Photos by michelleh

Here is Dave, smearing like a champ. It was great to watch him climb, his technique is so fluid. Photo taken with one arm in a sling by Michelleh

Andrew on the first route of the weekend. Granite is rare in SA so a new rock type for all the first-timers. Photo: Michelleh

Life's tough in Africa! Photo: Michelleh

This is the front face of Swinburne, beautiful but dangerous to climb unless bolted. Photo: Michelleh

Andrew leading Angel of Mercy. A divine climb, nicely sustained. Photo by Michelleh

This is Andrew on Angel of Mercy, a beautiful little climb at this wildly popular crag. Photo by Michelleh

Dita going for her pinkpoint of this climb. She's at the crux, but she didn't make it that day. Photo by Michelleh

This is a long distance shot of Lofty leading the waterfall at Bokhong, Lesotho. The temperature variances mean that this ice has been known to collapse without warning. This was Day Two of the trip, after we had assessed the ice on toprope. Folowing are Roland Magg, president of the Mountain Club of South Africa, and Mike. Photo: Michelle

Another shot of Lofty, Roland and Mike on the 60m icefall at Bokhong. The waterfall is in shade, but the source is in the sun, so by the end of the day, there is water flowing through the icefall! This was a mostly freestanding pillar, with a small connecting section to the rockface. Some nice chandeliers above Lofty. Phoo: michelleh

This shows the length of the icefall at Bokhong. This is my second trip to ice climb, so I toproped the top 20 or so metres of this beautiful icefall. Can't wait for next season! Photo: Brendon Hutchinson

This is my first time on ice as part of a beginner's course run by our Mountain Club of South Africa. I think I'll do this again! Photo: Brendon

In June 2004, I attended a beginner ice climbing course run by our mountain club. This is the instructor, Lofty, leading the 15m icefall at Oxbow.

This is my lead on Lost Arrow, my hardest grade to date. Had to rest on a few bolts, now my mission is to redpoint it. Photo: Claire Othenin-Girard

This is me on the end of A Time to Climb, a two pitch sport route at Swinburne in South Africa. This height stuff is scary, yet we keep on coming back!