Mont-roig progress finally...

Again, not the most interesting post but I finally made progress on the MUCH harder right-hand version of the prow at Mont-roig. This problem can be started in two separate places but the hard climbing really starts from a big jug about halfway along the prow, so that's where I've been working it from. I worked out all the individual moves and then managed to do it from the jug in two halves. It's going to be hard I think, but the moves are brilliant and despite sharing the same start and finish to Parasiempre it feels like a completely different problem. I'm psyched to go back and try linking it from the start...

Not a great video - more for me to remember the moves.

Oh, and here's a photo to show how close the bouldering is to home (pink arrow!)



Don't listen to Dave!

After a night and day of heavy rain yesterday we were all set to head up to Siurana this morning when I got a text from Dave - "Rained a lot last night...still big puddles in car park...no wind at all...will rock be dry?".

Anywhere else and I probably wouldn't have bothered driving up, but El Pati being the most unpredictable crag on Earth, where the amount of rain often has no correlation with the dryness and conditions of the crag, we decided to chance it. Plus the forecast for later in the week is atrocious so it may have been the only chance we got...

Warming up on 'Viagraman' it soon became apparent that conditions were absolutely mint. Rock completely dry and no hint of the all too common 'Pati paste', when the humidity condenses down onto the holds, making climbing a pretty unpleasant experience. Today it felt like all the holds had been jet-washed clean and you couldn't fail to climb whatever you wanted! And that's how it happened. After one go up the project to get the draws in I had a rest belaying Tash and then ticked it the next. 'Pati pa mi' (F8b) first redpoint and third go up it. I guess it must be soft at the grade, although everyone on the font of knowledge that is 8a.nu takes 8b for it. It breaks down into maybe a 7c up to a good rest then a hard & runout sequence on small crimps up to an amazing shakeout and finishes with a technical ~7a. It certainly took significantly less effort than 'De aqui a la luna y volver' at L'Aparador so maybe that is 8b after all (what I thought at the time to be honest). Or maybe I'm going much better than back in May? Who knows. What a great route anyway.

The moral of the story: Don't listen to Dave!

Paul setting off on 'Gato lerdo' (F7b+)

Getting into the crux moves on 'Gato lerdo'

Worth the gamble!

After originally planning to go up north this weekend, the Friday forecast didn't inspire confidence so we left it until Saturday morning to make the final decision. The forecasts were still predicting a little rain here on Saturday afternoon and a lot more on Sunday, but significantly less rain over in Margalef. And with tips still a little tender from Thursday's crimpy session Margalef was the more appealing option climbing-wise so that was decision made. In the end it was sunny the whole weekend and the rain didn't materialise until we were driving back this afternoon and Siurana was hidden in a cloud of ming - good decision!

Saturday we went to Ca la Marta and conditions were perfect in the shade - shorts and T-shirt for climbing and down jacket for belaying. Plus we had the crag pretty much to ourselves the whole day :-)

After warming up on some nice little 6b's on the right-hand side I put the draws in the project for the day - 'Twist as Lola' (8a). I'd been on this once before last April but the day I tried it the tufa was wet and it was ridiculously humid so I didn't even bother with a redpoint. Today it felt like a completely different route and after the bouldery crux at the bottom it was just a steady tick. So with that done sooner than expected I finished off the day with a few 7a & 7b onsights. Tash pulled out all the stops on her final go of the day and managed a really short and bouldery 7a - good effort! We celebrated with a nice cup of black tea (I forgot to bring any milk!).

The reservoir and pic-nic pontoon back in April with Ca la Marta crag in the background (note the water level!)



The pontoon left high and dry this weekend!



Sunday breakfast wasn't as appetising as usual - cereal with water instead of milk (not recommended) and a cup of black tea! Thankfully the climbing was a bit more succesful. Tash wanted to go back to Can dit Gros to lead the 7a she top-roped last weekend so I got on the 7c+ to the right of the one I did last week. It turned out to be just as good, with a hard undercut start on small pockets then good crimps leading to the easier slightly overhanging wall above - done 2nd go! Tash then crushed her route, despite bleeding on all the holds from a sliced finger, and I ticked the final route at this sector - a brand new 7b+. So we don't need to come back here again! The drive back was a little exciting as the fuel light had been on since leaving home Saturday morning. Thanks to a bit of free wheeling down the hills we made it back ok, but not without the obligatory "sh*t we've run out..." prank, which Tash fell for hook, line & sinker! How funny am I.

Guess who's trashed fingers these are...not very lady like!

A new Pati project...

As per the title, we went up to El Pati in Siurana today to meet Dave and Javier. Tash was considering projecting the other good 7a here (Ay Mamiti) so I agreed to try and get a project there so we could both work them at the same time. As I've now done pretty much every route at El Pati (8b+ and down anyway) there was limited choice! But I had my eye on an 8b called 'Pati pa mi'. So after warming up putting the draws in Ay Mamiti for Tash, I went up my route bolt to bolt. It was pretty baltic and my fingers and toes didn't really warm up the whole way, but with the help of Dave's clip stick I managed to get up it and did all the moves first go. It turned out to be way easier than I'd expected with good rests both before and after the short crux section so it seems like a goer! New project for Ali...psyched!! Tash didn't have as much success on her route due to the run out crux section so she's less psyched. But she dragged me to El Pati so she'll have to face the consequences...after all, marriage is about compromise ;-)

Dave trying his hardest to blend in with the rock on 'El Prado del Rey' (F7b+) at El Pati.

Not very exciting, but today we went back to Mont-roig. I managed the extension to Parasiempre. The guide gives it Font 7C but it can't possibly be this - it maybe adds a grade or so onto the original problem so 7B/+ ish. It's been so long since I've bouldered on any confirmed problems in more established areas so I honestly have no idea. Whatever grade, it's a great problem. I'm just pleased to feel some progress from a few weeks ago when I was struggling on the original 7a+ start.

Magaluf action

This weekend we were over in Margalef to meet up with Dave, Paul & Sarah who are out on a van trip here in Catalunya.

Saturday, still looking for shade, we went to Finestra and after warming up I managed to finish off an old project - 'Morphos' (F7c+). I'd been on this a few times before but always at the end of the day when I was tired so I'd never had enough beans to finish it off. Today it felt like a formality, which was nice! Buoyed up by this tick I decided to put another route to bed. 'Deja vu', again 7c+, was another route I'd been on and come close to but never finished. Luckily today was the day, so now I'm one more route down at Finestra.

Meantime, Paul ticked off one of the superb 7b's on the left-hand side too easily so I sandbagged him on a 7a+ to set him back a bit! The hard bit was at the bottom but his bad technique meant he also found the top quite stiff too. Dunno what he was messing about at! Dave impressively sketched his way up a slabby 7a+ at the end of the day, having sat in his pink chair eating all day. Maybe that's the way to climb hard! ;-)

Fat Dave shaking his way up 'Coraje al Forao' (F7a+) at Finestra, Margalef.

On Sunday we started off at Culample 4, where some new stuff has appeared in the guide since the last time we were there. After warming up on some new 7a's - one good and one not so - the crowds turned up and it was like Crewe station, with every route being climbed or queued for! So we abandoned ship and headed across the valley to Can Dit Gros. Here Tash managed to repeat a 6c+ on lead second go, plus top-roping a 7a clean first go - a sign of the force returning for her! I did a brilliant 7c+ ('Bona minyona') second go. Despite having quite a sustained sequence on small pockets and edges it felt easier than the ones I did yesterday, so maybe only 7c? I don't know. Either way a good route.

Man on 'Bona minyona' (F7c+) at Can Dit Gros, Margalef.

Checking out the Laboratory routes.

Monday morning we warmed up at Can Verdures, and Tash onsighted three 6b+'s in a row which she was pleased with. After this I had yet another play on 'Esau directa' (8a+) over at Cova Soleiada. This route I've been trying on and off for the last few years but always forget the best sequence and find it desperate even when I do work out what to do! Today was no different and putting the draws in felt hard enough, with sore skin and not helped by the ridiculous humidity, so I sacked it off.

The force is returning...hopefully!

We've been out a few times this week and I'm actually starting to feel some kind of climbing ability returning...albeit quite slowly!

We had a well-deserved holiday this Wednesday ;-) and for a change of scenery decided to head down to Pinell de Brai for some morning shade there. I'd originally planned to return to the cave sector - the main event here - but when we arrived there were some guys climbing at sector Al.la and the routes they were on looked really good so we got a bit sidetracked and didn't actually make it up to the cave in the end. After warming up on some 6b's and a couple of awesome 7a+'s, I then managed to onsight a really bouldery 7b+. This is my first 'difficult' route since getting back to Spain and it felt nice to be able to pull reasonably hard again. I guess it must have been soft if I managed to get up it first go, but I was pretty happy with that all the same! I followed it up with a superb 6c+ up at Parvulari Strep sector - although the crux on that was avoiding the crack where a bat was hiding from the sun! Never seen one so close up before - cute little guy he was.

Bat in the crack!

Today (Thursday) we went up to Siurana and returned to El Pati. This is one sector where I've spent A LOT of time, and I've pretty much climbed everything of any worth up to 8b+ there. The one route I hadn't been on before was a 7c just right of Viagraman, so I had planned to project this today. After warming up on Viagraman though I thought 'why not' and tried for the onsight. It was thin and technical, and I got totally wrong-handed on the crux but somehow managed to get up it by the skin of my teeth. Another surprising onsight success!

From the furnace into the freezer...

Last weekend's short evening bouldering session whet my appetite and reminded me how nice it can be to simplify climbing to its purest form sometimes. No ropes, no gear, no belaying, no faff, no stress! So with the promise of cooler temperatures up in the Pyrenees yet again we returned to Cavallers this weekend. Friday night saw yet another serious accident on the N240 Reus - Lleida road in EXACTLY the same place as last Friday. Last week it was a car that managed to end up on its roof and this Friday a full head-on collision. Is it just coincidence that it happens at the junction where the group of prostitutes wait for business - people rubber necking - or is it a bad junction? Either way, it's the third serious accident we've seen on that same stretch of road in the last six times of driving it. Why are the Spanish such terrible and impatient drivers?!

We arrived at Cavallers on Friday evening to snow showers, and Saturday morning they continued. We'd hoped it'd be cooler up there, but not snowing!! Thankfully, a few cups of tea and some porridge later the sun came out and it warmed up to pretty ideal bouldering conditions. Cool and with good friction but not too hot in the sun. And it remained that way for the rest of the weekend :-) We did loads of amazing problems - most of which I have no idea of the name or grade - but it was just nice to explore the valley and climb whatever looked good, until skin and muscles couldn't take any more - a bit like the first time I went to Font!

Here's a selection of some of the highlights:-

Recent snowfall on the tops and a bitterly cold wind...

...nice easy wall...

...very good highball arete with a tricky start...

[the highball arete climbed on its right-hand side]

...nice problem down by the river...grade unknown...

'Golden Gay' - cool traverse given font 7b+ in some videos and 7a+ in others - more like 6c+!

Tash happy to have topped out - really nice sit-start on right arete

Tash getting harassed by the horses while trying to boulder! They liked nibbling the mat!

Really aesthetic slopey arete problem in the meadow - given font 7a+/b in one video.

Very satisfying latching the final slopey boss hold

...more unknown problems...

Fun 6c dyno from awkward crouch-start

The highlight of the weekend was this amazing steep nose/prow hidden among the scree above the road. 'X men' - given font 7a+

...a great way to top off a fantastic weekend!

Getting more psyched for bouldering...

Back at Mont-roig for some more boulder crushing today. After a quick warm-up I set about trying the right-hand start to the prow problem (Contracorriente). I managed to work out one or two individual moves but it felt HARD and I couldn't link much of it at all. So instead I tried the extended version of Parasiempre that I managed last week. Starting stood up off to the right of the roof and then linking in to the 7a+ version via a good crack/rail through the roof bumps this up to font 7c according to the guide. I reckon this is a bit OTT but the extension certainly means you're pretty tired by the time you get into the original start. After working out the initial moves, which ended up being some cool 3D climbing to get into the roof crack, I had a go at linking into the previous start. I managed to get through the extension and into the original problem but powered out at the crux throw out to the lip, as I'd predicted. It definitely adds a fair bit onto the 7a+ version but time will tell whether it's as much as three grades...I suspect not!

Escaping the heat in Cavallers: Pristine granite paradise

The temperatures were set to remain high in the Tarragona area this weekend. High twenties / low thirties might be nice as a novelty in the UK but when it's every single day here it gets a bit overbearing - especially when you want to go climbing! So we decided to head up to the Pyrenees to get away from the heat and humidity and Friday night saw us driving up to Cavallers. Stepping out of the car at 1,800m when we got there it was so nice to have to put on a jumper for the first time since we left the UK! Strange thing to say, but it's true!

Saturday morning we were up early and super-psyched to get going in the refreshingly cool temperatures. After warming up at Plaka Tuka, where we did a bunch of superb 6b+ to 6c+ routes, we then moved down the incredible Pared Inerte. This is easily one of the best wall single pitch walls in Cavallers, with routes up to 45m long following perfect flakes and cracks on immaculate granite! Unfortunately as were so psyched to climb I didn't manage to get many photos!

Tash pulling the ropes at Plaka Tuka - the only photo from the roped climbing we did!

After we'd done loads of routes here and it started to cool down I wanted to check out some of the boulders lower down the valley. Although I've been to Cavallers plenty of times before I've never done any bouldering here and was really surprised at how good it was! Well worth a visit just for the bouldering alone - add that to the incredible single and multi-pitch sport climbing around the dam, multi-pitch trad climbing higher up the valley, and an all round stunning place to be this makes it one of my all time favourite venues!

Some of the easy access bouldering in the valley bottom.

Brilliant arete problem - will have to come back with more skin for the sit-start.

Shade chasing.

Great left to right heel-hooking lip traverse...

...then cool mantle at the end.

Leaves turning in the valley.

Sunday we bush-whacked up the steep valley side to another amazing slab - La Conchinchina - with some more brilliant long routes. Here I did a couple of sandbag 6b's and then was pleased to onsight a very thin and technical 7a+ ('Chancletisme extreme'). With fingertips now screaming from pulling on all the crystal crimps and the bouldering session the previous night we went down to a much steeper sector - La Pasteleria - where pumpy laybacks and jamming cracks were the order of the day, to give the tips a bit of a rest. The first route I got on here ('Comete un rosco') gets 6c+ in the old guide. I thought it felt a bit hard for this, especially at the crux where you have to paste your feet on smears and use a couple of terrible undercuts to move across rightwards. But the way I'm climbing at the moment (i.e. badly!) it could quite easily have been 6a for all I know [turns out that due to the loss of a key hold it's now 7b, which I was quite pleased with! - I probably wouldn't have got on it if I'd known it was harder than 6c+]. The next route ('Dulces fisuras') was a great rising traverse up some slanting cracks, and despite being 7a it's no surprise that it felt way easier than the 7b masquerading as a '6c+'. I finished off with a pleasant wide 6b jamming crack, very reminiscent of a grit route. Too tired and with too little skin left to contemplate bouldering tonight, we headed back to camp for a nice cold beer :-)

Monday morning was spent just checking out some more bouldering sectors lower down the valley, before it was time to leave for work. There really is a lot of bouldering here - and that's without searching out any boulders further than ~10m from the road! I'm psyched to get the new Cavallers guide and check out what's what...there might even be chance for one last trip up there this year before the weather turns colder!

Sweet looking slopey arete - too hot to try on Saturday evening in full sun. One to come back for.

Some more nice aretes...

...and a few steep sit-starts...

...nice roof problem...

...and a couple of highball wall climbs...

....and that's just scratching the surface on a 5min walk around.