Truitjieskraal #3: Rock Climbers Paradise
The cache, a small camo-taped tablet pot, is hidden behind a black-stained rock pillar along the Truitjieskraal interpretive trail which has numerous boards giving fascinating info on the numerous points of interest along the trail – such as the one nearby describing the extensive rock-climbing sites in the area.
For information on how to reach Truitjieskraal, see GC9C2AV Truitjieskraal #1: Rocky Wonderland Vista.
To Reach the Cache Location: either park at the start of the interpretive trail @ S 32 32.814 E 19 19.841 and follow the trail as it winds its way between the incredible rock formations eventually getting around to the cache location, or . . .
Park at the first parking area at S 32 32.611 E 19 19.651 then take the trail heading out of the end of the area following this to the cache location.
According to the Climb SA website Truitjieskraal ‘consists of 85% sport climbing and 15% trad climbing, although this is predominantly a sport climbing venue. The routes are single pitch of moderate length (approx. 30m). The rock type is coarse Sandstone with a range of grades from easy to difficult on vertical to overhanging rock. The walk-ins are short and you can always find shade somewhere’ . . .
‘Climbing is possible all year round all, though it does get very hot in December/January/February - July/August are very cold (frost like cold) and you will probably see some snow on the higher peaks. Spring and autumn are choice times’.
Sport climbing is a rock climbing which either relies on 
permanent anchors fixed to the rock for protection, in which a rope that is attached to the climber is clipped into the anchors to arrest a fall, or involves climbing short distances with a crash pad underneath as protection’.
The hardest sport climb so far completed is graded 9c (see Gallery for grades chart) and called Bibliographie, at Céüse, France. It was ‘freed’ on 5 Aug 2020 by German climber Alex Megos who took 60 climbing days over a period of 3 years to complete the project! See here for a gripping video of this incredible achievement.
See here for a video of a top-roped climb of Lucky Strike 21 at Truitjieskraal.
Traditional (or trad) climbing is a style of rock climbing in which a climber or group of climbers place all the gear required to protect against falls, and remove it when a pitch is complete.
Most of the climbs have very interesting names including the following at the Hueco* Punks area immediately adjacent to the cache location (grade in brackets):
*Hueco is Spanish for hollow, because the area is full of water-holding depressions, or what climbers call, huecos in the rock. American Boulering is based on the Hueco system of grades.
Sport (L to R; FA = first ascent):
Nice Enough (15) FA: S. Lundgren 1996
Knee Bar Wager (17) FA: Amy Whistler 1996
Hueco Punks (26) FA: P. Schlotfeldt 1996
Fun dyno!
Crimping Christmas (25) FA: P. Schlotfeldt 1996
Knees Up (18) FA: J. Schlotfeldt 1996
Nick Nack (17) FA: P. McCann 1996
Paddy Whack (20) FA: P. McCann 1996
Give the Dog a Bone (18) FA: P. McCann 1996
Skinhead Stomp (17) FA: P. McCann 1996
Way to Go (15) FA: M. Scott 1996
Trad (right of sport routes:
Macarena (12) FA: M. Scott 2002
Ketchup (8) FA: M. Scott 2002
See here for details of all the climbs at Truitjieskraal including numerous photos of the various routes – 
which of course feature many of the amazing rock formations to be seen at the location.