“Goodbye yellow brick road…”
—Elton John, b. 1947, British singer, songwriter, and pianist
“Well, only Japanese may understand it, but I am like a goat or something that likes high places.”
—Tamae Watanabe, b. 1938, oldest woman to climb Mount Everest–and she did it twice, the last ascent at age 73!
The Via
This via ferrata (or, via ferrada in Catalan), at La Cala del Molí, has been around for a couple o’ decades, originally built by Albert Girones Domenech some 24 years ago, closed a year or so later for a “technical issue”, then (as I understand it) reopened in 2013 when he went back and updated the materials with the help of one Albert Girones Stierle. It had to have been one heckuva project and a costly investment in shiny metal things–not to mention the mounds of elbow grease needed to lubricate their hard labor.
Basic statistic: 480 meters in length, with multiple ladders and myriad stainless steel foot/hand holds drilled and epoxy-glued deep into the orange granite.
In addition to the multiple ladders, and the standard ferrata foot/hand staples, the route includes seven different types of bridges, one built from a massive log, the others exciting aerial cable tightropes over the blue-green Mediterranean waters. In short, it is quite the delicious via ferrata and the only one in Catalunya that borders the sea. Very popular, for sure.
The design originally consisted of two zones with a possible escape route at the mid-point in case you have had enough after struggling awkwardly around the crux bulge called (with a wry smile perhaps) La Prenyada (the pregnant one). This first section is rated K2 and the second is a bit harder, more exposed and strenuous, at K3. Once deep into this second section, you will eventually see anchors leading to an even more difficult variant, called Escalfer, that is now closed (so don’t go that way!).
La Cala del Molí, then, is one of the most visited ferratas in Catalunya, given its spectacular seaside location, the gorgeous red-yellow granite, and its moderate (yet challenging for most!) grade.
It will take you anywhere from an hour to three hours to complete the circuit, depending on your skill level, how many folks are ahead of you gumming up the works, and whether you choose to do both sectors or just the first (and, naturally, how many times you stop to make stunning photographs and snap obligatory selfies for Instagram).
This was my second time around the circuit–that is, clambering through both sectors–the last adventure being over eight years ago. That outing–my first on a real via ferrata–was a fairly quiet, private experience with the birds and a climbing buddy from Chile. We nearly had the entire local coastline to ourselves.
This time, though, our group of five shared the day with probably 100 or more other conga line enthusiasts, it being a national holiday (Fiesta Nacional de España, Día de Hispanidad, or, as non-Native Americans know it, Columbus Day) and also because word is out that the town will definitively dismantle and close the via ferrata at the end of the this year (2026).
NOTE: See also my February 17, 2018 blog post, Vía Ferrata La Cala del Molí, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Catalunya
The Pending Closure
So, why is officialdom closing it?
The main reason, apparently, is to more fully protect the endangered nesting birds along the cliffs. Up until now, the compromise between birds and climbers was to simply close the route each year for nesting season from the 1st of December until about the 1st of June.
However, that apparently hasn’t been sufficient to shield the corb marí emplomallat (European shag), an endangered species, from the pressure of homo sapiens. (There is a rumor floating around that some climbers even went so far as to try to block off nests with rocks to get the birds to move elsewhere–but that is mere rumor as I have no solid, verified source.)
The result: The town of Sant Feliu de Guíxols has been ordered by the Departament de Territori, Habitatge i Transició Ecològica to close the via ferrata by year’s end.
The closure is unfortunate for us human adventurers, but the birdies will certainly be pleased.
There could be other reasons for the shutdown as well… some have mentioned the 2022 fatal accident as a factor, and then there may have been complaints by neighbors as the hyped-up hordes descended on the location each weekend (massification).
So, if you haven’t had a chance to scramble your way along this particular via, then you better get at it. You likely have less than two months before it disappears into history and we bid La Cala de Molí a final adeu.
More Dangerous Than Rock Climbing!?
You might think that a via ferrata adventure would be safer than actual rock climbing, after all, if you are always clipped in to a safety cable, what could possibly go wrong?
But, actually, there are many ways these routes can be even more dangerous. You absolutely do not want to take a fall and you need to be sure to use the right gear.
Some tips:
–Consider going with a guide the first time.
–Always use via ferrata-specific lanyards, called dissipators. A simple sling and carabiner absolutely does NOT slice the mustard. (See why in THIS ARTICLE, and check out photo #16 below.)
–Make sure you keep adequate spacing between you and the person climbing above or below you–you don’t want to fall on top of someone, or have them fall on top of you.
–Have an extra quick draw, or short sling and carabiner, or PAS handy so you can clip in to an anchor and rest when your forearms “pump out” on steep terrain.
–If you fall on your via ferrata lanyard, it’s toast. You’ll need a new one. Consider carrying an extra if on an extreme route.
–Do you know what to do if you do fall and you find yourself hanging from what is now a completely unstitched and fully extended lanyard? Maybe another good reason to go with a guide…
–Start with an easy route and work your way up. Wikipedia has a good overview of these types of climbing routes, their history, the risks, ferrata grades, equipment, and so on.
–A small pack with water and an extra layer of clothing is a good idea. On a long, all-day, massive via ferrata in the Dolomites, for example, you may need to pack for a variety of contingencies–self-rescue gear, a rope and descending device for rappels, GPS, food, water, headlamp, extra clothing, rain gear, communications device, etc.
–Wear a helmet and appropriate shoes (approach shoes or light hiking shoes work well for most).
–Comply with all the rules of the area and pack out your trash along with someone else’s (Leave No Trace).
The Images
The cute little town of Sant Feliu de Guíxols and its port as seen from the pleasant path to the via ferrata starting point. This berg bulges with sun-seeking tourists from July through early September, but is much more tranquilo the rest of the year. Those granite outcrops (and other larger ones just out of view) form an unusual climbing area called Solius–unusual in that you climb on rough granite, not the typical limestone found all over Catalunya and Spain…
At the entrance, a big poster gives you a seagull’s eye view of the route. Note the number to call if you wish to rent equipment, hire a guide or go with a batch of friends. On this day, there were several guided groups out and about having the best (and maybe worst!?) times of their lives…
Let the show begin!
The intial meters involve some fairly easy scrambling going down toward the water…
A proud and determined pine embraces the sky, somewhere along the route…
One of the first overhanging sections where Howard gets a little taste of what is to come…
These three are still in the first few easy minutes of their adventure. In the background is a slightly overhanging wall where they will find the strenuous crux of the circuit (Type 2 fun?)…
A closer view of that crux section. On the right, you can see a couple of climbers tackling La Prenyada. Up high are the cables of a Tibetan/Nepalese bridge that is now closed and off limits…
Walking on water…
One at a time across the bridges…
The water below looks sooo inviting for a swim or a bit of snorkeling…
On a busy day like ours, things tended to jam up through the more difficult sections. It was handy to have a short sling and biner to clip in to an anchor and hang out while we waited for those ahead…
The first escape option goes up a vertical staple ladder and brings you back to the start (avoiding the more difficult sector in the photo above). Note the excellent condition of the cable and anchor…
It isn’t a bad idea to wear gloves, although fingerless might be an even better option as you often will use the holds on the rock itself…
To illustrate how a fall on a via ferrata can be quite severe, imagine if the woman in red (Christina) continues climbing the ladder, sliding her lanyards up the life cable on the left as she goes. Then, imagine she falls just before she is able to clip her lanyards above the next anchor point (it’s at that black, round, rubber divider near Christophe’s left foot). She would initially bang her way down those nasty metal rungs, likely causing her injury, and she wouldn’t stop until her lanyards caught on the anchor point currently at her left knee. That would be roughly a fall of five meters onto about one meter of lanyard (a Factor 5 fall). Without an authentic via ferrata lanyard to dissipate the force (say, improperly using just a static sling as your lanyard) you would likely leave your hips behind in your harness as the rest of your body plummets into the sea as laser-helmeted shark bait (if the sling itself doesn’t break)…
Time out for the requisite group photo (author, Christina, Christophe, Howard, and Xiaolan)…
Looking back from whence we came. In the middle of the image, the long, vertical escape ladder can be seen–for those who prefer to skip the second half of the route. On the left, you can see a group of five working their way around the bulge of La Prenyada…
Moving around a corner on the slightly overhanging section of the second half of the via ferrata, with a Don Quixote statue of a paddleboarder looking on. Who is having the most fun, eh?
The very difficult Escalfer option is no longer available…
Crossing yet another of the cable bridges. That spectacular high bridge was apparently part of Escalfer and is sadly no longer accessible…
Walking a Tibetan/Nepalese bridge, surrounded by orange granite, with a view of the sea. Who could ask for more?
This tree was here on this cliff well before us pesky human beans climbed up here and will likely be around for many more years after we leave…
Taking a walk on the wild side, with the off-limits Escalfer bridge above…
A party of two behind us, and a good view of the different materials they used to build the via. Those shiny little metal platforms for your feet are quite solid but they tended to be a bit slick from the humidity, so take care…
A humongous amount of loving labor went into scouting and cleaning, then drilling, gluing, and bolting into place all the myriad via ferrata materials…
A relic of the past. The sea corrodes such anchors quickly. Stainless could work, but titanium would be even better…
The final vertical section leading to the exit…
Kayakers circle the calm waters below, chuckling at the circus on the cliffs above no doubt…
Back on horizontal terra firma. Once again, we have cheated death!
A bird’s eye view of a very well-designed via ferrata…
