Multipitch Atlas

Princesa

Sa Gubia – Sector Princesa · Mallorca (Sa Gubia) · Spain

Read the cautionsBail with caveatsBolting confidence: medium

The route that gives the sector its name: five long, sustained and homogeneous pitches up the full height of the back wall of the bay, left of the vast orange scoop. Pockets, a technical fingery wall, a jug-covered bulge and a long traverse right near the top. Two of the lower belays are hanging stances.

The back wall of the Princesa sector at Sa Gubia, looking left from the start of Sol Solet in October 2024. Princesa climbs this wall immediately left of Sol Solet; the line is not marked.Photo: Alexdpc · CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

Photo

The back wall of the Princesa sector at Sa Gubia, looking left from the start of Sol Solet in October 2024. Princesa climbs this wall immediately left of Sol Solet; the line is not marked.Photo: Alexdpc · CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Hardest pitch
6b
Pitches
5
Length
148 m
Approach
30 min
Aspect
W
West-facing
Rope
1×70 m minimum
2×60 m is easier
Read before you go

A bolted classic, recently rebolted at the crux, but with old first protection, hanging belays, awkward abseils and reported stonefall in wind.

The route

Overview

Princesa climbs the whole back wall of the Sa Gubia amphitheatre, starting on grey slabs below and left of the big orange scoop, in the middle of the single-pitch routes. It is in Rockfax's top 50 for the island and has 79 logged ascents on UKC. The second pitch used to go direct with one very hard move at 6c; the line now moves left past the steep section and a 2024 party found the rebolted crux climbs better at about 6a. Above, the climbing stays sustained on long pitches. Camptocamp's author judged the top of the route clean, with less stonefall risk than neighbouring lines.

The climbing

Pitch by pitch

PitchGradeNotes
P16aStraight up easy ground past a rusty stake and an old bolt (a sling on a tree in between is welcome) to the foot of the steep wall, then up pockets to a hanging belay below a steeper section.
P26bSustained, technical and fingery. Move left past the steep section and continue to a second hanging belay. The old direct line was 6c; the rebolted crux, slightly left, was found to be about 6a in 2024.
P35cSuperb climbing straight up. You soon pass a first hanging belay; a good ledge with trees about 15 m higher is far more comfortable.
P46aA bulge on jugs, straight past the overhang to a ledge (optional stance), then traverse right to a small stance below a corner and overhang.
P55cTraverse well right, about 8 m and well protected, to a belay on a ledge, then straight up a bulge on good pockets and left to the final belay at the clifftop.

Getting there

Approach

To the parking

From Palma drive north on the Ma-11 towards Sóller. Shortly after the junction where the Ma-2010 leaves for Bunyola there is a large car park by a restaurant, the usual parking for Sa Gubia. Mountain Project reports regular car break-ins: leave nothing in the car.

On foot · about 30 min

About 30 to 45 minutes from the car. Cross the road, walk back past the roundabout and take the small road that leaves the Ma-2010 past houses. The tarmac turns to dirt; just after a house with stables a dry stream bed crosses the track. Turn right up it and follow the cairns. Right-hand forks lead in turn to the Silicona, Excalibur, Isla Bonita, Princesa and Bomberos sectors, then Albahida. Princesa is on the back wall of the bay. Start on the grey slabs below and left of the orange scoop; belay at the tree line or scramble up to where the wall steepens. Sol Solet is the line of bolts immediately to the right.

Map of the walk-in

  • Crag

Loading map

The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.

Coordinates · crag

39.69414, 2.67379

Point from Mountain Project sector point (Princesa, Sa Gubia), about 125 m from camptocamp waypoint 820495

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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.

Getting down

Descent

Abseil. Rockfax, single 70 m rope minimum: abseil from the top of Sol Solet to the belay it shares with Princesa, continue down Princesa to the tree-ledge stance, then to the top of the second pitch, then two more abseils to the ground. Camptocamp's author warns that a 60 m rope only just reaches R3 from above and that the rope can jam there; a ledge above and right of R3 has an anchor that belongs to another route. Parties on Sol Solet next door made three abseils of exactly 50 m with two ropes.

Retreat

Bailing off the route

Bail with caveats

Abseiling the route is the normal descent, so every stance can be used to retreat. The caveats are the rope: a 60 m single only just reaches between some stances and has jammed, and Rockfax asks for 70 m at least.

Retreat from
Any belay; the tree ledge at the top of pitch 3 is the comfortable one.
Point of no return
None described. The pitch 5 traverse is the one awkward section to reverse.
Carry
A 70 m rope at least, or better two ropes.
Basis
Stated in the sourcesRockfax and camptocamp both describe the abseil descent stance by stance.

Safety

Hazards

  • A 2004 UKC comment warns that on windy days significant rockfall comes down the left side of the wall from the trees high above, as the rock scars at the base show.
  • The first protection on the approach slab is old: a rusty stake and an old bolt.
  • Rope jams on the abseils near R3; do not stretch a 60 m rope.
  • Two hanging belays on the lower pitches.
  • Car break-ins at the parking are reported as regular.

Sun and weather

Conditions

West-facing. Rockfax says the crag is in shade most of the day; a May 2022 party found this route comes into the sun at about 13:30 to 14:00. The cirque can be windy.

Usual season · Jan to May, Oct to Dec

Sun on the wall · W-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.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean daily high °C121214172125282924201513
Mean daily low °C77810141720211815118
Rain days 1 mm or more776653237998

● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 400 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

Gear

Quickdraws and a few slings (camptocamp); no nuts or cams. A 70 m rope at least, or two ropes. Helmet.

Checklist

Quickdraws
Number not given in the sources
Rope
1×70 m minimum; 2×60 m is easier
Helmet
One each
Abseil device and prusik
The descent or the retreat involves abseiling

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 Princesa.

Worth knowing

Tips

  • A 2022 party found the guidebook pitch descriptions hard to match to the rock: follow the line of shiny bolts from the approach slab to the top.
  • On pitch 3 carry on to the tree ledge instead of stopping at the first hanging belay.
  • Sol Solet (6b+) and Via Llum de Lluna (6b), both in the atlas, start alongside.

Open questions

Where sources disagree

  • Grade: Rockfax and UKC give 6b after the change of line on pitch 2; camptocamp still gives 6c for that pitch and for the route.
  • Abseil rope: single 70 m minimum (Rockfax) against camptocamp's warning about 60 m and jammed ropes; two ropes avoid the problem.
  • Length is Rockfax's 148 m; no source gives pitch lengths.
  • Approach time: 30 minutes (a 2022 party on Sol Solet) to 45 minutes (Mountain Project, general).

Provenance

Sources

Same area

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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.