Pala Alta, Serra de Mont-roig · Sant Llorenç de Montgai & Mont-roig · Spain
A popular easy classic on the Pala Alta: four pitches on beautifully sculpted grey and ochre limestone, with long traverses in the middle and a steep, airy last pitch on big holds. The bolts are close throughout, which makes it a good first multipitch on rock that still feels big.
Climbing mode: Big type, screen kept awake, tick pitches as you go.
Highest point 950 m above sea level (camptocamp route 532460).
6aVI+5.10a4 pitches · 120 mBail not documented
Brothers Ruiz is one of the best-known easy routes on the Pala Alta, the highest band of the Serra de Mont-roig above Camarasa. It starts in slabs below a set of big red roofs, traverses right for two pitches and finishes up a steep wall on big holds just below the plateau. The rock is excellent and well sculpted, and every source stresses how close the bolts are. Expect a lot of sideways climbing: manage rope drag and look after the second.
The atlas doesn't show topos: they are the work of the people who bolt and document these routes. See the topo at Topos versant espagnol – Brothers Ruiz à la Pala Alta (2015), or in Lleida Climbs.
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 4cV5.6 | 30 m | A steep start, then a traverse left before climbing to the belay. Original grade IV+. |
| P2 | 5aV+5.7 | 30 m | Traverse right. Original grade V; one party thought it V+, and the bolts are close enough to pull through at A0. |
| P3 | 4cV5.6 | 40 m | An ascending traverse right. Do not belay at the foot of the corner bounding the big roofs on the right; keep traversing right. An intermediate belay is possible. |
| P4 | 6aVI+5.10a | 30 m | A fine, steep and airy pitch on big holds; go up the corner on the right rather than straight above the belay. Camptocamp gives V+ (5c); Topos versant espagnol gives 6a max with V+ obligatory, and Bloc Empotrat says the exit pitch is given V+/6a. Belay just below the plateau. |
From Balaguer or Camarasa drive to Les Avellanes and turn left to Vilanova de la Sal, then follow signs for the Ermita de Montalegre; the simplest is to park at the hermitage. Camptocamp also gives a parking area on the track below the cliffs.
About 15 minutes. From the hermitage follow the good path east along the crest; after about 5 minutes, where it rises, take a cairned path on the right that drops quickly to the track along the foot of the cliffs. Follow the track past the Diedro Blanqueta; a little further on you pass under big red roofs, and the route starts in the slabs below them, just right of the route Mariola.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Coordinates · crag
Parking
Point from camptocamp waypoint 532447 (Sierra de Montroig – Pala Alta)
Contains the route point and parking.
Points from published sources, not surveyed.
Coordinates: 41.89648, 0.83649 (crag) · Parking: 41.89376, 0.83048
On foot. Topos versant espagnol: go left along the crest to the top of the Pala Alta, then follow a path on the right flank of the crest back to the hermitage (about 30 min). Camptocamp: follow the path right (east) over small rises down to the Coll de Porta and the track below the routes.
Bail not documented
No source describes retreating. The belays are bolted, but pitches 2 and 3 traverse right, so abseiling straight down from them would not land you on the previous belays. From the first belay retreat should be easy (inferred).
14 quickdraws. The route is walked off, so one rope long enough for 40 m pitches will do (rope length is not stated by the sources).
South facing at about 750 to 950 m; the wall goes into shade in mid-afternoon. Pleasant from autumn to spring; vultures and bearded vultures are often seen.
Forecast · next 7 days · 950 m
Loading the forecast.
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| High °C | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Low °C | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rain mm | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chance of rain % | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Strongest gusts km/h | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Model forecast for 950 m. It cannot tell you whether the rock is dry. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Time plan · 4 pitches
Working out sunrise and sunset.
An estimate. Queues and route finding cost time, and shaded walls go dark before sunset. Local time (Central European time), flat horizon.
Sun on the wall · S-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
From the aspect alone; terrain is ignored. Local time, 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 (usual season) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | 10 | 12 | 16 | 19 | 23 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 25 | 20 | 14 | 10 |
| Mean daily low °C | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 6 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
● usual season. 1991-2020 averages at about 396 m; rain is for a 10–25 km grid cell. Weather and climate data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Straight-line distances, up to 30 km.
No reports yet.
Spain · Sant Llorenç de Montgai & Mont-roig
The classic of the Cilindre, a short Riglos in miniature: four steep, continuous pitches on big pebbles and pockets in sound conglomerate, with a polished crack-corner to start. The 6b second pitch is a long, slightly overhanging pull. Grades are considered generous for the style.
6bVII5.10c6bVII5.10c4 pitches100 m
Around 6a · about 4 pitches
Spain · Montserrat
An exposed, airy line with unusually good holes and jugs for Montserrat, shaded in the afternoon. The 6a pitch is a sustained vertical 20 m. Going straight up instead of following the line is closer to 6b+.
6aVI+5.10a6aVI+5.10a4 pitches140 m
Spain · Vega Baja (Orihuela & Callosa)
A popular modern four-pitch classic on Pared Negra's compact grey limestone, around UIAA 6/6+ (about French 6a). Best on cool, sunny winter days.
6aVI+5.10a6aVI+5.10a4 pitches150 m
France · Baou de Saint-Jeannet
The most accessible bolted multipitch on the Baou: four homogeneous pitches of French 5+ with one move of 6a, up a crack, corners and sculpted stratified walls, with an airy traverse on pitch 3. Short enough for half a day. Local grades are stiff, the first pitch is polished and the easy sections are run-out.
6aVI+5.10a6aVI+5.10a4 pitches120 m
Read the cautions
Italy · Sardinia
A short but superb sea-cliff route on beautifully sculpted limestone in an incredible setting near Pan di Zucchero. Corners and an airy pillar lead to a steep, rounded 6a wall. Camptocamp rates it 'great'.
6aVI+5.10a6aVI+5.10a4 pitches120 m
Researched and aggregated by AI from published sources, last compiled October 2026. It can be wrong, and bolts, anchors and access change: check a current guidebook and read the disclaimer.