Rainy Riglos 1 | chossclimbers.com

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Normal Route (6b, 8P) on El Puro

Following pitch 1 or 2 of El Puro (May 2010).

The following day we returned and climbed the Normal Route on El Puro (Cigar), a semi-detached spire on the face of the huge Pison tower. The first three pitches follow some clean and steep dihedrals and grooves on the left side of the Pison (we did the direct start per guidebook). The climbing takes a bit of getting used to: steep bulges on good if polished rocks partially embedded in the ambient sandstone. After a short but very wet section of steep pocket pulling, we reached the lower angle chimney formed by the Puro and the Pison. This brought us to the beautifully exposed final two pitches up the side of the spire. Shirley started up and promptly pulled off one of the encrusted “potato” stones taking a short but freaky fall (nearly landed on her back on a ledge). Other than a bruised arm, she was unscathed and finished her lead. My final lead involved overcoming the crux 6b (~5.10) bulge just below Puro’s summit – short but steep! An airy summit (quite chossy too) was the reward. A quick series of raps brought us back to the base and a pork- and wine-rich dinner.

Photos

Formations of Riglos in May of 2010 (with a pretty poppy flower in the foreground).

El Pison is the huge tower (photo is not distorted, the face actually overhangs as shown) and the semi-detached El Puro (Cigar) is the obvious needle-like spire on Pison’s face (May 2010).

Murillo – a village close to Riglos (May 2010).

With all the rain, we had some ‘splorin time. Rio Gallego y Mallos de Riglos (May 2010).

Our favorite bakery in the village of Ayerbe ( a few kilometers drive from Riglos) is just down the street and on the right (May 2010).

Village of Aguero at night (May 2010).

View of the Mallos from the village of Aguero (May 2010).

A rainy day spent checking out the nearby town of Huesca (May 2010).

Best meal of the day in Aragon – pastrycentric breakfast including cafe con leches. Some place in Huesca (May 2010).

The beautiful southwest face of El Pison Tower…the lines here are on the order of 8 pitches in length and very very steep. El Puro is on the left (May 2010).

El Pison is the huge tower (photo is not distorted, the face actually overhangs as shown) and the semi-detached El Puro (Cigar) is the obvious needle-like spire on Pison’s face (May 2010).

Back to El Puro…pitch 1 of the Normal Route (May 2010).

Following pitch 1 or 2 of El Puro (May 2010).

A fixed belay anchor low on the Normal Route on El Puro…bit jingus looking but solid (May 2010).

Shirley leading pitch 4 (?) of the Normal Route (May 2010).

Shirley belaying me atop the chimney on pitch 6 of the Normal Route (May 2010).

Following the easy chimney on pitch 7ish of El Puro’s Normal Route (May 2010).

Shirley leading the 7th pitch of the Normal Route on El Puro (1 pitch below the summit; May 2010).

Leading the final 2 pitches to the summit of El Puro (May 2010).

Shirley topping out on El Puro. El Pison is the wall on the left and Riglos the village is below. The belay consisted of my fat ass and 3 old pins driven into sand…all equalized of course (May 2010).

The 250 meter Mallo Fire as seen from the summit of El Puro (May 2010).

Shirley on the summit of El Puro. Mallo Fire is in the background (May 2010).

Hiking out after our first climb in Riglos with the impressive El Mallo Fire in the background (May 2010).

Go to Part 2.
Go back to Riglos page.