UKC

this will be my first climbing trip abroad and we opted for Tenerife staying in playa las americas (because it was cheap) and going to hire a car.

going there 1st of march till the 7th.

i was planning on taking my 60m single and maybe my 60m trad ropes. and full trad rack?

will it be worth taking the trad rack, I'm not that bothered about the half ropes, or should i just opt for the ease of sport climbing and just take draws?

any must see parts or must do climbs?

i have read a couple of threads on here but didn't seem to be that many and would be good to read peoples experiences and here peoples advice about traveling with climbing gear.

thanks!!

In reply to Craigyboy13: Have you seen this article by purple sue?

http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=4410

You could try emailing her if you want more info. She was out there for 3weeks over Christmas, so should have up to date pointers.
There was a decent article on Tenerife in the December 2013 issue of Climber that is worth checking out too.

In reply to Craigyboy13:


Hi Craigyboy

I've been going to Tenerife for the last 4 years to see the New Year in and it is great winter sun venue for climbing and walking so enjoy.
This aforementioned UKC article by Purple Sue is well worth checking out if you haven't already seen it. As for crags? Well obviously Arico is probably the best Sports venue and the UKC logbook has stars to give you an idea of quality:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=2374
However if you are feeling adventurous I can highly recommend climbing in the amazing Roques de Garcia, especially the Via Normal (about UK Sev 4a/b)on La Catedral, if you like multi-pitch routes in an incredible setting. All the belays are equipped and the cruxes are bolted, though you need a small rack of nuts + a few friends to supplement the bolts. Las Canadas nearby is also well worth a visit too. If interested you can view a short film I made last year of the climbing at these 3 venues on the following link:
youtube.com/watch?v=I4-bJWAJ-HE&
You can buy the latest Tenerife Escalada guide from those kind folks in Tenerife Outdoor and feel free to pm me if you want a photo-topo of Via Normal on La Catedral!

Cheers

Dave

In reply to Craigyboy13:

thanks for the excellent responses. i don't think i will be bothering with the trad ropes, but a set of nuts and a few cams will be in the luggage!

i have heard of Via normal before and thought it looked an inedible route!

can't wait!

thanks guys any other advice would be brilliant!

In reply to Craigyboy13:

Hi Craig

I've mailed you various topos for Via Normal + lots more but for anyone else interested in this route read on...
It is about a 1 hour 15 minute drive from Playa Americas up to the Tiede Visitor Centre and I would go early (8 to 8.30 am) or you will get stuck behind all the coaches + cars going up...
La Catedral is easy to find, just park at the free La Ruleta parking and walk to the viewpoint and you cannot miss it. The Via Normal on the East face of La Catedral gets the sun from about 9.30 in the morning in late December and it is no more than a 10 minute walk from the viewing platform and should take no more than 3 or 4 hours max to climb the 5 pitches for a reasonably competent team.
I would defintely recommend 2 ropes and my partner and I used 2 x 60 metre ropes (though 2 x 50's would do). We took a skinny 1 x 60 single (to be also used for Sports climbing) and a 1 x 60 half. The problem is not just the length or weaving about of the pitches on Via Normal but the abseil descent.
The abseil descent is pretty obvious down the East face via 2 abseils of about 30M and 45M + a loose scramble and you may wish to remain roped up for the scramble descent section.
All the belays are equipped with bolts, so no anchors are required and are on spacious ledges. The cruxs of each pitch are bolted. The 2 best + hardest pitches are Pitch 2 (a short exposed traverse of about 10M or so) and Pitch 4 (climb up a chimney with a large chockstone then step left (facing in) + climb up the beautiful fluted slab with 3 bolts and the cruxs are no harder than UK 4a/b IMHO.
If interested you can view a short film I made of my ascent late December a few years back:
youtube.com/watch?v=IyiShmjNUHA&
As for other venues? You should be able to combine a half day route on La Catedral with a visit to Las Canadas which is about a 20 minute walk on the other side of the visitor centre and Arico Gorge is excellent for a bit of bolt clipping!

Hope this helps!

Cheers

Dave

In reply to Craigyboy13:


Too spicy?

In reply to Craigyboy13:
Hi,
I'm heading to Tenerife on the same dates with my GF and her family, staying in Costa Adeje, was planning to hire a car and a mat for a couple of days and do some bouldering. If you have space in your car I would be well up for climbing with you guys for a couple of days.

In reply to Craigyboy13:

Make sure you pop into the climbing shop in Granadilla de Abona. Search for roxtar Tenerife online. Not too far off the TF1 North of El Medano. There's been a lot of development since the guide books we're produced and the guys in the shop will sort you out with all the local info and topos!

In reply to Craigyboy13:

Hi,
We were there in January and admittedly a bit futher west then were your staying.
We took a half trad rack with us and didn't use it once. There is a bit of trad kicking around if you want to give it a go but the wealth and quality seemed to be in the sport routes.
Its really an amazing island with lots of good places. Some topos are available online but we discovered that some of them are only available on the spanish version of the site.

Areas I would recommend are:-

Arico- its an absolutely huge area but the furthest drive from you. It has quite a few lower grades if you are wanting to get warmed up. there is also a big bouldering only area in that way which has a very extensive topo online if I can remember the link. I was warned by the guys at the climbing shop to boulder a grade easier then I normally would if I am going to boulder there.

La Martela- its an area that seems quite unexplored by the climbing tourists, possibly due to the fact that you can only get the topo from the climbing shop. But it is an absolutely beautiful gorge with quite a stunning walk in. It is mainly shaded so provides a bit of relief from the heat.

Cañada del Capricho- it is quite hard up there ( I am soft but you might find an errand beener on a route where I had to admit defeat) but lots to go at and really beautiful scenery as well. Makes for quite a dramatic climb. Its worth heading up there if it is cloudy lower down as well because we climbed right out the clouds in to beautiful (burny) sunshine. It also meant we decended on the clouds at sunset which was nice.

We also went to Sector Fantisma, which again was a great gorge with sun and shade all day. And to a fun bouldering area down near the coast that I can't remeber what it was called, over hanging traversey stuff in a real sun trap. That was lots of fun and close enough to the beach to head there once our arms had given in and we'd got too hot.

hope that helps.
Josie

In reply to lady_radiation:

Thanks for all the replys guys! Still not sure if I will take a trad rack. Can't wait to climb in the sunshine again!

In reply to Craigyboy13: Spent about a year there over the last six years never needed a rack though a few wires are useful but you can manage without them.Lots of new developments going on.

In reply to PATTISON Bill:

I've just got back from my first climbing trip to Tenerife and was pleasantly surprised. For years I'd heard that there was 'a bit of worthwhile, but not well bolted, climbing on Teide around Las Canadas, and some harder stuff in a scruffy gorge at Arico' Some folks said it was OK for one visit but not enough to go more than once.

However, a recent article in climber showed some inspiring photos and descriptions of crags I'd never heard of so six of us took the plunge in January. The new(ish) local guidebook isn't the best or most inspiring but it took us to some excellent cliffs with highly varied styles of climbing The walk-ins are invariably short and many of the crags line both sides of gorges so climbing is usually possible in sunshine or shade. We stayed in Costa Adeje so most of the major cliffs were within about 35 mins drive. (Las Canadas, at 7000 feet) took about an hour.

The bolting was generally OK though a bit well spaced on some routes and if you are a trad fan there are lots of well described and inspiring looking lines, particularly cracks, at all standards.

The previously mentioned 'scruffy' gorge at Arico turned out to be a delightful place full of flowering bushes and birdsong with no litter at all despite its obvious popularity. Guaria was probably the most impressive and inspiring crag and we were lucky to get a cloudy day for this south facing hotspot. No shade here, but the rock and routes were superb. El Rio was also very good and there has been a lot of recent new routing in the lower sport grades - all very well bolted. The rock is similar to Millstone in the Peak with lovely thin cracks and square cut holds. Zona Zero, lower down the gorge has rock more akin to slate but once again, superb positive holds. Don't miss Camino de Los Inglis 6b+ ***!I'll definitely be going back again next year.

In reply to Craigyboy13:
Sorry, I forgot to mention in relation to your initial question that a 60m sport rope and around 14 quickdraws will be more than adequate for all the major venues. We took a trad rack between us but only used one small friend on one route at Las Vegas just to get to the first bolt on one 6a warm-up route. Not really necessary though on most routes but a short clipstick may be worthwhile for those of nervous disposition.