In this entry, I hope to shed some light on this excellent climb with a true alpinism spirit only 1 hours drive from Valencia city. Furthermore, you will find proper information to guide you on your climb of the Torreon de la Moneda, what I will otherwise call in English the Coin Tower.
**Be aware that in the Parque Natural de Hoces de Cabriel, it is prohibited to rock climb on the Cuenca side (or right side) of the river, limiting your opportunities to the Valencian side of the park which include Alto de Contreras & Torreon de la Moneda**
Again our customary access to the park and excellent bivi takes place in my VW California. We slept long and well after some hot pasta and a good chat over white wine.
We started out on the hike at 8:40 in the morning and took our time approaching the climb as there was plenty to see and plenty of pictures to take. The approach is very easy as the trail is wide and flat. In the afternoon as we wandered back to the van, entire families and mountain bikers were touring the area, yet in the morning we were all to ourselves with great views of the Cuchillares. It reminded me of pictures from the Torres in Patagonia and I began to call the area, Valencia's little Chatlen.
During the approach, we walked throughout the Cuenca side of the park finding old cragging grounds. Here you can see the top quality continuous limestone cracks that we once climbed only a few meters from the trail (according to some, folks used to drive right up to the bottom of the one-pitchers). Following the old crags, a huge limestone wall full of crests and fine ridges that offer infinite possibilities for climbing.
North face of Coin Tower and Alto de Contreras
As you turn the corner, one of the most outstanding towers to climb in the entire park and sadly enough prohibited, is the Cabriel Tower (Torre de Cabriel) which towers in front of Coin tower with about 7 established routes, 1 of those routes was done entirely by aid climbing. The only half-way realiable information out there about this climbing area can be found in Spanish at: http://www.malditoduende.net/Cuchillarcontreras/Zonas.html
East Face of Cabriel Tower
After passing under Cabriel Tower, we passed under a tunel and finally arriving the the most characteristic passing in all of my mountaineering experiences: the plank-less steel bridge. From here I will officially outline the climbing guide for the west ridge of Coin Tower.
Climbing Guide: Coin Tower (Torreon de la Moneda), West Ridge, V, 170m
Access:
From Valencia take A-3 in direction Madrid until you reach the exit for Villargordo de Cabriel, exit and go towards town until you reach the sign for N-III Minglanilla, take that direction until you reach a easily missed intersection to access the Puerto de Contreras. Turn here and follow the road until you pass the camping, bungalows, and bar on your right hand side. You have the option of sleeping there or if you have a van, keep going until you reach a sign that directs you to the Multiaventura area. Turn there and follow the road until you reach two large pillars that mark the entrance to the multiaventura grounds. You may want to sleep
off their ground and drive in to their parking in the morning to avoid the local guard.
Approach:
The approach is detailed in the above lines of this blog entry. Start out at the multiaventura parking and haul your gear about 30-45mins following the trail that leads to the obvious steel bridge. Once at the steel bridge, be cool like everyone else and cross it with only one hand (actually two hands is the safest way).
Approach cont.:Once you cross the unmissable steel bridge follow the right hand side of the rock wall, following the wall upwards through thick brush until you reach an area where you can make 180 to your left. Be aware that you will have to bushwack. Once you take a left, work your way finding the trail that leads to the base of the climb. You will know when you are close when you see an old plate that reads "Amic i Co" and a few bolts up the right hand side of the wall. Our route actually begins further to the left of this route in a big splitter.
The climb (in french grade):
At the base of the splitter, its easy III, yet I would suggest roping up here to save time once your in the game.
Pitch 1: Climb up the wide splitter and over a few boulders (IV) tending to your right until you reach a flat canal that walks up to two bolts facing the west with two rap rings in them.
Pitch 2: Here you have two options, yet either option is an awkward V grade move until you reach a bolt that leads to IV grade. Option 1 - take the right side and place some pro in the diedre to move up two big moves on friction and reach around to your left to find the bolt and swing back into the original route. Option 2 - Climb straight up the crack where you will find a loose area to place pro and is obviously unsafe to climb with your partner right underneath the loosly hanging rock (hence the reason I opted for option 1).
Keep moving up easy IV grade crack and enjoy until you reach a single bolt with a huge rock on your left, don't be fooled, this is not your stance, keep on going towards your right and over the bolt to your left you will find two bolts together, again with a rap ring. This is the end of pitch two.
Pitch 3: The most beautiful and exposed pitch of the climb and also the longest pitch of the climb. Out of the stance, climb on easy ground towards your left but in the direction of a huge round bush. About at the height of the bush you will find a bolt, clip in, keep going. Webbing, clib in and keep on higher until you reach a bulge. Here you can slip in a cam and in an arms length you will find a old reliable piton. Have faith and push over this move (V) on top of the bulge, nicely protected. After a body's length you will find a nice rock bridge to sling up in your right hand. Keep on until you reach an overhanging area, here you can place pro. Move to your left, place pro, and up and then you'll see the final stance where there are two bolts hanging over the void.
Pitch 4: From here it's easy III grade climbing until you reach the crest. At the crest there are two more bolts facing the west and a very comfortable stance.
Pitch 5 & 6: Climb along the crest of the tower and protect your moves where you can. Be careful for loose rock and bad pro. These two pitches put together sum up to about 80 meters, so unless you have a long rope, the leader will have to set up a stance over two huge boulders laying together with a small tree at about 55 meters or simul-climb until you reach a single bolt on the very top of the Tower! SUMMIT.
Descent: Follow the crest down white flat blocks, downclimbing very carefully (or you can opt to rap this section from the single bolt where we left a rap ring, except we made the error of rapping down the wrong side of the crest and straight into a canal on the west side of the tower - the wrong side). Moving down the blocks look for a large tree on your left side. The tree will be sitting over two bolts and chain with a proper rap ring to set up a long, overhanging rappel. This rap is right at 30 meters so, dont take a 50 meter rope on this climb unless you have a two 50 meter ropes. This is the east side of the crest that leaves you in a cool air, beautiful canal with walls on both sides full of vines.
Once you are in the canal of vines, follow the only way down in the direction of the river. Keep going and tend to your left until you have reached the stance that was your first anchor point during the ascent. From these two bolts you will rap to a tree and from the tree make another short rap to the base of the climb. Grab your gear and make a dash back to the car.
Photos courtesy of Pacho Perini
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