Magdalena Superior south-west side (Gorros) · Montserrat · Spain
Bail with caveatsBolting confidence: high
An easy, atmospheric way up the Magdalena Superior with one hard pitch: a traverse to the edge of a big roof and a ladder of bolts up a steep spur, 6b free or 5b with aid. The other three pitches are grade 3 and 4 on generous cobbles. Bring an étrier or a long sling if 6b is beyond you.
The route
A four-pitch route on the sunny side of the Magdalena Superior, the tower between the Gorra Frígia and the Magdalena Inferior. Three of the pitches are easy climbing on big cobbles. The second pitch is the reason to come: it traverses towards the left edge of a big roof and climbs a slightly overhanging spur on a ladder of bolts, 6b for strong parties and straightforward aid for everyone else. A climber who repeated it in 2023 notes that the exit from the aid is easy because the bolts are close and you can keep using a sling until the climbing looks simple. A 2021 party found the rock excellent and the equipment abundant.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Bolts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 3b | 30 m | 5 bolts | Straight up the inclined pillar on good cobbles to a belay a few metres below a big roof. Do not follow the bolts that go into the roof. |
| P2 | 6b | 30 m | 14 bolts | Traverse up and left towards the left flank of the roof (4b, then 5b) and climb the slightly overhanging spur on the ladder of bolts: 6b free, or A0 with 5b obligatory. Then the easy pillar (4b/4c) to the belay. |
| P3 | 4c | 30 m | 9 bolts | Straight up a wall of generous cobbles to a harder step up and left (4c), then easily to the ridge of the Magdalena Superior and a ring belay on the ground, which is also an abseil station. |
| P4 | 4b | 25 m | 4 bolts | Cross between two trees, downclimbing slightly, to the final wall. Climb it trending left, then follow the ridge right to a belay a few metres below the summit. The abseil station is a few metres to the right. |
Getting there
Montserrat monastery, reached by road from Monistrol (BP-1121) or by FGC train from Barcelona (Manresa line) connecting with the rack railway or the cable car. Camptocamp suggests parking just above the hairpin at the monastery toll, which it describes as free, and walking up through the car parks; a 2016 party paid €6.50 for the day in the monastery car park, which fills early at weekends. The Sant Joan funicular from the monastery saves about 350 m of ascent; camptocamp quotes €15 return and €9.50 one way for its upper section.
About 1 h 30 on foot from the monastery car parks by Santa Anna and the PR C-19, much less with the funicular; a 2021 party walked down to the start in a few minutes from the Sant Joan side. From the Sant Jeroni path at the foot of the Gorra Marinera, go along the wall towards the Gorra Frígia and take the Escales de Jacob (Jacob's stairs) on the left. Pass along the south face of the Magdalena Inferior, slip behind the Magdalena Superior and descend a narrow gully. The start is on the right before you reach the bottom of the wall, in a small clearing, marked by a bolt stud without a hanger. The other way in is over the col between the Gorra Frígia and the Magdalena Superior and down to the south side.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Point from camptocamp waypoint 525443 (Magdalena Superior summit)
Contains the route point and parking. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.
Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.
Coordinates: 41.58932, 1.82646 (crag) · Parking: 41.59545, 1.83938
Getting down
Abseil the east face by the normal route: a first abseil of about 15 m to the R3 station, then 25 m to the ground. A 2021 party did it in a single 50 m abseil. Walk to the Escales de Jacob, the narrow stepped passage between the Gorra Marinera and the Magdalena Inferior, and down to the Camí Nou de Sant Jeroni.
Retreat
Bail with caveats
Retreat is not described. From R1 a 30 m abseil returns to the start, which needs the two ropes you carry for the descent. After the roof pitch the belay is above overhanging ground reached by a traverse, so going down from R2 is awkward and finishing is easier: the last two pitches are grade 4, and R3 is itself an abseil station on the descent line.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
West to south-west facing at about 1100 m, so it gets the afternoon sun and suits cooler months; logged in November. It is on the opposite side of the tower from the shady north-face routes such as 98 Octanos.
Sun on the wall · SW-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Central European time), for the 15th of each month.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar (usual season) | Apr (usual season) | May (usual season) | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct (usual season) | Nov (usual season) | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | 6 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 7 |
| Mean daily low °C | −3 | −3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 1 | −2 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 6 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 1072 m. Area climate from Open-Meteo reanalysis. Temperatures are adjusted to the height of the crag; rain comes from a grid cell of about 10 to 25 km, and summer highs on sea cliffs can read a few degrees low. The wall and valley can differ. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
What to carry
14 quickdraws plus a long extender, and two 35 m ropes or a single rope of 50 m or more for the two short abseils. An étrier or long sling for the bolt ladder if you will aid it. Helmet.
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to Acromion.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
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Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.
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