dalius Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 It is possible that I might be moving to Mozambique for a year (my wife might have a job offer there). Before dropping everything and moving there, I really need to find out more about this place. Anybody ever been there? What is it like? We'd be moving to the capital, Maputo. I don't know what in the hell to think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Google "Mulanje" you got a 3000 foot high granite wall with 5.9 jungle climbing on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 oops my bad that is next door in Malawi. so you might have to drive a few hours to get to the El Cap sized 5.9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalius Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 I googled it. Pretty interesting formation to say the least. It looks like Mozambique really has no rock to speak of. Anybody actually travel there and know what the culture/people are like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 It looks like Mozambique really has no rock to speak of. nope, no rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken4ord Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 I googled it. Pretty interesting formation to say the least. It looks like Mozambique really has no rock to speak of. Anybody actually travel there and know what the culture/people are like? There is a ton of untouched rock in Mozambique. Over the last several year there has been numerous trips to Mozambique from Europeans and South Africans establishing big lines. As for cragging though from what I have heard there is not much established, but I am sure there is a ton of potential. Check out Alards Big Wall Climbing for some info. There was also a trip that I read about where some guys rented a big overlander and went across the country mainly doing single pitch trad and sport routes for a month or so, sorry I can't remember where the article was. From all accounts of climbing I have read, the rock is somewhat featureless and void of cracks that people states side are use too. As for culture and people, I have no idea what it is like there. If it is anything like the rest of Africa, people are generally cool and laidback, even though in some areas they struggle to get food on their plates. And like in other undeveloped countries, you just have to keep yourself from being open to thievery. As for Mulange, it is not jungle climbing, but quite dry. Actually the last they have been in a drought. The route up it is 1700m it goes at 5.9, but is a 5.10 leaders 5.9, most of the route does not take natural gear and the bolts that are in place at 10+ year old 1/4 inchers. Be prepared for long run out slab climbing and very tricky maze like descent. I have friends that own property at the base of the mountain and they said it really easy to get lost on the mountain, in fact they lost a friend up there, she dissappeared never to be seen or heard from again, even after numerous attempts to find her. The thought is maybe she came accross some poachers or hyenas got her. It is unknown. Well if you move down there we should get in touch and maybe plan a trip, though I am not sure how much I will be able to get away in the upcoming years for a bit at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken4ord Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Oh yeah the second language there is Portugese. Also a co-worker of mine lived there for 3 years, she loved it. All aspects of it. The diving over there is suppose to be phenomenal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mos_Chillin Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 A great song by Bob Dylan...does that help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken4ord Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 Eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek_the_Greek Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I've been to Chimanimani park, on the border with Zimbabwe (actually, I've only been on the Zim side). I wasn't there for long, but it did look beautiful - verdant rocky hills with forested valley approaches... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 "....south africa - sub-a-human bondage...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I've been to Chimanimani park, on the border with Zimbabwe (actually, I've only been on the Zim side). I wasn't there for long, but it did look beautiful - verdant rocky hills with forested valley approaches... Any good climbing in the Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 ken4ord, thanks for one of the more eerie lost hiker stories i've heard... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalius Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 Thanks for the info. It sounds like there's some crazy granite formations in Malawi and some similar features just across the border in a remote area of Mozambique. Hyenas, poachers, black mambas - oh my! Seems like if you're going to go climbing down there, S.Africa is probably the way to go. From what I've read so far, it seems that Mozambique was seriously crippled by its civil war a decade ago and the infrastructure is poor and the people are even poorer. Famine is par for the course in areas. So nobody has actually spent any time living there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek_the_Greek Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I've been to Chimanimani park, on the border with Zimbabwe (actually, I've only been on the Zim side). I wasn't there for long, but it did look beautiful - verdant rocky hills with forested valley approaches... Any good climbing in the Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe? Ah, I didn't manage to get any in. Original plan was to cruise through South Africa, do a bit of climbing and hiking along the way, then blast through Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania and eventually climb Mt Kenya. Got a couple nice multi-pitch days in SA, and then totally fahquaraeoipoih'ed up my knee hiking in the Drakensberg range, near Lesotho. Climbing gear got mailed back to Canada, and trip became beach/culture/sightsee/hobble around for the next 2 months instead of climbing. There IS a ton of granite in Zimbabwe, and an absolutely astounding amount of dry, clean rock in South Africa, but I don't think there are many established climbs there. FWIW, Matopos NP ('Matobo hills'?) is very cool. Saw a couple rhinos, pretty darn close. They were chillin, chewing on some plants. Good times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken4ord Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 South Africa has it fair share of problems when it comes to climbing. Cars can be broken into or stolen, robberies at the crag either at gun point or machete, and the wildlife too. Cool though, I am starting to get used to all this crazy climbing. Hell when I get back to the states to climb it is going to feel like a walk in the park compared to the full on adventure climbing that Africa has to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek_the_Greek Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Yeah, that's what I've heard. I guess in that sense it actually helped that I didn't have a car - but not really, because it was really hard to get to some places. "Well, let's start hiking this 17 km approach, and see if any cars go by". They usually did. I guess compared to the rest of the continent SA does have a lot of established climbing. I actually meant Zim has very little, although that could be changing. Mozambique? No idea, but probably doubtful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Matopos NP ('Matobo hills'?) is very cool. Saw a couple rhinos, pretty darn close. They were chillin, chewing on some plants. Good times. yup the same thing Matobo = old colonial spelling I think. Damn I want to go to Africa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Shit, even the snaffle will mug you! http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=14&art_id=vn20060309024841282C463351 Delinquent baboons grab backpacks from hikers By Karen Breytenbach Mischievous baboons with a taste for human food are taking scavenging to another level by mugging hikers at Steenbras River Gorge in the Overberg. Craig Clayden, who has been a hiker for more than 20 years, said a pleasant outing with friends turned into a nightmare when they had two nasty encounters with growling, backpack-thieving baboons. A ranger had warned them two aggressive male baboons had been plaguing hikers. He warned them not to leave their food in the open and told them to keep their backbacks close to them. 'They're not taking the same precautions that are being taken at Cape Point' Hot from hiking, the group stopped to swim in a pool. Another group had also taken off their backbacks to enjoy the cool water. "While we were swimming we heard them screaming and saw a big male baboon grabbing food," said Clayden. He and a friend tip-toed to their bags, but a large baboon, flanked by small ones, suddenly came towards them and tried to grab their backbacks. "In a tug-of war-amid shouting, I raised a stick to smack (the baboon). He not only stood his ground, but moved towards us baring his teeth," he said. After the baboons had rummaged through their bags at leisure, the hikers carried on, but 45 minutes later were faced by another troop. "A few minutes later a large male baboon with a deep gash in his left shoulder and fresh scars on his face, appeared above us," Clayden said. "He calmly walked right up to Janine (Nelson) and took her pack off her back. I could not believe this was happening and was blown away by the show of bravado. "After finding nothing worth eating, he calmly walked over to me and took my pack." The men in the party launched a "barrage of stones" that left the adult baboons unfazed. Too afraid to carry on, the group turned back. Jenny Stark, of the Pringle Bay Baboon Action Group, said reports of delinquent baboons were on the increase. "In our area three cases have been reported this year. Barely two weeks after a child was attacked in Kogel Bay a group of hikers were stripped of their backpacks. Yesterday the same thing happened to a Pringle Bay resident," said Stark. "The authorities say tourism in the lifeblood of the Overberg, but they're not taking the same precautions that are being taken at Cape Point." More guards, baboon-proofed bins and the prosecution of baboon-feeders were essential. CapeNature's director of biodiversity, Kas Hamman, advised people to avoid eye contact, clap their hands and show dominance when faced with an aggressive baboon. Jenni Trethowan, of Baboon Matters, a tourism initiative for hiking with baboons, said she had heard of "baboon muggings" only at Cape Point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 The fuckin baboons at the park gate at Mt. Kenya raped us and stole all our pita bread - bastards. Took the alpha male like 60 seconds to bust a move when I turned my back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_Tuff Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 The fuckin baboons at the park gate at Mt. Kenya raped us Too. Much. Information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend_Climberz Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 I thought all baboons were cute and cuddly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny_Tuff Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 I thought all baboons were cute and cuddly... Riiight. Between the choke hold and the inappropriate swimsuit-area touching, what's not to find cute 'n' cuddly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalius Posted March 11, 2006 Author Share Posted March 11, 2006 Nuts man. So not only do you have to watch yourself from getting mugged by local people, you have to watch out for the freakin' baboons too!?!? My wife just got robbed by the police yesterday. Driving in a rural area of Mozambique, they were stopped for "speeding", though the police didn't even have a radar - just a telescope to search for whitey in the back of cars. They had to pay up or go to jail. Reminds me of my days in Argentina when I was robbed by the police several times. Make my fucking blood boil because there is nothing you can do. They are the police! Next thing you know the baboons are going to be packin' heat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 That must be way out in the boondocks.. the baboondocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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