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Stone at Roc de Sédour, Surba

Publié le 6 July 2015 | Ariege, France Eng

Above Foix, at the entrance to the Ax-Les-Thermes valley, the Bédeilhac site offers some beautiful walls facing south towards the Pyrenees. The Roc de Sédour is located just before Calamès, and the Pierre route on the large wall. The view over the Ariège valley is splendid. The route is announced as 5c/5c+, a little under-priced for our taste, with pitches in 6a and even a step in 6a+ in L3. Well-equipped, you still have to climb between the nails. Slabs, dihedrals and cracks and impeccable rock. A good option in this sector.

Technical summary

Access to the place

At the exit of the 4-lane road from Foix towards Tarsacon and Ax-Les-Thermes, take the large traffic circle and turn right towards Surbat, parking on the left-hand side at the village.

Map & topo

Itinerary description

Hiking to the start 40'

Brutal! From the parking lot, walk about 50m along the road towards Calamès, then turn right (signposted La Roche). Yaw past a few houses, then take a forestry road that runs eastwards on a slope (signposted as prohibited by decree, apparently unrelated to the restrictions on the biotope from February to June). After 5′, climb to the left using an old knotted rope and follow the tiny path that climbs steeply. Cross fields and then scree to finally reach the base of the grade wall to the left and find the start of the route (Pierre written on the rock).

Course

The route is 140m long in 4 pitches (40m, 40m, 30m, 30m) and has a south-east exposure. Required climbing level is 6a. Fully equipped, but a few stoppers can provide extra protection in certain places.

L1 (40m, V+)
1 step at the start, then finesse your way up to finish on a narrow, uncomfortable belay (rather intimate when there are 3 of you!).

L2 (40m, V+/6a)
Climb up with one or two fine steps. The second part, in a vertical dihedral, is not easy.

L3 (30m, 6a+)
1st part in V+, then before the belay a very fine passage on a slab with a vertical groove (6a+ ?).

L4 (30m, 6a)
A fine start on slats. The central flat is more easy before the finish and a more athletic step.