La Miranda de Can Jorba

After two intents that unfortunately had to be scrubbed due to adverse meteorologic conditions, on Sunday Xavi and me finally were out for a climb on Montserrat's sunbathed southside. The previous days had been bitterly cold, on Saturday we even had some snow, and although the tempereature wasn't what I'd call warm, the sun made the climbing enjoyable.

Xavi on top La Miranda de Can Jorba

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At our first choice database escalatroncs, we had found a rock column called Agulla de Can Jorba that reaches more than 200 metres high. In order to climb it, one first has to summit sort of a balcony from where the final attack can be carried out. Our idea was to try us at the balcony first and go for L'Agulla only in case everything looked fine. The balcony is known as La Miranda de Can Jorba and on one side offers three not too difficult routes, one located right next to the other. The line's names from the left to the right are: Sol Solet (130m, IV+), Bego-Miguel-Kush (240m, V-) and Escabroni Escapullini (125m, V).

The Bego-Miguel-Kush-Line, as its length might indicate, doesn't reach La Miranda, but instead turns right just a little short of it in order to go for L'Agulla. Nevertheless, many of its bolts as well as belay-stations can be used for climbing La Miranda.

Anyway, our first problem wasn't to choose between one of the different lines La Miranda offers, but to find it in the first place. After about one and a half hours of looking for it in the Area of La Vinya Nova we returned somehow disappointed to our car. In the meantime our vehicle was joined by others and the whole place was thriving with activity. Someone present told us that La Agulla de Can Jorba was to be found a significant distance to the west, close to a masia called Can Jorba. We couldn't deny it made sense.

A rock we mistakenly took for L'Agulla de Can Jorba

Once arrived at Can Jorba we only had to follow the main path, at several points marked with yellow paint, that directly leads to the beginning of El Joc de l'Oca, a sort of rudimentary via ferrata. Right to the left of its starting point which is marked by an official sign as well as by a rope tangling down from above, one finds La Miranda. A closer inspection reveals the numerous bolts pertaining to the different climbing routes mentioned above.

The Sol Solet Line

Despite of all the time we had lost that morning, it only was just past 11:00 o'clock - the best time for getting started. While we were preparing our gear, a couple (Julia and Victor) joined us. They decided to go for the Escabroni-Escapullini Line whereas we chose Sol Solet. Xavi was to lead the first pitch. As soon as he started his way up, three more climbers appeared. Somehow it was decided Victor and Júlia would continue the Escabroni Line, we would deviate to the right, making use of the Bego Line and the other three would stay to our left on the Sol Solet Line. Our first pitch led to a belay station located just right to the point marked as R2 on the line description above. Technically speaking it wasn't difficult, but since the first meters were to be climbed in the shadow of the trees and since the rock was ice cold, I soon lost any sensibility in my hands as well as feet. Once I reached the belay station, I was glad I could put on my deep winter Gore-Tex gloves. Actually, everyone except Júlia, then securing Victor from a belay station about 2 meters to our right, was complaining about the same problem.

From where we were situated, we saw that our Bego Line was about to cross the line to our right in an utterly unlogical way only to turn back left further ahead in order to go for a common belay station. This meant, that we would have to wait until Victor and Julia were out of the zone of interference with us. That's when we decided to go straight, making use of the second pitch of the Escabroni route instead. Again, Xavi made the lead more or less to the point marked R3 on the photo above. By then, temperature was no issue any more and the most challenging detail was a small protuberance he was able to deal with by means of a short traverse to his right.

The second belay station, in the vicinity of a line of small trees

Victor and Júlia as seen from our second belay station

 The third pitch was upon me to lead. Unlike Victor an Júlia, who maneged to pass by an overhanging rock face on its right side, we decided to try us at its opposite flank, hence had to change to the Sol Solet line a couple of meters to our left. The pitch didn't confront us with much difficulties, although I would like to have climbed in a kind of vertical edge the rock offered, rather than right of it where the bolts were to be found.

Xavi during the third pitch. Far below, a green sign indicating El Joc de l'Oca can be made out

The last pitch was mine again. After reaching the overhang it led to the left, close to a big pine tree. The last 15m or so where rather easy, but no more bolts were found, so that the daily dose of adrenaline output was reached well before summiting La Miranda. There was a bolt in sight, however, but it was part of a alternative route that directly attacked the overhang. I tried to get close to it but saw that there was no point in insisting, for I soon found myself in complicated terrain. After heading down some meters I made a second intent further to the left. As easy as it was, at one point with particularily small hand- and footholds, the idea of a drop had very little appeal. As always, everything worked out fine and soon I reached the summit of La Miranda. Only a while later Xavi joined me and the first thing we did was to change the climbing shoes for our far more comfortable sneakers and some socks.

Unanimously we decided that it was time to begin our way down, the same decision, by the way, the other two groups also had taken. Three rappels later we found us where we had begun the climb some hours earlier that day, and when we had finished to re-organize and distribute our gear it already began to slowly darken.

Xavi during the first of three rappels