UKC

245m, 8 pitches.

Rockfax Description
VS. This famous route is too unbalanced and scrappy to be a real classic, but it is popular and takes an easy line up this magnificent big face. Although it is quite an expedition, retreat by abseil is fairly easy. There is a fair amount of fixed gear, but carry a light rack. The short crux pitch has become desperately polished - many use a bit of aid here.
1) 3, 35m. Climb first right, then back left and onto the base of the big white slab - loose. Belay bolts on the left or right.
2) 3, 45m. Walk left past bushes to gain a ledge running back right above the slab and belay directly above your second.
3) 5+, 35m. Climb the corner at the right-hand end of the ledge, then the tough slippery right-slanting crack (the crux, and very polished). The direct version straight up the corner is rumoured to be easier. Move left to belay below the upper slab.
4) 4, 20m. Climb left onto the slab to a bush belay.
5) 4, 30m. One pitch leads to a superb belay on the ridge.
6) 4+, 30m. Walk along the ridge then traverse to the left and climb a flake/crack to a bulge. Belay on bolts a little higher.
7) 20m. Climb rightwards by the easiest line. Belay in a notch.
8) 30m. Easy climbing leads to the summit. © Rockfax

FA. A.Mart?, M.G?mez, A.Botella, A.Tebar 1958.

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Mountain Rock (big mid grade summit routes on rock!) , Costa Blanca in a Week Tick List , Costa Blanca "Must Do" routes , Costa B , Costa blanca 2022 , Costa Blanca 2022 , Big Pitches 4 Buff Boyz

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User Date Notes
zachwright 18 Jan Show βeta
βeta: Crux is definitely not 6a. It is what it says on the tin, a polished 5c. If you’re able to comfortably lead that grade, you should have no problem here.
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βeta: Crux is definitely not 6a. It is what it says on the tin, a polished 5c. If you’re able to comfortably lead that grade, you should have no problem here.
agour 22 Apr, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Rockfax for p4 is wrong. Line trends left from. The belay, but in reality you climb up and right off the belay to a bolt, before tending back left and up. Aka take the easiest path and look for the bolts..
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βeta: Rockfax for p4 is wrong. Line trends left from. The belay, but in reality you climb up and right off the belay to a bolt, before tending back left and up. Aka take the easiest path and look for the bolts..
Pierse 8 Mar, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Pitches 1 & 2 are easy We skipped pitch 3 by going onto pitch 3 & 4 of Direct de UBSA grade: 5+ & 5 Pitch 3 of Direct de UBSA is well bolted but very tough going, I would lead comfortably at HVS, 3 of us thought it was nearer 6a The rest of valencianos is enjoyable but expect bolts every 10m, a few medium cams and slings are recommended, the whole thing took us 7 hours + walk out, we climbed at a leisurely pace
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βeta: Pitches 1 & 2 are easy We skipped pitch 3 by going onto pitch 3 & 4 of Direct de UBSA grade: 5+ & 5 Pitch 3 of Direct de UBSA is well bolted but very tough going, I would lead comfortably at HVS, 3 of us thought it was nearer 6a The rest of valencianos is enjoyable but expect bolts every 10m, a few medium cams and slings are recommended, the whole thing took us 7 hours + walk out, we climbed at a leisurely pace
emmwilkes 6 Feb, 2023 Show βeta
βeta: Be wary of the choss on the steps starting p3 :( made for an abrupt end to the climbing on the trip
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βeta: Be wary of the choss on the steps starting p3 :( made for an abrupt end to the climbing on the trip
Ally Smith 14 Jan, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Hideously polished and unpleasant in 2003. I doubt it's a worthwhile expedition now?
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βeta: Hideously polished and unpleasant in 2003. I doubt it's a worthwhile expedition now?
napoleon_dynamite 10 Jan, 2022 Show βeta
βeta: Quite a lot of loose rock. The 5c tough for the grade and could spook people who lead a few grades harder. A fist sized cam would ease nerves by being placed in the left hand crack. Maybe bring your belayer in to the closer set of anchors as well
βeta?
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βeta: Quite a lot of loose rock. The 5c tough for the grade and could spook people who lead a few grades harder. A fist sized cam would ease nerves by being placed in the left hand crack. Maybe bring your belayer in to the closer set of anchors as well
StefanB 21 Mar, 2005 Show βeta
βeta: Very nice route. Didn't find it easy. Do yourself a favour and pull on the tat to do the crux. It's a big route, where "alpine tactics" are justified.
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βeta: Very nice route. Didn't find it easy. Do yourself a favour and pull on the tat to do the crux. It's a big route, where "alpine tactics" are justified.
Armchairmountaineer 28 Dec, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: I led this route on Christmas Eve in stunning weather and it was magnificent. However, the crux pitch is pretty stiff: a good 5+ and very polished too. I normally lead VS 4c so found it pretty tough. I don't think Pitch 6 is undergraded, although when I was standing at the bottom it looked far harder than it actually was! Getting round the bulge is a pretty satisfying move (4) when you make it and you can protect it well. There were a couple of thin moves on the slab pitch (4) for the short. Gary has a very valid point: don't underestimate it! However, perhaps the most important piece of advice is to wear a helmet and watch out for loose rock.
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βeta: I led this route on Christmas Eve in stunning weather and it was magnificent. However, the crux pitch is pretty stiff: a good 5+ and very polished too. I normally lead VS 4c so found it pretty tough. I don't think Pitch 6 is undergraded, although when I was standing at the bottom it looked far harder than it actually was! Getting round the bulge is a pretty satisfying move (4) when you make it and you can protect it well. There were a couple of thin moves on the slab pitch (4) for the short. Gary has a very valid point: don't underestimate it! However, perhaps the most important piece of advice is to wear a helmet and watch out for loose rock.
Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com 19 Oct, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: I'd second everything that Shaun Walby says...nicely sustained at Severe, overall. The polished pitch felt no harder than MVS to me - I'd say that in terms of difficulty it compares well with infamous cruxy sections on long British Severes like Eagle Ridge. I assumed it was HS when I did it. It's a fine route, but horribly popular so start at dawn, and watch out for loose rocks sent down by parties above. It's possible - indeed I'd recommend it - to make a variety of bolted detour pitches at 6a-6b, which provide nicer climbing than the equivalent pitches of Valencianos itself, and help you skirt round the queues. Near the bottom of Valencianos is a pitch up a smooth corner (as I recall...or it might have taken the slab immediately left of the corner), and then a little distance above this there's a steep 6b (I think) wall climb on juggy cracks up the wall bounding the left side of Valencianos. The main route can then be re-joined in time to tackle the big slabby wall section, which is after all the meat of the route, and the only 3-star bit...
βeta?
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βeta: I'd second everything that Shaun Walby says...nicely sustained at Severe, overall. The polished pitch felt no harder than MVS to me - I'd say that in terms of difficulty it compares well with infamous cruxy sections on long British Severes like Eagle Ridge. I assumed it was HS when I did it. It's a fine route, but horribly popular so start at dawn, and watch out for loose rocks sent down by parties above. It's possible - indeed I'd recommend it - to make a variety of bolted detour pitches at 6a-6b, which provide nicer climbing than the equivalent pitches of Valencianos itself, and help you skirt round the queues. Near the bottom of Valencianos is a pitch up a smooth corner (as I recall...or it might have taken the slab immediately left of the corner), and then a little distance above this there's a steep 6b (I think) wall climb on juggy cracks up the wall bounding the left side of Valencianos. The main route can then be re-joined in time to tackle the big slabby wall section, which is after all the meat of the route, and the only 3-star bit...
shaun walby 5 Oct, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: The climb is 95% Severe 4a with more insitu gear than you can shake a quickdraw at. The crux is above a big ledge so in effect your only 6ft of the deck (one cam and two rope lopes to help you if you dont do polish)yer yer its polished to death (but easy enough).The slabs above and the moves after the ridge are perfect severe 4a fodder(if you used to been heigher upon multipitch). Now having said that.....its has a bit of a mountain feel about it, so if 50ft grit is your thing you might just have to be leading HS4b to be totally happy.
βeta?
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βeta: The climb is 95% Severe 4a with more insitu gear than you can shake a quickdraw at. The crux is above a big ledge so in effect your only 6ft of the deck (one cam and two rope lopes to help you if you dont do polish)yer yer its polished to death (but easy enough).The slabs above and the moves after the ridge are perfect severe 4a fodder(if you used to been heigher upon multipitch). Now having said that.....its has a bit of a mountain feel about it, so if 50ft grit is your thing you might just have to be leading HS4b to be totally happy.
Ander 29 May, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: Great route. I agree that HVS climbers will be disappointed, but if you're after something easier, then it is a must do, the 'hard pitch', I thought, went quite easily. Pitch 5 is awesome.
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βeta: Great route. I agree that HVS climbers will be disappointed, but if you're after something easier, then it is a must do, the 'hard pitch', I thought, went quite easily. Pitch 5 is awesome.
Simon Caldwell 27 Apr, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: To Simon A - what nonsense. It's an 8 pitch Severe with a single polished unpleasant but aidable pitch of HVS. If you're looking for an HVS route you'll be disappointed.
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βeta: To Simon A - what nonsense. It's an 8 pitch Severe with a single polished unpleasant but aidable pitch of HVS. If you're looking for an HVS route you'll be disappointed.
EmilyG 26 Apr, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: Most of the route was so polished it took away all the enjoyment of climbing the route, and the bits that weren't polished were loose and chossy!
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βeta: Most of the route was so polished it took away all the enjoyment of climbing the route, and the bits that weren't polished were loose and chossy!
Simon Caldwell 18 Apr, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: The obvious reason for wanting to frig the third pitch would be if you can climb 4 but not 5+
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βeta: The obvious reason for wanting to frig the third pitch would be if you can climb 4 but not 5+
drpetermorgan 18 Apr, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: i love this route and have done it twice. pitch 5 and 6 are good and exposed. its harder using the tat than not on pitch 3, it just gets in the way.
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βeta: i love this route and have done it twice. pitch 5 and 6 are good and exposed. its harder using the tat than not on pitch 3, it just gets in the way.
Simon Caldwell 5 Apr, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: Eh? Only one pitch (3) is badly polished, and if you object that much you can go straight up (earthy exit) instead of going right. The whole thing's worth it if only for pitch 5.
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βeta: Eh? Only one pitch (3) is badly polished, and if you object that much you can go straight up (earthy exit) instead of going right. The whole thing's worth it if only for pitch 5.
Ally Smith 5 Apr, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: yuck, don't do it. The polish is something else 9and this comes from an Avon habitue)
βeta?
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βeta: yuck, don't do it. The polish is something else 9and this comes from an Avon habitue)
Simon Caldwell 22 Mar, 2004 Show βeta
βeta: In situ tat on pitch 3 meakes it possible to aid (ie frig) it, bringing the overall grade down to a more consistent level (4+/5?).
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βeta: In situ tat on pitch 3 meakes it possible to aid (ie frig) it, bringing the overall grade down to a more consistent level (4+/5?).

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High 6a
Mid 6a
Low 6a
High 5c
Mid 5c
Low 5c
High 5b
Mid 5b
Low 5b
High 5a
Mid 5a
Low 5a
Votes cast 57
Votes cast 52
Style of Ascent
Alt Leads
Lead
Followed
Soloed
Not Set
Onsighted
Repeated
DNF
Dogged
Flashed (β)
Redpoint
Ground Up
Not Set
Route of Interest
Chulla

Grade: 5c ***
(Moraira)

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