Via Ferrata route in the Berg

intrepid wrote:
As for the Free State section of the Berg, I would call for the establishment of a policy governing this kind of thing. It should be established by open and transparent means, involving all relevant and affected parties. In the absence of such an agreement we are vulnerable to more controversies.

The current policy for the KZN section of the drakensberg was established by the MCSA and enforced by KZN wildlife to my knowlegde? Do you think it would be best if the Free state section would adapt the same or similar policy on the matter. Under what regulator does the Free State section fall, and what say would the MCSA have in this. Or would we only rely on the fact that the average climber generally respect the policies of the MCSA?. We do not have many rock climbers in the Free state section of the MCSA so this entire debate passed the Free State section with almost no discussion.

Although the Free state section is so small it contains all of the following, which need to be addressed in such a policy:
The bolted route on sentinel north face, Paradigm shift.
The bolts at the end of the second and third pitch of Angus-Leppan
the bolts installed in beacon buttress gully for adventure racers/trail runners
The chain ladder.

If we can get a draft policy for bolting/protection in the free state section I will take the matter up at the next meeting of the Free state section and see if we can get it accepted as our policy.

I like the concept - but I assume it wouldn't have any legal standing. I think if we campaigned to have the chain ladders taken down we would meet some serious opposition - especially from the existing community (maybe a VE poll is in order - although its merely academic).

I'm also pretty sure the state and land owners would not allow the ladders to be removed - after all they are a huge tourist draw card (even though they cause that ugly zigzag line up the side of Sentinel as seen from the car park).

My views in summary:

The bolts on Paradigm Shift aren't really visible from what I have seen and thus don't really matter, but seeing as they probably aren't maintained, it might be an idea to chop the route.

The bolts, chains, metal poles etc on the Gully are an eyesore - there are plenty of large stable rocks to anchor a rope off. Also, if a hiker tripped they could easily cut themselves on the rusted metal.

Angus Leppan was opened on full trad and thus bolts should be chopped. Retro bolting a trad route in a strictly trad area (even if only a few bolts) is poor form. Especially on such a popular route.

intrepid wrote: I'm not at all suggesting anything further be removed.

Neither would I like to see anything removed. This was not what I was going after at all.

In debates over the VF advocates thereof always reasoned that the VF was in the Free State, not in the KZN, and therefore OK since the MCSA's bolting policy only stand for the KZN. My personal opinion is that the same policy should also stand for the free state section.

According to the MCSA KZN's bolting policy, bolting is allowed on certain conditions. For example the bolt or two that was placed on the icidi pencil since it was done openly and according to their policy. I don't object against the bolts on Angus Leppan I really appreciate them on the traverse of the 4th pitch and think they have merit and would also satisfy the bolting policy. However since this is in the Free state no-one has to ask anyone if it is OK. I don't know much about the bolts on Angus Leppan and if approval was sought before.

If you were too look at the situation at Yellowwood amphitheater. No-one would dare bolting a route there. But there are some rap anchors which were placed with consensus. www.climbing.co.za/wiki/Yellowwood_Amphitheatre. It also provide for the existing routes: (In this case Paradigm Shift)
"Yellowwood is a very special Trad climbing venue and there have been some mis-steps in route development at the crag. Newborn was bolted many years ago before locals had given much thought to bolting and ethics. It is a legacy that shall remain, but should not be seen as guidance for route development at Yellowwood. More recently four new routes have been established by visitors who have made extensive use of non-essential bolting. Whilst route development is encouraged, non-essential bolting is not; and these new routes are getting their non-essential bolts removed. They will remain as good adventurous routes."
If we had I policy like this for the free state section, and had it signed by enough climbers, the VF would never have happened.

In my view, the timing of Alard Hufner's apology puts pressure of KZN Wildlife to strongly and persistently oppose the Cable Way.

There can be no denying that the cable way will have major spill over effects for KZN Wildlife's capacity to manage that part of the high Berg. The concrete structure might be technically off their map, but its effects won't be.

Alard wrote on ClimbZA

So the land in Orange Free State on which 94% the VF was ( we now know this as the area has been surveyed ), is owned by a king/chief and he has handed over the management of that land to a management company. I had verbal permission form the manger (at the time) of that management company to install the VF……. looking at the Royal Natal web site and on the front page was a map that clearly showed that the planned VF was about 100m clear of Natal and the Royal Natal National Park…………….