Beginner’s Guide to Climbing in El Chorro 2024
Neither of us are newbies when it comes to climbing. We’ve climbed voraciously on our travels, from deep water soloing the karst limestone cliffs of southern Thailand to sport climbing the red sandstone jebels that tower out of the Jordanian desert. This, however, was our first fully independent sport climbing trip abroad, and certainly the first outing where we weren’t relying on the guidance of more experienced climbers. As such, there were certainly moments where we felt like beginners as we sought out the region’s easier grades to build confidence in our accumulated knowledge.
Whether you’re considering your first unsupported climbing trip to El Chorro, planning to try sport climbing for the first time, or you just want to chill out and enjoy some easy routes, this guide should help you get started.
Gear
First off, let’s talk kit list. I’d recommend taking a 60m rope, as there are a lot of climbs in the 20m-30m region – if you go any shorter than 60m you are going to severely limit the number of routes available to you. The crags listed in this guide are a great place to learn as they’re well protected with few moves between each bolt but it does mean that you’ll need more quickdraws than you might be used to. Take 12 quickdraws for any routes up to 25m.
Given that the routes are so well bolted it’s rare that you’ll actually need to rely on a clipstick for the first bolt but I think it’s always good practice and the Beta Stick Evo Ultra Compact is short enough to fit comfortably into your hold luggage. Finally, unless you’re travelling in the middle of winter, there’s a good chance that conditions are going to be significantly warmer than you’re used to. Leave the super tight, technical shoes at home and opt for something a little more comfortable. Your feet will swell in the heat.
I’ve included a complete packing list below:
- Rope, 60m
- Comfortable climbing shoes
- Harness
- Helmet
- Petzl Connect lanyard (this is my favourite bit of kit - affiliate link below)
- Belay plate
- 12 quickdraws (12-18cm)
- Beta Stick Evo Ultra Compact
- Chalk bag
- Climbing tape
- A few spare screw gate carabiners
Don’t worry if you do forget to pack something – Aventur El Chorro stocks plenty of gear and proceeds go towards the El Chorro bolt fund.
Crag recommendation: Rockabella
Ruth admiring the view from the north side of Rockabella
Hands down the best introduction to climbing in El Chorro. It’s a five-minute walk-in, the north side (where the majority of climbs are located) is in the shade all day, and there are plenty of routes in the 3c to 4c region. Personally, I’d recommend starting on the south-facing wall. You’ll have to do a bit of bush whacking to get there but you’ll have total privacy and there’s a nice sequence of climbs gradually increasing in difficulty through the aforementioned grades. It’s a great warm-up and you can even sling a toprope up onto the 6bs and 7b on the slab if you want to try something spicier. Just make sure you tick everything off in one push as you’re not going to want to go through the hassle of fighting your way back through the undergrowth again to revisit unfinished business.
Back on the north face, everything on the shorter wall on the left is fairly friendly and ideal for learning the basics. The taller wall on the right has some fantastic longer routes full of really exciting climbing in the lower to mid ranges. It can get a bit busier here but it’s rarely crowded. I’ve listed a few of my favourite climbs below.
Berenjenas con miel – 4b
Nora’s Stiege – 4c
Spaghetti Carbonara – 4c
Elephant Head – 5c
100 Euro – 6a+
Spaghetti Carbonara (4c) seems to be the bucket list item on this crag, with most groups making a beeline for it when we were there. It offers three distinct sections of climbing with good rests in between but for me the hidden gem was Nora’s Stiege (4c) on the south face. Following the arête as the hill slopes away beneath it, it provides more palm prickling exposure than any 10m route has any business doing. I also really enjoyed 100 Euro (6a+), the crux of which is a committing move that leads to a chute in the rock that smaller climbers may be able to squeeze through if they so wish.
Crag recommendation: Serena
Ruth belaying from the foot of Serena and doing her best not to get distracted by the view
A slightly longer walk-in at 10-15 minutes, Serena feels very much like a training ground for beginner to advanced climbing. The routes are split into three distinct crags along the south face – Baja (mostly 3a-4c), Medio (4a-5c), and Alta (mostly 6a-7b) – with the general rule of thumb being that the harder you want to climb, the further along the face you need to walk. Do beware that Serena is in direct sunlight all day with zero shelter, but the views are phenomenal.
If you’re introducing a member of your group to outdoor climbing then you can’t do better than Serena. The bolts are generous and low, and a few of the chains are even linked by steel bridges so you can supervise your climbing protégé cleaning a route for the first time. Climbonaut (4a) on the far left of Baja is essentially a bolted scramble – terrific for practicing clipping but good for little else. The grading on Serena is a bit hit and miss but it can go either way so pick your lines based on what looks good to you, rather than the number in the book. I’ve listed a few of my favourite climbs below:
El Clavo Dulce (4b)
Agua (5a)
Cervecita Fresquita (5a)
La Trifulca (6b)
The four climbs on Medio named for each of the elements are all good fun to tick off and make for a great warm up, totalling in no more than 50m of climbing combined. I enjoyed the burly moves of La Trifulca (6b) which are like something straight out of a bouldering gym but where Serena really comes into its own is if you’re looking to start pushing into slightly longer pitches and there are few better routes to do this on than El Clavo Dulce (4b), which is a meandering test of endurance that proves harder than advertised if you follow the bolt line directly over the bulge.
Crag recommendation: Suiza
Suiza is located on Escalera Arabe (or the Arab Steps) and is a popular area that’s full of the types of inspiring lines that El Chorro is famous for. While there are a handful of easier climbs on its sibling crag Sergio, Suiza is packed with stunning routes in the 4a-4c range. It’s accessed via the same set of tracks that leads to Serena but requires a slightly longer walk-in. That said, it makes for an excellent day out, as you can walk along the base of all of the crags until you reach the village of El Chorro itself, taking in some climbing tourism along the way and watching the local hotshots at Arabesque and Sombra.
While it offers a multitude of really fun single-pitch climbs, by far the best reason to visit Suiza is to try your hand at some easy, well-protected multi-pitches. Four of the single pitches (all 4b and 4c) lead on to bigger adventures of up to 12 pitches of 5c-6a+ climbing. Two of these terminate halfway up the wall so you’ll need to abseil back down, but the other two top out and can be descended via a relatively easy walk-off. Budget between three and six hours for any of these. There’s still plenty of single-pitch fun to be had if you don’t fancy a big day out. Recommended routes:
Los Timbales (4a)
Tapa de Isabella (4c)
Siebeo (4c)
Spaguetti Napoletana (4c)
Other useful information
Best time of year to visit
For the casual climber, you’re better off visiting during the shoulder seasons – March-May and September-November. The weather is sunny and mild yet not so crisp that you’ll feel like you’re standing around in a miserable quarry in the Peak District with your hands stuffed into your armpits. It’s a nice compromise of summer holiday vibes and ideal climbing conditions. We went during the first week of May and got caught in a heatwave with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius.
Managing the heat
If you find yourself in a similar situation, it’s best to plan your climbing based on where the shade is going to be – north facing crags are your best bet. No matter how resilient you think you might be to the heat, play it conservatively. The last place you want to realise you’re having a heat stroke is at the top of a 25m climb when you’re trying to re-tie your figure of eight knot to clean the route. After some trial and error, we found that the best approach was to hit the crag at first light for half a day’s climbing, head back for a siesta during the hottest part of the day, and then return to the crag in the evening. We nearly always had the crags to ourselves in the mornings.
Getting around
If you find yourself in a similar situation, it’s best to plan your climbing based on where the shade is going to be – north facing crags are your best bet. No matter how resilient you think you might be to the heat, play it conservatively. The last place you want to realise you’re having a heat stroke is at the top of a 25m climb when you’re trying to re-tie your figure of eight knot to clean the route. After some trial and error, we found that the best approach was to hit the crag at first light for half a day’s climbing, head back for a siesta during the hottest part of the day, and then return to the crag in the evening. We nearly always had the crags to ourselves in the mornings.
Lower-offs
We found that the lower-off rings at the chains were smaller than we were used to and easily crowded. Make sure you’re comfortable with how to clean a route when you can’t fit a loop of rope through the rings.
Climbing insurance
Most travel insurance providers won’t insure you for climbing - or, if they do, it will be for indoor climbing, or climbing as part of a supervised group. Sport climbing is an inherently dangerous hobby and if something goes wrong in somewhere as remote as El Chorro, you could be faced with an eye-watering medical bill. That’s why it’s important to make sure you have insurance that covers you for your chosen activities.
We exclusively use the British Mountaineering Council travel insurance, not least because it’s one of the few providers out there that will actually insure deep water soloing. Their policies are very reasonably priced, especially if you’re already a member. If you’re not a member, then a fair whack of your fee goes towards membership, which helps the BMC steward some of the UK’s most precious wild spaces - not to mention giving you 15% off selected retailers and access to mountain training reward schemes.