Singati Wall

We recently had a go at the Singati Wall, but turned back about 70m from the top. Although it was a fantastic climb with very different views of the Inner Tower, Tooth and Eastern Buttress, the route description (written in 1949) seemed to have no correlation with the wall's features at all. Has anyone climbed it recently? Can you offer some guidance on a route? Would be grateful... gotta get back there. RobD

Surely not! But I am beginning to wonder...

Hi Rob,
I've not climbed the Singati Wall, so my comment is a general one. First, good on you for choosing something unusual. Singati is a nice feature.

In my view, South African route descriptions long ago made the mistake of a simple text listing of pitches rather than the more usual sketch diagram of a peak/wall with accompanying annotations.

With a text description it is very easy to start in the wrong place and thereafter you're pretty much on your own. I recall the frustration in the early years of Berg climbing when the RD would say something like- 'start left of the obvious cubby-hole'. When one looked, there were dozens of obvious cubby holes. A much preferred RD would sketch the key features of the peak or wall and show the starting point on the sketch relative to the mountain. That narrows things down an awful lot. After a year of Berg climbing we didn't pay as much notice of the text RD, until we were clear that the line we'd chosen ourselves by looking at the climb looked do-able. Invariably that led us to pitch 1 in the RD anyway.

The other issue is that some of the early climbers were bold. There's a pitch on one of the Mnweni Pinacles that is written up at about F3 (17 or so). If this is right, then some F3's are much harder than others!

Some interesting other examples from the Berg RD include George Thomson's route on one of the Pinnacles:

"OUTER MNWENI PINNACLE: Original Route (G/A0)
Opening Party: George Thomson and Charles Gloster.
Date: December 1948.
The original description of this climb is decidedly vague; this possibly accounts for there having been only one known ascent. If you can climb the route by following this RD you will make history!
"

and also Martin Winter's route on East Arete of Outer Mnweni Pinnacle:
"
3.20m F3/A1. Walk left for 3m and then climb down awkwardly (2m) to a small ledge at the base of an open book. The left side of the open book is split vertically by a crack. Climb the crack with great difficulty and belay above. Take off your hat and salute the opening party who climbed this crack without the benefit of rock shoes or cams
"

Your comments are 100% accurate - part of the reason we backed off Singati was because we became sure we were not on the route per the RD, and therefore were not sure even of being able to retreat once we became too committed!

I usually try to write a detailed RD when I return from a 'Berg climb that had a "decidedly vague" RD. I am hoping someone else did something similar on their ascent of Singati Wall!!

R