1/6/12
Treasure Hunting in South Africa: Roger Schäli Discovers a Climbing Jewel
Together with climbing enthusiasts Christoph HainzRoger Schaeli is back out of Africa. The Swiss Alpinist spent five intensive weeks there, and while others go there in search of diamonds, the SALEWA athlete was scouting for other kinds of precious gems. He sought and he found. Together with climbing enthusiasts Christoph Hainz of South Tyrol, Italy, and Patrick Felder of Switzerland, Roger experienced a climbing paradise, set new routes, and discovered a truly special jewel.
Impressive names like „Another Day in Paradise“ or „Wave Up“ already conjure up heavenly climbing conditions. While the former is a a multi-pitch route in Montagu, which is one of the most well-known climbing areas in South Africa, the latter is Roger Schaeli’s personal gem. The Swiss alpinist, together with SALEWA athlete Chrisoph Hainz and Swiss Patrick Felder, climbed both of them during a multi-week climbing trip in South Africa.
The highlight of the trip for the team was the opportunity to establish a new climbing garden near the campground „Pakhuis“ in the renowned Rocklands area with 24 sport climbing routes rated from 5a to 8a. That’s how the SALEWA Wall came to pass. In the process, SALEWA athlete Schaeli labeled the route „Wave Up,“ which he succeeded at redpointing after a difficult struggle, as the most amazing single-pitch route of his climbing career – a route set by Christoph Hainz. „The route’s first 20 meters led up a tricky, steep undulating pitch to a wide ledge. Like a miracle, a two-finger hole in the smooth overhanging wall appears. You hoist yourself up under the final roof with two very dynamic pulls that you have to conquer spectacularly using a difficult jamming technique,“ he says about the climb. „You have to clip in your own anchors at times on the route, but you also have to use every imaginable climbing technique. This makes the route the most demanding and most complete as well as most complex challenge that I’ve ever mastered when it comes to sport climbing,“ notes Roger Schaeli.
For the SALEWA AlpineXtrem Team athletes, just as valuable as the climbing treasures were the newly discovered connections with the strong South African climbing community. Plus, the support for the relief project „Little Lambs“ that supplies South African children and young woman with food, housing and medical aid. „This was most certainly not my last trip to South Africa,“ sums up Roger.
Impressive names like „Another Day in Paradise“ or „Wave Up“ already conjure up heavenly climbing conditions. While the former is a a multi-pitch route in Montagu, which is one of the most well-known climbing areas in South Africa, the latter is Roger Schaeli’s personal gem. The Swiss alpinist, together with SALEWA athlete Chrisoph Hainz and Swiss Patrick Felder, climbed both of them during a multi-week climbing trip in South Africa.
The highlight of the trip for the team was the opportunity to establish a new climbing garden near the campground „Pakhuis“ in the renowned Rocklands area with 24 sport climbing routes rated from 5a to 8a. That’s how the SALEWA Wall came to pass. In the process, SALEWA athlete Schaeli labeled the route „Wave Up,“ which he succeeded at redpointing after a difficult struggle, as the most amazing single-pitch route of his climbing career – a route set by Christoph Hainz. „The route’s first 20 meters led up a tricky, steep undulating pitch to a wide ledge. Like a miracle, a two-finger hole in the smooth overhanging wall appears. You hoist yourself up under the final roof with two very dynamic pulls that you have to conquer spectacularly using a difficult jamming technique,“ he says about the climb. „You have to clip in your own anchors at times on the route, but you also have to use every imaginable climbing technique. This makes the route the most demanding and most complete as well as most complex challenge that I’ve ever mastered when it comes to sport climbing,“ notes Roger Schaeli.
For the SALEWA AlpineXtrem Team athletes, just as valuable as the climbing treasures were the newly discovered connections with the strong South African climbing community. Plus, the support for the relief project „Little Lambs“ that supplies South African children and young woman with food, housing and medical aid. „This was most certainly not my last trip to South Africa,“ sums up Roger.
