23 de Agosto del 2023 | ESCALADA
PEDRAFORCA. ESCALADA EN LA MONTAÑA ENCANTADA
El Pedraforca es una de las montañas con más mitos y leyendas que existen.
El Pedraforca es una de las montañas con más mitos y leyendas que existen.
El Pollegó Superior (2.506 metros) es la cima más alta del macizo del Pedraforca, localizado en la comarca del Berguedà, entre los pueblos de Gósol i Saldes. El Pedraforca ha sido escenario a lo largo de los años de escaladas legendarias, tanto en roca como en hielo, aunque a la cima también se puede acceder andando. A pie, existen dos caminos clásicos: uno remonta una larga, vertical y desafiante tartera, a los pies de la cual se accede pocos kilómetros después de partir desde el Refugio Lluís Estasen, situado en una bella pradera a 1.675 metros de altitud. El otro camino sube por la Canal del Verdet, un trazado vertical y exigente, en el que incluso habrá que utilizar las manos para progresar en algún momento.
Si tienes conocimientos de escalada y te apetece disfrutar de un ambiente de alta montaña en todos los sentidos, la manera más elegante de llegar hasta alguno de los puntos culminantes del Pedraforca es escalando.
La historia de la escalada en el macizo del Pedraforca la empezaron a escribir Lluís Estasen, Josep Puntas, Jofre Vila i Josep Rovira, que tras varios intentos, el 30 de junio de 1928, consiguieron abrir un inteligente trazado a lo largo de la cara norte de la montaña para acabar coronando la cima del Calderer.
La “Vía Estasen”, nombre de la ruta, es un itinerario de unos 600 metros aproximadamente, con dificultades de hasta IV+. La vía está escasamente equipada y a pesar de lo que pueda aparentar la reseña, es necesario saber navegar por la pared para seguir siempre el recorrido más lógico. El ambiente es salvaje y alpino, hecho que convierte a la actividad en una jornada de escalada clásica con mayúsculas.
Si quieres saber más sobre la historia de la primera ascensión de la cara norte del Pedraforca puedes ver el documental “L’altra cara de la forca” (2008), una recreación histórica de la escalada de Estasen, Vila y Rovira. Puedes verlo aquí.
Aunque sin duda alguna la “Vía Estasen” es la vía de escalada más conocida del Pedraforca, en el macizo existen otras muchas posibilidades para disfrutar de una de las mejores rocas calizas de toda la Península Ibérica.
También en la cara norte, una de las alternativas a la “Vía Estasen” durante los meses más cálidos del año es la “Homedes” (430m V+/AO). Es vía llega a hasta la cima del Gat, característica cumbre conocida con ese nombre por recordar a un gato.
La primera ascensión de la “Homedes” data del año, cuando la realizaron Francesc Homedes, Bernard Boixeda, Ramon Albareda un 8 de septiembre. La vía está semi equipada y además de unas cuantas cintas exprés harán falta un juego completo de aliens, friends hasta el #3 y algún empotrador. La dificultad es muy mantenida en el IV+, con pasajes puntuales de V/V+.
Para descender de la cima del Gat primero haremos un rápel, que nos dejará en la omnipresente tartera, por donde también bajaremos si hemos escalado la “Vía Estasen”.
Muchas veces pensamos que para disfrutar de la alta montaña tenemos que viajar hasta los Pirineos, Alpes o Dolomitas, pero nos olvidamos de otros lugares de visita obligada. El macizo del Pedraforca es uno de ellos. Una montaña con un punto culminante a 2.506 metros de altura sobre el nivel del mar, unas vistas impresionantes y un ambiente alpino excepcional. Una vez en la vida hay que escalar en el Pedraforca.
Empezar a escalar no es tan fácil como iniciarse en deportes como el baloncesto, la natación o el running. Además de contar con el material adecuado, es necesario conocer unas maniobras básicas de seguridad, cuestiones técnicas y porque no, pautas de comportamiento, tanto si vas a escalar en el rocódromo como en la roca.
VER MASLlega el invierno y apetece escalar al sol. Os dejamos tres sectores imprescindibles de Margalef para escalar a gusto en los días más fríos del año.
VER MASNos puedes contactar via email a [email protected] o por teléfono al (+34) 645 432 307. O rellenando el formulario de contacto en el siguiente link.
Had an amazing time learning to multi-pitch with Santi and Mariano in Montserrat. They were patient with us and taught us everything we need. We ended the day by climbing El Gorro Frigo (5 pitches).
(Translated by Google) It has been a very good experience taking the climbing initiation course, we have learned basic concepts in a very entertaining and fun way. 100% recommendable. Surely we will repeat with the course a little more advanced! Thank you Santi and Guillem!
(Original) Ha sido una muy buena experiencia realizar el curso de iniciación a la escalada, hemos aprendido conceptos básicos de manera muy amena y divertida. 100% recomendable. Seguro que repetiremos con el curso un poco mas avanzado! Gracias Santi y Guillem !
I organised a 4hr climbing session in Siurana for 10 children (mostly aged 8-9) and Santi was super easy to communicate with and organise everything remotely. He arranged 2 guides, all the equipment, safe briefing and everything you would need for a half day of fun climbing. The kids really enjoyed themselves and learnt so much along the way. Some were beginners, others had climbed before and the guides were very helpful and supportive. I highly recommend Southclimb and we can’t wait to go climbing with them again.
(Translated by Google) Brutal fear management course! Highly recommended to have strategies to deal with it! Some cracks Santi and Sol!!
(Original) Brutal el curso de gestión del miedo! Muy recomendable para tener estrategias para afrontarlo! Unos cracks Santi y Sol!!
(Translated by Google) A great experience with a better professional !!! 100% recommended.
(Original) Una gran experiencia con un mejor profesional!!! 100% recomendado.
Santi hosted 5 of us amateur climbers in Siurana for 5 days, most of whom had never climbed outdoors before. We felt so safe with Santi as a guide, and he was able to provide climbing support as well as local recommendations (and jokes) at the same time! We all definitely leant a lot from him.
(Translated by Google) I did an initiation course with Santi and it was amazing, I learned a lot and I had a great time, super nice at all times and above all very concerned about safety. As soon as I can I will sign up for more activities! I highly recommend it!!!
(Original) Hice un curso de iniciación con Santi y fue una pasada, aprendí un montón y me lo pasé genial, super agradable en todo momento y sobretodo muy preocupado por la seguridad. En cuanto pueda me apuntaré a más actividades! Lo recomiendo a tope!!!
Santi is the best climbing guide you can imagine. As a reference, we two are 6a-7a climbers, but we wanted a local guide to help maximize efficiency in a foreign area. He was highly recommended to us by a friend who Santi guided a few months back, and he was as wonderful as described. He takes his role as Guide seriously and comprehensively, from helping you plan ideas for areas to concentrate on, considerations of weather and season, logistics for where to stay and how to get there (he picked us up one day, and we met him in our car another), as well as making himself available to help with any other questions or needs for the trip as a whole (not just the climbing part). Our long chain of detailed texts show how dedicated and sincere he is in wanting to help plan the best trip possible for you. This was highly unique, unexpected, above and beyond, and much appreciated. Before you've even met, he treats you more like a friend coming to visit Spain than a client that he is just doing business with, and that warmth goes a long way and sets him apart from most any other guide I've experienced (i've had great guides in my life, so this just reinforces Santi's particularly special character). Like I really felt like we were friends, and still feel like we are, as he reaches out and keeps in touch still and I really appreciate that relationship. Humanity, sincerity, and kindness in business--what a crazy (wonderful) concept! As a climbing guide specifically: he is consummately professional, impressively knowledgable and safe, as well as comfortingly sensitive to your climbing abilities and needs, and tailors each day with climbs that are perfect for you--if you want to be comfortable or if you want a little/big challenge, if you want to experience highlights of an area by switching up crags in the same day. He knows the areas so well and of course knows how to choose the walls that are in the shade or in the sun for whatever time of day or season you are climbing. There is so much variety and fun for either multi or single pitch too. In addition, when we were all climbed out for the day, he took the opportunity to show us the beauty of the local areas, playing also a photographer and travel guide. He also went home to let us borrow his guide book to other areas that we were headed to later, and kept in touch to make sure the rest of our trip went smoothly. So nice! Here is a person who treats his job as a climbing guide and ambassador for the area with such deep consideration and earnestness, and who treats his role as a human being with exceptional kindness and faith. We are so grateful that he came into our lives as a climbing guide and as a friend. Thank you Santi for being you, and please everyone call him now for any guiding adventures (he travels to guide too!) Also, his rates are so fair and reasonable. And you will be so happy if he is available to take you on an adventure with him! Cheers!
Just finished the 2-day multi pitch course. Excellent experience with our coach Santi, who is a professional and very experienced rock climber and alpinist.
We were taught all the techniques and logics to complete a multi pitch route in the mountains (the second day in Montserrat is amazing!).
We also had many nice small talks about risk management, how to start climbing multi pitch for beginners, etc.. Very nice people and vibe here ;)
(Translated by Google) 100% recommendable. I signed up for the climbing fear management course and the experience has been entirely positive. In addition to the psychological part, we also work on more technical and practical aspects that I am sure will help me progress as a climber. Santi is an attentive and kind teacher who transmits experience in each of his actions. A luxury to learn from him.
(Original) 100% recomendable. Me apunté al curso de gestión del miedo en la escalada y la experiencia ha sido del todo positiva. Además de la parte psicológica, también trabajamos aspectos más técnicos y prácticos que estoy seguro me ayudarán a progresar como escalador. Santi es un profesor atento y amable que transmite experiencia en cada una de sus acciones. Un lujo aprender de él.
