ROUTES IN THE RED NEEDLE OF TAJAHIERRO

Climbing routes Directory Fuente Dé area

There are two opened routes on the southwest face of the Red Needle of Tajahierro, just next to the Horcadina de Cobarrobles, which are described in the climbing guidebook "La Guía de Picos":

  • Oscurecimiento Global
  • Lo que Nunca nos Enseñaron.

In front of the Red Needle, there is also another nameless needle with a good number of sport climbing routes. Their opening style, the verticality, the rock quality and the easy access from the cable car make it a well worth visit.

Oscurecimiento Global isn't among the best routes of the area, but its unequipped and somewhat alpine itinerary is a good training for other routes (set of friends up to n°4) :

  • The first pitch starts on a very good rock quality slab, but difficult to protect. There are two options in the first pitch of similar difficulty level. The belay station is located under a marked dihedral.
  • The second overcomes this athletic dihedral. You need to take a n°3,5 or 4 camalot in order to protect it, and then continues over easy terrain until an arête where you set up the belay station using one piton.
  • The third pitch consists in continuing along this arête until reaching two spits from which you can rappel down to the ground with 60 m ropes.

Lo que Nunca nos Enseñaron is much more beautiful and recommended (take a set of friends).

  • The first pitch starts on a slab equipped with spits, but with subtle and obligatory moves. Then it continues along a crack, easy to protect with friends, up to a small ledge where you can set up the belay station (one piton).
  • The second pitch is a bit easier but also more beautiful. It can be well-protected with friends and some piton, but some moves are also obligatory (belay station using two spits).
  • If alternating the ropes well, it's possible to link the two pitches together, making it a nice and sustained pitch of about 50 m.
  • The third pitch isn't worth climbing unless you want to reach the summit.

In the nameless needle in front of the Red Needle :

  • Below is a slab with three sport climbing routes of perfect rock. The one in the middle is unequipped, so you need to do it placing the rope from above. You can extend the one on the right along a nice equipped 6a+ crack.
  • Ciudad del Pecado is highly recommended. An equipped wall leading to a wide crack in which the difficulty decreases. But you will need big friends (take one n°4).
  • No Somos Escritores and Nene Quiere Nena are two beautiful sport climbing routes. Highly recommended. To get there, the best is to climb the rightmost route in the topo – Name??? – (V+ obligatory) that is equipped, and one of the best in the area. Rappel down to a comfortable ledge from which you can start to climb these routes.

FACT SHEET

LENGTH

From 20 m to 90 m depending on the route.

DIFFICULTY

DURATION

EQUIPMENT

See description

DESCENT

Abseil

FIRST ASCENT

Javier Sáenz and Ángel Bengoeceha

No Somos Escritores: Javier Junquera Partner?

Do you know this route? Bring your experience