One of the finest routes in the 'berg.

Standard Route - Sentinel

3+

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Approach & Descent»
Description »
Gallery »

Approach

(click the GAIA icon for GPX)

From the Sentinel Car Park walk toward the chain ladders for c45min. until the neck between Sentinel on your left and Beacon Buttress on your right.

Leave the path and go directly up the gulley, tending left to the recess c30m from the righthand edge/gully.

Descent

Either

  • Descend the  route
Crag Descent:
Sentinel West Face
Sector Descent:

Route Description

Note: The traditional routes in The Drakensberg are still graded using the "old" system. As with routes in The Alps this is regarded as conveying more information precisely because it is more vague than modern technical rock grades. The grade chart on the Grade Tab gives an indication of the technical equivalence.

Start: On the right side of this recess

1. 15m (E): Climb up 2 metres, then move diagonally left into the recess on the far left. Stem up the recess until able to move out right (peg). Belay on the flat ledge (peg can be found slightly back (2m) from the edge.
NOTE: This peg is also the abseil anchor.

Follow a vague path diagonally up and right, scramble up to a knife edge with a drop on the other side. Angle left along slabs, then up to a wide slope. A vague path takes you up through the grass bowl then left to the sky line.

2. 25m (C): Climb the short blunt arête then up the steep grass slopes which lead to the summit.

Alternate Description

Tips & Tricks

Pay attention to the route as you ascent the grass bowl, finding your way back down in the mist can be tricky.

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

Pay attention to the route as you ascent the grass bowl, finding your way back down in the mist can be tricky.

No items found.

Interactive Icons

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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.

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