A Guide to Rock Climbing and Bouldering in Ethiopia (2014)

A Guide to Rock Climbing and Bouldering in Ethiopia (2014)

For Inspiration and Information

1

Ethiopia Climbing Contents Ethiopia Rock Climbing and Bouldering Guide (2014) ............................................................................................ 1 For Inspiration and Information.................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 Basic Maps of Climbing in Ethiopia ..................................................................................................................... 10 General Information For Planning Climbing Trips in Ethiopia ............................................................................... 11 Logistics ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Water .......................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Climbing Equipment .................................................................................................................................................... 12 General Kit .................................................................................................................................................................. 12 General Medical .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Weather ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Security ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Bale Mountains, Southern Ethiopia, Between Rafu and Rira, ............................................................................... 14 General Information about Climbing in Bale Mountains ............................................................................................ 14 Bouldering in Bale .............................................................................................................................................. 15 Rock Climbing in Bale ......................................................................................................................................... 17 Near Mount Zuqualla, South of Addis Ababa, ..................................................................................................... 19 Abelti Hill, South West of Addis Ababa: .............................................................................................................. 20 Asela (South East Of Addis Ababa) ...................................................................................................................... 21 Boro Crag, Hawassa ........................................................................................................................................... 22 6a/b and 5* 6c/7b ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 Shashamene (South of Addis Ababa, North of Awassa) ....................................................................................... 23 Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa), Overview.............................................................................................................. 24 Poroto Gringo.............................................................................................................................................................. 26 Wendemé.................................................................................................................................................................... 27 Austerity Measures ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 2

Wei-Nei Gudei ............................................................................................................................................................. 29 Enkefet ........................................................................................................................................................................ 30 A Supposedly Fun Climb I'll Never Climb Again .......................................................................................................... 31 Tara Gaga .................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Jegna Almotem ........................................................................................................................................................... 33 Oysters Balls ................................................................................................................................................................ 34 Oysters Nuts ................................................................................................................................................................ 35 Cracked Wheat ............................................................................................................................................................ 36 Dihedral 5.12 on the Upper Wall ................................................................................................................................ 37 Climbing through the black streak. P1 5.10 and P2 5.11. ........................................................................................... 37 Amora Gedel article by Nico Parkinson: .............................................................................................................. 38 Menegesha, West of Addis Ababa (2014):........................................................................................................... 41 Wuchacha Mountain, East of Addis Ababa, (2014): ............................................................................................. 42 New 'on sight' first ascent in Wuchacha, May 5th 2014............................................................................................. 42 Maybe E2, 6a or 5.10b? .............................................................................................................................................. 42 Wuchacha Mountain, New Route Potential: .............................................................................................................. 43 Gulelle Botanical Gardens, North of Addis Ababa (closer than Entoto):................................................................ 44 ENTOTO, North of Addis Ababa, Overview .......................................................................................................... 45 Dave's Fall & Hyena's Secret (Hyena Point) 2014 ....................................................................................................... 45 Hyena's Secret............................................................................................................................................................. 46 Homebase, Babu Hills, East of Mekelle, .............................................................................................................. 47 Haweza Tower, Simien Mountains, Ethiopia ...................................................................................................... 48 Quala Yohannes, near Addis Zemen, (Bewteen Gondar and Bahir Dar (2012)): .................................................... 48 Southern Gondar Mountains: ............................................................................................................................. 49 Massif Au Sud De Gondar, Topo Number 1 ......................................................................................................... 50 Molalit Face ESE, “Aferan,” D Sup, 200m, (2012): ...................................................................................................... 50 Massif Au Sud De Gondar, Topo Number 2 ......................................................................................................... 51 Molalit Face ESE, “Aferan,” D Sup, 200m, (2012): ...................................................................................................... 51 Simien Mountains .............................................................................................................................................. 52 Simiens, (Shewa Region) near the Village of Lemi ............................................................................................... 53 3

Lasta Mountains, Lalibela, (1/2way between Addis & Adigrat) ............................................................................ 54 Adwa Logistics Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 55 From Nico Parkinson based on his Horizon Ethiopique Exped (2011):....................................................................... 55 Campsite and directions to it: ................................................................................................................................. 55 Where is the climbing in relation to the campsite? ................................................................................................ 55 Food and Water? .................................................................................................................................................... 55 Camp guard? ........................................................................................................................................................... 55 Adwa Area, Rock Climbing Map and General Info 2 (French): .............................................................................. 57 Adwa Mountains by Ethiopia Rocks 2014............................................................................................................ 58 Synopsis of Climbing ................................................................................................................................................... 58 Abba Girima Area General Information and Satellite Map......................................................................................... 58 Nursery Corner Crag ........................................................................................................................................... 59 1. Bill and Ben the Flower Pot Men, Severe, 20m ...................................................................................................... 59 2. Danger Mouse, HVS 4b, 25m .................................................................................................................................. 59 3. Poddington Peas, 4b, 25m ...................................................................................................................................... 59 4. Button Moon, E1 5a, 25m ....................................................................................................................................... 59 5. Trapdoor, HVS 5a, 25m ........................................................................................................................................... 59 6. Finger Mouse, E1 5b, 25m ...................................................................................................................................... 60 South East Buttress- Melaikt .............................................................................................................................. 60 1. Welcome to the Jungle ,E3 5c, 30m ........................................................................................................................ 60 2. Stairway to Heaven, E1 5b, 30m ............................................................................................................................. 60 Central Buttress- Backside of Semeyata .............................................................................................................. 61 1. Good things.......small packages E2/3 5b, 15m ..................................................................................................... 61 2. The Corner E1 5b, 35m............................................................................................................................................ 61 Tahatai Logumte ................................................................................................................................................ 62 1. Pets Corner, VS 4c, 100m ........................................................................................................................................ 62 1. Jelly Shoe Heroes, E1 5a, 150m............................................................................................................................... 63 Mont Tihous, Adwa, Topo Number 1 .................................................................................................................. 64 “Relais Sur Le Euphorbias,” TD Inf, 300m (2012): ....................................................................................................... 64 Mont Tihous, Adwa, Topo Number 2 .................................................................................................................. 65 4

“Vive Adwa,” TD, 190m, (2012): ................................................................................................................................. 65 Mont Otowodiko, Adwa, Topo Number 1 ........................................................................................................... 66 “Timkat,” TD/TD Sup, 180m, (2012): .......................................................................................................................... 66 Mont Otowodiko Topo Number 2, Adwa ............................................................................................................ 67 “Si Gentils,” D, 120m, (2012) ...................................................................................................................................... 67 Mount Otowodiko, Adwa, Topo Number 3 ......................................................................................................... 68 “Presque 50 ans et presque toutes mes dents”or “Depuis hier soir j’ai 2 dents creuses! TD, 180m, (2012): ........... 68 Samayata, Adwa Mountains, .............................................................................................................................. 69 “Costa Brava,” 8a, 850m, (2012):................................................................................................................................ 69 Samayata, Adwa, Pat Little John: ........................................................................................................................ 69 South Crest of lower tower near left side of the main face: 11-pitch E1, (2008) ....................................................... 69 Adwa- Debre Gundo and Samayata, Adwa, by John Collis................................................................................... 70 Samayata, Adwa, by John Collis ......................................................................................................................... 70 Mount Aftera, Adwa, by Mark Richey ................................................................................................................. 71 “West Face of Mount Aftera,” 5.10 R, 6-7 pitches, 2008, .......................................................................................... 71 The Samayata Valley, Adwa, Topo ...................................................................................................................... 72 La Direct Des Vertaco, Topo,............................................................................................................................... 73 la Directe des Vertacos, 7a.......................................................................................................................................... 73 Parvi Des Anges, Adwa, Topo ............................................................................................................................. 74 “Give me money or go home,” TD Sup, 200m, (2011)................................................................................................ 74 J’Aine Un Copain And Give Me Money or Go Home, Topo ................................................................................... 75 “Give me money or go back home!" TD ..................................................................................................................... 75 Cochacho, Adwa ................................................................................................................................................ 76 le Fissure Fioresse, A2 ou 7b+ ..................................................................................................................................... 76 Montagne des Anges .................................................................................................................................................. 77 Southern Adwa Mountains – Umba Gwal Atse .................................................................................................... 78 E2, wanders up shorter southwest side, Six-pitch, (200m), Littlejohn-Sustad, (2007)............................................... 78 Yeha – General Information ............................................................................................................................... 79 Yeha Area Maps .......................................................................................................................................................... 79 Monkey Rock ..................................................................................................................................................... 81 5

1. Through the Eye of a Needle, HS 4b, 145m ............................................................................................................ 81 2. Monkey Say, Monkey Do, HVS 4c , 120m ............................................................................................................... 81 The Crowds, The Crowds .................................................................................................................................... 82 1. The Guns of Ye Ha, E2 5c, (120m) ........................................................................................................................... 82 1. Touching the Snake, HVS 5a, 155m ........................................................................................................................ 83 R&R Crag ........................................................................................................................................................... 84 1. Good Night Mr Tom, HVS 5b, 90m.......................................................................................................................... 84 Farenji Boulder .................................................................................................................................................. 85 Yeha Area, East of Adwa, Tigray ......................................................................................................................... 86 South West Crack of Tower (10), “Bat Cave,” E1, 5a, 4b, 4a, 150m, .......................................................................... 86 West Ridge of Tower (11), E1 5a,6a, 110m, (2002), ................................................................................................... 87 East Face of Tower (1): Ethiopian Garden, III+, 100m; So Strong and Brave, E4 6a, 45m; Tree Nut, HVS 5a, 35m ... 87 Hawzien ............................................................................................................................................................ 88 Logistics ....................................................................................................................................................................... 88 Climbing ...................................................................................................................................................................... 88 Maps for Sheba and Horsetooth Towers, Gheralta, Tigray ................................................................................... 90 Koraro Spires, Gheralta Range Overview ............................................................................................................ 91 Description .............................................................................................................................................................. 91 Koraro Towers, Gheralta .................................................................................................................................... 92 “Tewlihe ("The Sharp One"),” 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII E4 6a, 375m, (2012), ......................................................................... 92 Description .............................................................................................................................................................. 92 Koraro Towers (previously reported as Nevulet Towers), Gheralta Massif by Pat Little John ................................ 94 “Sheba Tower,” 5.10/5c, 500m, (2005 and 2006) ...................................................................................................... 94 Nico Parkinson’s Story of the Koraro Tower, Gheralta Region.............................................................................. 95 “Scared Hamster Tube Party,” 5.10- R/X, 4 pitches, (2012) ....................................................................................... 95 Neblet (AKA Koraro) Towers, Gheralta Massif, Majke Buurhardt ......................................................................... 97 “Tewadros: Learning the Hard Way,” III, 5.10, 5 Pitches, (2007) ............................................................................... 97 GUHE TOWERS, Gheralta, Tigray......................................................................................................................... 98 “Magic Smelly Poodle,” 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c PG13, 300m, (2012) ......................................................................... 98 Description .............................................................................................................................................................. 98 6

Nico Parkinson’s Story of the Guhe Tower, Gheralta Region, 2012 ......................................................................... 100 Abune Yemata Guh, 5.11, Guhe Towers, Gheralta, Pat Little John’s Account: ....................................................... 101 Tower of Frida (next to Abuna Yemata), ........................................................................................................... 102 ‘Sound of Frida,’ 300m .............................................................................................................................................. 102 Sandstone turns to sand in Gheralta - Espen Fadnes returns to Ethiopia ............................................................ 102 Nebelet, Near Hawzien, Tigray, Mark Richey..................................................................................................... 104 5.10R, 6 pitches, (2008) ............................................................................................................................................ 104 Gheralta Topos And General Info, by Alain Bruzy (2012).................................................................................... 105 Massif De La Gheralta, Tigray ........................................................................................................................... 106 “Pilier Des Americuines,” TD Sup, 4 pitches, (2012), ................................................................................................ 106 Mont Essamba, Massif De La Gheralta, Tigray ................................................................................................... 107 “Suebre (Notre Chauffeur Patient Et Sympat),” TD, 140m, (2012), ......................................................................... 107 Gudele Towers, Amba Dasen Bet, Gheralta....................................................................................................... 108 "Buzzards Can't be Choosers," P1 5.10 +, P2. 5.8 X, P3 5.11+ R, (150m), (2012), .................................................... 108 Nico’s Write up of Gudele Tower, Gheralta Region............................................................................................ 109 KorKor, Gheralta Massif, Tigray ........................................................................................................................ 110 Coma La Vista, 5.8; Deuce of Hardts, 5.7; Reading Corner, 5.4; Free Dance, 5.9; Molly’s Reach, 5.6; The Fall Back, 5.6 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 110 Kimir, Gheralta Massif, Tigray, by Edu Marin .................................................................................................... 111 “Arenas Movedizas,” 7b+/c, 350m, (2012) ............................................................................................................... 111 The Koraro Sandstone Towers, Gheralta, 150m, (2012) ..................................................................................... 112 Gheralta, Tigray, 2012, by John Collis AAC ........................................................................................................ 113 “Great Cornholio,” 5.10-, 3 pitch, (2012) .................................................................................................................. 113 Near Hawzien, Gheralta, Tigray, 2008, Indight by Mark Richey .......................................................................... 113 AGAME MASSIF: Gheralta Climbing, Near Muzety and Hawzen ........................................................................ 114 Near Gohgot Guesthouse, Tigray ...................................................................................................................... 116 East Face Horse Tooth Tower, Near Digum, Tigray ............................................................................................ 117 “Mega Crack,” HXS, 5.10/ 5.11, 5 Pitches, (2005+6) by Pat Little John .................................................................... 117 Dedum, Tigray, (Perhaps Horseshoe Towers) .................................................................................................... 118 “We Lauigh at Danger,” HVS, 5a,4b, *, 100m, and “Somewhere Else”, HVS 4c,4c**, 100m, (2001), By Bookham Crag Rats ................................................................................................................................................................... 118 7

Dabrazeit Peak, Dudua, Near Axum, By Bookham Crag Rats ............................................................................. 119 “Green Mamba,” E2 (5c)****, 300m and “Lucy In The Sky with Diamonds,” E2 (5b), 300m, (2001) ...................... 119 Damo Gela, Near Axum .................................................................................................................................... 122 North Buttress, E1, 10 Pitch, 400m, (2006), by Pat Little John/Steve Sustad........................................................... 122 Bouldering in Axum Quarries and Near Hawzien: 2007, Mark Richey, AAC ......................................................... 123 Harrar, 2007, Mark Richey, AAC........................................................................................................................ 123 Mount Wehni Ethiopia, Near Axum, (Hotrock Report)....................................................................................... 124 “Beneath the Path of Princes,” E1 5a ....................................................................................................................... 124 The prison of Mt Wehni – Ethiopia ........................................................................................................................... 124 From Mount Wehni To Kentish Town, Account 2 .............................................................................................. 127 Tigray And Adwa Regions, Nebelet Round Up Of Routes, 2008 .......................................................................... 129 Gobo Dura ................................................................................................................................................................. 129 Mai Gundi.................................................................................................................................................................. 129 Abba Gerima Cliff ...................................................................................................................................................... 129 Dabba Guba............................................................................................................................................................... 129 Ganderta (“Jordan”):................................................................................................................................................. 129 Tahatai Logumte ....................................................................................................................................................... 129 Rayu........................................................................................................................................................................... 129 Waseya Cracks, Tembien Mountains, near Hagere Selam, Tigray ....................................................................... 130 Waseya Cracks, Hagere Selam, Account of Crag Development ........................................................................... 134 Waseya Cracks, 14/08/2004 ..................................................................................................................................... 134 Waseya Cracks, 28-29/08/2004 ................................................................................................................................ 134 Waseya Cracks, 9-10/10/2004 .................................................................................................................................. 136 Waseya Boulder Field Topo/Map ............................................................................................................................. 138 How We Had to Dodge Rocks at Waseya Cracks in order to Climb Them ............................................................ 139 by Nico Parkinson,..................................................................................................................................................... 139 Mai Ba'ati, Between Hagere Selam and Mekelle ............................................................................................... 142 The Arch, Kola Tembien, Near Anu Adi ............................................................................................................. 143 Mekelle Quarry, Mekelle.................................................................................................................................. 143 Other Ethiopia Climbing Webpages And Blogs: ................................................................................................. 144 8

Introduction The rock climbing venues in this document are arranged in a rough South to North order.

The purpose of this document is to encourage and promote rock climbing development within Ethiopia. In turn, we hope these increased opportunities for rock climbing and bouldering will help to create sustainable tourism within Ethiopia.

As some of the information is hard to decipher, I have simply compiled it all, for people to do as they wish with it, rather than edit it, and risk losing some of the detail. The aim was to produce one document, including all of the Ethiopia Rock climbing and bouldering information, eliminating the hours of research that were required before this existed. There are as many photos as I could find, to inspire people into visiting, and route and logistical information that may prove useful once you get there, which may make more sense when stood in front of it! Nothing in this document is original material; it has all been lifted and copied from other people websites (especially Rock Climbers, Ethiopia Facebook page), blogs and booklets. Wherever possible, I have included the links to the relevant authors, both within the text, and in the references at the end of the booklet. Apologies if I have missed your link out, or you are not happy with your content being used in this manner. Please get in touch and I shall make the necessary adjustments. Alternatively, if there is any other content that you would like to see added, please get in contact and I shall do my best to add it asap.

Compiled by Mandy Tee Ethiopia Rocks 2014 Expedition Expedition Sponsors were:

Document last updated on the 02/12/2014 9

Basic Maps of Climbing in Ethiopia

10

General Information For Planning Climbing Trips in Ethiopia Ethiopia is part of the Horn of Africa, it is the oldest African independent country and it is 4.6 times larger than the UK . It covers 1.13 million Km², and has the second largest population of any African country. Ethiopia is a country of extremes, with the fertile Omo Valley in the South, which has an average annual rainfall of 1134mm, (the Uk’s 2013 average annual rainfall was 1091mm). The Danakil Depression in the North is –125m below sea level and one of the hottest places on earth, while Ras Dashen (the highest mountain in Ethiopia), is 4550m above sea level (just 260m below Mont Blanc). Addis Ababa, the capital is abuzz with new investment, expensive hotels and lots of foreign workers, while the rural villagers tend to be poor subsistence farmers. The average male life expectancy is 58 years of age. The national food (eaten daily by most Ethiopians) is Injera, and it’s Ethiopia’s answer to marmite: tourists (known locally as Farenji) either love it or hate it! At times, members of the Ethiopia Rocks team could be overheard comparing it to sour carpet underlay, I however, quite liked it! In the past 10 years there has been an increase in the number of Ethiopian based rock climbers, and a growing number of climbing and bouldering expeditions to Ethiopia by British, American, French, Swedish, and Spanish teams. As a result many new routes and boulder problems are being put up all over Ethiopia each year. Despite much hard work and effort by a few dedicated climbers, the amount of information available about Ethiopian climbing on the internet is still very time consuming to research.

Logistics All members of the team flew into Addis Ababa airport. We pre-arranged a vehicle (4x4) and driver (doubled as a camp guard/translator, who spoke Amharic and Tigrayan), for the three weeks of our expedition, at a (returning customers) rate of $150 per day, paying 90% in advance, all inclusive of fuel and drivers expenses, with http://www.festethiopia.com/. At the time of our trip, non-nationals were not permitted to drive in Ethiopia. Cars are bought at western prices plus 100% tax, so car hire is not cheap. If you have plenty of time (and some local language), then travelling by public transport (buses) is plausible and cheap, but on a limited time schedule, with return flights to catch, we decided it was not a good use of our time. We spent one day and night in Addis getting supplies together (food, fuel, etc), as we planned to camp for all three weeks, as we were unsure what goods would be available once in Adwa. However it transpired that most basic supplies; rice, fruit, vegetables etc... were available in the regions larger market towns (although the quantity and variety were sometimes limited). Fest booked the Hotel in Addis, it cost $40/night for big double ensuite rooms with a table, fridge and sofa. It takes two days to drive from Addis to Adwa, therefore one night in either Dessie or Kombolcha is required, one night was also spent in Adwa before driving to our base camp. It is possible to fly to Aksum and hire a driver form there. Flights are cheaper if bought once in country.

Water Most villages had local wells, but these were locked most of the time and only open for a few hours each day, in addition, these wells can get cut off (even in towns) requiring longer trips to other wells or, if available, purchasing bottled water. We purified water with iodine or a Steripen, however it seemed generally clean and safe to drink, and no filtering was required. 11

Climbing Equipment No climbing equipment is available in country, but the types of climbing available are so varied and plentiful, that you can pick and choose the routes you do and the amount of kit you need to take. During our trip as a group we lost only a few nuts, and a small amount of tat, as we chose routes we could mainly walk off, and luckily didn’t retreat off many routes. A boulder mat proved very useful.

General Kit We took biodegradable toiletries and washing up/clothes wash liquids with us, as well as all toiletries such as sun tan lotion and mosquito repellent (which would have been very difficult to get hold of), and a solar shower from the UK which proved very effective. We purchased pans, washing up bowls, buckets to collect water (invaluable) and cutlery (very expensive) in Addis, but could have bought pans in the larger market towns. We took multi-fuel stoves out, and bought a plastic container of fuel once there. The fuel was dirty and didn’t burn well.

General Medical Advice varied about whether anti malarial drugs were required or not, most of the group took them and wore doses of DEET, but the reality was we only saw mosquitoes on the journey from Addis to the North, but not really in the climbing areas, and between us got only a few bites. It would definitely be worth having a full expedition first aid kit with you at base camp including antibiotics, painkillers etc. As a hospital may be a long way away, and ill-equipped. For example, it was the case that (out of the whole country) there was only one embassy in Addis which held rabies medication for those who had been bitten. Be aware, that the locals may come up and ask you for medical supplies while you are there. In general our view was that it was best to offer basic advice that they could use again in the future., A common complaint was conjunctivitis, we suggested they bathe their eye in (cooled) boiled water and salt, and advise them not to rub or touch their eyes, or others if they had been in contact with the infected area, before washing their hands. Giving out drugs (as nontrained people) may cause more problems and perpetuate the issues of stone throwing in the future etc.

Wildlife While in Ethiopia we did come across scorpions and very large spiders in the campsite, and some evidence of snakes and monkeys en-route. It is worth making sure you are making enough noise to scare away the snakes on crags before you arrive, as there are poisonous varieties. There are dogs in the cities and countryside, we did come across a number of dogs running wild when getting to and from climbing areas, most looked quite healthy though.

Weather Whilst in Northern Ethiopia we experienced just one afternoon of rain, luckily it started on our return from the crag. Temperature-wise, we were wearing light fleeces and windproofs early mornings, evenings and nights (and sometimes at shady crags in the day). During the day temperatures generally rose quite high, and shorts and t shirts were all that were needed. Often it was too hot to climb in the midday sun, so we went to crags in the shade, or left at first light to climb in the cooler morning temperatures. It was chilly at night, and most people were glad of their 3 season sleeping bags while camping.

Security It is worth having a camp guard, although you are sure to be able to pick one up/acquire a self-appointed one locally. There are greater security fears (by locals) in Yeha, as it is closer to the Eritrean border, although we personally saw 12

no tangible evidence of any difference. It was advised that women not walk around alone at night in the towns. Be aware it is frowned upon for women to show their shoulders/too much flesh, or to drink beer. The greatest annoyance we encountered was children throwing rocks at us, normally after they realised we would not give them pens, sweets or money (although they would continue to ask for said items even once they’d started throwing rocks!). There seemed not a lot we could do to avoid this, although parents and village elders would occasional give some respite through disciplining the children. Hopefully better education of tourists to stop encouraging begging may eventually elevate this issue. The idea of giving children educational materials such as pens and books is on the surface a noble one. However it should be stressed that this can lead to the children believing that all westerners are an infinite supply of these items, and the idea that they may not have them or are unwilling to give them away is unconceivable. Our thoughts on this complex moral issue it that giving gifts to village elders or school teachers to distribute as required may be a better solution. Hiring a local “guide” to accompany you to and from the crag may help, although we did not test this theory.

13

Bale Mountains, Southern Ethiopia, Between Rafu and Rira, General Information about Climbing in Bale Mountains Entry Fees: The rules for the Bale National Park are that you must hire a guide in order to enter the park and you must pay the park entry fees. Ther prices for Entry to Bale Nation Park are as follows (as per 04/2014): 20 birr per day per vehicle 40 birr per day for a tent 90 birr per person 300 - 350 birr per day for a guide (although it may cost more if you want the guide to stay overnight, as you may have to pay more for horses, assistants to look after the horses and maybe even a camp cook to provide food for the guide? These are things you may be able to negotiate on the day.) Weather: Rain falls most days from May until September and the mountains are dramatically cloaked in mist and cloud. However, May through July is a pleasant time to visit and despite the frequent afternoon showers, the days are warm and sunny. From October to April, days are sunny and night skies are filled with stars. June is the best time for spring flowers; red-hot pokers cover the hillside with their flame-coloured vegetation. The best time for trekking is from October to April. There are often frosts at night, and one website suggests that the average temperature is 5 degrees C. Here is a guidebook to Bale: http://balemountains.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bale-travel-guidebook-web.pdf http://bradtethiopiaupdate.wordpress.com/category/bale-mountains/

TiBen Thollin’s Resume of the rock climbing and bouldering in Bale: Quick resume of a short exploring trip in Bale Mountain National park. Two of us have a 6 days walking trip in Bale Mountain. We didn't take any horses but a lazy guide and a backpack (The guide is compulsory inside the park). We walked from Dinsho to the Sanetti Campsite with overnight campsite in Rafu at 4000 meter high (3 days walk in impressive landscape from Dinsho. Nevertheless a 4 hours walk is possible from the sanetti campsite which could be reach by car (hitchhiking is possible). Here is the most impressive boulder chaos, but there are boulder problems all over the entire park, including huge potential for single pitch trad climbing routes all over the park too. In fact, all the way from Dinsho you follow 20-50m high cliffs, and most over valleys have similar, easily reached crags. There is also abundant wildlife and astounding views. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319634663390&set=pcb.10152338710251271&type=1&theater

Bernde Emmerich on Bale: On the other hand, there is a ton more high quality climbing outside the parks. In fact from what I've seen so far (which isn't too much) the rock is much more accessible and has better quality outside the Bale Park at least. https://www.facebook.com/groups/119822356270/10152340612471271/?notif_t=group_comment_reply https://www.facebook.com/bernde.emmerich?fref=ufi

14

Bouldering in Bale Carl Granland, 2013 Bale bouldering video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbI0rMHbWIs bouldering part way between Rafu and Rira: http://27crags.com/crags/balemountains-rafu Topos: http://27crags.com/crags/balemountains-rafu/topos/paradox-of-accessability Bale Mountains webpage: http://balemountains.org/ http://carlgranlund.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/ethiopia.html or http://carlgranlund.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/theclimbingguide-to-ethiopia-in-pdf.html http://climbing.ilooove.it/spot/bale-mountains-national-park-7587?image=34196 https://www.facebook.com/groups/119822356270/permalink/10151379151021271/ photos One week has past since I came back to the order in sweden. I've been to Ethiopia for 2,5 weeks on a climbing expedition with Adam Herring and my brother Johannes. Our plan was to explore the Sanetti plateau in bale mountain national park for potential bouldering but also trad-climbing. The Sanetti plateau has a section called Rafu which is a big lava flow that has swept over the Sanetti plateau and this was also the area were we stayed for 12 days and climbed and brushed boulders non stop. The area is at least a 2x3 square kilometer ocean of blocks between 1-30m high. And alot of the taller blocks has the potential to house some very spectacular sport climbing pitches :). Adam was the initiative holder of this trip in the first place since he had been to Ethiopia many times before. Three years prior to our expedition, Adam made his first trip to Bale mountains to trek in the Harrena forests. During this trek he stubbled upon a boulder and as all climbers know you can't just wlk by a boulder without making sure that there is no potential way up. It's not a hindrance for a true climbing pioneer even though the boulder might be small and the potential line so contrived that you need to dig a big hole in the ground only to find a defined low sit start. Of course you need to dig this hole because establishing a pure mantle problem is an evil invention of the devil and those who advocates those typs of boulders are non reliable and minions of the evil powers. However, In Adams head the seed was planted and he went home with the optimistic thought that "if there is one boulder there must be more". He started searching on the internet and on google earth and soon found pictures on big lava flows that swept along the Sanetti plateu that seemd to be housing boulders in unimaginable quantities. In the autumn of 2012 Adam showed me some pictures of the area and it didn't take me long time to decide to tag along. Emil had already decided to come and soon my brother also jumped on the train. The result after the trip was about 60 new boulders between 5a and 7c, and considering the trad climbing we are still very optimistic even though we didn't anything stunning. The main reason for this was that the rock quality tended too differ quite a bit. Our scouting with binoculars kept us with an optimistic felling for trad climbing on som big walls in the distance, but all those FAs are still up or grabs :).

15

https://www.facebook.com/groups/119822356270/permalink/10151379151021271/ photos

https://www.facebook.com/temame.mohammed

Photos of Bale bouldeing from TiBen Thollin, 2014:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319634348390&set=gm.10152338710251271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319634728390&set=gm.10152338710251271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319633018390&set=gm.10152338710251271&type=1&theater

16

Rock Climbing in Bale

About 3 pitches, 4000 meters above sea level, potential of routes, more than 50 Some routes have already been completed here. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202872175996275&set=gm.10152159563251271&type=1&theater

Not Lots of Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential

Photo by J H Ibsen: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/66172398?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com Other photos with Bale crags in the background! http://www.panoramio.com/photo/18050965?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com http://www.panoramio.com/photo/50107777?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com http://www.panoramio.com/photo/50107734?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com http://www.panoramio.com/photo/45682777?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com

17

Photos of Bale Climbing Potential from TiBen Thollin, 2014:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319634663390&set=pcb.10152338710251271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319634728390&set=pcb.10152338710251271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319633018390&set=pcb.10152338710251271&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319639023390&set=pcb.10152338710251271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152319647383390&set=pcb.10152338710251271&type=1&theater

A nice guide to the Bale Mountains: http://balemountains.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/bale-travel-guidebook-web.pdf

18

No Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential Near Mount Zuqualla, South of Addis Ababa,

This looked like a pretty cool crag to check out sometime if we are up for an adventure. It is located on the way to Mt. Zuqualla (8.68913 N 38.92366 E). The google earth image is looking southwest.

19

No Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential Abelti Hill, South West of Addis Ababa:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152657132113957&set=gm.10152238603286271&type=1&theater

This place was a famous Italian army outpost overlooking the Gibe river bridge. After the Italians left, the art of roasting chicken remained (arrosto). The place is a favorite lunchtime pit-stop for many lorry drivers going to Djimmah from Addis Ababa. A whole chicken comes with spicy 'awaze' sauce and injera bread, costs you anywhere between 50 and 80 birr. My favorite is the garlic roasted one, so crisp it melts in your mouth... . If you don't mind going down a little further past Welkite on the Djimmah road, you cross the Gibe river and get to a town called Abelti. There is a pointy hill with the same name that hasn't been explored yet. Abelti also has the best arrosto chicken in the world!

20

No Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential Asela (South East Of Addis Ababa) I went to a cool place last weekend which would be a fun place to camp and climb. This area is east just outside of Asela. It takes about 7 hour hike to get up around 3700m where Simien Wolves live and the rock is abundant. The rock is basalt and quite featured, the place is suited for sport or bouldering. The cliff are short around 15m with steep featured faces. For the bouldering there is a ton from short two-three move wonders to high balls. Te scenery completely awesome and devoid people, though they come up seasonally to the pastures. Anyways I thought I would share this. Enjoy

Photo and description by Ken Ford. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152446979240966&set=pcb.10152855297476271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152446979345966&set=pcb.10152855297476271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152446979450966&set=pcb.10152855297476271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152446979545966&set=pcb.10152855297476271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152446979740966&set=pcb.10152855297476271&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152446979965966&set=pcb.10152855297476271&type=1&theater

21

Boro Crag, Hawassa 6a/b and 5* 6c/7b Basalt. Pretty good stuff. Feels very similar to granite. Grey compact basalt with sharp crimps and slopes requiring strong fingers and good technique? We bolted two lines, both start very fingery in the lower section/angle. The right one goes through the vertical headwall on amazingly good but sparsed jugs. Super clean and excellent rock! This gem has (as for now) one and half bolted routes (Bernard will finish the second soon, right??): A great short 6a/b and a five-star 31m 6c/7b, and this is only the beginning! In the picture- local girl inspecting our work while being lowered. A new sport introduced to the villagers at Boro!

Words and photos from Bernede Emmerich https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204808131753959&set=pcb.10204808137074092&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204808128913888&set=pcb.10204808137074092&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204808121713708&set=pcb.10204808137074092&type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204808115073542&set=pcb.10204808137074092&type=1&theater

22

Shashamene (South of Addis Ababa, North of Awassa) Some nice boulders out near Shashamene. Complete with monkeys, hyraxes and bemused locals.

Photo and words by Andy M Gra https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154346901365567&set=pcb.10152577467571271&type=1&theater

23

www.mountainproject.com

Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa), Overview International : Africa : Ethiopia Elevation: 8000 Description Ethiopia's first Sport Climbing Crag is nearly 500 meters wide and 60 meters high and has very easy access from Addis Ababa. The rock is basalt and offers sport climbs, mixed climbs and some trad climbs as well. All routes published here have bolted anchors. Please see the route descriptions for more info. The entire cliff is in the shade after midday, and the quality of the rock is high with few broken pieces and weak flakes. There are some plants growing on the rock, but as the rock sees more traffic, the plants will disappear. There is a small village called Kile above the cliff where climbers can camp with a local family for 40 birr per tent. The village has access to clean water from a nearby well and pump. In Kile, climbers can also purchase local bread (injera), bottled beer, and other delights. Please respect the local community, and stay on the trails as the farmers are growing wheat in the field at the foot of the wall. As more and more people visit this crag, the locals will become more in tune with rock climbing. Donating old equipment is a fine way to support their interest to safely climbg their own walls, however please donate equipment that is secure, especially when it comes to harnesses & ropes. For more info about this wall and other climbing spots around Ethiopia, contact me at [email protected]. Getting There Go to the Farensay neighborhood in the northeast quadrant of Addis Ababa. Take the Farensay road all the way to the end, where minibuses, mid-sized buses and taxis are waiting in a dirt plaza. (This is your last chance to buy fruit, bread, etc.) Turn left and begin driving up the mountain. After a few hundred meters, you will go beyond the houses of the city on a windy dirt road and be surrounded by eucalyptus trees. Stay left when the road forks at a small rock quarry/gravel production. Continue up the road that will meet up with a large work site with enormous trucks are moving earth back and forth throughout the city. You can park here or continue straight through the work site on a road with really bad cobbles. If you continue, park at the big bend in front of a small creek. (If you take a taxi you may have to walk from the bus and taxi dirt plaza below. If so, expect about 15 minutes extra walking to get to the above described parking) On foot, continue walking up the road. As you gain elevation, you will see what appears to be a very big cliff straight in front of you. This is Armora Gedel. There are two trails, one that goes to the top of the cliff up to the village Kile, and the other to the bottom. Please walk around farmers' plots and respect the locals' animals. In 2013, taxi prices from the Bole Airport area are some 200 birr to the bus/taxi plaza and you can usually negotiate about 150 birr back to Bole.

24

NB: recently, children have been throwing large rocks off the top of this crag at the climbers. It may be best to avoid this crag until some local climbers have had some talks with the local village elders.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151690555189617&set=gm.10151720326711271&type=1&theater

Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) : Crimpin on the basalt! 25

Poroto Gringo 5.10c 6b 20 VII E2 5b PG13

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Nicojah

New Route: Yes Type:

Sport

Consensus: 5.10c 6b 20 VII E2 5b Length:

1 pitch, 75'

Description Climb starts directly under the first bolt. Climb up to a ledge and reach for positive slopers. Clip the first bolt from the ledge if you can. Pull on the left hand sloper to the jugs above. The second bolt is far from the first bolt with possible TCU (cam 0.5-1) placement in between the two bolts. The middle of the route is the most fun and the reason you want to try this climb. The vertical basalt is a wavy lava flow with shallow and deep pockets as well as horizontal and vertical ledges. Green and yellow lichen paints much of the wall making it a psychedelic pump! Location Look for a series of finger cracks with lots of grassy plants growing out of them on a slab to the far left of Armora Gedel. Poroto Gringo starts a bit to the left of these cracks. You can't miss the first bolt on a lip above a small alcove. Protection 5 bolts and 1 possible TCU placement. 2 bolt anchor with chains

Poroto Gringo : Poroto Gringo

26

Wendemé 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- E2 5b

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Nicojah

Type:

Sport

Consensus: 5.10b 6a+ 19 VII- E2 5b Length:

1 pitch, 75'

Description Wendeme (meaning My Brother in Amharic) starts to the right of Poroto Gringo and is similar in style, though a bit easier. The first bolt is up on a lip above an obvious alcove. Climb bast the bolt on the right up a series of big holds far up to the 2nd bolt. The head wall is fun and lichen encrusted jugs will get you to the crux at the top of the head wall. Here, pull a series of small holds to get over and to the final bolt before the anchor. Location This climb is located on Poroto Wall to the right of Poroto Gringo. There are 5 bolts to the anchors (shared with Poroto Gringo). Protection 5 quickdraws 2 bolt anchor with chains (shared with Poroto Gringo)

Wendemé : The first bolt of Wendeme.

27

Austerity Measures 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ E5 6a

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA: Type:

Sport

Consensus: 5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ E5 6a Length:

90'

Description Climbers wanting to take on Austerity Measures must first climb Poroto Gringo or Wendeme. The climb covers nearly 30m of delicate climbing on quality basalt to the top of the cliff. The burnt orange rock provides edges, buckets and the all too frustrating shallow, sloper pockets! There are two cruxes on the wall. The second crux near the top under a glassy roof. Climbers can aid over the crux if stuck. The first crux is after the second bolt above the big blocks. There seems to be enough holds but the slight overhang makes pulling it somewhat difficult. This climb is exposed the entire time and rewarding in every aspect! The climb's name comes from a group of Spanish aid workers who donated money to the Armora Gedel bolt fund.

Location Austerity Measures starts at the anchors of Poroto Gringo/Wendeme and follows a prow up the head wall to the top of the cliff. Protection 10 bolts. 2 bolt Anchors with quicklinks.

28

Wei-Nei Gudei 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Nicojah

Type:

Trad, Sport

Consensus: 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c Length:

1 pitch, 90'

Description This route was born out of frustration when I couldn't get up the left side of this magnificent pillar. I then tried the right side and Wei-Nei Gu-Dei was born! There is another 2 bolt anchor in the middle of the pillar that could be another route if somebody were interested in trying to get up the left side of the pillar. Wei-Nei Gude starts in the middle of the pillar. There are some easy moves of balance through the first two bolts. The 3rd and 4th bolt go over a part of the wall that is a bit chossy but with enough solid holds to get you to the next head wall. Place a .75 cam above the fourth bolt in a horizontal crack.Then move up and slightly right towards the nose above. Try the nose direct or move around to the right into the large dihedral and step out on the nose. The final 2-3 moves are tiring and perhaps the most difficult, but well protected. Weinei GuDei is a common expression in Amharic that means something like 'jumpin' jesus on a pogostick' Location The route is located to the left of Enkefet and to the right of the Poroto Gringo wall. Protection 9 bolts, 1 gear placement (.75 - 1 tcu) 2 bolt anchor with quicklinks

29

Enkefet 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII E4 6a

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Darrel Sommerlatt

Type:

Sport

Consensus: 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII E4 6a Length:

1 pitch, 90'

Description Face climbing up the center of a robust column of varied basalt textures. Ten bolts protect the leader and are spaced out while protecting the wall's hardest moves. The first two-thirds of climbing is sustained 5.10+/.11 climbing while the last section before the last bolt features hard 5.11+ moves over 5-6 meters of sloping, small side pulls and crimpers on hard basalt. Fun climbing with two ledges for natural rests to attack the Enkefet with Ethiopian power! Enkefet means 'obstacle' in Amharic. Location This climb goes up the middle of the face of a large column to the left of Tara Gaga (the obvious and fun corner crack). The first bolt is about 4 meters off the ground below a dicey roof. Protection 10 quickdraws and two bolt anchors at the top with quicklinks. Note: Climbers can reach the anchors of Enkefet from Tara Gara by climbing a small 3 meter section of 5.7 to set up a top rope.

Enkefet : In the second section of Enkefet.

30

A Supposedly Fun Climb I'll Never Climb Again 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

??

Type:

TR

Consensus: 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c Length:

80'

Description This line runs directly up the face below hte Tara Gaga chains and doesnt use the corner crack. Unfortunately, the second section of the climb is hard and very fragile making it difficult to find solid holds. There is a small pocket that you can reach by standing on the ledge of grass and crank from there! The middle section gets easier and the top section is 5.10+, but mostly because of dirty holds and sloping pockets. One day, somebody may want to bolt this line. But hopefully the name will not change! Location This line is located to the left of Taragaga and to the right of Enkefet. Use the grassy ramp to get a good position for the first section of climbing. Protection Toprope only. Uses the same anchors as the trad line 'Taragaga' next door.

31

Tara Gaga 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- HVS 4c

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Nicojah

Type:

Trad

Consensus: 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- HVS 4c Length:

1 pitch, 75'

Description The line climbs an obvious ramp up to the right some 3 or 4 meters above the ground. There is a flake to place protection. Then climb through the crux (which has thin protection) to a perfect fist-crack above and then to a large ledge with lots of grass and dirt. Here the corner starts and protection is abundant for all sizes of material. There are still a couple big grass clumps hanging on the cliff that will hopefully one day disappear providing a superb crack for beginner and intermediate trad climbers. Location This classic route starts to the left of the big tree in the middle of the crag and goes up to an obvious corner. Protection Carry a full rack. 2 bolt anchors with chains.

Tara Gaga : Tara Gaga Toproper

32

Jegna Almotem 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ E3 5b

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Nicojah

Type:

Trad, Sport

Consensus: 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ E3 5b Length:

90'

Description This climb starts to the right of the big tree at the base of Tara Gaga. There is an obvious finger crack (your first piece of pro) in a sea of orange lichen. Gain a ledge and you will see the climb's first bolt. Place 2 or 3 pieces throughout the next 15-20 feet goes over steep, darker basalt with awesome formations and horizontal edges. There are some bolts and then the roof crux. Pull over the roof onto the harder, smoother orange basalt column. Three more bolts and then the anchors. Jegna Almotem means "heroes don't die" in local Amharic, and was often heard when the last primer minister Meles Zenawi passed away. Location Left of Oysters Balls, Right of the tree below the Tara Gaga crack. Protection Carry 9 quickdraws, small cams and nuts. Two bolt anchors with quicklinks.

Jegna Almotem : Leading, a few feet below crux roof.

33

Oysters Balls 5.10 6b 20 VII- E2 5b

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

??

Type:

TR

Consensus: 5.10 6b 20 VII- E2 5b Length:

1 pitch, 90'

Description After leading Oysters Nuts which starts a bit to the right of Oysters Balls, climbers can toprope this line which goes direct to the first pitch anchors of Oysters Nuts. The line goes over a simple boulder problem, then through popcorn texture basalt, and finally to steeper-than-vertical wall with big holds. Location This line runs direct to the first pitch anchors of Oysters Nuts. Climbers can then continue to the 2nd pitch of Oysters Nuts if they want. Protection Toprope only. Shares the chains with Oysters Nuts.

34

Oysters Nuts 5.9+ 5c 17 VI E1 5a International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Nicojah

Type:

Trad

Consensus: 5.9+ 5c 17 VI E1 5a Length:

2 pitches, 180'

Season:

All year except rainy season (May to September)

Description Armora Gedel's most populat climb. Climbers need a full rack for Oyster Nuts. The climb starts 2 meters left of Cracked Wheat and angles diagonal left through a series of vertical crack systems. Though the foto shows a lot of plants, there really aren't any plans on the climbing line itself. It has been cleaned by the people who put up the line. After a small bulge, nearly 20m from the ground, the climber pulls over the last bulge to two bolts and quicklinks on the upper headwall. It may seem like there isn't enough pro, but there is! The first pitch is sustained 5.9 climbing with no serious crux move. It is sustained and has plenty of protection on high quality basalt. The second pitch follows an obvious finger crack on climber's right that leads to a even more obvious, crescentshaped crack that is sometimes flaring, sometimes perfect hand crack. Don't miss the 2nd pitch as it's much better than the 1st and very straight forward, crack-delightful climbing. There are face holds, crack holds and varies sizes of pro throughout. The name comes from a Norwegian climber who first attempted this line onsight. At some point below the first anchors, he left a couple nuts and came down. Before being cleaned, the line was very hairy with plants and dirt. Location Look for a right-facing crack that angles up and to the left. At the base of the route to the left, there is a small tree. Protection: Full rack.

2 bolt anchors with chains.

Oysters Nuts : From the top of the 2nd pitch!

35

Cracked Wheat 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ E3 5b

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Armora Gedel (Addis Ababa) FA:

Nicojah

Type:

Trad, Sport

Consensus: 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ E3 5b Length:

2 pitches, 180'

Description Cracked Wheat is the first mixed route bolted on Armora Gedel and called thus due to the farmer's wheat stalks that were growing at the base of the and lightly stomped over on the route's first ascent (by toprope). This route, from a climbing perspective, may be considered the most complete route at Armora Gedel due to its many styles of climbing over high quality rock. Here you will try all types of moves, power, balance and stretch. P1: This pitch is harder than the next pitch and requires pulling on slopers, small edges and careful balance. The first pitch is a sustained 5.10 and 5.10+ climbing with several cruxes throughout. There are two places for gear between bolts 1 & 2 & 3. After climbing the main face, after the 3rd bolt, traverse right on the pillar face and go straight up from there. P2: Continue climbing the face of the pillar until reaching the top. Here you will see the 2nd bolt on the main face of the wall which requires stepping from the pillar onto the face and climbing over a tricky roof. Afterwards, the climbing is easy and there is a long crack for gear, then a couple bolts until the next crux where small edges and hidden sidepulls get you to the top. Location This route is to the right of Oysters Nuts and starts on an orange face with several cracks. This climb is left of a large gully with lots of trees and plant life. You can't miss the first bolt 3 meters off the ground. Protection P1: 7 bolts. P2: 6 bolts. 10 quickdraws and mixed rack. TCUs size 1 - 2 are especially useful on the first pitch. There are two bolt anchors with quicklinks at the top of each pitch.

Cracked Wheat : Cracked Wheat on lead. http://www.mountainproject.com/v/ethiopia/108133738 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151894243559617&set=gm.10151911293841271&type=1&theater

36

Dihedral 5.12 on the Upper Wall

With Elad Omer and Nico Parkinson

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152906704134617&set=pcb.10152851184851271&type=1 &theater

Climbing through the black streak. P1 5.10 and P2 5.11.

With Elad Omer and Nico Parkinson

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152906704449617&set=pcb.10152851184851271&type=1 &theater

37

Amora Gedel article by Nico Parkinson: In Ethiopia, there is a lot of rock. Aside from the priests, not many people have climbed it. For most, the history of modern sport climbing starts in 2008 with Vertical Ethiopia, a picture book about a group of women jamming their way up cracks in the Gheralta Valley. However, before that, in 2005 Belgian climbers had developed a trad limestone crag called Waseya in the Tembien Mountains. And before the Belgians, in the 90s, an American climber had bolted a couple mixed sport climbs in the Entoto Mountains near Addis Ababa. Add in a few dozen climbing expeditions, and you have catalogued almost everyone who has rock climbed in Ethiopia. Although the list is short, the climbing potential in Africa’s most mountainous country is enormous. Many factors have kept Ethiopia out of the minds of climbers and tourists, but images of drought and famine have been perhaps the most devastating. For too many, Ethiopia is the face of African poverty and for a generation of children, it is the reason that you should finish your dinner. Nothing could be further from reality. Rock is central to Ethiopia’s past. Much of the country’s history has been etched into rock. Ancient dynasties chiseled 30m tall stele from granite walls in Tigray. Ethiopian Christians sculpted subterranean churches into the basalt bedrock and carved monasteries high up in the craggy mountains. Ethiopia is both where the Nile is born and the Roof of Africa. According to local legend, the world’s mountain ranges once gathered in Ethiopia, and when the meeting ended, none of them went home. I can relate. That’s what happened to me. I spent the better part of three years traveling around the country, roping up with phenomenal climbers and searching for the least visited mountain ranges and unclimbed towers. However, I didn’t realize that in my own backyard—right outside of the capital Addis Ababa—I would find and establish Ethiopia’s first complete sport climbing crag.

A Wall is Born

In March 2013, I began placing routes on Armora Gedel, a cliff-face high above the Farensay neighborhood in Addis Ababa. The 60-meter vertical basalt wall is a symphony of brown, black, and orange rock spotted with green and yellow lichen. Lines vary from cracks to pockets to edges and slopers. The rock is alive, yearning to be discovered, and by that I mean climbed. Most Ethiopians find it difficult to reconcile climbing rock faces and human nature, and equate our actions with those of monkeys. Why climb a rock face when there is an easy-to-follow path leading to the top of the cliff? My plan was to change the focus from why climb to how to climb. Armora Gedel—meaning Hawk’s Cliff in Amharic—lies in the Entoto Mountains, 2800 meters above the hazy cityscape. Local farmers from Kile, the village perched above the cliff, cultivate wheat and teff in the valley. Here, like most of rural Ethiopia, farmers use oxen to plow the fields, depend on the rainy season, and integrate their children into the cycle of agriculture at an early age, producing shepherds instead of students. 38

On that day in March, the ‘small’ rains were late, the sun baked dung while crowded clotheslines swayed in the cool breeze. Following the smell of roasting coffee, we found ourselves in the hut of a woman named Werke. She welcomed us by sweeping the yard while her daughter began preparing coffee, intrinsic to hospitality in Ethiopia. We represented what cosmopolitan Addis Ababa had become. A half dozen farenjis—as we’re euphemistically referred to—in possession of modernity’s latest and greatest wonders, like houses made of magic fibers that repelled rain, small hi-tech cook stoves, and lightweight beds of air. In addition, we came with heavy bags of climbing gear. We were foreign and mysterious, and it was very likely that this climbing project would change the village of Kile in one way or another. Immediately the villagers who weren’t out preparing fields for seed gathered around Werke’s hut. The neighbors, the uncles drunk on homemade liquor, idling children out of school, and an old man who was either blind or deaf or both, came around to hear what the visitors had to say. How could I convince the village that we were not drilling the rock to extract hidden riches? I showed the villagers a climbing magazine, explaining there were professionals who do what we do, but are so good at it, they get paid. Although the name Chris Sharma meant nothing, the glossy photos surely impressed them. “You have a cliff here in your village that we will try to climb like they do in these photos,” I explained in Amharic, Ethiopia’s unifying language. “We will not die, and if anybody wants to learn to climb rocks, we are here to teach you.” The Ethiopians seemed dubious.

2nd pitch of Cracked Wheat.

Werke (left) and Kile’s neighbors

“I would never get close to the cliff. My blood pressure is very high,” one neighbor said. “Armora Gedel is where the birds live. It’s not a place for humans.”

I put on a harness and shoes and handed climbing equipment to the neighbors. I tried to show that rock climbing was a sport: their children play soccer, we climb rocks, simple. None of the villagers visibly opposed our ideas, but they were clearly having trouble with the idea of climbing as sport. Several villagers asked me if it was gold I was after. Another assured me that people have come to drill for oil, but to no avail. Talking wasn’t going to convince anyone. “Come with me. We will no longer stand on the ground. We will stand in the air,” I declared, raising the Bosch to the sky. Small Climbers, Big Steps

The same day we set up rappel from the top of the wall and drilled anchors on the first and second pitches of the first climbs. The work had barely begun, and villagers were perplexed. “And if these ropes suddenly break, their bodies will be buried in the fields,” a neighbor said over and over.

39

Every day, village youngsters gathered around our dusty rope bags and watched as we climbed up and came down, climbed and lowered. Their interest grew each time we appeared on the ground alive. They clearly wanted to learn to climb their cliff. Then one day, we produced a harness and shoes small enough for the children and tied 12-year-old Wubalem into the end of the rope. He climbed just three meters before fear surpassed his courage. The same happened with the next climber, Wondessen. And the same thing happened to Hailu. They were scared, but what had been a wild idea, a home for the birds, slowly turned into a playground. I visited the cliff frequently over the next four months, mapping out sport, trad, and mixed routes. I gave most of the routes names in Amharic like Taragaga (Take it Easy) and Jegna Almotem (Heroes Never Die). The kids came to appreciate my presence and tried their hardest to keep an eye on their herds from the base of the wall. Soon, Wubalem was belaying Wondessen and Hailu and tying the figure eight knot and they were taking turns on the wall. Their donkeys and sheep wandered unwatched up and down the valley. The kids and I grew closer, while the adults quit paying attention to us. For the kids, the moments on the wall were perhaps the first time they had ever disconnected themselves from the life of farming and the village.

A few weeks later, on their second and third attempts, one by one, each boy reached the top of the wall’s easiest climb, Oyster’s Nuts. We searched out harder routes on Armora Gedel, and the boys of Kile were just beginning to understand the sport’s beauty. On every approach, I passed a familiar face from Kile. We greeted each other in Oromifa (their preferred language), and they asked if I was going to sleep in the village, and if I would stay at Werke’s hut. I asked about their babies and siblings. They smiled and we hugged. We shared more than just the cliff below their homes, we shared vitality. In June 2013, I campaigned to raise harness and shoe donations for the children of Kile and sent flyers to climbing gyms around the world. In less than two weeks, the mountaineering club in Pamplona, Spain had scraped together the campaign’s most significant donation: five harnesses, three pairs of shoes, five figure eights, and several chalk bags. Then one day, I met Wubalem’s mother on the road. I had never met her before and immediately saw the resemblance she shared with her rock climber son. Days before, I had given her son the gear donated by the Spaniards. She introduced herself and with tears in her eyes embraced me. “Your son is the future of the project,” I explained to her. “When the climbers come to Armora Gedel, he will show them the way.” “My son has never had anything like this before,” she said and thanked me repeatedly. The children of Kile can be added to the list of rock climbers in Ethiopia. As they brace for the ‘big rains’, I can only hope that my climbing project has changed Armora Gedel for good. The history of the country was yet again etched in rock, and I’m positive my connection with the boys of Kile will outlive it all. http://www.nicoparco.com/category/climbing/ 40

Menegesha, West of Addis Ababa (2014):

No Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential In other news beside terminating and scaring, I was up on Menegesha from the forest preserve side looking off to NW summit there was a good looking 2 pitch wall (see picture). The South summit from where I was looked like it had a steep overhanging sports type wall. On the NE point seemed to have some short walls and short spire, but was hard to see from where I was. It summit 'plateau' up there. We definitely need a to make a weekend trip up there and do some exploring. Sharp Granite. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151774940910966&set=gm.10152059547496271&type=1&theater 41

Wuchacha Mountain, East of Addis Ababa, (2014): New 'on sight' first ascent in Wuchacha, May 5th 2014 Just managed to squeeze this one in folks! Good solid crystalized rock here and is the beginning stage of a 100m wall which flattens out (70 degrees) after the first 20-30 meters of verticalness.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152868891898957&set=gm.10152415349681271&type=1&theater

Maybe E2, 6a or 5.10b?

I had a wire brush and a nut tool that did the cleaning relatively easy. I placed mostly medium-large sized nuts, and the cams I placed were from .5, .75, 1 and 2.

42

Wuchacha Mountain, New Route Potential: Some Existing Routes/Problems, and Has New Route Potential https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10152203728131271&type=1

43

No Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential Gulelle Botanical Gardens, North of Addis Ababa (closer than Entoto):

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=pcb.10152273903311271&type=1

Øystein Kostøl had suggested going and checking out a crag over in the Gullele Botanical Gardens. Well I finally got around checking it out myself yesterday. Not much there, maybe a couple of the rock ribs that would have an easy climb (5.6) or two on it. The rest is too low angle and too many ledges. Here is some photos.

44

www.mountainproject.com

ENTOTO, North of Addis Ababa, Overview Dave's Fall & Hyena's Secret (Hyena Point) 2014 International : Africa : Ethiopia Elevation: 8000

Description These walls are located on the north side of the Entoto Mountain Chain near Addis Ababa and have exceptional views of the Sululta Valley and the Bahir Dar road below. This area is perhaps most famous for Hyena Point, which attracts some tourist during the day who are on the hunt for hyenas. This area was first developed by a pioneer of US sport climber back in the 90s. The Rock Climbing Ethiopia group has added some bolts to the anchors and climbs to complete what he set out to achieve. The rock is basalt like Armora Gedel, high quality and worth the visit (if not for the view and the chance to leave Addis Ababa). Getting There Take the Entoto Road that goes north from Siddist Kilo past the US Embassy. Follow this road up to the mountain top, and take the dirt road north and then east. Follow the road for another 5km and park on the left among the eucalyptis trees. It's definitely not an easy crag to find, so you can contact me or one of the members of our group for better directions. [email protected]. The Crag You can access both walls from a hard to find dirt road on the south side of the wall and then take a trail hiker's left of Hyena Point, a green and wooded area where dozens of hyenas live that attracts hikers and tourists on the weekend. Hyena's Secret is a one route wall west of Hyena Point. The wall is burnt orange and leads up to a darker, lichencovered basalt. There are 5 bolts, and it's mixed climbing with three places for gear in between bolts. Dave's Fall is east of the Hyena Den. There is a huge flake to the right of Dave's Fall (that can also be climbed on toprope). There is some potential for more routes on Dave's Fall and in the area in general.

Hanging out at Hyena's Secret (foto by George the Austrian)

45

Hyena's Secret 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c

International : Africa : Ethiopia : Dave's Fall & Hyena's Secret (Hyena Point) FA:

??

Type:

Trad, Sport

Consensus: 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c Length:

1 pitch, 75'

Description This is awesome, sustained climbing with several careful, technical moves over vertical rock. The route follows the bolts until the third or fourth bolt when climbers are forced over a small bulge. There is one more bolt and then a final bolt anchor. We are currently looking to install a 2nd bolt on the anchor. This is truly a classic Entoto climb that shouldn't be missed if you are in the are for more than one day. Location This is the only route on the wall. Protection Bolts and gear. Place TCUs throughout between the bolts.

[hide] Hyena's Secret : Notice the pillar to the left of the wall. Climbers may have to do some gardening at the base.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10152242908926271&type=1

46

Homebase, Babu Hills, East of Mekelle,

• • • • • • • • • •

Name: Homebase Location: Enderta Altitude: 2250 m Nearest city: Mekelle Rock type: basalt Route lengths: 50 meter Number of routes today: 1 + 5 boulder routes First route opened: 13/08/2004 by R. Aerts (Direct, 4b) Equipped with: nothing Other: boulders near rock base

Info at: https://perswww.kuleuven.be/~u0019879/trc/trc-news.html

BABU HILLS, Homebase, 13/08/2004: The Bubu Hills cliff or Homebase as we like to call it, is a long basalt cliff east of Mekelle, our home town. It is located behind the Bubu Hills Hotel (now the Hilltops Hotel) and is easily accessible by car or by foot. Although the overall quality of the rock is rather poor due to onion-peel weathering of the basalt, extensive parts of compact rock with cracks can be found here. At the foot of the cliff, some large basalt blocks make good boulder fun. We opened 5 boulder routes (3 to 5c) and one easy chimney today. The chimney was named "LaTrine" (4a) since rock hyraxes were using the crack as a communal toilet.

Davide on a 5c boulder route in Bubu

Raffa on an easy 4b boulder route in Bubu

Davide opening LaTrine (4a) on the south section of the Bubu Hills cliff 47

Haweza Tower, Simien Mountains, Ethiopia Travelling through Ethiopia is a big adventure in itself, with maps out of date, roads washed away, and villages which haven't seen a vehicle for years. It was a hot dusty trip over 3 days to the northern ramparts of the Simien Mountains where Haweza Tower is situated. The region here is arid and desperately poor. We stopped in a village where the best hotel had one light bulb, and half a bucket of water per day was the ration for all your needs. The walk-in to the tower was long and the heat withering, but after a recce day and a 'rest' day when we had to travel miles to get permits for the Simien National Park, we were ready to attempt our climb. Up close, the tower looked rather impregnable, being composed of very compact volcanic rock. We circled the base looking for a weakness then to my amazement spotted a piton 20m up the only feasible-looking line. I led off and reached the peg, an ancient mild steel specimen. I climbed further; the rock became more and more compact till suddenly I was confronted with - a bolt! Not the modern 8mm Petzl variety but an ancient 'golo' staple such as Dolomite climbers were using in the 1930's and 40's. I worked out that there must have been Italian climbers here during Mussolini's brief 'conquest' and occupation of the country in 1936! The bolt marked their high point and I could only get a few moves higher, lack of protection and exfoliating rock being the problem. So another failure - was this to be the theme for this trip? http://www.alpin-ism.com/FullNews.cfm?newsID=36

Quala Yohannes, near Addis Zemen, (Bewteen Gondar and Bahir Dar (2012)):

Climbed by Niels Tietze and Aylwyn Bromhead on December 9th 2012. Victory celebration shortly followed by film interview, Police interrogation and shoulder dancing! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150281469183957&set=gm.10150245737976271&type=1&theater 48

Southern Gondar Mountains: Quatrième et dernier stop les montagnes au sud de Gondar J’avais bien vu quelques « ombres » sur google map mais franchement je ne m'attendais pas à trouver autant de si belles montagnes.... Nous n'avons gravi que deux voies par manque de temps, une pourrie et une superbe, mais le potentiel est vraiment énorme.. Seul inconvénient les montagnes sont assez loin les unes de autres Pour Molalit, Gondar peut être une bonne base(15 minutes de voiture) Pour les autres Addis Zemen peut aussi être utilisée comme base surtout qu'à l'Est de cette ville nous avons encore aperçu des sommets magnifiques, Je n'ai aucune idée de la façon de les approcher mais ce sera sûrement l'objet d'un prochain voyage. Le rocher est très bon et ressemble à celui de Aoukenet dans le hoggar Sur Molalit notre voie fait presque 200m et il y a de quoi en ouvrir 15 autres... Pour les autres montagnes entre Meksenit et Addis Zemen l'accès est estimé à ½ ou 2h suivant les faces avec des hauteurs de faces supérieures à 300m par endroit. La zone est assez pastorale et donc il y a assez peu de jungle au pied Un accompagnant local est vivement recommandé, Hotel Amabarras à Gondar(11 euros la chambre double) super propre et très dispo pour nous trouver un minibus un 4X4 etc restau de l'hotel accompagnant Voir Aferan il porte le gros sac, accompagne, surveille et gère les conflits avec les locaux... de plus il sait ce que grimper veut dire avec les contraintes de timming, d'incertitudes et autres que cela implique. Plus généralement il faut être très clair dans la façon de contractualiser avec un guide, un propriétaire de minibus car la moindre faille de traduction ou autre sera exploitée en votre défaveur... Il vaut mieux toujours être accompagné d'un local qui portera le gros sac mais aussi expliquera, gérera les hordes de gamins hurlants... Ceci vous évitera les caillassages que nous avons subis... Nous avions choisi de d'établir nos bases en ville dans des hôtels afin de nous reposer vraiment et de nous soustraire à la pression. Vous pouvez aussi le faire plus « root » mais ce ne sera pas moins cher car vous devrez embaucher une personne pour surveiller votre camp nuit et jour et vous devrez gérer par vous même les problème d'eau et autres. Nos voies sont équipées à minima trois ou quatre pitons stratégiques pas plus. Nous n'avons planté qu'un seul spit à la descente de Molalit Mais la protection est souvent bonne et facile à l’exception de qqs passages mentionnés dans les topos Budget 600 euros avion Toulouse Addis 1000 euros chacun pour presque 5 semaines sur place http://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Alain-Bruzy-escalade-en-Ethiopie.pdf

49

Massif Au Sud De Gondar, Topo Number 1 Molalit Face ESE, “Aferan,” D Sup, 200m, (2012):

50

Massif Au Sud De Gondar, Topo Number 2 Molalit Face ESE, “Aferan,” D Sup, 200m, (2012):

51

Simien Mountains Troisième stop les « Siemen mountains » Nous n'avons pas grimpé mais notre balade de 6 jours nous a donné à voir des possibilities d'escalade très intéressantes : 1°)En contrebas du massif les tours situées à l'ouest du village de Adi Arkay (route de Axum à Gondar) sont impressionnantes mais compte tenu de la distance nous n'avons aucune idée de la nature de la roche, Au regard de la carte 1/100 000° il semble que une journée d'approche soit nécessaire pour installer un camp de base non loin du pied des parois. Mais il s'agit là d'une veritable expédition car à mon avis il faut faire venir les muletiers, scouts et guides depuis Debarek 40 km au sud. 2°)Dans le massif même le rocher est couverte d'herbes à l’exception de deux parois situées sur la face Est sur le pic Buayit. Elle sont raides pas très hautes(200m maxi) et superbes. Il faut pour les gravir installer un camp de base à Chennek(4X4 depuis Debareck) à 3700m d'altitude, Les parois sont entre 3900 et 4400m d'altitude. Attention il fait très froid la nuit mais dès que le soleil apparaît il fait très bon(15 à 20°) Il faut obligatoirement pour ces zones un guide et un scout armé... Il faut aussi à mon avis négocier longtemps à l'avance avec l'administration du parc national, Hotel Siemen par'c Hotel le « manager » est sympa et connaît bien de ficelles pour trouver voiture guide muletier etc 12 euros la chambre double. Restau de l'hotel Guide Aferan notre ami guide porteur etc 0918065844 il a été formé par des Autrichiens. Connaît parfaitement la flore la faune et sait maintenant ce que grimper veut dire...ce qui est d'une grande utilité pour nous parc national du Siemen Debarek http://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Alain-Bruzy-escalade-en-Ethiopie.pdf

52

No Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential Simiens, (Shewa Region) near the Village of Lemi

Bouldering and routes potential

53

Lasta Mountains, Lalibela, (1/2way between Addis & Adigrat)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151602839274617&set=gm.10151636345861271&type=1&theater

Matt Roberts and Catherine and Nico Demus made a possible first ever climbing ascent on Asheten mountain above Lalibela. 70m, 2 pitches, 5.9. First pitch is the best climbing. Quality basalt, perfect cracks, lots of plants light rain and lightning threats at 3300m above sea level. A world of rock awaits in the Lasta Mountains.

No Existing Routes/Problems, But Has New Route Potential Potential in the Lasta Mountains! Note the wall on the left. 100m of lovely vertical basalt!

54

Adwa Logistics Recommendations From Nico Parkinson based on his Horizon Ethiopique Exped (2011): •

Fly from Addis to Axum. You have to buy the tickets in country and they are about 65$ USD each way. If you buy them out of country they are much more expensive. Ethiopian Air policy. Take a 30 minute bus from Axum to Adwa. Another 20 minutes from Adwa to the campsite. How did you organise with the village elders where you would camp? did you do this prior to arriving or upon arriving? Did you have a translator? Did you have to Ok your climbs/climbing with the village elders as well? You probably need somebody who can speak some of the local language. I speak enough Amharic to get by, my friend did as well. The French expedition hired a guard and cook.

Campsite and directions to it:

Before you camp anywhere around the villages in the Adwa mountains, always always speak to village elders beforehand. We did not camp at Girima itself rather at a small village down the path. There is a small municipal building and a statue in the village square. I’ve camped there a couple times. You can actually get to the village by car. Follow the Adwa-Aby ady road south, go through some serious S curves and about 1-2 kilometers you should see a big white metal sign for a school. Turn left and this dirt track will lead you into the valley below Samayata. The road basically ends at the village where we camped.

Where is the climbing in relation to the campsite?

It’s a good 30-40 minute hike to get to the towers of Samayata and about 20 minute hike to get to the walls featured in the topos you sent (give me money or go home, etc.)

Food and Water?

You should bring most of your food. It may be possible to buy bread, perhaps some pasta, but that’s about it. You can pay villagers to make coffee, but again to do these things you need language skills. You could possibly hike from the village to the main road over girima monastery and hitchhike into adwa. In adwa there’s a market and you can get basic supplies including oranges and some vegetables. For water you have a couple of choices. There are two pumps nearby where you can fetch water from a well. There is also an amazing spring on the trail to Samayata, which has the best water in the valley but is a bit far from the campsite. A couple of the French guys got sick, but not sure if its from the water or the food or what.

Camp guard?

A campguard is not a must but somehow you will want one. Nobody will rob you here, the people are very kind and respectful. But eventually somebody will guard your stuff, it’s your job to pay him at the end. 100 birr per day might be a good amount. No we didn’t have a scout. There are no scouts that can help you 55

interms of rock climbing. There are only guides who can be a community liaison. That might be something to think about, but depends on your budget and how much you want to get out of the experience. Obviously the more you understand nd interact with the locals, the richer the experience. If you go and just try with hand signals, you might end up frustrated and regret not having a connection. I was the frenchmen’s connection and we drank coffee with the locals in their homes, broke bread with them, and had real conversations about who we are and what we do. There’s a woman named Latay who was my favorite community member. She lives right in front of the camping area and makes amazing coffee. You can always tell her that Nicodemus spoke to you. She will probably remember me and my dog. I have one friend in Axum who knows the road to the village. His name is Benjamin he could also be yoru fixer if you were willing to pay him. He’s a very good friend of mine and can be helpful. He also knows the trail to the top of Samayata in case youre interested. I can look for his number later and send it. When you are supposed to be in Adwa?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvRNAl4VME4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaYf--gJnJc http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://groupe-espoir-isere-2011.over-blog.com/articlehorizon-ethiopique-74257937.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhorizon%2Bethiopique%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:enGB:IE-Address http://groupe-espoir-isere-2011.over-blog.com/article-horizon-ethiopique-74257937.html https://www.facebook.com/HorizonEtiopique?filter=3 I think they ended up doing all of their climbing in Adwa!

Samayata

56

Adwa Area, Rock Climbing Map and General Info 2 (French):

Italian Map of Adwa Mountains from 1890s Deuxième stop les massifs autour de Adwa Ce massif est situé autour de la ville d'Adwa elle même positionnée à 20 km à l'Est de Axum. C'est une ville poussiéreuse, agitée, pas belle du tout mais terriblement sympatique, Pas de touristes et du coup prix raisonnables(1/4 de Axum) et rapports avec la population extrêmement cordiaux et faciles, La roche est partout une roche volcanique(Andésite trachyte et autres basaltes) souvent très bonne, Les formes de montagnes ne sont pas sans rappeler le hoggar mais il y a souvent la jungle et les babouins au pied et de l'herbe, des arbres(oliviers majestueux) aux sommets, Les vois que nous avons ouvertes font entre 140 et 300m mais il y a des faces de 400 voire 500m magnifiques et pas difficiles d'accès. A notre avis le mieux est d'installer le camp de base à Adwa(hotel samayata) d'où en 15 à 30 minutes de minibus ou voiture on atteint le début des approches. Il y a des montagnes partout comme au dessus de Yeha, au dessus de la route d'Adigrat, mais aussi au nord d'Axum et plus loin à 10 km au sud de Shire. L'escalade se pratique sur un rocher presque toujours excellent le long de fissures, colonnes basaltiques éperons et dalles. C'est vraiment un des plus gros potentiels que j'ai vu dans le monde, comme à Rum ou Taghia mais plus éparpillé. Hotel et restaurant: Hotel Smayata(7,5 euros la nuit chambre double) à la sortie d'Adwa vers Axum(proche du croisement de la route d'Asmara) 0347712153 vraiment propre sympat, le propriétaire et le « manager »(Teskay) sont de vraies bonnes ressources pour trouver un accompagnant, un minibus ou un 4X4, Bouffe excellente(5euros pour deux) ; ne pas oublier de goûter les Chacla toussis(viande de chèvre grillée en lamelles avec des oignons) Minibus demander Mabré 0910333168, Accompagnat Alexander 0914764445 Eviter les agences et les hotels restau à Axum....Référence les jeunes Grenoblois voir le site CAF Grenoble http://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Alain-Bruzy-escalade-en-Ethiopie.pdf http://ogdenoutdooradventure.com/2012/02/08/adventure-climbing-in-ethiopia/

Girima monastery, Horizon Ethiopique, camped not too close not too far. 57

Adwa Mountains by Ethiopia Rocks 2014 Synopsis of Climbing Large rock towers made up of quartzite, basalts, andesites and marble abound the area as well as numerous smaller crags. The rock is generally solid and compact which can in places lead to long run outs when not following natural crack lines. There is lots of potential for new adventurous trad routes on the towers and smaller crags. Due to the compact nature of the rock on many of the smaller crags there is a vast amount of potential for bolted sport climbsthough the development of bolted routes would need to be done in consultation and with permission of the village elders in the given area. If the bolts are accessible from easier climbing terrain, they are likely to be vandalised or removed by the locals. There is also scope for much bouldering especially on the outskirts of Abba Girima village.

Abba Girima Area General Information and Satellite Map We camped and based ourselves in Abba Girima village, in consultation with the village elders, for the first week. They have had previous climbing parties there so are not totally unaccustomed to climbers, however it is still far from normal life and so be prepared to feel like a circus animal. The elders requested that the village guard keep an eye on our equipment at nights. They also instructed the children not to bother us and requested an adult to watch over our base camp. It should be noted that it was common to have groups of children surrounding our tent. In order not to exacerbate the issue we made sure not to give anything away until we left to village and to make sure that we were as discrete with our food and belongings as possible. Upon leaving the village we made a small cash donation to the village elders and suggested that it was used to purchase some desks for the local school. There is a small shop where it is possible to buy a few soft drinks or bottles of beer and a few packets of biscuits. There is a local lady who is able to make you bread (if she can get hold of the supplies for it). It is possible to get enough food stuffs to prepare basic camp foods from Adwa market.

Semeyata Adwa

South East Buttress, Melaikt

Carls Crag

North

Base Camp

Nursery Corner Crag

Tahatai Logumte

Written by Ethiopia Rocks 2014 58

Nursery Corner Crag

1. Bill and Ben the Flower Pot Men, Severe, 20m Start below ledge and climb up to the ledge and then climb direct to the top. Mandy Tee. 23/04/2014

2. Danger Mouse, HVS 4b, 25m Start left of the large chimney/pod and arc up and left to gain the obvious thin crack, follow crack for 8m and finish by trending up rightwards up a shallow scoop. Jacob Phillips. 23/04/2014

3. Poddington Peas, 4b, 25m Climb directly up just to left of the obvious chimney/pod. Jacob Phillips, Solo, 23/04/2014

4. Button Moon, E1 5a, 25m Start just right of the chimney/pod and climb directly up linking small slots for gear. Carl Reilly. 23/04/2014

5. Trapdoor, HVS 5a, 25m Climb the left hand of the two cracks up to an obvious tree and follow the large groove above to the top. Tom Bide. 23/04/2014 59

6. Finger Mouse, E1 5b, 25m Climb up the corner to gain the start of the right hand crack which is followed to the obvious tree, finish as for ‘Trapdoor’. Jacob Phillips. 23/04/2014

Written by Ethiopia Rocks 2014

South East Buttress- Melaikt

1. Welcome to the Jungle ,E3 5c, 30m The hand crack in the centre of the face left of ‘Stairway to Heaven‘. Climb the crack to where a pull up and left over protruding blocks and flakes leads to a niche. A large swinging Ivy bush low down if being blown towards you can make the crux feel harder! Tom Bide, 24/04/14 (lots of aid)

2. Stairway to Heaven, E1 5b, 30m Climb the corner crack up to the roof and traverse right delicately on smooth rock to a step down to gain the obvious ledge. Jacob Phillips, 24/04/14

Written by Ethiopia Rocks 2014 60

Central Buttress- Backside of Semeyata

1. Good things.......small packages E2/3 5b, 15m Abseil to the small ledge at the base of the hand crack, there is potential for a first pitch to gain the ledge at a very high grade and on poor rock for those inclined. Climb the hand crack by steep jams, until the angle eases and a rest is gained, finish up the fist crack above. Tape recommended. Jacob Phillips, Abseil Inspection/cleaning, 25/04/14

2. The Corner E1 5b, 35m Start below the obvious right facing corner where a ledge at 3m is gained from the right. Traverse left along the ledge for 2m and climb up into a small niche which requires an interesting move to exit. Climb the corner above to gain a ledge via a traverse right for 2m. Finish up the wide crack above either by getting into it or staying on the outside. A move left and up at the top of the crack gains the belay. Carl Reilly, Abseil Inspection/cleaning, 25/04/14

Written by Ethiopia Rocks 2014 61

Tahatai Logumte

1. Pets Corner, VS 4c, 100m Pitch1, 40m, 4c. Climb up the corner crack. There is a very large block wedged into the gully, which sounds hollow, pull onto it. Climb the short steep wall above to pull onto a ledge of animal droppings, belay. Pitch 2,40m, 4b, Climb left and up ledges to a large ledge with small tree and cave. Pitch 3. Climb then scramble to the top. Carl Reilly & Martin Lane. 25/04/14

62

1. Jelly Shoe Heroes, E1 5a, 150m Pitch 1, 60m, 4a. Up the right hand rib to gain the higher terrace. Pitch2, 30m. Walk to the back of the terrace to the base of pitch 3. Pitch 3, 50m, 5a. Start left of the obvious massive left facing flake and climb direct up the face and finish via the top 3m of the flake crack. Pitch 4, 10m. Scramble up through the cleft to the top. Jacob Phillips & Mandy Tee. 25/04/14

Written by Ethiopia Rocks 2014

63

Mont Tihous, Adwa, Topo Number 1 “Relais Sur Le Euphorbias,” TD Inf, 300m (2012):

64

Mont Tihous, Adwa, Topo Number 2 “Vive Adwa,” TD, 190m, (2012):

65

Mont Otowodiko, Adwa, Topo Number 1 “Timkat,” TD/TD Sup, 180m, (2012):

66

Mont Otowodiko Topo Number 2, Adwa “Si Gentils,” D, 120m, (2012)

http://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Alain-Bruzy-escalade-en-Ethiopie.pdf

67

Mount Otowodiko, Adwa, Topo Number 3 “Presque 50 ans et presque toutes mes dents”or “Depuis hier soir j’ai 2 dents creuses! TD, 180m, (2012):

68

Samayata, Adwa Mountains, “Costa Brava,” 8a, 850m, (2012): In January 2012, the Spanish team of Marco Jubes, Edu Marin, and Toti Vales established route on Kimir, in Gheralta. They then moved to the Adwa Mountains, where Jubes and Marin found a long, difficult line on Samayata. Costa Brava (850m, 8a) climbs nine pitches up a steep lower tower, followed by two rappels and traverses to reach the upper wall. This brought five more pitches and scrambling, with the crux on the 60m 12th pitch, which Marin led at 8a with only three or four pieces of protection. They spent a cold night without food or water after this pitch, and then summited the following morning. Dougald MacDonald, from information at Desnivel.com and Edumarin.blogspot.com http://edumarin.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/etiopia_08.html http://arepaclimbing.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/etiopia-cronologia/ In Spanish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCrcHMid-xM#t=10 Video Footage

Samayata 3300m, near Adwa

Costa Brava 850m, 8a. http://www.planetmountain.com/webtv/eng/scheda.php?idFilm=262&bck=1

Samayata, Adwa, Pat Little John: South Crest of lower tower near left side of the main face: 11-pitch E1, (2008) At almost 10,000 feet, the highest of the Adwa peaks. 1.5-hour walk-in to base of south face, which is probably the highest in the area at ca 600m. Only route so far climbs south crest of lower of two towers near left side of the main face: 11-pitch El, nice “classic” climbing on great rock. Littlejohn-Sustad, 2008. http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200828502/Africa-Ethiopia-Tigray-and-Adwa-Regions-Nebelet-Summary-of-New-Routes-2006Winter2008

69

Adwa- Debre Gundo and Samayata, Adwa, by John Collis North Face of Debre Gundo, “Burrs in My Shu-Ho,” 5.8 R/X, 800m, (2012), Our second destination in Tigray was Adwa, a town most famous for being the site of the final battle in the First EthioItalian War, in which Ethiopia successfully defended itself against imperial forces. Our interest in the city was piqued mainly by the Adwa Mountains, in which the town lies at the center. These striking domes are composed mostly of trachyandesite; the rock is generally excellent and well featured, but protection is sparse. Pitches routinely featured runouts of 30' or more over sections of non-trivial climbing. Though we brought a hand-drill and a small set of bolts, these were never used, as we found the rock too hard to make hand-drilling practical; however, pitons came in handy. We first did a warm-up climb on the central ramp on the north face of Debre Gundo, with two pitches of easy but runout roped climbing and 500’ of fifth-class brushy scrambling and fun, easy soloing: Burrs in My Shu-Ho (800’, 5.8 R/X), an homage to the abundant polyester-gripping seeds of the route’s native foliage.

Samayata, Adwa, by John Collis “11 Pitches to Nowhere,” 5.10 R/X, 11 pitches, From this first summit, we gained a clear view of the lower southeast buttress of Samayata, the range’s highest peak. After a daylong reconnaissance hike, we picked a line up the right side. We hiked back the next day with our gear and made sleeping arrangements in the house of a friendly Tigrinya man, unaware that a wedding celebration would occur the next morning in his house. Our climb was delayed by a breakfast of injera and the blood and intestines from a freshly slaughtered goat, which provided some excellent sending energy. Our line followed 11 pitches of discontinuous face features and ledges, with long runouts. Extended gardening sessions on lead and our late start left us climbing the last two pitches by moonlight. We stopped upon reaching a ridge one to two pitches beneath the lower buttress’ summit, where the climbing became steeper and more runout than we were prepared to handle. We made eight long rappels down the chossy gully on the other side of the ridge and named our partial new route 11 Pitches to Nowhere (5.10 R/X). In our travels, Dan and I learned that climbing in Tigray requires extreme patience and a willingness to venture into the unknown. There is absolutely good climbing to be had in this region, but you’ll have to work to find it. Climbing really becomes a secondary pursuit, as this region will take you through places few others ever travel, where you’ll meet some of the friendliest and most hospitable people anywhere. John Collis, AAC

A view of the lower buttress on Samayata's east face with the line of 11 Pitches to Nowhere (5.10 R/X). http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201212129/Gheralta-Massif-and-Adwa-Mountains-new-routes

70

Mount Aftera, Adwa, by Mark Richey “West Face of Mount Aftera,” 5.10 R, 6-7 pitches, 2008, November 30 2008, Mark Wilford, my wife Teresa, and I flew from Addis Ababa to Mekele. We traveled to Adwa, where we found a different type of rock, probably basalt and much harder and more featured than the Tigray sandstone. There are many cliffs, escarpments, and great boulders here with tremendous potential for exploration and new routes. On December 5 we made the first ascent of the west face of Mt. Aftera (6-7 pitches, 5.10R), which takes the prominent right-leaning ramp and crack system in the middle of the wall. We descended in the dark by a steep goat path on the east face, something we would never have found had it not been for a local guide who showed up at the top. On the climb we saw patches of an almost glass-like surface of bullet-hard rock, and gigantic Ruppels griffon vultures nesting on the route and landing a few meters from our belays. Mark Richey, AAC

http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200829000/Africa-Ethiopia-Tigray-Adwa-Nebelet-and-Harrar-NewRoutes-and-Exploration http://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/2008/PDF/AAJ_2008_50_82_290.pdf

71

The Samayata Valley, Adwa, Topo

“Independence

Day,” (first pitch) 6a

“Tatouffemétouffe,"

6a 72

La Direct Des Vertaco, Topo,

la Directe des Vertacos, 7a

73

Parvi Des Anges, Adwa, Topo “Give me money or go home,” TD Sup, 200m, (2011)

http://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Alain-Bruzy-escalade-en-Ethiopie.pdf

74

J’Aine Un Copain And Give Me Money or Go Home, Topo

“Give me money or go back home!" TD

“J'ai une copine qui disait ça.." L2 5+/6a http://groupe-espoir-isere-2011.over-blog.com/album-2007220.html

75

Cochacho, Adwa

I believe these routes are in Adwa (but I am not sure):

le Fissure Fioresse, A2 ou 7b+

76

Ylar Romance, 6b+

Montagne des Anges

(final run out pitch past tree!)

http://groupe-espoir-isere-2011.over-blog.com/album-2007220.html

77

Southern Adwa Mountains – Umba Gwal Atse

http://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/horizon-ethiopique.pdf

Umba Gwal Atse: E2, wanders up shorter southwest side, Six-pitch, (200m), Littlejohn-Sustad, (2007). Remarkable isolated tower of marble standing on the south side of the range. Two-hour walk-in. The 300m northeast face is unclimbed and very challenging. http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200828502/Africa-Ethiopia-Tigray-and-Adwa-Regions-Nebelet-Summaryof-New-Routes-2006Winter-2008

78

Yeha – General Information We based ourselves in Ye Ha village for 5 days based at a basic café/guesthouse built to service German archeologically works in the village. This was on one edge of the main square outside the temple. There was the option of renting very basic rooms at the time we stayed as there were currently no German archaeologists working, but we chose to camp in the grounds and use the toilet and bathroom facilities on site. There is a weekly market where it is possible to buy limited fresh fruit and veg. There is a butchers in the village and a number of local restaurants/bars and small shops, the choice will be very limited though.

Yeha Area Maps

79

80

Monkey Rock Beware of rockfall at base of the crag caused by monkeys above.

1. Through the Eye of a Needle, HS 4b, 145m Pitch 1, 55m, 4b. Start at the tree and climb up to gain the large corner crack and follow it to where the angle eases. Belay below the next steepening. Pitch 2, 40m, 4b. Climb direct up scoops until it steepens then step left onto a pedestal and gain the easier ground above. Belay just to the right of the base of the very large crack. Pitch 3, 50m, 4a/b. Traverse left for 3m to gain the very large corner crack. Climb slabs just to its left until it is possible to move back right and head through the through cave. Mandy Tee, Tom Bide & Jacob Phillips. 27/04/14.

2. Monkey Say, Monkey Do, HVS 4c , 120m Pitch 1, 40m, 4c. Start up easy slabs on a diagonal leftwards line up to a ledge to belay. Pitch 2, 40m, 4c. Climb a grove onto a rib. Pitch 3, 40m, 4c. Climb further slabs to a ledge of rocks and scree. Scramble to the top.

Carl Reilly, Martin Lane & Rachel Bell. 27/04/14.

81

The Crowds, The Crowds

1. The Guns of Ye Ha, E2 5c, (120m) Pitch 1, 30m, 4b. Climb up the centre of the slabs linking shallow grooves to gain a large cave belay. Pitch 2, 20m, 5c. traverse a sloping slab right from the belay until a corner is reached, step up and left out of this on small holds onto the face (short sharp crux), once better holds are reached mantle onto the top of the corner and step back right around the arête and follow vegetated cracks to a large set back cave belay. Pitch 3, 30m, 5b, climb out of the cave on the left up a wall to steep cracks follow these until a bulge and then make a rising traverse back right until a large broken crack – climb this steeply to the next belay ledge Pitch 4, 40m, 5b, climb out on to the hanging arête on the left of the belay ledge steeply on positive holds onto the face, climb easer ground the angle eases. Tom Bide, Carl Reilly & Martin Lane. 29/04/14.

82

1. Touching the Snake, HVS 5a, 155m Pitch 1, 30m, 4a/b. Climb diagonally up the centre of the slabs. Pitch 2, 20m. Climb up through large tufts of grass to gain the cave belay. Pitch 3, 30m, 5a. At the left side of the cave belay a tough move gains the wall above which is climbed to a ledge at the start of the wide crack. Climb the wide crack on the inside or outside until the angle eases. Pitch 4, 40m, 4b. Traverse left for 5m to gain a clean rib of rock which is followed for 40m to a large ledge. Spaced Gear. Pitch 5, 35m. Scramble/climb direct to gain the summit. Mandy Tee & Jacob Phillips. 29/04/2014

83

R&R Crag

1. Good Night Mr Tom, HVS 5b, 90m. Pitch 1, 45m, 5a. Climb the leftwards facing giant flake crack until a large ledge is gained. Pitch2, 15m. Scramble leftwards along the ledge to belay at the foot of a finger crack. Pitch 3, 30, 5b. Traverse leftwards following the undercut flake crack. Awkward moves down and across a small gully leads to easier ground. Jacob Phillips and Mandy Tee. 30/04/14

84

Farenji Boulder On the outskirts of the village, on the leftside of the path up to lion rock is a large flat topped boulder. A handful of good problems were climbed by the team.

Tom Bide, Farenji Boulder

Jake Phillips, Farenji Boulder

Written by Ethiopia Rocks 2014

85

Yeha Area, East of Adwa, Tigray South West Crack of Tower (10), “Bat Cave,” E1, 5a, 4b, 4a, 150m,

h ttp://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/2013/09/ethiopia-rock-climbing-climb-expedition-travel-information/

86

West Ridge of Tower (11), E1 5a,6a, 110m, (2002), East Face of Tower (1): Ethiopian Garden, III+, 100m; So Strong and Brave, E4 6a, 45m; Tree Nut, HVS 5a, 35m

16/03/2002 Rough camp on the intersection of the Tekeze river and the road, about 200m up from the end of the village. People passed us but did not bother us. The drive from Rough Camp to Aksum was a further 3.5 hours and a further 2hours to the Yeha area. Roads are faster but with more obstacles. The rough camp used was 200m past the turning to Yeha on the left hand side. The area of the mountains is called the Yeha area. The tallest mountain to the SE is called Mbatagala. The tooth of rock to the right is called Tirs and its west ridge is 105m high. Topos for climbing are above. Rain here is due at the beginning of June to the end of July. The hottest month is March. The height of the area is 2200m. Climbing in this area is a thing that can go on forever. Axsum touring hotel (04 750205 , 750248). Naod. One tent costs 25bir pn and 73.2bir pn. This would make a good place to stay if staying in Aksum.

87

Hawzien

Carl Reilly

Logistics We stayed at a nice guest house in the centre of Hawzien (which is not normally used by Forengi, and is off the main roundabout, next to the town hall), from where we drove out each day to the towers to climb.

Climbing Three days were spent searching for climbing on the Megab & Horsetooth towers just outside of Hawzien. Several routes were attempted and abandoned mid pitch or at the top of their first pitches due to poor rock quality. There is no shortage of lines to climb if you’re a proficient crack and/or offwidth/chimney climber who likes an adventure. It should be noted that a significant rack of large – extremely large gear is required for the majority of the climbing in this area. The rock is in general soft and feels friable under touch, flakes are commonly loose and the surface of the holds seem to erode upon touch which does not inspire confidence. As expected, the chimneys are always much larger than inspection through binoculars from the road would lead you to believe. A couple of bouldering sessions were spent on the round granite boulders at Gobbo Dura. These boulders are on the outskirts of Megab- just a short 15 minute walk from the road that leads back to Hawzien. There is scope for lots of high quality problems, we found the bouldering to be far better than the climbing in the area. We found that visiting the boulders during school hours helped to reduce the number of spectators, and renting a local guide to look after your kit and to help dissuade the local spectators from getting too boisterous could be of benefit.

88

Jake Phillips Written by Ethiopia Rocks 2014

89

Maps for Sheba and Horsetooth Towers, Gheralta, Tigray

http://expeditionconsultancy.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/horizon-ethiopique.pdf

90

www.mountainproject.com

Koraro Spires, Gheralta Range Overview International : Africa : Ethiopia Latitude: 38.62321 Longitude: -87.14659 Elevation: 6000

Description The climbing history is relatively recent with Pat Littlejohn and party from the UK making some of the earliest till then unclimbed tower first ascents after the new millenium. The tallest one on the northern end was named Sheba. They also did the FA of Abu Yemata. Local names can sometimes be frustrating to research. Geoff Tabin and Timmy O'Neill climbed another wide horror fest on the middle one. Niels Tietze from Utah also climbed a number of the spires. Italian and Spanish climbing history has also been reported. In terms of first ascent history, this area with its plethora of still unclimbed free standing desert sandstone spires is probably similar to Utah's Canyon Country in the late 60's or early 70s!In other words, it is a gold mine of unclimbed spires. November through February may be the driest and best climbing months. The featured sandstone seems a cross between Wadi Rum in Jordan, Red Rocks in the USA (NV), and Castle Valley Utah sandstone, though it is definitely not Wingate hardness.

The Koraro towers are often called the Nebelet towers (mistakenly) by other climbers. Getting There About 3 hours north west of Mekele. To put it in proper perspective, the Gheralta region is the Ethiopian equivalent of Canyonlands, Castle Valley, and the Moab area of Utah USA with its sandstone walls and towers. It is smaller and more compact than Utah's vast Canyon Country. Approaches to the Koraro Spires (often referred to as the Nebelet Spires, but the town of Nebelet has its own set of spires) take about 30 minutes to an hour depending on conditions and how close you can drive. The Tourist Lodge in Hawzien (3 hours from Mekele) is the cheapest option at about 7 USD night but for a few dollars more you can stay at the luxurious Gheralta Lodge (with views of the Gheralta) run by expat Italian Silvio and serving gourmet Italian cuisine. All driving approach times are relevant and current road conditions must be taken into account. The 15km drive to the spires from Hawzien for example can take about an hour to drive

91

Koraro Towers, Gheralta “Tewlihe ("The Sharp One"),” 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII E4 6a, 375m, (2012), International : Africa : Ethiopia : Gheralta Range Koraro Spires FA:

James Garrett, Peter Vintoniv, and Erik Kelly, 24 August 2013

New Route: Yes Type:

Sport

Consensus: 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII E4 6a Length:

3 pitches, 375', Grade III

Season:

When dry

Description This is spectacular and aesthetic bolt protected face climbing up a free standing sandstone spire. Local names in the Tigray seemed vague, but most villagers referred to this slender tipped tower just to the side of Sheba as "The Sharp One". Pitch #1: Climb up sustained and steep face moves following the fixed protection to a very good ledge and three bolt belay. 5.11d or A0, 45m, 19 bolts. Pitch #2: Continue straight up and trend slightly right to a grassy ledge. Traverse right on the grassy ledge to another steep but easy step to another ledge with a three bolt belay. 5.10c, 25m. Pitch #3: Continue up to a short bulge and head wall (bolt protected) to lower angle climbing up a crack and then easier run out climbing to the tower top. 5.10a, 35m. Rappel x 2 with 2 x 70m ropes. Location Drive from Hawzien and to as close to the towers as you can. Park just east of the town of Koraro and hike toward the spires and to the sunny side of "The Sharp One". It is the only obvious pointy slender spire in the group. Protection A rack of QDs will be sufficient for most climbers though a set of Camalots to #3 and Nuts can really zip it up. Equipped with Hilti HLC 1/2" x 3" sleeve anchors. Please consider carrying a wrench to tighten any loose heads. Some drilled and natural threads requiring webbing and cordage.

92

Gheralta Range Koraro Spires : The Koraro Spires with the tallest Sheba on the far right and the obvious pointy one to its left being The Sharp One.

Tewlihe ("The Sharp One") : P1.

("The Sharp One") : The Sharp One.

- South Face of The Sharp one

At bottom of sharp nose I think!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201572231802790&set=a.10201572229642736.10737418 29.1087557759&type=1&theater

93

Koraro Towers (previously reported as Nevulet Towers), Gheralta Massif by Pat Little John “Sheba Tower,” 5.10/5c, 500m, (2005 and 2006) http://www.alpin-ism.com/news.cfm http://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2008_files/AJ%202008%20298301%20Ethiopia.pdfhttp://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2006_files/AJ%202006%20129137%20Littlejohn%20Tgray%20Borkdy.pdf Tigray From a climbing point of view Tigray was like being pitched back into the early days of climbing desert towers in the States - a golden age if ever there was one. We explored a fairly limited area, climbing three big towers during an 8day stay. Our style of climbing - start at the bottom with a rack of nuts and cams, and do your best. Adventure guaranteed. Sheba Tower The queen of all towers we discovered was Sheba Tower, a 500' monolith of beautifully sculpted sandstone in the Koraro (not Nevelet) group, just 15 minutes drive along the track from Abune Yemata. The fissures on the north side looked smooth and scary, so we chose the south face, where a more featured chimney, leading to a massive bulge, looked like it might be a bit of a problem. Four pitches of enjoyable and atmospheric climbing led to a great chamber in the heart of the tower. The only way onwards was an unprotected section of wide bridging. It was either commit to it or give up, and I hesitated for a long time before I was mentally ready to go for it. We belayed on a huge jammed block at the level of the bulge, and Steve led upward and outward through a bottomless slot that cut through the giant overhang. When I asked how it was he replied 'F…ing mind-blowing!' so I decided to keep quiet. There were scrapings, there were expletives, but the rope inched out steadily and eventually the shout of 'Safe!' echoed down to me. On following I discovered he had done 60ft of unprotected squeeze chimney in an incredibly exposed position, truly the Sustad Slot. 'Your mates lead', as they say. From here a relatively normal pitch, featuring a 5.10 / 5c bulge at the end, led to the summit. This was a fantastic spot, with the whole of Tigray province spread below us, and very interesting-looking rock peaks shimmering in the distance.

Final chimney of Sheba - Initial crack on Sheba tower climb

- Sheba Tower is the one on the Left.

94

Nico Parkinson’s Story of the Koraro Tower, Gheralta Region “Scared Hamster Tube Party,” 5.10- R/X, 4 pitches, (2012) These words set a dusty voyage in motion and me on a journey to reach the summit of several desert towers in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Visionary Utah climber Niels Tietze contacted me back in March. He and others would take part in a high-volume cataract surgical intervention in northern Ethiopia as part of the Himalayan Cataract Project. In a matter of ten days, international and local surgeons operated on 1200 patients and now plan to spend a year studying the economic impacts of sight restoration on some of the patients. Virtually all Objectives Instead of climbing basalt walls around the holy city of Lalibela, we changed our tickets to climb notoriously brittle sandstone in the Gheralta Mountains in central Tigray, less than 100km from Ethiopia’s northern border with Eritrea. Canyon + Mesa There’s a small family living on a hill outside of Koraro town not far from the main road. Beyond a dry river bed, five sandstone towers rise from the desert landscape and lure the visitor’s eye to scan the base to its tip in wonderment. The Koraro towers rise and fall like pistons of a car engine and pose like a lineup of disfigured criminals. It’s hot, we see few climbable cracks, a series of bolts aiding halfway up the middle tower and He-Man chooses a chimney on the east face of the largest tower. Nobody knows where the chimney will lead, but a deep layer of bird shit tells us that if you are squeezed out of a vulture’s ass, you will probably hit the ground. Koraro Towers, (wrongly called Nebelet Towers by some climbers) 1st Pitch Poop Niels: There’s a hellofalota birdshit boys. Close your mouths and open your hearts. In the Heart Valve Mino remained at the base of the climb while Captain Habesha and Spiderman and I follow He-Man into the dark crevice using just our feet, hands, shoulders, butts, heads and any other body part that will gain traction against the birdshit papered wall. The Captain fights off a near-seizure after the first 40 meters of wedging his body between the two walls. Spiderman and I pass the Captain swapping ‘Pakistani death loops’ connecting our harnesses. We meet He-Man in the heart valve of the tower’s core. During 65 meters of climbing, He-Man placed 4 pieces of protection in bird shit layered sediment on the aptly named pillar of fecal fortitude. As a team, we pulled the Captain over the final roof in the chimney and contemplated our life forms breathing on a ledge deep in the center of the massive pillar. Watching the Watch It was 4pm but in Ethiopian time it was actually 10 hours past the dawn, and that means there was just 2 hours until dusk. He-Man flew up the second pitch, placed no protection but we put him on belay anyway. Belay Station Talk

95

The Captain reached the top of the next pitch while I’m belaying He-Man to the summit. He-Man crawled through a tunnel, exited the flaring chimney and reached the top. Somebody said: The only way anybody will ever repeat this route is if somebody as courageous as Niels happens to come to Ethiopia, find the tower and choose the same chimney, or somebody places bolts to protect the leader. As we spin away from the sun’s glory, we all summit our first desert tower in Ethiopia. The Dark Horse In 2006, famed British adventure-climber Pat Littlejohn published photos of the same tower asserting: Four pitches of enjoyable and very atmospheric climbing led to a great chamber in the heart of the tower. The only way onwards was an unprotected section of wide bridging. It was either commit to it or give up, and I hesitated for a long time before I was mentally ready to go for it. By the Power of Grayskull Four pitches to the valve? He-Man must have ridden his fearless cat to the top. Summit Comfort On the tip, we knew that Tigray’s farmers were turning in. Smoke billowed over the valley as dung-fed ovens were fanned for a dinner of bread, injera and possibly spicy pepper sauce. Captain Habesha forgot his belay device and was lowered back into the tower’s inner abyss. We followed rappelling into the main artery while vultures, masters of soaring flight, returned from another day of infinite circles lingering thousands of feet above the valley without ever moving a feather. We finally landed with a thump onto the pillows of bird shit. He-Man names the climb Scared Hamster Tube Party. 5.10- R/X, but we don’t know if Littlejohn climbed through the same hamster tube and we may never know. A Stone’s Throw A gang of young farmers quickly rose to meet us at the base of the tower. Our voices disturbed the peaceful night and their pleas for us to be silent quickly turned to threats. One boy carried an axe and another a cane. They hurried us off the mountain and when my calls for Mino my lost dog, continued, they began to huck fist-sized rocks into our vicinity. He-Man wondered why they would try to stone us. It’s part of their culture, an oft cited justification for any and all Ethiopian customs, beliefs and traditions. We turned off our headlamps to move unseen through the night. But that plan backfired when a panicked He-Man stepped into a wash and fell more than 5 meters. http://www.nicoparco.com/ethiopia-rock-climbing-tigray-towers/

96

Neblet (AKA Koraro) Towers, Gheralta Massif, Majke Buurhardt “Tewadros: Learning the Hard Way,” III, 5.10, 5 Pitches, (2007) Nebelet (I believe this might actually be the Koraro Towers, from Nico Parkinsons reports) tower group, new routes. Ethiopia: the birthplace of humanity, coffee, Emperor Haile Selassie, and … climbing? Maybe. The people of northern Ethiopia understand getting vertical: they have churches carved into sandstone pinnacles. To get to one church, Abune Yemata, you have to climb 5.2 up a 150-foot face to get to the final three- foot wide gangplank walkway to the entrance. The country is covered with rock. On my first trip to Ethiopia, in October of 2006, I optimistically brought along a pair of rock shoes and a chalk bag; I returned three months later with a quadruple set of cams. My March 2007 expedition was inspired in part by Pat Littlejohn and Steve Sustad’s trip (AAJ 2006, p. 305-307). Pat and Steve had spent time in the Gheralta, in the Tigray province of northern Ethiopia. They’d done a few impressive lines, and Pat sent me tantalizing photos of unclimbed massifs up to 1,500 feet tall and 1.5 miles long. Kristie Arend, Helen Dudley, Caroline George, Gabe Rogel, and I spent three weeks climbing around the area. Scouting for continuous crack systems is the trick to climbing in Ethiopia. Pat and Steve had shot up a major chimney on Sheeba Tower, the primary tower in the Koraro tower group northwest of Megab. We sought out other options, and ended up on a five-pitch route on a tower we called Tewadros: Learning The Hard Way (III, 5.10). The route ascends a leftleaning crack on the south face, through a section of face climbing, to another wider crack to a large ledge on top of the second pitch. From here, scramble up and around to the west to the higher vertical wall; two pitches of exciting face climbing with intermittent cracks take you to the final summit mushroom, which we climbed on the west face. Other climbs of note include two routes on the Gheralta proper, both two to three pitches long. Our routes ended where the rock quality became suspect (read: friable, chunky, loose, unstable). Gheralta has potential throughout her flanks, though there is a persistent horizontal band at about 300 feet that tends to change rock composition. Many corners and cracks abound, the majority being wide (4–20 inches). The volume of rock in Ethiopia is immense. There are towers, ridges, buttresses, canyons—everywhere. It is exploration at its greatest, with all of the perks and challenges along the way. The sandstone is quite soft and the face climbing is thus difficult. Because so little climbing exploration has happened to this point, it’s hard to predict what all is possible for rock climbing in the area. One thing is for certain, however: you would be hard pressed to find a place with as balanced an offering of climbing and cultural experience. If you go to northern Ethiopia, you are climbing in the part of the country that was hit hardest by the famines of the 1980s and inspired “We Are The World.” This is where the Derg dropped a napalm bomb on a market in 1988 and killed 2,500 people. Where endless terrace systems fight the ongoing battle against drought, rain, and short-harvests. This is not climbing to get away from it all. It’s climbing within it all. Majka Burhardt, AAC

http://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/2008/PDF/AAJ_2008_50_82_288.pdf http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200828800/Africa-Ethiopia-Nebelet-Tower-Group-New-Routes

97

GUHE TOWERS, Gheralta, Tigray “Magic Smelly Poodle,” 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c PG13, 300m, (2012) International : Africa : Ethiopia : Gheralta Range Koraro Spires FA:

Niels Tietze, Nicodemus, Mathiue Spiderman, Captain Habesha

Type:

Trad

Consensus: 5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- E4 5c Length:

4 pitches, 300'

Description Abuna's Ugly Twin: If it's not raining in June, the sandstone should be compact. Hike up the gully going up the right side of the tower. After scrambling, you reach P1, the first section of vertical rock, here rope-up is recommended but not completely necessary. Climb 15-20m and you reach a long obvious chimney with a dead end. P2: 5.10, Starts at the end of the chimney. Climb up the chimney and to an superb obvious handcrack up to an alcove. P3: 5.7(traversing), Climbs out of the alcove up and to climber's right until you reach a big ledge. Short pitch. P4: 5.11, The crux pitch. Follows face and crack climbing to the top of the tower. The rock is less reliable on this pitch... crux at the top below the tower's summit. Should be some gear on the tower to rap off. Location These towers are located about 10km before the Koraro Spires on the same road out of Megab leading to Koraro and beyond in the heart of Tigray ahd the Gheralta Massif.

The Abuna Yemata rock hewn Church is possibly the most visited church in the valley, it dates back to the 4th century. The church is sacred but accessible for tourists and pilgrims by a somewhat challenging scramble up a brittle yet polished sandstone wall. The church is in the bigger tower to your right. Known locally as the Guhe Towers, we climbed the twin Pillars to the left of the flat on May 17th 2012. Magic Smelly Poodle is located on the backside (relative to your approach) of the smaller (on the left) of the two towers at Abuna Yemata Guh. Have a local to negotiate with priests who will want to charge you to climb the tower the same price as visiting the church (100 birr per person). In theory you shouldn't pay... but if you do, make sure you go visit the church next door. It's worth it. Stay in Hawzien in the Adulis Hotel, it's pink. Rooms we had were 50 Birr a night, but we were a bunch of scruffy so and so's. Food and water buy locally in Hawzien. 98

Protection Gear: singles of .3-.5 , doubles to #3. Nuts. Bring lots of cams 1