This delightful stretch of the Segre valley near the village of Alòs de Balaguer offers a beautiful setting in which to climb. The river meanders through groves of poplar trees, overlooked by steep cliffs and the ruins of Castell de Rubió (an important Arabic stronghold in medieval Spain) while the village itself is extremely pleasant. The climbing in Alòs is very varied, ranging from the pleasant, ‘friendly’ routes of sectors Cal Cari and El Racó del Segre to the fiercely steep tufas of El Balcó del Segre and the long and adventurous pitches on the walls of the Barranc de Sant Martí. Most sectors face south or southwest and are sheltered from cold northerly winds, factors making winter the ideal time to climb here.
Note: fog can be a problem here in December and early January!
🧗♂️ Barranc de Sant Martí
Note: an 80m rope is required for certain routes here!
Description: This impressive sector lies hidden in a canyon situated in the hills overlooking the village. It is not a place for people who scare easily — the ‘warm-up’ routes on the left-hand side of the crag (6c+ - 7b) feel a little bit run out moving rightwards everything’s gets much steeper and much harder! There is still plenty of scope for new routes and some of the lines will undoubtedly be 9a and above. Orientation: west.
🚶♂️Approach: On entering the village of Alòs de Balaguer (driving from Artesa de Segre) there is a T-junction: turn right here and follow a narrow road heading towards the upper part of the village. After approximately 650m the roads swings sharply left. Turn right here onto an unsurfaced track — signposted San Mamet — and follow this for approximately 1.5km to park about 120m before a sharp left-hand bend (P3). Follow a vague trail diagonally downhill (cairns) then cross the dry streambed and continue uphill heading towards the cliff (20 min). The path is hard to follow in places but if in doubt, keep high. A narrow terrace runs along the sector about 10m above the ground, from which all the routes commence. Care is needed when walking along and belaying from this ledge system, which is not a safe place for young children. Note: an 80m rope is required for certain routes here!
