UKC

El Chorro 1st time

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 Daibuzz 04 Feb 2023

Hi Guys,

My climbing partner and myself are off to El Chorro 1st week of April.

Neither of us have been there before so have a few questions.

We both lead around 6b/c in uk.

Ive been told we need a 80m rope to get the most out of the routes etc. Do you agree ?

I have rockfax on phone and see theres plenty of routes to choose from but only have 1 week so would love to hear your       " must do" routes whilst we are there.

Thank Guys

 snoop6060 04 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

It’s gonna be hot in April so you’ll be eating some shade for sure.

I’ve never took an 80m rope there and been loads of times so don’t think you’ll need one unless things have changed. I know they have developed some new crags that might do but I doubt it. 

 Alkis 04 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

I've never had an 80m rope and I go to Chorro every year.

If you fancy a multi pitch, I'd heavily recommend you do Lluvia del Asteroides (5c)

 Gawyllie 04 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

We went to El Chorro first time a few months ago.

We had an 80m but while useful, isnt essential. I guess you'll be able to do 90%+ of the routes with a 70m and probably a fair % even with a 60m.

The best area we went to was Desplo Desplomilandia. But this requires a car. Theres loads to go at within walking distance of El Chorro although not much shade and it was very hot when we were there.

We also climbed Lluvia del Asteroides (5c) recommended above and thought it was great. I think the abseil on the descent will need a 70m and is maybe better on an 80m. A friend done it on a 70m though so its not essential.

Have a good trip

OP Daibuzz 05 Feb 2023
In reply to Alkis:

👍

OP Daibuzz 05 Feb 2023
In reply to Gawyllie:

👍

 Martin Haworth 05 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz: I’ve always taken an 80m rope to El Chorro and found it very useful, there are quite a lot of routes over 30m. As others have said it’s not essential. It will be hot in the sun in April so Desplomilandia is a good shady crag, with soft grades, excellent routes and some classics at your grade. If you get a colder day I can highly recommend a visit to  Puerto Rico.

 ChrisJD 05 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

What rope length have you got?

 rogerhill12 05 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

Finca actually hire out 80m's so I wouldn't go out and buy one.

OP Daibuzz 06 Feb 2023
In reply to ChrisJD:

I have a 60 but was going to buy a 70m as I can use that in Uk..

 Oscar Dodd 06 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

We were fine with a 70m there for cragging. A lot of the multi-pitches do have 40m pitches, so if you want to get on anything you might want to retreat from, perhaps an 80m would be useful. We bought 60m twins for multipitch and they worked nicely.
Route wise, here are my multipitch highlights:

-Lluvia del Asteroides A 250m 5c. Definitely a 3* route. A steeper (but still quite mellow) start leads to a brilliant fourth pitch, onto a slabby finish. A really enjoyable day out, good fun, and doesn't take too long.

-Amptrax - 200m 6a. Classic with a brilliant traverse pitch. Pure class. I would warn that it felt fairly high in the grade due to the rock being very polished, and the bolts are more spaced than on other routes - so perhaps it's best to go into this one with a mindset of it feeling a little harder than 6a.

-Ebola 6b+ 200. The best route I did there, steady climbing leads to a nice short 6b+ section pulling over a small overhang. I'd say it's fairly high in the grade due to the 6b+ section being so short (so the moves are hard for 6b+ to warrant it getting that grade), so if that's near your limit, bring a mallion or something so you can bail.

-Valentines' day - 6a 120m ish - A good route with a steady start, and an enjoyable last couple of pitches. I didn't find this one particularly inspiring but it serves as a nice introduction to multi-pitches in the area, and as it's an ab off it gives you a chance to make sure your multipitch abseiling skills are sharp.

-Bombay Saphire - 6b 120m ish. Right next to valentines day, the 6b pitch is pure class and low in the grade in my eyes (if you like a bit of slab that is). Top pitch is utter shite, really easy climbing, but a bit chossy and very spaced bolts, maybe do the top pitch of Valentine's day instead?

-Blue Line, 5c - 300m ish but half of it is very very easy. Basically a long romp up scrambly ground up to an enjoyable few pitches. Nice top half. 

Now for singlepitch:

-Bladerunner - 6a. Basically Right Unconquerable. Class. Bolts are a wee bit spaced at the top (6 bolts on a 25m route)

-Hockey Night in Canada - 7a. Low in the grade If you're climbing 6c this could be a nice one to project! Short sections of interest broken up by class rests (a fair few are basically no hands!)

-El Canalillo de la Mari 6b+ Absolute pure class. I think this is my favorite route of the grade. Brilliant, just brilliant!

-Geisha 6a - This was the first route I did in Chorro, a nice way to get used to the footwork required here. Enjoyable, but nowt special really.

 ChrisJD 07 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

> I have a 60 but was going to buy a 70m as I can use that in UK..

I think a 70m is a good overall rope length.

I doubt you'd miss out on many routes with a 70m.

OP Daibuzz 07 Feb 2023
In reply to Oscar Dodd:

Thanks 👍

 Martin Haworth 07 Feb 2023
In reply to Daibuzz:

If you are planning on buying a new rope I’d definitely go for an 80m rather than a 70m.

 trying.soft 10 Feb 2023
In reply to Oscar Dodd:

On your questions:

80m - no. As everyone said, 60 is enough, 70 is more comfortable for some abseils.
Routes, all the ones that Oscar Dodd mentioned are brilliant, EXCEPT Blue Line. Do not do it. It's a waste of time and very boring and always busy. All the other multi-pitches on that list are brill, especially Lluvia and Valentine's Day.

For singlepitch between 6b/c, I have made a ticklist you can follow and has cracking routes of that grade. https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=6370

Enjoy!

2
OP Daibuzz 26 Feb 2023
In reply to trying.soft:

Thank you 😊

In reply to Daibuzz:

Avoid the long vertical or slaby routes in the frontales area if it's really windy, because of rock fall.


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