Spanish Rocks: La Pedriza

by Bruce

With the exception of one late afternoon sesh at an indoor climbing gym, it’d been over a week since Harry and I had climbed.  Even Miguel hadn’t climbed in over a month. The lousy weather was no help either.  Finally,  one Friday, the skies cleared and we loaded the car with our gear and set out to La Pedriza.

Less than 70 minutes from Madrid lies one of the most fantastic granite formations in central Spain.  For any outdoor enthusiast, just to see and hike the trails is a reward. For us, it was a rock climbing paradise.  The folks back at King Kong climbing gym said La Pedriza was a must-see, “un sitio espectacular y una de las regiones mas famosas para escalar.” (spectacular and world class for you non-Spanish speakers)

As fate would have it, the clouds rolled in as we neared our destination and, though it didn’t appear like rain was imminent, I knew it would be too damp to climb.  Our view of the nearby ridge was completely obscured by fog, so we decided to at least make a nice hike up the mountain.  We passed cows — big, meaty, brown ones with large horns.  We collected wild mushrooms growing out of cow poop, then made our way up a damp trail to a boulder-strewn plateau.

As thick as the fog was, the rock – at least in our immediate vicinity – was dry.  Miguel was quick to point out a few nice boulder problems.  He wasted little time flinging himself at the yellowish rock.  In his hiking shoes, he managed to top out the first problem of the day.  I had my go.  Harry looked at me like I was crazy but I knew if I could send it in my street shoes, his ego wouldn’t leave him alone and he’d kill himself trying.

None of us thought to bring climbing shoes or chalk, but that didn’t seem to matter.  We were anxious and determined, and we spent the rest of the afternoon breaking a sweat and getting our bouldering on. It goes to show you that you don’t need expensive gear to get a great workout.  We recommend willingness and a positive mindset.

Keep in mind that bouldering is, in general, a shorter, more intense practice than sport or trad climbing.  You don’t need a rope or carabiners,  but certainly proper shoes and a crash pad are highly recommended.  And in the case of granite slab, you need a certain combination of finger strength, balance, and precise footwork.

If you are in Spain and want to climb, check out the guidebook for La Pedriza.