Playing hooky at Paredes Naranjas

Martin readies the rope at Parades Naranjas

After our last trip to Viejolandia. the weekend weather turned uncooperative. Until last Tuesday, I only managed to climb outdoors once, in the Bosque, on May 20th. That weekend marked a few personal firsts that might be worth mentioning. It was the first time since surgery that I climbed two days in a row: Saturday in the gym  and Sunday in the Bosque. I also managed to redpoint, on my second go, the first 5.10 I've done that wasn't relearned with the botched hip resurfacing (so what if the route was just a contrived variation to a standard route in the Bosque that was wet)  Finally, I tried my first 5.11 since the revision, albeit on top-rope, which I managed to do with one hang on the second go.

The following two weekends, the weather prevented us from getting out to climb. The forecast, however,  looked promising for Tuesday, June 5th. Since I didn't have anything pressing to do at work, I thought it would be best to play hooky and go climbing. So I called Martin to see if he could get free. He said yes and and we planned to go climbing in a sector on Sierra de los Difuntos known as Los Paredes Naranjas (the Orange Walls).

When you face Difuntos from the highway Ruta 226, the main climbing wall runs just below the top of the sierra for the entire length of the hill in front. At the extreme left end is the sector Viejolandia,. At the far right end, maybe a mile or so distant from Viejolandia, is the short steep face known as Paredes Naranjas. Except for one older route which has been there since the 90s, the 12 bolted routes are just a few years old. Gaby and I had climbed here a couple of times back in the 90s, doing the older route and a few other lines placing gear, but basically I was unfamiliar with the new routes. Since the bulk of these climbs weigh in at 5.9  or 5.10, this seemed like the right place to go.

The day turned out to be pretty nice: dry, sunny and a few degrees above freezing, although there was a bit of a stiff breeze. The approach to Paredes Naranjas is a pleasant, albeit time-consuming walk, hiking past Viejolandia to the top of the sierra, and then hiking the length of the front end of Difuntos on the enchanting, high mesa. I was hoping we could try out the bulk of the routes, but by the time we got to the climbing area, it was already afternoon. And this time of year in Balcarce, it gets dark by 6:00.

Because Martin and I were climbing alone and a bit pressed for time, the few pictures I got aren't very good.   Basically quick butt shots taken by the belayer, so sorry about that. I hope I get some better photos when we return.

The first climb we did was the easiest one in the sector: a rather unremarkable 5.7. But it was still fun.

Martin looks happy climbing 5.7

A butt shot of Martin climbing 5.7

The next route we did was a tricky 5.9 arete, just to the left of the 5.7. I had to fight a bit to get this one, but it went well first try. Then we moved left again and did a 5.8 face climb.

Martin on the 5.8. 

Martin moves up the 5.8

Get the clip. The 5.9 arete is to the right. 

The next route we tried was a solid 5.10 and here I started feeling like a real climber. This is a route that I had sent a couple of times on preplaced gear, maybe fifteen ago with Gaby. I had also once tried the bolted version, more than a year ago, with my botched resurfacing. That time I struggled, getting way pumped and hanging to rest. In contrast, on Tuesday, I sent the bolted version pretty easily, feeling totally solid. So that was fun.

The last route of the day was a new bolted 5.10d that I'd never tried before. This was a tricky route to onsight, since the moves are less than obvious and I wasn't up to doing it first try. So I learned the moves my first go, hanging a few times on lead and then redpointed the route solidly on my second go. This was sort of a milestone for me, because it's the first completely new 5.10d I've sent since before my botched resurfacing, more than two years ago. And this happened ten days short from being four months after revision, so that seems pretty good, I guess. 

By the time Martin and I finished with the 10d it was already getting late and we hadn't even come close to doing all the routes at Paredes Naranjas. So I hope we'll be going back soon.  

The old, fat guy tops out 5.8