Spain · El Chorro
Estrella Polar
Ten varied pitches on good rock in a superb position: a roof, slabs, a tenuous traverse by a cave and a steep corner. Several pitches feel stiff for the grade, especially the P2 crux.
6b10 pitches279 m
Amptrax
Frontales (Amptrax sector) · El Chorro · Spain
Bail with caveatsBolting confidence: high
The absolute El Chorro classic: a physical, sustained line that feels tough for the grade, with a 6a traverse right under the roof. Polished in places from heavy traffic.
- Hardest pitch
- 6a
- Pitches
- 9
- Length
- 182 m
- Approach
- 30 min
- Aspect
- S
- South-facing
- Rope
- 1×70 m
The route
Overview
Amptrax is the classic multipitch of the Frontales wall above El Chorro: nine pitches, about 180 m, with three 6a pitches in the middle and an exposed rightward traverse on P6. The climbing is physical and sustained and widely felt to be tough for 6a, and the popular lower pitches are polished. Older descriptions say you needed wires above the fifth pitch; current topos say it is now fully bolted to the top of P8, with the anchors replaced in 2020. Most parties abseil from P8 rather than do the loose final scramble and long walk-off.
The climbing
Pitch by pitch
35+5+6a6a6a5+4+3
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 3 | 34 m | Scramble up and left on a ramp to the top of the pillar and a two-bolt belay below a big white streak. |
| P2 | 5+ | 30 m | Straight up through small corners with strenuous, unobvious moves, then traverse right to a two-bolt belay. Often linked with P3 using long slings. |
| P3 | 5+ | 15 m | Good jugs to a large ledge on the left with a bolted belay. |
| P4 | 6a | 15 m | Steepening white limestone on holds that are not always obvious, to a small bolted stance. Often linked with P5. A 2024 comment reports a possible loose block on this section of the route. |
| P5 | 6a | 24 m | Up and slightly left, then through a small bulge on positive edges. Often named the hardest and best pitch. This was the old sport-only high point. |
| P6 | 6a | 24 m | The exposed traverse right under the roof to a bolted stance. |
| P7 | 5+ | – | Up and right towards a big orange alcove and across it to a bolted stance. A 2012 description records no fixed gear and loose rock here; current topos say the route is now bolted to P8. |
| P8 | 4+ | – | Easier climbing to the anchor where Ebola arrives. Abseil from here or continue. |
| P9 | 3 | – | Optional. A steep unbolted scramble with a lot of loose stones to the top of the wall. |
Getting there
Approach
To the parking
El Chorro village is the base, about 45 minutes from Málaga. A hire car is the easiest option; trains run often from Málaga María Zambrano to Álora and about once a day to El Chorro itself. For Frontales, park at the reservoir below the village, at Los Albercones (poor road) or at Las Encantadas. Do not drive or park inside the nature park where signs forbid it.
On foot · about 30 min
About 30 minutes on foot from the village. All Frontales sectors are reached by the road through the nature park and the path that runs along the base from Castrojo to Placas de la Cantera. For Amptrax, scramble up to the left-hand of the two big ledges (bays) of the sector; this bay holds Amptrax and Ebola. The scramble involves a few moves, so it is not ideal with children.
Map of the walk-in
- Crag
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The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Point from Mountain Project area 107107946 (Amptrax)
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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: 36.91342, -4.76039 (crag)
Getting down
Descent
Usual descent: from the P8 anchor abseil the line of Ebola (6b+), which was originally set up as the abseil line. Sources give 4 x 35 m abseils to the ground and say a single 70 m rope is enough and necessary. You can also abseil the route itself. Walk-off: top out via P9, scramble up and right to a notch in the skyline on poor rock, then either cross into the next valley and follow the stream bed down to a path back to the railway and village, or follow the ridge right to the Escalera Árabe. The path is not obvious; theTopo advises following its GPS trail, and a 2024 comment mentions walking left to a clearing and an abseil point marked with yellow paint.
Retreat
Bailing off the route
Bail with caveats
Yes, you can retreat by abseil, but it is not equally clean from every stance. Sources say the route itself can be abseiled on a single 70 m rope, and the usual descent from the P8 anchor is the Ebola abseil line (4 × 35 m). The exposed rightward traverse under the roof on P6 is the awkward part: abseiling from the stances around it will not follow the line you climbed.
- Retreat from
- Belays are bolted throughout and the anchors were replaced in 2020. From the belays up to P5 the line is fairly direct, so abseiling the route from there should be simple (inferred from the pitch descriptions). From the P8 anchor you abseil Ebola. Between the P6 traverse and P8 no source describes a retreat.
- Carry
- 1×70 m rope, stated as both enough and necessary for the 35 m abseils. Knot the ends. Nothing is published on whether the lower belays have rings or chains, so carry a couple of maillons or old karabiners.
- Basis
- Part stated, part inferredThe guide's sources state that you can abseil the route and that Ebola from P8 is the normal abseil line on a 70 m rope; the difficulty of retreating around the P6 traverse is inferred from the pitch descriptions.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Hazards
- Polished rock on the lower pitches from heavy traffic.
- P9 is unbolted with many loose stones; anything knocked off lands on the route and the parties below.
- Loose rock is reported around the orange alcove on P7, and a possible loose block on P4 after the traverse section (2024 comment, seen in a search summary only).
- Rockfall from parties above and from ibex; theTopo specifically asks for helmets at Amptrax.
- The walk-off is long, exposed in places and hard to find.
- A 70 m rope is the minimum for the abseils; knot the ends.
Sun and weather
Conditions
South-facing and sunny, so best from October to May and on cooler or cloudy days; too hot in summer. Dries quickly after rain. December to March is the busiest period and this is the most popular route on the wall, so expect queues and parties above.
Usual season · Jan to May, Oct to Dec
JFMAMJJASOND
Sun on the wall · S-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
- January (usual season): not yet worked out
- February (usual season): not yet worked out
- March (usual season): not yet worked out
- April (usual season): not yet worked out
- May (usual season): not yet worked out
- June: not yet worked out
- July: not yet worked out
- August: not yet worked out
- September: not yet worked out
- October (usual season): not yet worked out
- November (usual season): not yet worked out
- December (usual season): not yet worked out
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.
Climate figures for El Chorro are not available yet
What to carry
Gear
Single 70 m rope. About 14 quickdraws is the usual El Chorro rack; take several long slings or extendable draws if you plan to link P2+P3 and P4+P5. Helmet. No trad gear needed below P8 according to current topos.
Checklist
- Quickdraws
- Number not given in the sources
- Rope
- 1×70 m
- Helmet
- One each
- Abseil device and prusik
- The descent or the retreat involves abseiling
- Maillons or spare karabiners
- To leave behind if you retreat
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
Reader reports
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 Amptrax.
Worth knowing
Tips
- If the 6a pitches feel hard, that is normal; several sources put them at the top of the grade.
- Linking P2+P3 and P4+P5 saves two small stances.
- Abseiling from P8 is simpler and quicker than the walk-off.
- Lluvia de Asteroides (5+) on the neighbouring Mundo buttress is the easier alternative if Amptrax is busy.
Open questions
Where sources disagree
- Bolting: Mountain Project (page from 2012) says to carry wires above P5, describes one pitch with no fixed gear and a natural belay at the top. theTopo says it is now fully bolted with anchors rebolted in 2020, and theCrag (search summary only) says bolted to the end of P8 with an unbolted P9. This entry follows the newer sources.
- Pitch count: 8 on Mountain Project, 9 on theTopo and The Wandering Climber. The upper pitches are split differently, so pitch lengths are only given for P1 to P6, converted from Mountain Project's feet.
- Abseil point: Mountain Project describes 4 x 35 m abseils from the stance after the alcove (its P7); theTopo says abseil Ebola from the P8 anchor.
- Polish and difficulty: 'a bit worn' (theTopo) to 'quite polished' (The Wandering Climber).
Provenance
Sources
- theTopo – Amptrax, FrontalesUsed for: pitch grades, bolting history, 2020 anchors, descent options
- Mountain Project – AmptraxUsed for: pitch descriptions and lengths, linking, walk-off, older bolting state
- The Wandering Climber – El Chorro guideUsed for: approach time, polish, 70 m abseil, rack, season
- theTopo – Frontales crag descriptionUsed for: parking, approach to the Amptrax bays, aspect, helmets, descent
- Mountain Project – EbolaUsed for: abseil line and 70 m rope requirement
- Mountain Project – El ChorroUsed for: travel, guidebooks
- theCrag – Amptrax area routes (search summary only; page not read in full)Used for: P9 unbolted and loose, 4 x 35 m abseils, 2024 comments
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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.