Blue line shows the route (zoom in if necessary)
Grotto-Fountain-Cairn
Location: High level traverse under the Western cliffs below the Upper Cable Station.
Overview: Spectacular composite route with only 1 pitch in Fountain Ravine that should be roped provided one traverses off to the Poort on Kloof Corner and down instead of climbing up to Fountain Ledge. OSM map
Route Description: Start from Rontree Estate (Theresa Ave), take the Pipe Track back to Blinkwater ravine, up this then cross Blinkwater ravine onto Grotto Buttress. Ascend the buttress through the first rock band and then traverse right into Grotto ravine. Continue up the ravine until a large beacon indicates where to access the long ledge running below the huge white cliff under the Western Table and the Upper Cable Station. After crawling under a chockstone, the ledge is followed all the way and around the corner of Fountain Peak Buttress into the bed of Fountain Ravine. Here there is an awkward move up past a tree to gain the higher continuation, and often a rope is useful to help the party safely up.
Now climb diagonally up left on a slab to where a narrow rock ledge provides the way out of the ravine. This is followed all the way onto the shoulder of Cairn Buttress. Beacons indicate a short descent and the traverse continues around the amphitheatre of Cairn ravine, and then up a bit to under the cliff below the Kloof Corner ridge. Keep traversing left to the Poort on Kloof Corner, descend this until the open slopes, where a traverse may be made over to the India Venster path which provides the easy way to the Contour path.
Approach: From Kloof Nek, follow the pipe track to the start of Blinkwater. A longer start but a shorter finish! Take your pick...
