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Los Teletubbies, Montrebei

Via ferrata

Publié le 4 March 2011 |

Catalunya, Montrebei. The via ferrata, equipped by Cast-Urquiza-Olmo since 2006, was recently opened. It's a short route that starts at Lac de Canelles and climbs up a (very!) narrow rocky ridge to reach the start of the Olmo-Soler ferrata, halfway up the enormous Piton de la Pertusa. Set against the impressive backdrop of Montrebeï and the turquoise waters of the Pantano de Canelles, the route requires you to be a tightrope walker, balancing on a ridge sometimes just a metre wide. The equipment is perfect for safety, and there are no real technical difficulties. Just don't lose your balance... or go astride! The Cast-Urquiza-Olmo route is a good way to check your vertigo threshold before moving on to its much more difficult neighbor, the Cast-Urquiza-Olmo, which climbs the west ridge above the lake.

Technical summary

Location ✦ Corça, Ager
Region ✦ Montrebei, Catalunya
Country ✦ Spain
Type ✦ Via ferrata
Vertical rise ✦ 125m
Difficulty ✦ K2
Distance ✦ 150m
Duration ✦ 1h to 1h15′

Access to the place

40 kms before Leida from Barcelona, turn north to Balaguer then Ager. Drive to Corça, 7 kms from Ager. As you enter Corça, turn right onto the semi-bitumen track towards La Pertusa. After a few twists and turns and a few minutes, you come to a cul de sac, at the top of the Pertusa rock, at the foot of the pantano de Canelles. Park here.

Itinerary description

Hiking to the start 20'

From the parking lot, head due west along the Pertusa ridge towards the hermit's house. The narrow path descends to the left along the south face of the Pertusa. Follow the green and white dots. After no more than 10′ you'll reach the start of the Olmo-Soler on the right. Continue downhill a little to the left, following the red and white dots. At the bottom, there's a passage, the Pas de la Piula, which can be crossed by the inner fault or over it. Continue towards the pantano to find the start.

Course 30' à 45'

The via ferrata, opened in 2006, faces west. The equipment is excellent, generous and even fun in places. It's hard to break down this ferrata into its constituent parts, because it's so short. Let's just say that the second part of the route is more aerial, and the higher you climb, the narrower and more gaseous the passages. It's clearly an initiation route, but given the aerial passages, it's not so obvious for beginners... On the other hand, the atmosphere is great and the scenery splendid.

The start is equipped with climbing holds fixed to the wall. There's a bit of everything here: moons and stars, elephants and other exotic animals. Then there are rungs, chains and even a pretty little aluminum ladder. Gradually, the ridge becomes narrower and more vertical. There are 2 or 3 passages where it's harder to stand upright and you get the feeling of being a tightrope walker. With the lake in the background, the view from the top is quite exceptional.

The end of the route is simply an equipped path leading to the start of the next ferrata, the Olmo-Soler, which is in fact the second part of the Pertusa crag.

Back

It's best to follow up with the Olmo-Soler, otherwise you can always go back down to do the next level, the Cast-Urquiza-Olmo, or climb back up the approach path to the start parking lot.