Saturday's multipitch climb took place in Calpe's famous Peñon de Ifach, a curious rock formation shooting out of the Levante coast. This very popular place to climb has trad routes all over it's 300 high meter walls. Most of the routes are on the highly transited south face that looks over the ocean.
We decided to attack a tough route called Polvos Magicos which shares a couple pitches with Valencianos, the most popular route on the south face. Just so happens we chose the best day to go climbing. Jan. 8th turned out to be a very sunny and warm winter day on the mediterranean. At 10am, the temp. already registered 24ºC (75ºF). By the time we arrived at the foot of the route, we were already waiting in line and dodging rockfall. However, before we arrived we were blessed with a beautiful sunrise.
Pitch 1: Easy 3+, vertical at first but quickly arrives to bolts to belay.
Pitch 2: This is where things get tough. A pitch graded 5+ in most guides but due to its polished rock from so many climbers passing through, it easily jumps a grade. Holds are much harder to stick to and the wall looks like someone rubbed wax on it. Yet, it was bolted all the way to the anchor point.
Pitch 3: More like an easy traverse to the right over loose rock (be careful!!) but in the middle there is a huge rock lodged between the rising wall and the pretruding rocks below. Usually an easy move to accomplish, but again, since this route just has too much traffic, the rock is super polished. Even the best rock shoes don't stick. I was to lead on this pitch but decided to leave it to our more experienced climber, Pacho. He overcame the huge rock by jamming his body where he could fit. The body jam!
Pitch 4: Once we got out of P3, I was pissed off at how horrible this route had become with too many climbers in front of us and too many behind us. Over time leaving the rock the way it is, over-climbed, polished from oily hands and chalk. We all decided to stick to the easier route, Valencianos, to make a quicker ascent and avoid disgusting ourselves with the destoyed Polvos Magicos that awaits us another day. So Alex led P4 on Valencianos, at this point we are back in the sun and climbing 4+ rock.
Pitch 5: Finally I get to lead. Big moves, great holds, flat, polished rock and easily protected. The top of P5 is the ridge that overlooks Calpe. It was the best foto opportunity of the route.
Pitch 6: Right over the ridge and after a good spot to place a cam, up to a piton to protect highly exposed but easy moves with great holds. This last real pitch of the route is only about 20 meters long but vertical and exposed over Calpe. Alex led the pitch and as I was coming up behind, I thought, "what a great way to initiate Alex in trad climbing....hehe", sure enough when I reached the anchor point, Alex was excited to have led the last and most exposed pitch of the climb. Though in Pacho's mind, it was to be done unroped...
Pitch 7: This pitch actually done without ropes and protection. Easy grade II up to the summit.
Personally, I was not impressed with the route. It was too obvious that too many people had been up the Peñon. It takes a lot of excitement out of a climb when holds are polished and routes over-climbed. The whole climb was a waiting game for the group above to move on and we were always looking back to see groups waiting for us at anchor points below. In my opinion, not a fun way to climb.
Yet, at least I can say that I've been up the infamous Peñon. Perhaps we'll go another day when the weather isn't so perfect and less people will be on the stump to enjoy a tougher climb with less pressure to move off anchor points, etc. The north face is very intriguing....
Our line up the Peñon with description in Spanish can be seen on Elev-arte.com, here.
Version español se puede encontrar en Elev-arte.com, aquí.
Until next time.
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