August 23, 2023 | CLIMBING
PEDRAFORCA. CLIMBING IN THE ENCHANTED MOUNTAIN
Pedraforca is one of the mountains with the most myths and legends in existence.
Pedraforca is one of the mountains with the most myths and legends in existence.
The Pollegó Superior (2,506 meters) is the highest peak of the Pedraforca massif, located in the Berguedà region, between the villages of Gósol and Saldes. Over the years, Pedraforca has been the scene of legendary climbs, both on rock and ice, although you can also reach the summit by walking. On foot, there are two classic paths: one climbs a long, vertical, and challenging scree slope, which is accessed a few kilometers after leaving the Lluís Estasen Refuge, located in a beautiful meadow at 1,675 meters above sea level. The other path goes up the Canal del Verdet, a vertical and demanding route, where you even have to use your hands to progress at times.
If you have climbing knowledge and want to enjoy a high-mountain atmosphere in every sense, the most elegant way to reach some of the highest points of Pedraforca is by climbing.
The history of climbing on the Pedraforca massif began with Lluís Estasen, Josep Puntas, Jofre Vila, and Josep Rovira, who, after several attempts on June 30, 1928, managed to establish an intelligent route along the north face of the mountain, eventually reaching the Calderer summit.
The "Vía Estasen", the name of the route, is an itinerary of about 600 meters, with difficulties of up to IV+. The route is sparsely equipped, and despite what the guide may suggest, you need to know how to navigate the wall to always follow the most logical path. The atmosphere is wild and alpine, making the activity a day of classic climbing in capital letters.
If you want to know more about the history of the first ascent of the north face of Pedraforca, you can watch the documentary "L’altra cara de la forca" (2008), a historical reenactment of the climb by Estasen, Vila, and Rovira. Here's the link for the documentary.
Although without a doubt the "Vía Estasen" is the best-known climbing route on Pedraforca, there are many other options on the massif to enjoy some of the best limestone rock in the entire Iberian Peninsula.
Also on the north face, one alternative to the "Vía Estasen" during the warmer months is "Homedes" (430m V+/AO). This route leads to the summit of Gat, a characteristic peak known by that name because it resembles a cat.
The first ascent of "Homedes" dates back to the year when Francesc Homedes, Bernard Boixeda, and Ramon Albareda achieved it on September 8. The route is semi-equipped, and in addition to several quickdraws, a full set of aliens, friends up to #3, and some nuts are needed. The difficulty is consistently around IV+, with occasional passages of V/V+.
To descend from the Gat summit, we'll first do a rappel, which will leave us on the ever-present scree slope, the same way down if we climbed the "Vía Estasen".
Often, we think that to enjoy the high mountains, we must travel to the Pyrenees, Alps, or Dolomites, but we forget about other must-visit places. The Pedraforca massif is one of them. A mountain with a summit at 2,506 meters above sea level, breathtaking views, and an exceptional alpine atmosphere. Everyone should climb Pedraforca at least once in their life.
If you’ve ever found yourself clinging to a rock wall with sweaty hands, shaky muscles, and a racing heart, you’ve probably asked yourself: why on earth am I doing this? What is it about rock climbing that draws us in? What’s the point of all this effort to scale rocks and mountains?
LEARN MOREYou can contact us via email at [email protected] or by phone to (+34) 645 432 307, or by filling up the contact form in the following link.
(Translated by Google) Brutal experience! Dynamic, very instructive, great team and very professional monitor.
(Original) Experiencia brutal! Dinamica, muy instructiva, gran equipo y monitor muy profesional.
(Translated by Google) Fantastic course on fear management in climbing. Magnificent professionals have offered us a very useful and unforgettable experience.
(Original) Fantástico curso de gestión del miedo en la escalada. Los profesionales magníficos, nos han ofrecido una experiencia muy útil e inolvidable.
Santi is an amazing teacher. It is very clear that he has a lot of experience and you can ask him anything about climbing amongst other things. Santi is also super friendly and easy to get along with. I would absolutely recommend the lead-climbing course I did here. It felt very professional and complete and I think it is one of the best ones you can get. Another note; Santi made awesome pictures of us :-), thank you so much for everything!
(Translated by Google) A great climbing teacher, a great mountaineer who transmits everything related to mountain activities very well.
(Original) Un grandísimo profesor de escalada, un gran montañero que transmite muy bién todo lo relacionado con las actividades de montaña..
(Translated by Google) Very good experience. Very clear in the explanations and seriousness in the security issue. All the content was addressed to be able to scale with autonomy
(Original) Muy buena experiencia. Mucha claridad en las explicaciones y seriedad en el tema de seguridad. Todo el contenido quedó abordado para poder escalar con autonomía
(Translated by Google) Great with Sol, lovely experience
(Original) Buenísimo con Sol, encantadora experiencia
I joined the 2days-course of Sport Climbing in Siurana and Arboli. Very comprehensive learning - at the end you will be able to rock climb in complete autonomy. Super recommended!
(Translated by Google) An unforgettable experience. Santi is unique when it comes to sharing his GREAT knowledge in the world of climbing. In addition, he fully adjusted the session to suit our needs, knowing at every moment when we could give a little more of ourselves. Thank you so much for a great day!
(Original) Una experiencia inolvidable. Santi es único a la hora de compartir su GRAN conocimiento en el mundo de la escalada. Además ajustó la sesión totalmente a la medida de nuestras necesidades, sabiendo a cada momento cuando podíamos dar un poco más de nosotros. Mil gracias por un día genial!
(Translated by Google) I did the Initiation Course with Santiago, and it was an unforgettable experience! Dynamic, with a lot of practice. The difficult makes it easy! Then, the Tutored Rock Climbs have been really useful, full of emotion, SAFETY (one of the most emphasized topics). SOUTHCLIMB's work IS excellent, you feel personalized, you have fun while you learn, you get answers to doubts and/or questions very quickly. The routes where you will go climbing have wonderful landscapes !! Full of charm! I super-recommend it!!!
(Original) Hice el Curso de Iniciación con Santiago, y fué una experiencia inolvidable!, dinámico, con mucha práctica . Lo difícil lo hace fácil! Luego, las Escaladas Tuteladas en Roca han sido realmente útiles, llenas de emoción, de SEGURIDAD ( una de los tema que más recalca). El trabajo de SOUTHCLIMB ES excelente , lo sientes personalizado, te diviertes al mismo tiempo que aprendes, las respuestas a las dudas y/o preguntas las obtienes muy rápido. Las vías donde irás a escalar tienen paisajes maravillosos !! Llenos de encanto! Lo súper-recomiendo!!!
(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.
