Giants Castle

Overview

Shermans’ Route (Frontal Route) E3****

FA: Sherman Ripley, Lorna Pearson, Margery Bromhead. 1955

This is an easy climb and suitable for beginners (seconding) and is located on a high and remote section of the peak. The route is spectacular as it winds its way up through some incredible mountain scenery. It has surprisingly little actual rock-climbing, even though from afar it looks as if it will be a long and exposed climb up a ridge. This, the summit ridge is in actual fact an easy scramble, which does not require roping. The climb does however require a good level of fitness as the approach up to the upper grass band is hard going. The original way this route was climbed was by starting directly up a ridge above the Giant’s Hut and involved an extra 4 scrappy pitches followed by a very loose final pitch, which is by-passed nowadays.

Getting There

Follow the approach hike describedto get to the contour path and then along to the camping places just before thepass. Either camp or bivvy in this area or ascend up to the Giant’s NostrilsCaves and the start of the route. After crossing the third stream between the T-junction and Giant’s Castle Pass, hike up the grass slopes above, heading for the middle of the main face and some broken rockbands. At the top of the grassslopes, a gully is seen going up diagonally to the left. Scramble up this and then carry on over 150m of grass slopes and enter another shorter gully. This brings one onto the upper grass band right below the main face. The gully at the start of Schole’s route is a little left at this point. The start of Sherman’s Route is further left along the grass band and around the corner.

Route Description

From the caves, keep walking in an easterly direction along the grass band and around a prominent ridge. Keep close to the rock and soon after going around the ridge a small bay is found with a short chimney above. Start at the chimney.

1. 10m (D). Climb the chimney to the slab above on the left and bolted abseil point. Then walk up for 40m and left onto a large sloping slab of rock below to the next rockband. 

2.  10m (E3). Climb a short slab to a layback crack formed by a short open book. Go up the open book and step high to the right onto a block and up to the ledge and an abseil point slightly left.

From here walk horizontally to the east on grass and rock for 80m to just before the ridge edge.

3. 10m (C). Scramble up and onto the ridge itself. Scramble up the broad ridge above for 200m and turn right at the top to the summit.

Descent- 1.5hrs.Scramble back down the broad summit ridge and onto the ledge, which leads to the top of the second pitch. Then make 2 abseils from chains to the broad grass band where the Nostrils are located. From the Nostrils 3.5hrs back to the camp office.

Essential Gear

2 x 50m half ropes or 1 x 60m full rope. Slimmed down Standard ‘Berg rack. Medium cams needed for pitch 2.

External Links

http://peakhigh.co.za/

Images

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