UKC

Looking to spend a week out of Alicante in January. How reliable is the weather? Are mid grade routes there getting very polished? Thanks

Rain is always a possibility, but weather is usually pretty good out there all winter. Plenty of unpolished mid-grade climbing and if you're prepared to walk in to the big mountain routes you'll have most of them to yourself. Routes on El Peñon d'Ifach are pretty polished though, worth swerving anything on the south face of that. 

C'mon Mark - the Peñón isn't that bad; no worse, as I recall, than Stoney Middleton fifty years ago.  And the South Face is where most of the best routes are; although, I have to admit, I've never actually done any of the others! Quite a hike for the OP. though, if "out of Alicante" actually means "staying in Alicante".

Yes defo quite a hike from Alicante. Cabezon d'Oro and the Orihuela crags are way more convenient and have some brilliant routes to offer

Assuming the reference to Alicante means that's where you're flying to rather than where you're staying, most first timers head to Calpe and stay there. The weather is about as reliable as it gets for January in the northern hemisphere. As far as polish on mid grade routes is concerned Sella has been popular for years and so you may want to factor that in although there are some good, not so travelled routes on the opposite (non sunny) side of the valley. Mark has recommended avoiding the Penyon, which is a little unfair IMO - it is not so much polished as just naturally slippery with flowstone veneers in places, for example pitch 5 of Costa Blanca and pitch 2 of Polvos. They will seem hard if it is hot which it often is on the Penyon! Alhough yes some of the routes are showing signs of wear but I've always had great days out there.

320 days on average of sun and 500ml of rain per year.

so pretty good.

The climbing crags south Alicante are superb, not polished and probably it will be dry.

You can find topos here https://montanamediterranea.blogspot.com/

Enjoy Alicante.

David

Yes, flying into Alicante. Probably staying in Calpe. Thanks for all the beta so far.

Hi, what date are you heading out ?