All of the routes below have been checked by one of our party, or someone
standing close, to ensure their quality, even if they didn't get redpointed.
As useful and encouraging as the available guides are, it is best to
ask for local knowledge or better still watch someone else on your chosen
route before setting off. The grading, particularly in the
English guides is no doubt personal but always within a few notches
either side of the correct level. We found the routes either on
the easy side or quite hard. This led us to believe the grading
had been done from the ground or from a bar in Magaluf.
The Rock
The rock on the island varies a great deal in character but is as a
rule golden, rough and steep.
Warning - crag closures
LA CUENCO
The excellent, newly developed crag at La Cuenco, which has been
featured in the Spanish climbing magazine, Escalar is now closed.
Germans have bought the land, installed large dogs and are building
a big house on it. Obviously not climbers.
PORT SOLLER
The crag at Port Soller is also closed during the week as Swedes
have bought the land just above the crag and the Spanish builders tend
to drop stuff over the edge. Climbing is permitted at the weekends
when there is no building.
Favourites
| 6B+ |
UNNAMED NO.15 in the Rockfax (SES TRET)
20m
Excellent climbing up a corner / groove with a little pull over
the top lip. You could even do this one on gear if you like. |
| 6C |
BOBO DODO (FRAGUEL)
18m
Used as a warm up by the locals even though it is given 7b in the
Rockfax. Watch someone do it first, it really is only 6c - perhaps
6c+, if you get the sequence wrong.
BLOBLAND (PORT SOLLER)
30m
Major line with great positions on the top head wall. Start
up a steepish wall on delicate moves before stepping left onto
an overhanging slab (crux) and then moving up to a good rest before
tackling the wall above on good tufas blobs. Superb climbing.
|
| 6C+ |
JA SOM FIVE (PORT SOLLER)
Another good route. Easy for 6c+. |
| 7A |
JUNGLE-HOP (FRAGUEL)
28m
This route often gets overlooked as it is on the far left end of
the crag. However it has some of the best moves and climbing
at Fraguel and on the island. A change from the usual steepness
as it is intricate and never has any really hard moves. Only
a pumpy finish trying to reach the belay. Top end of 7a.
BUF!! (ALARO)
30m
Stunning situation on a mega-impressive wall that is underdeveloped.
|
| 7A+ |
UNNAMED NO.17 in the Rockfax (SES TRET)
20m
Great looking rock which provides some very entertaining and blind
climbing. Not too hard. Very good for photos.
FES EL QUE PUGIS (FRAGUEL)
20m
Another route with tufas, edges and pockets. Standard 7a+.
|
| 7B |
UNNAMED NO.12 in the Rockfax (SES TRET)
25m
Varied climbing which never gets too desperate until the top overhanging
groove which is very sharp. Take advantage of the good rest
at half height. Excellent route.
PHANTOMAS (PORT SOLLER)
20m
Upside down climbing on the largest holds on the island.
However this route is fairly pumpy, nearly always in the sun,
and smells of pigeons. Get use to heel hooking.
CLUB SUPER TRES (PORT SOLLER)
20m
Tricky start on big tufas leads to a good rest while you look
up at the possible combinations of moves and monos above.
Fantastic moves that leave you smiling and laughing. Top
end 7b. Not impossible as the Rockfax suggests. Give
it a go.
|
| 7B+ |
BOBO DODO (FRAGUEL)
25m
Given 7c in the Rockfax but this is nowhere close especially as
the lower belay is given 7b (- it is only 6c max.) This route
is tufatastic. One to flash, as the single crux move is just after
leaving the lower belay. After that it is continental style
climbing on big pumpy tufas.
TERRE D'AVENTURE (FRAGUEL)
20m
A route that gets tried a lot and has a truly magnificent crossover
move to gain the start of the tufa. Swarming up the tufa
is required to gain the belay before the pump sets in.
ALOHA FROM HELL (FRAGUEL)
20m
Another route that is frequently tried. This route provides
the main entertainment as willing victims attempt to come to grips
with the polished slopers on the lower part of the route and then
pull through the crux on a small pocket. Fairly hard for
7b+ but worth trying.
|
| 7C |
TOTEN HOSEN (LAS PERCHAS / CAIMIRI)
20m
This route must be on your list. Beautiful, powerful climbing
with a long move to a drilled pocket. However this move is
not the crux and it is possible to fall off at or just before every
clip leading to the belay.
UNNAMED NO.5 in the Rockfax (SES TRET)
20m
If you like good, positive pockets this is the route for you.
A thin start lets you join the 6C which you did as a warm up.
Continue up and right on good pockets to a hard move. Keep
pulling on good holds all the way to the belay. A truly
wonderful route is you can do the hard move in the middle.
LE GORILLE A UN BONE MINE (FRAGUEL)
28m
Easy start up tufas again to a harder sequence that leads straight
to a long throw to a huge hold (belay ledge). Have a good
shake out and try to remember your sequence for the top wall which
seems harder on the redpoint. Quality route.
|
| 7C+ |
MASTER HIT (LAS PERCHAS / CAIMIRI)
22m
The lower half of an 8b+ but well worth doing. Very, very
steep. No small holds on this one. A refreshing change
from the tufas which were getting a bit too much by now.
Don't try and do the last clip on the route.
PANTANO BOAS (FRAGUEL)
20m
Easy start up a tufa to increasingly "tricky" and frustrating
moves. All of the holds seem to be there but getting a sequence
seems impossible. A good resting hold is followed by the
crux pulls on an undercut drilled pocket to more tufas.
Addictive climbing.
|
| 8A |
FOOTBALL FAN (FRAGUEL)
27m
Monster long stamina pitch of quality swarming on tufas and crimps.
Easy tick compared to some of the 7c+s and even 7b+s.
A lot of people have a good go at onsighting / flashing this route
and get very high and excited only to be stopped by a long move
off two small crimps to a hold which is not as good as it looks
from the ground or to your belayer.
GOO GOO MACK (FRAGUEL)
25m
Another stamina classic just along from Football Fan. A
hardish move at mid-height leads to a better hold and a pumpy
sequence to some undercuts. Keep puffing and blowing in
true British style moaning about a lack of fitness to an easier
finish.
|
| 8A+ |
UNNAMED NO.2 in the Rockfax (SES TRET)
15m
Looked good from the ground so we tried it. Only looks about
7c+ from the ground, so we appointed ourselves members of the Sheffield
Mafia and instantly downgraded it. Can't be that hard
with holds that big! We agreed it might be a bit harder once
we had all tried it.
Huge manufactured holds at a ridiculously steep angle. Too
good to be natural. |
| 8B |
COMMANDO MADRID (LAS PERCHAS / CAIMARI)
28m
One of the most impressive lines on the island. Very steep
line up the middle of this cave on tufa blobs, large flakes, crimps
and pockets.
Pictures |
| 8B+ |
MASTER HIT (LAS PERCHAS / CAIMIRI)
25m
By now you should have the lower part (7c+) dialed so keep going
on good two finger pockets and undercuts. The crux being right
at the top as you pull over the bulge after throwing your right
heel above the lip.
NO NAME (FRAGUEL)
20m
The first 8b+ on the island and seems to be repeated by most people
(who are any good). We could see all of the holds
but doing anything with them is a different matter.
Swarm up the lower wall on tufa pinches and heel hooks before
moving left to a rest and then up the head wall on small holds.
|
| 8C |
 |
| 8C+ |
|
