2nd ascent of "Orbayu", Naranjo de Bulnes, Spain: the most difficult multipitch in the world ?

[9b]

F.A. Iker and Eneko Pou, 2009.

13 pitches.

 

New pitches bolted by Pou brothers:
1: 8a+, 38 m, 6 bolts
2: 8a, 25 m, 3 bolts
3: 8a, 25 m, 5 bolts
4: 7a, 25 m, 3 bolts

 

6 pitches from "Mediterranean Route" (Gallego/Ortiz 1980, 550 m, A3 6a):

5: 8c+/9a (grade suggested by Pou brothers), 37 m:

7c+/8a route (technical and not well bolted, potential 20-25 m falls) + 8a+/b boulder + 8b route mono-twofingers (2 new bolts)

6: 8a+, 30 m (not well bolted)
7: 6b+, 55 m
8: 6a+, 40 m
9: 5, 45 m.
10: 5, 50 m

 

3 pitches from "Rabada-Navarro" (Rabada/Navarro 1962, 700 m, 6b):
11: 5+, 60 m 
12: 5, 35 m
13: 5, 45 m

 

 

2nd ascent: Nicolas Favresse and Adam Pustelnik, 2011

[9b]

According to Nico and Adam (best wishes !), the route seems easier than Wogu and Chameleon

[9b]

Iker and Eneko Pou (spanish and english):

Orbayu is harder than "Solo Per Vecchi Guerrieri" and "Pan Aroma", both 8c.

[9b]

Photo-report from Bernardo Gimenez (spanish)

[9b]

According to David Lama, Paciencia, 8a is more "difficult" than Pan Aroma, 8c

[9b]

As we reported in the Black Diamond Equipment Journal this past August (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/journal/climb/all/bd-ath...), Black Diamond athletes Nico Favresse and Adam Pustelnik made the first repeat of Orbayu, a multi-pitch line on Spain's Naranjo de Bulnes, which at 8c+/9a had been hailed as the world's hardest big wall free climb. Although the pair felt the route was not as hard as it was originally trumpeted (they graded it more in the 8b+/8c range), they had nothing but high praise for the route's quality. We had Bernardo Gimenez on the scene to capture their successful redpoint of the route and he has edited together this excellent video. At the end of the video you'll see footage of Adam as he is stabilized, rescued and hospitalized after a terrible ground-fall while attempting a new line with Nico after they had redpointed Orbayu. Adam continues to make progress in his recovery and we look forward to seeing him back cranking on the rock in 2012.