The Pou brothers establish a new route
on the Naranjo de Bulnes

On the 13th of August two Basques, Iker and Eneko Pou, have established a new free route on the west face of the Naranjo de Bulnes in the Picos de Europa, Spain. The brothers were working on Lurgorri practically for one month. They opened it after four days of aid climbing. Then they took a week’s break and afterwards began working on freeing the line. After three weeks of tries they managed to establish a new 250-meter-long 8c+ route, which - as Iker has suggested - may be the most difficult multi-pitch route in the world.

As the Pou brothers comment, the first 35 meters are the most difficult part of the route. In total Lurgorri consists of 6 pitches with difficulties: 8c+, 7b, 5, 7a, 5, 7c+, 4. The brothers used a minimum number of bolts, and there are none on a 35-meter overhanging at the start of the climb.

The Basques had already had some considerable success on the Naranjo. At the beginning of this summer they put up 500 meters of Quinto Imperio (8b), and in 2003 they succeeded in freeing Zunbeltz (8b+).