Hellfire is an awesome venue to enjoy long single-pitch and two-pitch routes in a wild mountain setting, away from the madding crowd. It is a sport crag with a mountain attitude, so be aware that some of the routes are long and can’t be lowered off from in the usual sport crag way – some need attentive lowering, while others you need to abseil from. Some of the crags also involve a bit of scrambling to get to, so it is best to bring your mountain savvy with you when you climb here. The longish drive from Cape Town and the approach walk makes this a relatively quiet crag, so you are almost guaranteed to be alone or with very few others. The rock is hard, red sandstone and the routes are of the highest quality. There are also many trad routes at Hellfire, so please check the status of potential routes before bolting. Being north-facing, this crag is best enjoyed during the cooler months, as most of the crags get sun from mid morning onwards.
For a comprehensive guide to the trad routes, get Hellfire – Cragging in Du Toit’s Kloof.
Bolting
Hellfire is a trad and sport area, with plenty of virgin rock waiting to be explored. Please take note that although bolting is permitted here it is strictly by application only. Do not sneak in and bolt illegally, as this will seriously jeopardise the future of bolting and climbing in this area. For more information on bolting applications, contact the MCSA (mcsacapetown@iafrica.com).
Also, have the courtesy to check that your bolting project is not an existing trad line.
