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Langarota

5.10b, Sport, 600 ft (182 m), 7 pitches,  Avg: 3.8 from 12 votes
FA: Juan Gabriel Carrasco (?) (to be verified)
International > S America > Ecuador > Cojitambo > Mandarineando

Description

This climb is great--it involves a nice variety of climbing styles, has great exposure, and gets you to the top of the formation.

P1: Looks like slabby climbing with some bulges. Word on the street is 6a/6b? I've only gotten onto the route at P2, by starting on Iriza.

P2: .10a? Start of a right-hand traverse. Super-fun small moves, finger pockets and crimpers, with one stretchy move across the middle of a round boulder that was not as featured as the rest, and one move that involved a reach for a flake that'd be hard for anyone 5'9" or under, and which might involve a bit more contact with a ledge than you'd like.

P3: 5.9? More small hands and feet--the route is continuing to traverse right, but the climbing feels nice and exposed because you're on a very pronounced lip.

P4: .10a/b? From the last belay, you'll have to do a bit of a strange overland zig-zag. Head up and left through the sawgrass, then back right onto the route. The first bolt is visible from the belay up and right but is pretty far and the fall zone would be a bit ugly. I girth-hitched a tree and then back-cleaned it to eliminate rope drag once I'd clipped the bolt. From this point on, the route gets steeper and the moves start to flow really nicely--the rest of this pitch is slab climbing, with the same hands and feet. Since you've done a few pitches of it, you're in the zone and the steepness feels like a nice reward.

P5: .10b? The slab turns into a corner, which invites some airy stemming, before a short, sporty, overhung section. Pull a block and then fly up some jugs to the belay. As I clipped the anchor here, I was thinking 'the only thing I don't like about this route is that it's over'.

P6: I didn't bother to stop and belay after P6, if you have a 60m I think you'll easily reach hip-belay territory from the top and with a 70m you can belay off the anchors that are holding up the power lines on top. A machete would help towards the end here, and the second might leave the approach shoes on. In fact, I suppose the leader probably should, too. Unfortunately mine were at the base.

P7: Not really a climbing pitch.

To descend, walk down the obvious trail to your right from the antenna station, until you get to a parking area (~2 min.?) between the two formations. There's a wooden railing at the parking area, and an illegible wooden information plaque. There's a climber's trail heading down towards the face on the other side of the railing, which leads to a rappel station. If you have twin ropes, you can make the ground in one rap, otherwise rap slightly skier's left, towards the other main wall, to an intermediate station, and then once more to the ground.

Location

You can start this climb at the base, or move over from the top of Iriza.

Protection

The Monodedo guide recommends 16 draws, I think I clipped an average of 8-10 in a pitch.

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Route overview.
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Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

C R
 
[Hide Comment] Pitch one has hard first two clips, then abundant volcanic huecos the rest of the way up.

Pitch two has a fun traverse, but the bolts below the anchor require a committing move on friction feet and is reachy. I'm 5'3" and I couldn't reach any of the right hand holds so had to bail. Repelling on the traverse is awkward. Maybe the crux of the route.

Pitch five was the best!

Top out with a scramble on dirt steps to a telephone electric building thing and rap down elsewhere.

Fun exposure, long route, definitely a classic. Jul 20, 2016
Kemper Brightman
The Old Pueblo, AZ
  5.10a/b
[Hide Comment] Langarota is the perfect introduction to Ecuadorian rock for traveling climbers. The moderate route features striking views, super cool volcanic features,and exposed climbing that ascends the striking left peak of Cojitambo. There are ancient ruins to check out when you get to the top as well. It makes a great half/day trip from Cuenca and is absolutely worth the effort to get there. The bakery in the town square offers pastries and bread so cheap you might consider hualing an extra bag...

While Langarota is fantastic, the potential that surrounds it is even more amazing. Imagine potrero Chico with only one or two routes that top out and you have this place. Dec 27, 2016