Southern Crossing - Orabeskopf, Brandberg
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Southern Crossing: Southern Crossing. Photo Peter Doucette
Planetmountain
Beauty
First ascent
Majka Burhardt, Peter Doucette, Kate Rutherford, 06/2009
By
Planetmountain
Orientation
S
Length
450m
Height
2606m
Difficulty
5.11+, V. (South Africa Grade 25)
Route
Climbed after five days of preparation at the end of May 2009, Southern Crossing begins by starting up the obvious right leaning ramp until it is possible to traverse directly left into the hanging corner system that forms the route.
Majka Burhardt explains: "Southern Crossing was made possible by the discovery of water at the base of the cliff—water that was first a sea of mud and algae in a 20X40 cm granite depression. Peter cleaned out the muck on day one, and each day after we were able to get 14-18 liters on our way back to camp. We spent a total of seven nights on the col between the face and the standard hiking route to the southern side of the Brandberg."
Majka Burhardt explains: "Southern Crossing was made possible by the discovery of water at the base of the cliff—water that was first a sea of mud and algae in a 20X40 cm granite depression. Peter cleaned out the muck on day one, and each day after we were able to get 14-18 liters on our way back to camp. We spent a total of seven nights on the col between the face and the standard hiking route to the southern side of the Brandberg."
Itinerary
Pitch 1: 5.10-, 50m. Traverse left into corner (5.7, little to no gear) and then follow corner through a series of perched flakes and pillars and onto a bucket seat stance on left wall. Big gear needed for anchor.
Pitch 2: 5.10, 25m. Continue up the corner in the off-width until a small stance after the crack pinches down.
Pitch 3: 5.10, 35m. Continue up the hand and finger crack, past a horn and into another crack system above until a break in the right hand wall provides a stance.
Pitch 4: 5.10, 35m. Follow the clean crack above into a chimney, wrestle out of the chimney into the short over-hanging hand crack above and stop at the large ledge (1 X 3 meters) at the base of the “enduro” corner- which starts with a rightward arching crack.
Pitch 5 and 6: 5.11 and 5.11-. 75m. The first ascent party did one 45m pitch and then one 30m pitch, stopping at a slight foot rail on the right face. Many of the same cam sizes are needed for these pitches and will dictate your belays. The final belay is in a cave at the base of a wide crack above.
Pitch 7: 5.11+, 20m. Stem up the off-width until it is possible to exit right, and then move back left (2 pins) and into a different crack system where the grade eases considerably.
Pitch 8: 5.7, 30 m. Continue up the easier ground until you reach the ramp system that cuts the upper face.
Pitches 9-13: These are all much more moderate climbing and involve the leader in the chimney systems or out on the exposed face. Continue up the ramp system until it is possible to cut back left to the summit for the quickest finish. Descent
Follow the ridge west to the notch between the main face and the sub spires. Allow ample time to route find around large boulders and notches. It helps to spot this descent from the ground before you start climbing. An alternative descent is to descend to the east and then the south, then finally to the west, behind the summit, otherwise known as the hiking route. We determined that the notch was a quicker descent, albeit more technical. Gear
Rack: 1 #6, 1 #5, 2 #4, 3 #3, 3 #2, 3# 1, 3 #.75, 2 #.5, 2 #.4, 2 #.3, and single set of micro cams underneath this size. Full set of nuts. Single rope.
Pitch 1: 5.10-, 50m. Traverse left into corner (5.7, little to no gear) and then follow corner through a series of perched flakes and pillars and onto a bucket seat stance on left wall. Big gear needed for anchor.
Pitch 2: 5.10, 25m. Continue up the corner in the off-width until a small stance after the crack pinches down.
Pitch 3: 5.10, 35m. Continue up the hand and finger crack, past a horn and into another crack system above until a break in the right hand wall provides a stance.
Pitch 4: 5.10, 35m. Follow the clean crack above into a chimney, wrestle out of the chimney into the short over-hanging hand crack above and stop at the large ledge (1 X 3 meters) at the base of the “enduro” corner- which starts with a rightward arching crack.
Pitch 5 and 6: 5.11 and 5.11-. 75m. The first ascent party did one 45m pitch and then one 30m pitch, stopping at a slight foot rail on the right face. Many of the same cam sizes are needed for these pitches and will dictate your belays. The final belay is in a cave at the base of a wide crack above.
Pitch 7: 5.11+, 20m. Stem up the off-width until it is possible to exit right, and then move back left (2 pins) and into a different crack system where the grade eases considerably.
Pitch 8: 5.7, 30 m. Continue up the easier ground until you reach the ramp system that cuts the upper face.
Pitches 9-13: These are all much more moderate climbing and involve the leader in the chimney systems or out on the exposed face. Continue up the ramp system until it is possible to cut back left to the summit for the quickest finish. Descent
Follow the ridge west to the notch between the main face and the sub spires. Allow ample time to route find around large boulders and notches. It helps to spot this descent from the ground before you start climbing. An alternative descent is to descend to the east and then the south, then finally to the west, behind the summit, otherwise known as the hiking route. We determined that the notch was a quicker descent, albeit more technical. Gear
Rack: 1 #6, 1 #5, 2 #4, 3 #3, 3 #2, 3# 1, 3 #.75, 2 #.5, 2 #.4, 2 #.3, and single set of micro cams underneath this size. Full set of nuts. Single rope.
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Beauty
First ascent
Majka Burhardt, Peter Doucette, Kate Rutherford, 06/2009
By
Planetmountain
Orientation
S
Length
450m
Height
2606m
Difficulty
5.11+, V. (South Africa Grade 25)
Route
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