Rebawe Mountain, Delayed Gratification. In July, 1998, Alard Hüfner and I had reached a high- point 250 meters up the impressive Dos Amigos Face on Rebawe Mountain. We were stumped by a 20-meter section of blank wall connecting a pinnacle (on which we were perched) to Smiley Ledge. Stupidly, we had left our drill in the car, and, not wanting to attempt A5 climbing in an area lacking any telephones and decent hospital services, we descended, leaving the wall unclimbed.

In July, 2000, after having successfully opened African Light on Mlema 3, we were back on the pinnacle from which we had previously retreated. This time we had our drill and placed seven bolts to make a bolt ladder reaching halfway across to Smiley Ledge. Two days later, we aided past the bolts and free climbed to the large crack system that bisects the top half of the wall. From here, the climbing continues in the same adventurous style as the lower pitches. Despite the few clean pitches that offered fantastic climbing, the route was essentially characterized by near-vertical cracks filled with trees, grass, and dirt; we had to dig out the latter to place gear.

After a long night which we spent 20 meters apart (Alard reclined in a wide horizontal crack we named the Coffin and me sitting on a small ledge, wedged in crack), we had to contend with two last difficult pitches (5.l0b/c Al) the following day, before reaching the summit at noon. Our shouts of joy were echoed by the distant whoops from some local people who had been watching our struggle with interest. We had waited two years; the climb was done. It is not the greatest climb, but the summit had been worth the toil and dirt. We named the route Delayed Gratification (5.10c Al, 16 pitches).

Mark Seuring, Mountain Club of South Africa