A Couple Of Spanish Crags – Part 4

Riglos

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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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