Last friday I finally sent my project in Oliana “Pachamama”. I was so stoked to squeeze it in before the summer heat. Pachamama is a blue wall just to the right of my other route Papichulo 9a+. Its 50m long and very pumpy and psychological.
The first 2/3 of the route is super resistence maybe 9a+ by itself. Its super sustained with most of the the holds being small mini tufa pinches and slopey underclings . I really had to climb with a lot of rythm. The individual moves arent that bad but I fell so many times with my hands opening up totally pumped. After there is "ok" rest and maybe 8b+ or 8c to the top. Just before the finishing jug there is a slabby redpoint crux with slopey sidepulls far apart with really bad feet (two days before I fell there).
Anyways its such a perfect line. It a beautiful bulging wall with 3d water streaks (like small mini tufa ribs) Oliana is a magical place. Its such a privelige to have it as one of my home crags and have the opportunity to put up such a perfect line.
Im still a bit confused over the grade. Its definitly harder than Papichulo and all the other 9a+ routes Ive done in spain but Im not sure if its 9b. Aside from the mandatory cabron jump to a sloper on the lower section, the resistent style of climbing on the route isn't quite the best style for me and I can imagine other people being better suited. We'll see what people think. For now I'd say its hard 9a+.