A Couple Of Spanish Crags – Part 1

Riglos

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Chooper
Shirley high on Chooper.

Following a restless night in a roadside motel, we dragged our jetlagged bodies up the short approach through the narrow streets of Riglos the village towards the base of the Pison tower. Plan was to warm up on a route which we never finished last time due to rain. Chooper clocks in at 6b and is 5 pitches long. It climbs the right edge of Pison’s amazing looking east face to about mid-height. From there another (aid) route could be followed straight up to the summit or one can cut right into an easy gully system (Pany Haus) for two pitches to the rap line. The first three pitches (5c, 6a, 5c…I think) went smoothly and brought back fond memories of pulling over bulges on cobble stones. The fourth pitch though a touch more spaced out bolt-wise was moderate and went smoothly as well. The crux fifth pitch was a kick in the nuts for me however. After getting through a couple hard (already) bulges, I came to a series of improbably steep moves with poor handholds and worse feet. Much hanging and cursing ensued and eventually the difficulties were overcome with aid. Oh well – the difficulty difference between the 6a and the 6b pitches on Chooper felt astronomical …at least to me. From there, we traversed over to the two easier pitches of Pany Haus (5a). A longish but very friendly series of rappels brought us down. Not exactly a warm up route…more like a confidence shattering one.

Photos

Chooper
Shirley on the approach hike to Chooper route on Pison (big tower in photo). El Puro is the semi-detached spire on the left (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Starting up Chooper (September 2010).
Chooper
Pitch 1 (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Shirley arriving at the first belay (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Starting up the second pitch (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Shirley on pitch 2 (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Shirley arriving at the second belay (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Starting up pitch 3 of Chooper (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Shirley atop the second pitch (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Shirley nearing the top of pitch 3 (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Starting up pitch 4 (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Some overhangs or panzas (bellies; Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Shirley on pitch 4 of Chooper (August 2021).
Chooper
Nearing the top of pitch 4 (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Village of Riglos from high on Chooper route (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Looking back at Shirley from the start of pitch 5 (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Shirley arriving at the fifth and final belay (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Top of Chooper proper (August 2010).
Chooper
Shirley making her way up the easy Pany Haus pitch to reach the rappels (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Mallo Fire as seen from the col (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Traversing to the start of the raps (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
More views of Mallo Fire (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Unknown climbers on Fisura Gallego-Carrillo (6a A2). View is from the high shoulder on the right side of El Pison. Click photo for full res. (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
A combination of via ferratas and rappels (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Rapping down gullies (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Back at the base (Sept. 2010).
Riglos
South face of El Pison (Sept. 2010).
Chooper
Unknown party at the crux of Chooper (Sept. 2010).
Murciana
An unknown party high on Murciana on El Pison. Click photo for a full res. version (Sept. 2010).
El Puro
El Puro. Click photo for a full resolution version (Sept. 2010).
El Puro
El Puro in all of its phallic glory with two climbers on top. Click photo for high res. (Sept. 2010).
El Puro
A closer look. Clicky clicky for higher pixel density (Sept. 2010).
Riglos
Riglos (Sept. 2010).

Go to A Couple Of Spanish Crags – Part 2.
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