Cold and rainy Margalef

This w-end was not exactly conducive to climbing, being basically a cold and rainy disaster of a weather menu. With a group of friends we still managed an outing to Margalef, a sport-climbing paradise spot hiding sleepily behind the Montsant range. The road there is curvy and long making anyone unprepared or unmotivated car-sick quickly. Usually it is a worth-while winter climbing spot as its crags have a good sun exposure and the canyon captures heat well. This time it did not work perfectly - maybe the absence of sun had something to do with it, as well as the intermittant rain showers, hail, and wind gusts.

We managed a visit to Can Torxa and Ca La Marta sectors. The highlight for me has been flashing Chachi Qui Chapi while making the nose of my belayer bleed!..  Below is Pau redpointing the same (yes, he kindly volunteered to put draws on it for me), awesome picture by Julietta from Meteora, Greece (yes, another place to visit one day - now maybe with a personal guide =)

We than tried (hopelessly for me) Espinazo del Diablo, an awesome 7a+ requiring serious bouldery moves, and an even worse 7b, Instint Animal, in Ca La Marta.  Below myself leading one of the very nice 7a slabs on the left-hand end of Ca La Marta - unfortunately under pouring rain at times (the unfocused parts of the pic below are actually rain drops...)

At the crux, just before the ´pilla´ shout:

Again, pictures by Juliette, thanks!