Exploring Sport Climbing in Costa Blanca, Spain - Climbing Routes Highlighted
The Costa Blanca, a stretch of coastline in Spain, has emerged as a hidden gem for climbers, offering a diverse range of routes and challenging climbs.
In the Sella region, the La Moleta area boasts a large overhang that can be seen from the parking lot. The author embarked on an adventure, climbing a 6c to the left of the overhang and a three-pitch V+. Although the climbers who ascended these multi-pitch problems are not specifically documented, the area's potential is evident.
Moving on to Cabeçó d'Or, the Cuevas del Canelobre sector presents some 30-meter routes in the 5a-6b range. These routes, all in a similar style, feature slabs and vertical climbing with small ledges, making them an exciting challenge for climbers.
Guadalest, a small town half an hour from Benidorm, is another climber's paradise. The author climbed their second 6b on-sight, a 30-meter route named Orgasmo de ..., which includes a chimney, an overhang with large holds, and vertical climbing without much grip.
Gandia, a coastal town located 70 km from Valencia and 110 km from Alicante, serves as a convenient base for climbers. Nearby sectors like Bovedón, Bovedón, and Bovedós, suitable for climbers at the seven or eight level, offer numerous routes. In Bovedón, there are several routes in the six range, with a few short fives, although the rock can be sharp and unpleasant.
Bellús, a half-hour drive from Gandia, offers climbing routes available on valenciaclimb.com for toproping. However, Cova Petxina in Bellús is not mentioned in the "Costa Blanca Climbs" guidebook by Roberto Lopez, suggesting that there may be undiscovered gems waiting to be explored.
Altet, located in a beautiful area along a river, is another noteworthy climbing sector. With about 100 routes, mainly sixes and sevens, and two fours and two fives to warm up on, it caters to climbers of various levels. The author climbed their first 6b on-sight at Altet.
Marxuquera, 5 km from Gandia, offers nearly 200 routes for climbers of various levels. Most routes at Marxuquera are 15-25 meters high and include vertical, crack, overhang, and cave routes with short sevens. An interesting route at Marxuquera is a five-route (Patxi Saez) that goes through a hole in the middle of the crag.
Sella, surrounded by mountains up to 1500 meters high, is another climbing area with hundreds of routes at every level. The author only spent half a day in the La Moleta area, indicating that there is much more to discover in this region.
The Costa Blanca has many more climbing areas to offer, and the author regrets not having enough time to explore them fully. However, plans are underway to return and delve deeper into this climber's paradise.
