New Line - Echo Valley, Mad Dog E8/7 6C

Apologies for this somewhat late blog entry, it's not that nothing's been happening, it's more like everything has been happening. Worst of all I'm about to run out of bolts!

Which brings me neatly onto where have all the bolts gone?  Well, some at Toix, some to the local Spanish teams,  but mostly a new crag at Echo Valley which is road side has 17 new routes, the lower tier has well bolted routes from 2´s to 6a´s and is up to 12m in height. It rivals Toix Ost lower wall for good easy routes. The upper tier is larger 30m routes from 4 to 6b. All routes are equipped with expansion bolts and double bolt chain lower offs.

Echo 1.5 Alto

1              Sesamoid    6a

Climb the slab on mostly good holds to the ledge and steep wall, crux, surmount this and climb easily to the top.

2              Phalanges   5+

Follow the juggy wall to where it steepens romp through the steep ground on huge jugs.

3              Hyaline 6b

Easliy gain the third bolt, difficult steep right to a flake and then sustained to the break, the steep ground is climbed on weird holds step left into a corner near the top.

4              Regalo para Ali 5+

Ascend with increasing difficulty to the break and corner above.

5              Bicton instructor course 2008 4

The steep wall leads to an incredibly airy arête.  32m long take care when lowering.

The Toix sea cliff area of "Pirates of the Caribbean", thanks to Paul Thorburn, has seen some more development. Topos are in the making with routes from 5 to 8a and some open projects likely to be in the mid 8´s. If you´re up for putting your name on a new fully equipped line drop me an email for which lines are still projects. rich@theorangehouse.net

Katie Mills (front cover of this month´s climb fame) is now the Orange House manager. She brings lots of motivation to the house, and a very large horse called Jo. Katie´s partner is Gaz Parry, so guess who I´ve been climbing with lately?

The some of the trad lines routes at Echo 2 have attracted some very large numbers , first to fall was Mad Dog E8-7 6c (8a). Gaz and I will write an article about this crag shortly watch this space..........