2011-02-27 Arbolí – El Cremat

Awesome weather – more shirtless climbing, and a little sunburn too at Arboli’s south-facing El Cremat.

From left: Terra Mitica, La Poma De Newton, Marfantes, Xicarro Xarxot, Anorexia, Bulimia

Warmup on Bulimia - 5+.  Then onto some roof action, 6a Anorexia. Two 6a+ onsights, Xicarro & Marfantes, both with great roof problems.  Glad to say as well that the rock is a lot cleaner now – before there were a lot of breakages, hold and chunks falling of the face, but it’s pretty stable now. 

One drastic block power-move to nail Terra Mitica and then to warm down on some 5+s (Shanghai, Olives Follades) before we go home.  I’ve got my eye on Newton’s Apple, but at 6c+ it looks like I need to train more at the rocodrome.  Right, Meli?

Picassa web photo album.

2011-02-26 Siurana, Corral Nou

 

The mighty Siurana…

in winter…. means no T-shirt! 

First route – Els Fenicis, 6a, tough going, but onsighted.

Next route Quinta! 6a (6b in old guidebook).  It’s long, has a roof problem, but it’s nice.  Red-point it next time.

Next to mop up the previously abandoned 6a Els Fenicis.  It has a slightly overhanging reachy move early on.  I didn’t think this was a 6a move so went on to onsight the 6a+ next to it.  All the routes in this new guide are “conservative” in their grades.

Next up the awesome Faktoria 6a+ (6b in old guide).  Very pumpy with a couple of overhanging bulges to get over, this is long, sustained, scary.

Marc then onsights the humbling 6b+ Pupilas (6c).  Kudos – I try it top-roped and miss the last third because I’m pumped and exhausted.  We finish up a great day in Corral Nou Cami with a couple of crappy 6a’s- Maximal and Trinafro that aren’t worth bothering with.

Picassa photo album here.

2011-02-13 La Mussara – Lo Soterrani – El Biombo – Various

 

A quick warm-up on Lo Ticket 5+ and Lo Teka 5+

Wonderfully sunny – climbing topless, we head over to the previously un-ticked No Me Bellcostes La Cuca, 6a.  Onsighted – a beauty.

Also onsighted the slighty easier route to the right: La Tramantura 6a.  Feeling pretty pumped, I tried to onsight Elegosentrick, 6a+.  I’ll redpoint it next time, making it the 2nd or 3rd route of the day, not the last when I’m tired.  The shame of it – I abandoned it 3/4’s of the way up, got someone else to clean it for me!  (But don’t tell anyone…).  There’s a crux on a thin, bare looking slab – you have to climb up the crack on the right, step up and left handhold a pocket to clip in.

Photos on Flikr.

2011-02-12 Albarca Bouldering

After dropping some rock-shoes to be re-soled at Goma-II in Cornudella, we try out the new bouldering guide at Albarca.  First time out from pulling my muscle (right forearm).

More at https://picasaweb.google.com/allend66/AlbarcaBouldering#