Welcome to Beta Blog, where climbers connect, share stories, and explore the vertical world together. Click on the below quick links or scroll on to enjoy some SA’s locally produced podcasts, newsletters and shared stories.
Climbing Tales
A Pinnacle Moment
There is nothing quite like some mid-week outdoor adventure to scratch the…
The Devil’s Knuckles: A 4-day Hiking Adventure into the Drakensberg Wilderness
There is nothing better than a multi-day hike in your own back…
A Tale from the New World Crag
The New World Crag has just opened in the Magaliesberg, and kicked…
Spitzkoppe: A Namibian Big Wall Adventure | Pt 2
Josh Swinney’s Spitzkoppe trip report continues: bold slabs, off-width battles, and…
Spitzkoppe: A Namibian Big Wall Adventure | Pt 1
Joshua Swinney takes on Namibia’s granite giant, Spitzkoppe; tackling bold multi-pitch routes,…
Do your granite homework, or end up in the naughty corner!
A day on Paarl Rock’s classic Stem Gem quickly turns from confident…
Great Gear Guide
Namibian Rock – A Climbing Guide
Planning a trip to Namibia? Maybe just dreaming one up? The new…
Gear Review: What We Used to Tackle the Devil’s Knuckles
Any Drakensberg adventure takes a lot of planning, packing, and usually… re-packing….
Edelrid Pinch Review: The Optimus Prime of Belay Devices?
Xander put the Edelrid Pinch through its paces at the crag and…
Ultralight Gear Wishlist: The Paradox of Wanting More to Have Less
In the excitement of collecting cutting-edge hiking products, it’s easy to go…
GriGri Misuse Leads to 13-Meter Fall for Professional Climber
A professional climber suffered severe injuries after a belayer’s improper use of…
How to Inspect Your Climbing Harness (and When to Retire It)
Your climbing harness is crucial for safety, so regular checks and proper…
Community Insights
Silvermine Path Building Day
On Saturday 4 October, the troops rallied bright and early at Silvermine…
Olympic Climber Trains with the Emgwenya Mountain Club
In a full circle moment, local Olympian Mel Janse van Rensburg returned…
ARF: Saving Lives One Bolt at a Time
Find out what goes into the invaluable work done by the heroes…
IFSC Youth World Championships 2025 in Helsinki – Wrap-up
After a week and a half of travelling followed by one intensely…
IFSC Youth World Championships 2025 Kick Off in Helsinki!
The IFSC Youth World Championships 2025 officially begin today in Helsinki, Finland…
Weight What? RED-S in Climbing
Jasmin Pillai chats athlete health and safety in this blog on RED-S…
Rainbow Glen Climbers
Nestled in Montagu, Rainbow Glen Self Catering Chalets offer more than just a convenient location near the Cogmanskloof hiking trails and Rock Climbing Crags. With a shared passion for climbing, they curate a monthly climbing newsletter filled with inspiring content. Get ready for some epic reads!
- 05/25/2025 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Profile: Dion van der Riet
- 09/20/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Photo Competition Winners
- 08/26/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Photo Competition
- 07/25/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Profile: Garvin Jacobs
- 06/25/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Stop and smell the fynbos – The Cogmanskloof Trail
- 05/25/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Profile: Andre Schoon
- 04/26/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Profile: Jeremy Colenso
- 03/25/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Stop and smell the fynbos – The Bloupunt Trail
- 02/29/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers profile: Sakkie Jansen Van Rensburg
- 01/25/2024 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Crag Update: Rock n Roll Kloof at Guano Caves
- 11/27/2023 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Route of the Month: God Child, grade 22 at The Farm
- 10/25/2023 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers profile: On your “Marx”, get set, go! Montagu local, Brenda Marx
- 09/25/2023 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers profile: Meet the “Honorary Life-Time Local” Stuart Brown
- 08/25/2023 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Profile – Meet our Guest: Paul Schlotfeldt
- 07/25/2023 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Profile: Tony Lourens
- 06/26/2023 – Rainbow Glen Climbers – Climbers Profile: Ed February
The Send Space
A proudly South African climbing podcast. This is a space for you – our local climbers – to tell your stories, record history, share beta, and inspire others.
