Barcelona Rock

[alpinerack]

My wife and I are meeting in Barcelona after 3 months apart. We are hoping to do a couple days of rock climbing. Does anybody have any recomendations for the area. I was looking at Montserrat but am having a hard time finding appropriate info. We are looking for moderate clip up's as I am planning on only taking a rope and a dozen draws. Should I take trad gear? Any help would be much appreciated.

[gavastik]

How good is your Spanish?

http://www.caranorte.com/resenas/directorio/europa/espana/catalunya/montserrat/m.php

Mine isn't, don't ask me to translate...

 

I was in Montserrat for a hike last spring and saw a lot of via ferrata people, and not many climbers. But there's a ton of rock, and a lot of it is sparsely bolted. I don't know where you'd place pro though - the rock is featured conglomerate, but not so many cracks (if any at all). But then again, I've only seen a bit of the area, so YMMV.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Didnt one of the recent Alpinist issues have a story on Montserrat. Maybe some good starting info there. At least it is in english. Also check here for some other ideas:

http://www.rockfax.com/areas/country.html?id=2

 

Their guides are pretty useful IMO. I bought one when I went to Sardinia, although I also bought the complete local guide.

[Mr_Rogers]

I spent a day walking around MontSerrat in Spring of '03. I saw more than a few short clip-ups and a team on a longer multi-pitch sport route. So yes, there is sport climbing there.

 

As for info? Try spanish sites, or if you don't speak spanish, check out British climbing sites. If anyone has english info on climbing in spain, it would be the brits.

[tasmith513]

I spent about two weeks in Barcalona a couple years ago, and we got by great with the guides published by Roxfax on the Costa Durada and costa blanca. That covers just about everything around an hour's drive south of Barcalona, including Siurana, La Mussara, and Montsant, et al. I would highly recomend any of these areas in that area, as they are almost all made of impecable stone (mostly limestone or limestone conglomerate)and on top of that, include some of the most picturesque and ideal settings for climbing that I've experienced. I can't recall if rockfax has an extensive guide to the Montserrat climbing or not, but rockclimbing.com probably has something. Its a huge hunk of rock though, and depending on what sector you visit, you can either climb well bolted 5.11 and .12s, or clip scarry ring pitons half a century old, while overlooking the monastery and all of the related infrastructure for the tourists who visit there. The rock isn't near as nice at Montserrat compared to the other places though. Its interesting though--a very compact conglomerate that reminds me of fused, sharp gravel or something. But as I said, depending on your transportation situation, I recomend going south, finding a hostel in Cornudea, and spending a few days hitting all of the awesome limestone cragging around there. If you are looking for climbs more in the 5.9-5.10 range, they exist too, there are some nice ones, but most of the pitches are predominantly 5.11 or harder. And when you are done with that, you are right in the middle of Catalonian wine country... so there you go! What more could you ask for? If I ever get hitched, thats probably where I'll honeymoon! Have a good time!

[TimL]

Montserrat is very nice. You'll find long routes of to 10 pitches on the north side formations and you'll find nice sport routes on the south side. Nice place to spend a couple days.

 

Go to Libreria Desnivel. You can find it by going to the Desnivel website, there will be a link that takes you to the bookstore. There are two guides you can buy, one is for the north side routes (Montserrat, 390 vies d escalada) and the other is for the south side routes (Montserrat Cara Sur). Its possible that both books will be in Catalan, not Spanish.

 

Be careful, it gets really hot there in the summer.

[Thinker]

 

Be careful, it gets really hot there in the summer.

 

Ditto! I tried climbing along the coast (Toix) in September and was sweating too much to finish a route...all the while looking longingly at snorkelers right below us in the Med.

 

Take the train to Sitges or Vallencia and enjoy the beach.

 

fwiw, I still have Ade's Montserrat area guidebook "Sun Rock, Klettern Am Mittlemeer" in German and English. Does anyone have his mailing address or email?