The start of a Paradigm Shift in how we approach the often unprotect able Basalt of The Drakensberg! Solid for the grade, go have fun.

Paradigm Shift

6c
6c

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

|

|

|

Approach & Descent»
Description »
Gallery »

Approach

(click the GAIA icon for GPX)

Begin as for the Chain Ladder then to the right and around into a small gulley below the North Face of Sentinel Peak. Scramble up to the right hand side of the face.

Descent

Descend

  • rappel the route or
  • rappel MCM or
  • descend the standard route
Crag Descent:
Sentinel North Face
Sector Descent:

Route Description

The first fully bolted route in the 'Berg, a 200-metre line offers six excellent pitches. The rock is of an excellent quality for the region, and each pitch provides a unique experience with cracks, laybacks, mantles, thin face climbing, chimneys and stemming. Well worth the effort - take your strong arms.

Start: At the base of the corner system, climb 5m to the top-most grass ledge below a crack system.

  1. 6b - 'Tongue Ring pitch': Follow the crack system to the top of the flake. Break left and climb up to the belay station.
  2. 6b+: Move up to a small roof, pull through and delicately balance up to a ledge. Continue up tending rightwards to an awkward layback. Continue up to a grassy ledge and stance.
  3. 6b+ - 'The Typical 'Berg Rock pitch': Move up and left to a bolt next to a loose flake. Delicately stand on the flake and mantle up to a ledge and continue up the off-width to a ledge below a roof. Move out left via an airy traverse and mantle onto a grassy ledge. Follow this rightwards to the stance.
  4. 6c: Thin moves and a layback takes you to a ledge. Move left to the base of a pillar and delicately balance your way up the corner system to belay on top of the pillar.
  5. 6c - 'Life is Good pitch': Move right on thin holds until able to move up and follow the thin corner to a ledge. Traverse left below the big roof and pull through on the left side. Continue up to a grassy ledge and stance.
    Note: Some long quickdraws are recommended for this pitch to ease rope drag.
  6. 6b - 'Big Balls pitch': Walk right and then traverse up and left until you can reach the right-facing corner which is climbed to a ledge. Traverse left, then up and right to a broken flake. Climb this until a rightward corner system is reached. Up this, breaking left about 5 metres before the top by going around the big boulder (bolts just over the lip).
    Note: This pitch is a bit run out, but can be supplemented by some medium-sized cams. It is also long, so it is advisable to use the midway stance to break this pitch in to two, to avoid rope drag.

Alternate Description

Tips & Tricks

Video

Drakensberg Grading
French / South African
YDS

D

E1

E2

E3

F1

F2

F3

G1

G2

G3

H1

3-

9

3

10

3+

11

4b

13

4a

12

4c
14
5a
15
5b

16

5c

17

6a

18

6a+

19

6b

20

6b+

21

6c

22

6c+

23

7a

24

7a+

25

7b

26

7b+

27

7c

28

7c+

29

8a

30

8a+

31

8b

32

8b+

33

8c+

35

8c

34

5.4

5.5

5.6

5.7

5.8

5.9

5.10a

5.10b

5.10c

5.10d

5.11a

5.11b

5.11c

5.11d

5.12a

5.12b

5.12c

5.12d

5.13a

5.13b

5.13c

5.13d

5.14a

5.14b

5.14c

Interactive Icons

GAIA GPS
Click to see the GPX track.
Requires GAIA GPS App
Google Maps
Click to see the Parking Area . Requires
Google Maps

Icons and Symbols

AM Shade
Morning ; Afternoon ; All Day or NO Shade
10B | Ch
Equipped with x number of Bolts & Chains (lower off rings)
Alpine
Area's or routes located in mountainous regions and requiring multiple mountain skills (navigation ; extreme weather ; self sufficiency ; remote )
Ice
Area or Route requires Ice Climbing and associated Winter skills
Sport
Area or Route is fully equipped as a sport climb. Separate distinction for # of PITCHES
Sport & Trad
Area or Route is a mixture of SPORT & Trad climbing styles
Trad
Area or Route requires Traditional equipment and experties
2 Pitches
Indicates the typical # of pitches of the area or route
Special
Indicates that a specialised Rack or Traditional equipment is typically required and will be mentioned in the Route Description BETA
Standard
Indicates that typically a Standard Traditional Rack will suffice. Typically in ZA that is a 8-10 Cams + 10-15 wires/nuts.
50m
Indicates the minimum length rope needed to typically climb safely.
Double
Typically climbed using half ropes
Corner
Climbs or mostly climbs a corner system. This often requires stemming as a technique.
Crack Climb
Follows a crack-system predominantly and may require good jamming technique.
Overhang
Indicates the overall style. Face climbing is steeper than slab usually on small holds and edges, often feeling delicate / insecure.
Overhang
Overhanging, usually involving roofs.
Powerful
Powerful style is often in conjunction with another style but feeling more powerful than is common for the style.
Slab
Usually not quite vertical and requiring smearing and friction techniques.
Steep
Consistently steeper than Vertical but not overhanging / roof-y
Technical
Additional to general styles, requiring careful sequence and thoughtful climbing.
Vert
General vertical climbing with no other defining style.

Get In Touch

Topo Database

Useful info makes adventuring possible

While it is true that less information may make your adventure more, adventurous, the right information will help you grow your experience-jar to the point that you can confidently choose not to seek the info.

User feedback and community contributions are the fastest way to increase our database, so, if you have the time, inclination and resources to contribute, please hit us up!

Phone

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Office

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Contact Form

Do you have beta or other content to share with us to improve this route info?
We'd really appreciate your input!

Route Name
Paradigm Shift
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.