El Tobazo south face, Rioseta (Canfranc) · Aragonese Pyrenees (Tena & Canfranc valleys) · Spain
Bail with caveatsBolting confidence: high
The left-hand line on the south face of El Tobazo, similar in style to its neighbour Valle de Canfranc and a little shorter. Easy slabs and grassy steps lead to the two pitches that matter: a short vertical wall of 6b that almost everyone aids on the bolts, and a friction slab of 6a where you have to trust your feet between bolts. Very closely bolted throughout, with loose stones on the terraces.
The route
Torrijo climbs the left side of the big south face of El Tobazo (1986 m), above the Rioseta military camp on the road from Canfranc to Candanchú. It is a mountain-style route in two parts. Pitches 2 to 7 are on good limestone, with vertical steps and friction slabs; the last three pitches are easier, grassier and need care with loose rock. The two hard pitches come together in the middle: pitch 6 starts with an eight-metre wall of about 6b, bolted every half metre, and pitch 7 has a wide slab of balance climbing that repeat parties grade a solid 6a. There is little sense of exposure and every belay is on a comfortable ledge.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Bolts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 3b | 60 m | 3 bolts | Grassy steps with an occasional slab. It can be avoided by walking up the grassy ledges on the left. The bolt count is approximate: the party that reported it skipped this pitch. |
| P2 | 4a | 60 m | 6 bolts | Grassy steps (2 bolts) to a wide level area, then a very easy-angled friction slab (4 bolts) left of a corner. This pitch was running with water two days after heavy rain in October 2023. |
| P3 | 5c | 35 m | 8 bolts | An easy slab, then a slab with some thin friction moves, very well bolted. Belay 5 m left of the corner. camptocamp grades it 4+. |
| P4 | 5b | 25 m | 10 bolts | A vertical corner with holds (5 bolts), a small roof on good holds helped by a pine, then a vertical wall with good holds. Can be linked with pitch 3. The corner seeps after rain. camptocamp grades it 5+. |
| P5 | 4b | 35 m | 10 bolts | Leave the belay to the right: an easy-angled slab with a few friction moves, then steps. |
| P6 | 6b | 45 m | 22 bolts | The crux: an eight-metre vertical wall. The first three or four bolts go free without trouble; above that it is about 6b free, or comfortable A0 with the bolts half a metre apart. Then a kind of corner and steps at 4b to 4c with a short move of 5a, and a last 15 m of easy grassy ramp. Some topos give 6c. A wide grass ledge leads off left from the belay as an escape. |
| P7 | 6a | 30 m | 14 bolts | A steepish wall on holds for the first five bolts, then a hard pull onto a broad slab climbed on friction: many small sloping ledges, good for feet and useless for pulling. You climb between the bolts and the crux move is above one, so it cannot be aided, but the bolts are never more than about 2 m apart. The Escalando blog lists this pitch as 4c. |
| P8 | 4b | 20 m | 6 bolts | Grassy steps, a flake and a short slab to a pine; belay a few metres right of it on a wide ledge. Watch the rock. |
| P9 | 4b | 25 m | 7 bolts | Steps with a steeper slab to a grassy area below a big roof, avoided on its right. The sixth bolt is in a large block that did not inspire confidence; better left unclipped. Can be linked with pitch 8. |
| P10 | 4c | 30 m | 3 bolts | A grassy ramp, then a rock spur with a short vertical section. |
Getting there
From Canfranc Estación take the N-330a towards Candanchú. At a sharp right-hand bend you pass the Rioseta military installation. There is a small parking area for four or five cars on the right of the bend, and a larger shaded one on the right about 100 m before it.
35 to 45 min. Cross the road and skirt the military installation to the path that climbs towards Tucablanca between two pine woods, following a power line. Go up to the electricity pole numbered 8, continue about 50 m towards the next pole to some large cairns at the edge of the path, and leave the path there, heading right to the scree. Cross it and follow the path along the foot of the wall to a bolt with a tape carrying the route name, or the name on the rock. camptocamp places the start about 50 m left of Valle de Canfranc.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
Rioseta military camp bend (camptocamp access waypoint 554640)
Point from Base of the neighbouring route Valle de Canfranc (camptocamp route 554511 GPS track); camptocamp places the start of Torrijo about 50 m to its left
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: 42.77280, -0.52772 (crag) · Parking: 42.77300, -0.51899
Getting down
From the last belay look left towards the Tucablanca huts of the ski area. Beyond a big fall of red rocks there is a bright green grass slope with a zigzag path on it. Take that path, which is a little overgrown but clear, down to the main path from Rioseta to Tucablanca, and follow it to the car: about 1 h. camptocamp gives two variants, by the ski pistes to the north or west to a track and then south on a small path from some wooden snow fences; one party took 1 h 30 by the longer loop.
Retreat
Bail with caveats
The route is set up to be abseiled with 60 m ropes from the chained belays at R2, R4, R6 and R8. Before pitch 7 you can also walk off left along a wide grassy terrace. From the top of pitch 8 onwards the sources say it is better to finish.
Safety
Sun and weather
South facing, from about 1580 m to the 1986 m summit, in the sun from early morning: choose a day that is not too hot or start early, and carry plenty of water. The many earthy ledges feed seeps, so the lower pitches need a few dry sunny days after heavy rain. It has been climbed from late June to late October; the October party climbed in down jackets.
Sun on the wall · S-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 | Apr | May | Jun (usual season) | Jul (usual season) | Aug (usual season) | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | 4 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 5 |
| Mean daily low °C | −3 | −3 | −1 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 0 | −2 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 14 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 1564 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
18 to 20 quickdraws and material for the belays; several draws can be recovered on pitch 6 and when linking 3 and 4. A 60 m rope. Cams and nuts are not needed. 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 Torrijo.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
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.