Dihedral 5.12 on the Upper Wall
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
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Mont Tihous, Adwa, Topo Number 1
“Relais Sur Le Euphorbias,” TD Inf, 300m (2012):
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Mont Tihous, Adwa, Topo Number 2
“Vive Adwa,” TD, 190m, (2012):
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Mont Otowodiko, Adwa, Topo Number 1
“Timkat,” TD/TD Sup, 180m, (2012):
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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
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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):
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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-2006Winter-2008
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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 Ethio-Italian 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
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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-New-Routes-and-Exploration
http://aac-publications.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/aaj/2008/PDF/AAJ_2008_50_82_290.pdf
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The Samayata Valley, Adwa, Topo
“
Independence Day,” (first pitch) 6a
“
Tatouffemétouffe," 6a
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La Direct Des Vertaco, Topo,
la Directe des Vertacos, 7a
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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
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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
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Cochacho, Adwa
I believe these routes are in Adwa (but I am not sure):
le Fissure Fioresse, A2 ou 7b+
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Ylar Romance, 6b+
Montagne des Anges
(final run out pitch past tree!)http://groupe-espoir-isere-2011.over-blog.com/album-2007220.html
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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-Summary-of-New-Routes-2006Winter-2008
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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
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Monkey Rock
Beware of rockfall at base of the crag caused by monkeys above.