Chulilla - a tufa paradise

Chulilla - a rockers paradise

Chulilla

Premier, it sounded like a great idea, to book a late season trip to the sunny Spain. A good place to meet up and enjoy some good food, coffee and limestone. Also a good time to escape a wintery Chamonix and push the ski season a bit forward. The choice fell on Chulilla. A modern limestone dream with a lot of steep climbing on pockets and tufas. It was even promised some crack routes. 

Let's go!

tung rott...Malaga in tears!

A week before going I started to watch the weather forecasts. Didn't look to promising. 

Huge flooding in Valencia and heavy rain all over the sector. 

And typically, the weather in Cham was super warm, perfect climbing conditions, in the absence of snow. 

Good choice!!

After a week end in a chilly Stockholm I felt a little more motivated and after a de-tour via las Palmas I arrived in a late evening at Valencia airport. And yes, it was raining. 

We quickly cleared the car hire and headed the 40 min drive west to our goal. Straight forward easy drive. Found our apartment for the stay and got set. 

first house on the left, the Bar!

As always a good cup of java lightens up any dark clouds. And this morning even the birds was singing. But they got it stopped rapidly with huge amounts of water, free falling from the sky. 

Any thoughts of climbing was to be abandoned. We could always do some sightseeing!? 

But as we already know, that isn't our thing really so after a couple of hours we decided to at least ignore the rain and go to have a "look see". Get some fresh air and have a look over the potential. And just bring the equipment just in case. 

Of course, it ended up with me high on a most humid 6b, I think you could call it slippery as wet. 

But I had seen my line and after rain there is sun, right?!

Muro de las lamentaciones

Chulilla is very easy to get to, if you have a car. A 40min drive from Valencia, which is the closest airport. 

The climbing has been developed over the years but it's only the closest sectors that is somewhat polished. As always. Walk a little and there is a huge potential. 

And since the walls are facing north/south it's possible to climb late in the season as well as during the warmer months. 

The big issue is just the amount of people. Stay away during the bigger holidays!

Finding places to stay is mostly quite easy, camping, Hotel and Airbnb apartments. Or the climbing hostel overlooking the village as well as the climbs. If you can make it trough the gates that is:-)

Super Zeb, the best 7c in the gorge

the climbing

The routes are mostly of a steep character. But on high quality rock, for most of the sectors, as well as good bolts and anchors. 

Since the routes is somewhat long a minimum of 70mts rope should be brought. A 80m isn't a bad choice. And some 20QD's. 

Most of the climbs is to be found down the canyon after the river that runs through the area. And there is climbing from 1min approach to 40min. 

There is a couple of ways to get to the area of Oasis and its neighbor walls. Which are the best ones in quality. I recommend everybody to parlay the first parking after the recycle station by the river. Instead of driving around the whole area just to get some 10min shorter walk. It's a good warm up and very scenic.

Busy times at Oasis Wall

There is a number of "must does" but most of them are to be found from 6c and up. If that's your maximum it will be a difficult stay. 

1/because the number of good routes between 5-6 is low. 

2/a lot of people on the the whole time. 

3/the south European style is often to occupy the route in some family outdoor day. So if it's one team on it, there can be some 2,3,4 others in the same team. So get a good picture.

And, there is something about Spaniards and their dogs...most of them are nice, the dogs, but there is a little to much layback attitude many times.
This one, well we wasn't quite sure what it was. A Gremlin was the closest we got.

the Gremlin "thing"

Gradings

Actually we found the routes graded 6b+/6c often harder in someway than a 7a. The sixes often had a super hard crux at some point with the sevens more predictable. And since the bolts on the higher grades often are quite close, don't hesitate to give it a try. 

el Diagonal 6c

The second day, a bit clear sky's but with all the previous rain accumulated in the soil, it was still like heavy raining in the tufa areas. 

But slowly my motivation was coming back to me and I started to enjoy the climbing. And with that started to climb better. Working the days until last sun rays and walking out in the dark. Finishing the days at the local climbers hung out at the parking. Very polite community of climbers and easy to find people to climb with if you show up alone or your partner is taking a rest day. 

If you are a true climber, you should not miss out El Diagonal. A two pitch adventure at the Sexy Shop sector. A must do! Take good care of pitch 2, it has many opinions regarding the grade...

An other good line is El Oasis 7a, Odin 6c, Eco Dildo7a+(guess at what sector?) Plan Z 7a, Placebo 6c+, la Seduction 7a and Nazarten 7b, to mentions a couple. As you understand, there is quite many.

Two briljant 7a is Top of the Rock and Zona Facil.

Anna following pitch2 of El Diagonal

Every time I saw "my line" my mental focus grow bigger. And after being able to send a few harder routes I started to think it could be done. 

A long sustained and technical 7c. More then just a sport route, it was actually an obvious line. "Super Zeb"

But on the second last day, after having some serious trouble on a 7a+, I simply gave up the idea. 

Which in the end sent me below it anyhow, all other optional routes occupied. So either just stand and wait, it was getting late in the day, or do some climbing. 

We're not the kind of waiting. 

So rack up and take off. Expecting to slip of at any point it just flows on...

close to the crux at Super Zeb 7c

Equipment

Chulilla Rock climbing topo, can be bought at the local climbing Bar 

or at the tobacco shop in the town square

Minimum 70mts rope

20QDs

A good rope bag!

Sometimes it looked useful with a clip stick since the first bolt could be quite high. Possible to make one from the bamboo at the river. Or just borrow. 

A good link to the local crag is at 

http://chulillaclimbing.com

//Bring a big umbrella and you will have a blast!

Via dei Ottoz - Aig. Croux

Via dei Ottoz, Val Veni Italy - Courmayeur

aiguille Croux to the right of the Rifugio

  This south side of Mont Blanc holds a big number of good high quality rock climbs. Much less famous then its northern neighbor of Chamonix.
One reason could probably be that the info of this routes and the whole area is much less described...so why I am writing this? Should just keep it quiet!
Well, the other reason would be that the access to the rifugios and the climbs is much longer by foot, no lifts to make it quicker/easier, its pure walk by foot. And many times quite demanding by it self.
As one friend of mine once told me,
-the hike up is just by it self an adventure!
But the payment is superb and the views are stunning, as well as the exposure.

Approach begins...

  We decided to go for a long classic route via rifugio Monzino - "via Ottoz" on Aiguille Croux.
A 350 meter climb over 13 pitches with maximum 6a and 5c as obligatoire. Easy accessed from Monzino, as far as you just up there!, and straightforward climbing, mostly on good rock as you find it in the mountains.
And just as important, the descent is mostly done by foot! A couple of short rappels from the summit part. But still, a long day out if the plan is to descent all the way back to the valley and Courmayeur afterwards. A plan that we for sure had made up already, this was the type of ballade that was to be enjoyed with some good italian cousine afterwards, together with the rest of the ingredients.

Hanging around at le Diosaz

  After a slow but interesting morning with some warm up climbs in Servoz at le Diosaz. And some short impulse shopping at a local out-door supplier we headed off thought the tunnel to the "sunny side" and the land of great espresso!

Interesting still, but after have been living for such a long time in CHX I hadn't really been driving that high up in Val Veni before. Just skied it a number of times! And never been up to Manzino before. And as usual the parking it self was the hardest part to deal with, where to place the Ford...
But finally, a bunch of top packing the sac and we was "en route".
Once on the track it is easy....

  Heading up the valley we soon found the first part of the famous via ferrata, which actually make the whole thing possible to get up to the hut and the base of the mountain it self.
Quite funny to think of, a big great installation up a more or less impossible face so climbers can get to something even more impossible looking face...

Busy busy...

  A 2 hour walk and we arrive at a very quiet rifugio, well almost, a couple close to doing some activity  who for sure ain´t expecting any company at that time is just about to inside.
And our entre is a bit ... situation difficile ...for a moment but quite soon its lighten up and we are all well installed inside.
the only problem turns out to be the water issue. With two big glaciers, one on each side of the hut, it feel a bit strange that there is no fresh water available. The solution is a 15min hike up the path and the bigger ravin which still is flowing with some fresh stuff.
With all bottle swell filled I just recon the next days walk to the cliff and head back for a late dinner with a view.

The 6 a clock alarm is as always most expected, waking up just the usual 30seconds before it fires of.
And my morning coffee feels better than usual with a sun rise that could melt anyone, a magic light over the massif slowly warming up the mountains and its habitants.

"Born by the Mountains - shaped by stones and hard rocks"

  The regular light mountain breakfast is quickly played and we head of towards todays goal, Voi Ottos. Named after Arturo Ottoz, a well know Courmayeur guida, who together with Eugenio Hurzeler climbed this route back in 1935. The route is famous for being hard to place gear on, which has changed quite a bit these days since it has big number of bolts on it as well as belays.
Safer, sure! But has taken a big amount of adventure away!!
The only place that isn't really well protected is the 6a crux, quite hard 6a as well. A very airy step which shows sign of being protected with a fixed sling, long time ago.

Approaching Croux

The climbing is very involving, most enjoyable and variated. The regular route finding is not challenging but since there is a number of bolts heading all ways of direction it would still be easy to head off somewhere else here and there.

  The start of the route is mostly easy climbing/scrambling. And after the crux section it gets back to that again, it is just to keep focus for some loose holds and steps.
The feeling of climbing on this wall is most pleasant, with big mountains surrounding us with its famous big routes as Inominata and the impressive arete du Peuterey.
Pure alpine history area.

After the last pitches which takes us up to the col and join the norma route up Aig. Croux there is 2 short pitches of easy scrambling to the top.
And from there its a short airy walk over to the real summit, just some minutes away. A couple of snacks later, on which Jan descends an impressive sandwich down an apparently hungry trout we start the long descent back down, rappelling down the normal route.

Kari on Air

Some short rappels is finally followed by a trail well marked by cairns, which at some places on the more exposed side. So its not a bad alternativ to keep the harnesses on.
Once back down at the rifugio Kari has suffered more than just bad from toe eating shoes...the non played pain is easy to espy. And still, we have some 1000 vertical meters to go....its gonna be a well deserved dinner for someone!

Route
Voie Ottoz (Ottoz - Hurzeler 1935)
Grade 6a, 5c obligatory
Altitude: 350m, 13 Pitches
Equipment; 7-9QD´s, some extra mid size nuts and midsize Friends useful.
50m rope or 40mx2

Time

Matériel du Ottoz

1 1/2 h approach from Monzino
4-5h for the climb
2 - 2 1/2h for descent back to the hut

Starting point: 
Parking for rifugio Monzino at 1560m
Rif Monzino: 2590m
Aig. Croux: 3256m

Kari and Janne on the upper part and final pitch of climbing

Lower summit on Aig. Croux

//Most people don’t even know enough to know how little they know.

Bec de Raté - Via dei Diamante

Bec de Raté - Via dei Diamante

Bec de Raté

  If you want to get away from the crowds the small valley of Champorcher is a nice hide out.

A little quiet village well hidden up on the east flank of Gran Paradiso, Aosta valley.

On Bec de Raté there is a couple of interesting climbs and ”Via dei Diedri” 6a is probably the most known route. A 9pitch climb with mostly grade 4 and 5 and a couple of 6a sections. This is a bit older route so the bolts isn’t anything close to up to date!

Anna on the middle section of via dei Diamante 6b

  Its Neighbor ”Via dei Diamante” is of a newer standard on mostly good bolts and belays.

It starts on 2050m and tops out on 2417mts with some crux pitches up to max 6b. The start is actually the hardest part! Mostly short pitches except one middle pitch which is close to 50m. So for retreat or rappelling the route it is necessary with 2x50m ropes. But easiest to walk of from the summit back down to the parking. Just look watch out for the cows!!

The general information about this area and routes is quite hard to find, mostly on Italien, but when you have found the sign with the route name, your at the right spot, easy as that.

We finally had a couple of days of at the same time but due to cold and snowy days before our main goal had to be left untouched this time. Instead we took the opportunity to cross the tunnel over to the sunny val d´Aosta and the area around Arnad and Donnas for a bit of enjoyable sporting, clipping bolts and drinking good Italian Espresso.

Sporting at Donnas, val d´Aosta

But since we both are more into longer routes some investigation well performed by Anna we found a good alternativ which could be of interest.

And as always Ford was interested as well to head into unknown areas so off we went.

And even though the road keep getting worse we arrived at the parking after some hours driving up the valley of Champorcher and Dondena village.

The mountain it self is quite obvious which make sorting out the hike and finding the path quite easy with some 20min  walk up to the face from the parking

Anna following on "Diamante"

Via dei Diamante - Anna on the summit pitch

Having fun on via dei Diamante - photo Anna Backlund

Once a the base of the cliff there is a bit of "scrambling” but after sorting out the differens between herbes and arbres things went easier.

With the ground info that it should start just next and rightwards of an obvious diedré it came very clear when we also spotted the painted little rock with the text ”Diamante”.

The rack for this route is very easy, 10QD´s. And once the first obstacle is overcome the rest runs mostly easy. 

Route

Via dei Diamante, 6b max, 400mts

Equipment

50m rope (2x50 in case of rappelling)

10QD´s

All fixed belays

Approach

Drive up val d´Champorcher from Hône via route SR2 and drive trough the village of Dondenaz.

Follow the winding road that goes into a dirt road. From the road there is a sign for Lac Raty (9A). Follow that until a big open field which is crossed at the lower part and look for a faint footpath that heads to the bace of the rock face.

Follow the path under the face leftwards and on some small ledges with herbs, the route starts just before the small diedre formation, sign ”Diamante". 20min walk

Descent

Walk of back towards the parking, follow the cairns. Approx 1h

// Det krävs alltid några krossade ägg för att fixa en god omelett.