A Couple Of Spanish Crags – Part 4

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Punsola Reniu

Punsola Reniu on Cavall Bernat.

In the morning, we woke up to find the entire mountain top socked in thick fog. After a leisurely coffee and pastry breakfast, we drove up and started the hike up. Things cleared up nicely and soon we were batmanning up the approach gully on fixed ropes. Punsola-Reniu route climbs the tallest aspect of the tower and reaches the summit in 7 very exposed and fun pitches. The route is very user-friendly and anything 6a and harder is essentially a bolt ladder. We freed the 6a pitches and some of the harder terrain but A0’ed much of the 6c sections (polished slick rock). Soon we were on the summit and being blasted by sudden winds. Seeing the surrounding formations from the top made us realize how large some of the walls were! Routes of 8 or 10 pitches are not uncommon, contrary to my previous (uneducated) belief. We really like the place and will return for more. We rapped the Normal Route and descended the steep gully affixed with knotted ropes.

The next morning we flew home from Barcelona. Our gear finally joined us a day later.

Photos

Montserrat

On the approach hike to Cavall Bernat the following morning (Sept. 2010).

Montserrat

Marine layer burning off (Sept. 2010).

Montserrat

Some fixed ropes on the scramble to the base of the route (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

The imposing south face of Cavall Bernat formation (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Starting up the magical Punsola-Reniu on Cavall Bernat (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley on pitch 1 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

At the first belay (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Pitch 2 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

A closer look at pitch 2 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley following pitch 2 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Arriving at the second belay station (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Pitch 3 perhaps (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Higher on pitch 3 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley on pitch 3 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

View from somewhere high on Punsola-Reniu route on Cavall Bernat. Climbers (4) on adjacent cliffs provide a nice sense of scale…cliffs are larger than my initial assumption about the place. Click photo for full res. (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

A closer look. Click for full res. (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Pitch 4 of Punsola-Reniu. Starting to get a touch steeper (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 4 with the impressive shadow of Cavall Bernat (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Higher on pitch 4 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Views from the route (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley climbing pitch 4 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley topping out on pitch 4 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Starting up pitch 5 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Pitch 5 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Can you spot the climbers? How about in full res.?

Punsola Reniu

More climbers under a huge roof. Click photo for full res. (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley on the spectacular pitch 5 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley arriving at the fifth belay (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Starting pitch 6 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 6 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Pitch 6: some free, some aid (bolt ladder; Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Another view down towards Shirley from the lead of pitch 6 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley following pitch 6 (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley at the sixth belay. One more pitch to the summit (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Starting up the 7th and final pitch of Punsola-Reniu. Spectacular position (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley at the final (hanging) belay on Punsola-Reniu route on Cavall Bernat (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Shirley topping out on pitch 7 and the summit of Cavall Bernat (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

View is to the SE with Gorros (I think) visible (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Yours truly on the summit with a piece of modern art (good belay anchor too; Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Shirley looking for the rap anchor on the “backside” of Cavall Bernat (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Windy descent down the backside (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Stalking continues.  Climbers under (and above) a huge roof. Clicky clicky for full res. (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

A closer look with high res. available (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Making progress. Click for full res. (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Descending the tower.  The Normal Route follows the obvious dihedral to summit in three pitches (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Fixed lines in the descent gully (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

An unknown party on a different route I think. Click photo for full res. (Sept. 2010).

Punsola-Reniu

Shirley batmanning down fixed ropes in the descent gully (Sept. 2010).

Punsola Reniu

Two climbers topping out on Cavall Bernat. Click for full res. (Sept. 2010).

Montserrat

Heading home (Sept. 2010).

Barcelona

Shirley at BCN waiting for our flight (Sept. 2010).

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