Sentinel Standard Route

Hi all

If everything goes according to plan and the weather permits, we will be climbing the Sentinel by the Standard Route tomorrow. Has anyone ever done this route before? Anything I should know? This will also be my first visit to the Amphitheatre.

Thanks!

Yup, I've all but memorised the RD from their site. I also want to take a look at the start of the Angus-Leppan route, since that is on my to-do list.

I want to try the McLeod variation with a second pitch of climbing, will report when (and of course if) I get back.

Cheers!

Fine photo of the Sentinel!
My reply is coming too late, but for the record, the McLeod variation is well worth doing. That and the standard route are easy enough to solo - ropes good to rapp off the first (bottom) pitch of standard though. Doing the standard route + Mcleod only adds a little more time - you may as well.

Well, I'm back!

The dragon didn't much fancy our presence, and the weather was kind of dicey. The upper cliffs were all shrouded in mist as we drove up from Qwa-qwa on Saturday morning. Visibility was at about 100m as we hiked up to the Sentinel.

All five of us climbed the first pitch - the wet rock making an interesting climb, and while we were climbing the mist cleared - to reveal cumulus clouds swiftly building up! One member opted to stay at the top of the pitch, being not too comfortable with the exposure. The rest of us hiked on for some 100m before turning back as the weather showed signs of approaching thunderstorms.

Then followed a short series of unfortunate non-Dragon related events that caused us to opt to move to Eagle Mountain Resort to spend the Sunday climbing there instead of sleeping in the car park hut and having a go at the Sentinel again or even visiting the amphi (this being my first visit to the area) on Sunday as planned.

In any case, it was a very enjoyable trip and we got some BEAUTIFUL views of the Eastern Buttress range rearing out of the clouds.

At the top of the first pitch, on the belay platform, is a plaque for one Wilrico Ras, who apparently died in a climbing accident in December 2000. Does anyone know exactly what happened there?

@ mnt_tiska: Thanks, I'll definitely try the McLeod variation when I get a second chance at this route. I won't freesolo the first pitch though - two points especially can provide some nasty falls, and the steep slopes below may or may not stop your descent.

top pitch of standard route (i.e. 2nd pitch) is just a bit of an exposed scramble around the left hand side of the peak (when facing from the bottom of std route). McLeod offer's more - short little gully, possibly with some stem moves if I remember correctly. Great view from the top!

About Wilriko Ras
Wilriko Ras was climbing the 1st pitch of the standard route when he pulled off a large slab of rock. He fell about 3 or 4 metres to the bottom of the pitch with the slab, and sustained serious injuries to his spine.

He was rescued by the MCSA KZN rescue team with an aircraft from SAAF 15 squadron, and flown to Greys Hospital. He died about two weeks later after surgery to try to remove bone fragments from the fracture.

I'm sorry to hear about that. Did you know him?

Do you know whether they climbed with a rope when the accident happened?

*useless post* mods please delete