got a chance to get out to this one today.
This proud arête sits in a new zone being developed in Hout Bay.
The stand had been done by @adhocrandom but the techy sit on invisible footholds and a shallow left-hand mono took a good while to unlock.
It felt C+ but because today was pretty warm, it'll probably end up being closer to 7C. Let's wait and see if it gets any repeats!
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@vertigogear@madrockclimbing
#capetown #rockclimbing #climbing #bouldering #climbingisourpassion #firstascent #getoutside #havefun #climb
Zeus 8A ✔️
This @dom_huski classic became a bit of a mental battle for me.
I'm not getting any younger and over 40 the consequences of failure get more and more real.
After more attempts than I would like to admit, and a handful of questionable landings including one spine cracker, the nerves began to build.
Today I was borderline psyched out of even trying the jump at all.
I had a few sighters and then one attempt that I managed to latch the jump but missed the pads and almost blew out my achilles.
It took everything to pull myself together for one more attempt and I managed to get it done.
The music is from one of my favourite bands in the world @goldfingermusic (I hope I'm not infringing any copyrights) and I think it perfectly summarises this feeling! 😁
Thanks to all my mates for hauling pads and bringing the psyche. @thermophage@rabe5922@amcgreyling
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@vertigogear@madrockclimbing@chalkcartel@salewa
#capetown #adventure #rockclimbing #climbing #bouldering #outdoors #climbingismypassion #dyno #nofear #40isthenew20 #rockclimbing #southafrica #fear #adrenaline
This is just a little reminder that it doesn't always need to be pretty to be effective!
Playing around during another awesome weekend at @waterfallfarm_capetown out near Citrusdal, I opened this little "classic" 6C and called it Beached Whale.
Mantle cruxes are few and far between round here so it had to be done.
Whaling is a legit rock climbing move and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise 😂
Making it look pretty pushes the grade up to around 7C
Wearing Shark III's to stick with the oceanic theme...
@vertigogear@madrockclimbing
🎥 @candice_caroline_
I swapped the boulders for some proper highballing this weekend to support @canaansfx document @calrincurtis and @chris_cosser 's efforts on Newborn at Yellowwood Amphitheatre.
Well done to both of those dudes, who put on a show of some of the most inspiring climbing I've had the privilege to witness 💪
The Saturday was as full a day as I've had in a while, starting the morning with a 3hour uphill hike that turned into a 4hour mini-epic because we turned left where we should have turned right...
As soon as we reached the base of the amphitheatre @nickmatthewssound led Liam and I up Smalblaar ridge to traverse across the halfway ledge and set up a static line on the bottom half of newborn. Definitely some of the most adventurous easy climbing I've done. The exposure is pretty special up there.
Daylight was running out so we rapped the 130m as quickly as we could and touched the ground just as the last bit of light complete disappeared.
A less than comfortable bivvy on uneven ground was made better by good laughs, banter and a few pints of Zamalek carried all the way in by @brendankuhnert ! 😂
Sunday was spent sunning at base camp watching the spectacle of climbing put on display by Cal and Chris and seeing @theroyalworks show off his impressive flying skills.
A few of us made it down the mountain just in time for a few well deserved pints at the Du Kloof Lodge at sunset.
All in all, an amazing weekend with old and new friends and a very memorable experience in a much different mountain environment to what I've become used to!
Thanks to everyone involved!
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@vertigogear@madrockclimbing@thenorthfacesouthafrica@thenorthface_climb
#neverstopexploring #wallsaremeantforclimbing #climbing #bigwall #dutoitskloof #mountains #exposure #tradclimbing #nature #weaterncape #adventure
