“Oh, nice… cloud inversion in the valley today” says Matt, as we approach the Main Area of Curbar.  That’s low lying fog to you and I.  ‘Great’, I think.  From England’s wettest winter, we’re probably moving on to our shittiest spring since some hapless rain-spotter starting taking note, <sigh>. 

But it wasn’t bad, in fact it was a pretty good day.  Consider that it’s all trad, it’s all hard and it’s grit, I always find muscle-aches the day after grit that I don’t get on limestone.

Carver Wall, VS 5a at Carver Wall was a nice warmer, on to Baron’s Wall, VS 5b and a spot of lunch.  We’re eyeing up Sorrel’s Sorrow HVS 5a over lunch and just about despatch it ok.  We ditch the rope then and boulder a few problems in The Trench.  A good day at a good venue.

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VS 5a    VS 5b    HVS 5a   V2

Preparation work today in Sofia for the upcoming Lligueta de Bulder de la IV Veguería.  This year we have one more club taking part, making 5 clubs in total, with access to problems limited to 3 days of 1 week only per club.  But time is short so today instead of Siurana (sigh, so many projects…) we’re sorting out routes.  Three roped lines outside, and 7 boulder problems inside.

Today we have the 3 roped lines ready.  I managed to send all three of them so they can’t be that difficult:

Blue, 5+                     Yellow, 6a+               Green, 6c+

     

The yellow has an unseen sit start to the right, which adds around 5 or 6 moves to the line.  The green route is climbed without the left hand arête.

Topos here.

With only half a day to put up some new routes, we get to work stripping the easy Blue, 5+ from the left side and I put up a new Green, 6c+/7a? as shown.  The feature in the middle of the wall will need to be taken but the left hand corner/arete is not to be touched – marked with crosses.  There’s a nice full body tense needed to stay on at the first of the two difficult moves.  The second difficult move is below the chain.  The grade is a guess as I didn’t have time to redpoint it all, just work through the moves.  Venga bous!…

It’s our turn to host activities in the 5-club bouldering league in beautiful downtown Maspujols.  Tonight, tomorrow (Thursday 7th) and next Wednesday & Thursday (13th & 14th) is when registered contestants can try the 10 problems: 8 boulder, 2 roped lines.  Information here.  Today’s photos here.

Information

“Inter-centre Bouldering League IV Vegueria 2013”

As part of our inauguration celebrations for the new 9mtr climbing wall, we’re organising a bouldering competition set over 5 centres:

• Hospitalet De L’Infant (CCE Serres De Mestral)
• Maspujols (Centre Excursionista Maspujols @ Ca La Sofia)
• Mora D’Ebre (Associació Excursionista La Picossa)
• Reus (Club Excursionista Reddis)
• Tarragona (Centre Excursionista Tarragona)

Each club will have 10 boulder problems available to be tried over a two week period, in the above order, starting with Hospitalet Feb 18th – March 1st and ending with Tarragona April 15th – 26th.  More detail here, and subscriptions can be made on the FEEC site here.

 

Price is €8 or €10 depending if your FEEC federated (insured), and there’s a material lucky dip and prizes.  Places are limited.

** Closing date for inscriptions: 15th February **

A bit late in coming, but hopefully worth it… the roped lines in Maspujols’ very own rocodrome, Ca La Sofia are now more or less done.  We’ll continue to tweak them, I’d like to swap over two lime green holds to make the short 7a less painful, and we’re working on using the layback feature with the odd purple hold, but it isn’t a priority at the moment.  So, here’s a list of routes.  All grades are proposed, but fairly accurate:

• Blue, 5+
• Dark Green, 6a
• Yellow, 6a+ (direct), 6a+/b (right hand sit start)
• Red (right hand sit start only), 6b+
• Salmon, 6b+/c
• Lime Green, 6c+/7a
• Purple + Features, ??

 

And the topo:  This shows all minus the new lime green and purple routes, and the right hand sit start for the yellow and red lines.  This topo, along with the boulder problems used for last year’s BOCS, and this year’s Interclub Bouldering Competition, or “Lliga De Boulder Intercentres De La IV Vegueria 2013” can be downloaded here. 

More news about the upcoming 2013 Lliga de Boulder in which we are organising to come soon…

Just finishing up the last of the 9mtr high routes on the new rocodrome in Ca La Sofia, excellently done by Antonio and the boys at Gargola Climbing.  I’ll post a topo when we finish the last route tomorrow, with any luck.

     

What a great competition this year.  The 3 facial expressions above give indication that the level was challenging, while the boulder problems were at the same time good fun.  We gave away lots of prizes, including a Gargola Dune training board, a Metolius Wood Grips training board, and a Mammut Galaxy 70mtr rope.  And all this from a free-to-enter competition!  Thanks too to big Antonio for donating El Pulpo for the prize draw – let’s see if Boulder Factory become an official sponsor next year!

The morning saw masters with afternoon for promotion, feminine and infant categories.  There were 10 different block problems to try and the 3 ‘duros’ from Edu giving the most challenge.

     

Until next year!…

Morning session photos (Masters)

Afternoon session photos (Promotion, Feminine & Infant)

Celebrating the fine work of the Alegre brothers re-equipping routes to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first lines in La Mussara, this morning we are in and around El Teix.  Rocteam™ and I accompany some of the others from Centre Excursionista Maspujols for some roped climbing, and then later bouldering at Font De La Paula, though as I’m still recovering from the hamstring pull, today I’m only belaying a taking photos…  The evening rounded off in great style in good company – 1º Joan Bou Festival.

– El Caputxino.    – Font De La Paula.   – 1º Joan Bou Festival.

As usual, if anyone wants a copy of any photos without the watermark, drop me a line…