Paret del Pessó · Collegats · Spain
Read the cautionsBail with caveatsBolting confidence: medium
A consistent, well-bolted line starting with a crack under the big pylon. Ten pitches of 5b–6a+ are split by a 100 m scramble through a vegetated 'garden' before the final tier.
Bolted with no trad gear required by the topos, but high first bolts, old pegs on the hard moves and a runout final pitch on poor rock mean it is not a pure clip-up.
The route
Tanger climbs the steep conglomerate of the Paret del Pessó in the Collegats gorge, directly above the roadside parking. Seven pitches of sustained wall and crack climbing at 5b to 6a+ lead to a vegetated terrace, a 100 m walk and scramble, then three more pitches up the final tier. The hard moves are closely bolted and can be pulled through at A0, but the first bolt of most pitches is high and the last pitch has a long unprotected section, so it is less of a clip-up than the grade table suggests. Recent parties call the climbing athletic, atmospheric and stiffly graded, with some polish. Allow 4 to 5 hours on the route.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Bolts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5c | 35 m | 10 bolts | Straight up the crack, then trend right for the last 10 m. 10 bolts and 1 peg. Bolted belay. |
| P2 | 5c | 25 m | 7 bolts | The first bolt is 3 m to the left; do not follow the bolt line 1 m to the right. Then straight up and back left. Belay up on the right. A 2017 party strayed onto newer, shinier bolts on a neighbouring line here and broke a hold. |
| P3 | 6a | 20 m | 8 bolts | Left, then straight up; belay on the left. Reported as polished, which makes the crux noticeably harder. |
| P4 | 5b | 30 m | 9 bolts | Left, then diagonally right, then straight up. 9 bolts and 1 peg. |
| P5 | 6a+ | 40 m | 12 bolts | Slightly right to a small cave at about 5b; do not follow the gold-coloured hangers straight up. Then the 6a+ section, which goes at A0. 12 bolts and 3 pegs. A 2023 report says two hard moves here rely on an old peg in poor condition. |
| P6 | 5b | 35 m | 9 bolts | Start right, then straight up to the vegetated ledge. 9 bolts and 1 peg. The finish is on earth, roots and small trees that are worn from use. |
| P7 | 5b | 40 m | 7 bolts | Right across earth, then traverse back left on slightly friable rock, straight up and round a tree on its left to a belay at the foot of the big garden. 7 bolts and 2 pegs; one peg is driven in too far and needs a thin sling to clip. Variant: the steep wall straight above the P6 belay at 6b, reported in 2024 as well protected on clean rock and a better pitch. |
| P8 | 5b | 30 m | 8 bolts | Reached after the 100 m walk. Start at the very top of the path by earth steps with exposed roots, level with a clump of trees. No bolt is visible from below; the first one is about 7 m up. Then broadly straight up the crack line. 8 bolts and 3 pegs. |
| P9 | 6a+ | 30 m | 10 bolts | Start left (5c), then diagonally right (5b), then a steep step at 6a+ that goes at A0. 10 bolts and 3 pegs. Belay on the left. |
| P10 | 5b | 30 m | 5 bolts | Straight up. Only 5 bolts and 1 old bolt. The start from the belay is a poorly protected traverse followed by a steep, earthy corner before the first good bolt, and there is a long unprotected stretch on poor rock and earth. Belay at 30 m, then continue about 15 m of easy ground (3b) to a tree belay at the descent path. |
Getting there
From La Pobla de Segur take the N-260 north-east towards Sort into the Collegats gorge. About 8 km from La Pobla, roughly 100 m after the exit of the first tunnel, there is a small pull-in on the left for 3 or 4 cars (sign for the Cova de la Serpent path). If it is full, park just before on the old road that bypasses the first tunnel on the outside. The camptocamp access page mentions the La Pobla railway (fgc.cat) for public transport to La Pobla de Segur; from there you still need to cover the 8 km to the gorge.
10 minutes. From the parking you can see the crack of the first pitches directly above the big electricity pylon. Take the signed Cova de la Serpent path, then leave it for a small track that passes near the pylon to the foot of the wall and follow the base rightwards. Find the Agulla del Gos, a pinnacle leaning against the wall that forms a big corner on its right. Tanger starts about 30 m right of that corner at a crack and is the second bolted line after the corner. The ground at the base is awkward (big earth steps).
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
Parking du Défilé des Collegats (camptocamp access point)
Point from camptocamp waypoint 696691
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: 42.28514, 1.03395 (crag) · Parking: 42.28611, 1.03667
Getting down
On foot, 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on the source. From the top follow a cairned path south along the clifftop (faint red paint marks), then down a rounded spur to a 150 m line of chains, cables and fixed ropes with some rungs, which leads down to two big pylons. Follow the Cova de la Serpent path north back to the parking. It feels like a via ferrata descent; one rung section is a long reach for people under about 1.70 m. Every belay is equipped for abseiling, but abseiling the route is not recommended because of the vegetation.
Retreat
Bail with caveats
Yes, but it is discouraged. Camptocamp states that every belay is equipped for abseiling and then advises against abseiling the route because of the vegetation; an older French topo says it is possible but slower than walking off. Expect ropes to catch on trees and earthy ledges, especially around the garden between the two tiers.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
North-east facing conglomerate at about 600 m. In May the wall comes into the sun early and stays in it until about 14:00, so climb in the afternoon shade in warm weather. In late autumn and winter the route gets no sun and is cold. Trip reports are from April, May, September and November. Wind can pick up above the middle terrace in the afternoon.
Sun on the wall · NE-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.
Climate figures for Collegats are not available yet
What to carry
2 x 45 m ropes (camptocamp); 13 to 15 quickdraws including some extendable ones; a thin sling for the buried peg on P7; thick grippy gloves for the chain descent. Cams and nuts are not needed according to the topos, but a 2024 party suggested two medium cams (Camalot red and green) to reduce the exposure on the last pitch. Trainers are worth carrying for the walk between the two tiers.
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 Tanger.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Around 6a+ · about 10 pitches
Spain · Vega Baja (Orihuela & Callosa)
The classic of Redován: ten pitches and 300 m of steady grade 5 with three steeper pitches on red rock. The eighth pitch, a traverse right into an overhanging corner above the orange cliffs, is the one people remember. Closed from January to June for nesting eagles.
6a+10 pitches300 m
Germany · Berchtesgaden & Bad Reichenhall
A long-day alpine-flavoured plaisir route on the Untersberg's summit wall. Pitches range from UIAA 5+ to 6+ (≈5b–6b), with 5+ obligatory.
6a+10 pitches250 m
Spain · Aragonese Pyrenees (Tena & Canfranc valleys)
Varied, sustained limestone of chimneys, dihedrals and compact fluted slabs high above the Tena valley. Bearded-vulture nesting closes the face from 1 Dec to 31 Jul unless lifted early, so check montanaregulada.org.
6a+10 pitches265 m
Read the cautions
Spain · Riglos & Agüero (Mallos)
A way up the Pisón at 6a+ if you accept two pitches of pulling on bolts at the start. The seventh pitch is a contender for the best corner at Riglos. Take care with the rock on pitches 3 and 4.
6a+10 pitches270 m
Read the cautions
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.