Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Pringle On The Hunt in South Africa's Rocklands
For the past month, Touchstone sponsored rock climber Ethan Pringle has been killing it in South Africa’s Rocklands. Pringle has put down 10 V12 and harder boulder problems including Fred Nicole’s Mooiste Maise (v13) and making a flash of Black Shadow (v12). Pringle talked a little bit about his trip, about the climbing and about what it’s like in Rocklands.
I actually I made a list of all the climbs I wanted to try and/or do before I leave back when I first arrived after I had been to most of the areas and I managed to finish almost all of them which I'm pretty psyched on, since it was a rather long list. There are still a few I haven't finished that I may have to come back to finish off next year. Airstar (V13), 30's the New 20 (V12/14), and Sky (V14) are the coolest ones I wanted to do that I haven't managed to complete. I would really like to finish Sky because it's one of the nicest boulder problems I've ever seen, I'm sort of close to it and I've invested 4 days into it already.
The best part of South Africa is Rocklands if you have a one track mind like I do, but it's a beautiful country that would take a lifetime to fully enjoy. Capetown is pretty similar in a lot of ways to SF. There's some of the world's best cold water surf breaks here in SA!
Pringle sending Leap of Faith
We went to a Venison buffet at the restaurant in Clan William a few weeks ago and they had an abundance of venison products from a range of species of Antelope. It was delicious, and filling. There were probably like 60 climbers there from maybe 10 different countries. That's been one of the best parts of the trip- so many fun people from all over! There's a bar at the campground that goes off on weekends... that place is dangerous.
We haven't seen any big cats here but if I do see a lion, I don't think my first instinct will be to attack it. If I come back next year though, its safari time. I'm also going to bring my surfboard.
For more of Pringle's adventures check out his blog
I actually I made a list of all the climbs I wanted to try and/or do before I leave back when I first arrived after I had been to most of the areas and I managed to finish almost all of them which I'm pretty psyched on, since it was a rather long list. There are still a few I haven't finished that I may have to come back to finish off next year. Airstar (V13), 30's the New 20 (V12/14), and Sky (V14) are the coolest ones I wanted to do that I haven't managed to complete. I would really like to finish Sky because it's one of the nicest boulder problems I've ever seen, I'm sort of close to it and I've invested 4 days into it already.
The best part of South Africa is Rocklands if you have a one track mind like I do, but it's a beautiful country that would take a lifetime to fully enjoy. Capetown is pretty similar in a lot of ways to SF. There's some of the world's best cold water surf breaks here in SA!
Pringle sending Leap of Faith
We went to a Venison buffet at the restaurant in Clan William a few weeks ago and they had an abundance of venison products from a range of species of Antelope. It was delicious, and filling. There were probably like 60 climbers there from maybe 10 different countries. That's been one of the best parts of the trip- so many fun people from all over! There's a bar at the campground that goes off on weekends... that place is dangerous.
We haven't seen any big cats here but if I do see a lion, I don't think my first instinct will be to attack it. If I come back next year though, its safari time. I'm also going to bring my surfboard.
For more of Pringle's adventures check out his blog
Labels: Ethan Pringle, Rocklands, South Africa climbing
¶ Tuesday, July 19, 2011
