ECCE-HOMO ROUTE. HORCADINA DE COVARROBLES

Climbing routes Directory Fuente Dé area

Ecce-Homo is a route located on a small secondary pillar, about 100m to the right of the Ostoicoechea Needle. A route that is becoming a classic due to its proximity to the cable car, and for having good traditional climbing pitches. It can be combined with any other climb in the Tajahierro Needles for a nice and enjoyable day of climbing. Highly recommended.

  • The first pitch, a bit broken, climbs towards a long crack (next pitches). Set up belay station using 8 mm bolts that can to be reinforced with friends.
  • The next pitch is a beautifully sustained dihedral-layback-crack. It's easy to protect using aliens and camalots up to n°1. The nuts fit perfectly. Belay station using two 8 mm bolts.
  • The third pitch consists of an easier dihedral-crack but with difficult or technical moves. A real gem. It's easy to protect with large Camalots, it is advisable to repeat the red and the yellow, and take a 3.5 or 4. The difficulty drops down significantly in the second part of the pitch. Set up belay station using one piton that needs to be reinforced with nuts or friends. *If we climb the second and third pitches, there is only one spectacular pitch left, but it is only recommended if we do not need to place many protections to progress.
  • The last pitch is a wide, vertical crack (actually a large hollow flake) that leads to an exposed spur of very good rock and well-protected by two bolts. Set up the belay station on the boulders you will abseil down from using some cordelettes.

FACT SHEET

LENGTH

About 120m to the fourth belay station (there is one more pitch but it is loose and the descent is done by climbing down into the parallel channels, not advisable).

DIFFICULTY

6b (6a obligatory)

DURATION

2-3h

EQUIPMENT

Nuts and a complete set of friends up to Camalot n°3 (n°3,5 or 4 recommended for the third pitch). Take some extra n°1 and 2 Camalots

DESCENT

Abseil from a rock peak at the fourth belay station (it may be necessary to renew the rope) through an obvious couloir until reaching another rappel line about 50 m away.

FIRST ASCENT

Javier Sáenz, Miguel Rodríguez and José A.Estévez 23/5/2004

*The name Ecce Homo is due to the state in which Miguel Rodríguez left his hands after cleaning the crack.

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