Climbing Tarn x Jonte: A climbers playground Beautiful landscape, stunning limestone features and routes from single pitch to 200 meters in a very compact area that is easy to reach: The basic data is very promising indeed and our multi day exploration has confirmed these valleys to be worth returning visits indeed.
vanlife Ariège: A somewhat hidden gem in the French Pyrenees Having already spent quite some time in the Spanish Pyrenees and other parts of the French side of this range, our travels brought us into the Ariége valley for about a week in the late summer. What we found was a climbers and cyclist paradise that at least we did not have on top of our list.
Climbing Endless seas of alpine granite on Dent d´Orlu Sitting at the very end of the Ariege valley in the French Pyrenees the Dent d´Orlu is best known for its striking silhouette and its monster 1000m+ routes. However we were not out for a multi day climb and chose the less intimidating 11 pitch Tapas sans Dalle for our first outing on this mountain.
Climbing Getting slabbed around in La Pedriza After quite a few successful multi pitch climbs on Mallorca Toby and I decided to try our luck on the granite slabs and cracks of La Pedriza north of Madrid. What followed was a week of hard work, run outs, being put in our place - and good memories.
Climbing The Southern France Ramble What was planned as a quick drive-by meetup between Martin, Brigitte and I on our respective ways north and south in France turned into a almost weeklong raid through the climbing areas and backroads of Cevennes and Ventoux regions.
Climbing In the land of vultures and limestone: Climbing in the Spanish outer Pyrenees After our great trip to the ranges of the Costa Blanca the year before we chose another region of Spain for this year's adventure and added two more players to the team - and we were welcomed with stunning landscape, great rock and perfect weather.
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Via Directa des Pilar on El Paredon / Puig Major Quick info * A straight and proud line on the right and side of the Paredon wall that goes right to the top. * Never really easy and with some distinct crux pitches. Less sustained than La Comon but harder than Socuellamos. * Long mildly technical scrambling descend or steeper scramble and walk
Climbing The multi pitch lines of Paret dels Coloms on Mallorca While the bigger lines in the area are all in the Sa Gubia Cirque the sheer of Paret dels Coloms on the opposite side of the valley has some impressive and unique medium length lines on offer.
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Via Socuellamos on El Paredon / Puig Major Quick info * The classic line on the crown jewel of a wall that is El Paredon (Puig Major). * A mix of harder, steeper pitches in the beginning with a traverse to an easy finish as the second part of the route. * Long mildly technical scrambling descend or steeper scramble and
Climbing A loop around the Sa Gubia Cirque The walls of Sa Gubia are THE playground for anyone who is looking for sport bolted multipitch lines on the island of Mallorca. Medium to hard climbing on solid rock in a beautiful Cirque that feels wild and exposed makes you want to come back here again and again.
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Agulla Forcada „El Bispe“ / Galatzo Quick info * Very aesthetic rock tower in a beautiful mountainous setting. * 3 pitches / 105 meters * 5a / 5c / 4b * Trad protection / only some fixed gear at belays and rappel stations * Descent via rappel two short or one longer rappel * Additional variantes and routes on the same tower (up to 5 additional
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Penyal Bernat / Port de Soller Quick info * A stunning rock tower in a fabulous location that can be climbed fairly easily in one long pitch. * Very crumbly rock and therefore risky * 1 pitch / 35 meters * 4b * No fixed gear except one expansion bolt right under the summit and a set of pitons on the top.
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Na Penyal Arista Brucs / Son Servera Quick info * Short climb up a rock tower adjacent to the Penyal face above the town of Cala Millor on the east coast * One or two pitches / 40 meters * 5b / 4b * Trad protected / any fixed gear is old and worn (except a new anchor at the top) * Walk off via
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Cavall Bernat East Arete / Port de Pollenca Quick info * An adventurous route in wild nature above the sea. * Wayfinding challenges on the approach and during the climbing. * 4 pitches / 185 meters * 3c / 4a / 3c / 3c * First three belays bolted, final belay needs to be built. All trad for intermediate protection. * Descent scramble and hike. General Forming the
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Via La Comon on El Paredon / Puig Major Quick info * One of the longest and most impressive lines in the island * Steep and technical climbing through the center of the Paredon wall on Puig Major * Long mildly technical scrambling descent or rappel * Fully bolted, but may need additional protection * 7 pitches / 280 meters * 6a / 5c / 5c / 5c / 6a+
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Albahida / Sa Gubia Quick info * THE classic multi-pitch line on the island that is very much worth doing. * A fairly long route on an impressive pillar that continues into a ridge scramble to the peak of Puig de Sa Gubia for a full day out. * Normally 7 Pitches (less or more are possible
Climbing A wild line above the sea - Climbing the Cavall Bernat East Arete Many visitors to Mallorca might know the Boquer valley as a great destination for hiking, climbers might even be aware of the boulders or the Agulla Boquer. However if you continue on out to the sea things get wild and a real alpine climb emerges.
vanlife Benasque and the Aneto - The heart of the Pyrenees This chapter of our ongoing exploration of the Iberian peninsula brought us into the central Pyrenees and the very heart of this range, the Benasque valley under the mighty Aneto.
Climbing Pico de Aneto - A solo climb of the highest mountain in the Pyrenees in a day During a cloudless and warm day in late September I took on the Aneto. Ascending via the classic, partly glaciated route and descending via what has become the new normal route. A long, arduous but at the same time beautiful and memorable day well spent.
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Espolon Aries / Penyal des Migdia Quick Info * A wild line on the second highest mountain of Mallorca * Combines a 70 meter high chimney system with different possible starts below and exits above * Poor rock quality, difficult wayfinding and few good gear placements make this a dangerous and committing route * Variant described here: 9 pitches / 260
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Sa Bretxa tower / Sa Calobra Quick info * A short adventurous climb on a very prominent and striking rock spire right by the famous Sa Calobra road * 2 pitches / 55 meters * 4b / 4c * Trad / only some old fixed gear * Rappel descent General The road down to Sa Calobra is an engineering marvel with its many, many
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Agulla de Frare (Via Normal) / Puig Major Quick info * Possibly the most iconic alpine climb in the Tramuntana * Route on a free standing spire right next to the highest mountains of the island on solid rock. * Fixed ropes to reach base of the climb * 5 pitches / 170 meters * 4b / 4b / 4c / 5b (4c/A0) / 4c * Trad protection
Mallorca Adventure Guide Multipitch: Agulla de Boquer (La Directa) / Port de Pollenca Quick info * Short approach and route with great views on very solid rock. * 3 pitches / 70 meters * 5c / 4c / 4c * Sport bolted / Possible missing bolts on pitch 1 * Descent via rappel only General The Boquer valley is formed by the impressive Cavall de Bernat ridge and the Serra d´Albercutx
Mallorca Adventure Guide Mallorca Adventure Guide: Logistics Most of the tours described in this book are clustered in and around the Tramuntana mountains stretching from the most westerly point of the island to the Formentor peninsula. Still you do not need to stay in or even close to the Tramuntana region. The island is small enough that
