Climbs 30
Rocktype UNKNOWN
Altitude 18m a.s.l
Faces W
Crag features
Las Maretas seacliffs (along with the lava tube near Jameos del Agua) have the best bolted climbs on the island. There are more routes to be discovered than I have listed here. When the sea is calm (not that often), this section of coast has some great swimming in natural pools left at low tide. There are photos on Google maps, but note some of the marker pins and labels are in the wrong place. The seacliffs have some very good climbing and are well worth a visit.The first sector you reach when coming from the north is Temprano Quizar, named after the young man whose memorial is at the top. The crag is located in a bay which is largely none tidal. The grey rock is steep and solid and is well bolted with stainless glue-ins, the routes are up to 20m high. Access does not require and abseil and with a bit of care it should be possible to get some non-climbers down the scramble.
Walking south a short way from Temprano Quizar is Unknown Amphethetre area. It looks as though it needs an abseil approach, I have no idea of routes or quality of the equipment.
South again is the 'Original Walls' sector. Here there are a good number of worthwhile routes, a few 4's, several 5's and a number of 6's. They are on quality grey rock with stainless steel glue-ins and need an abseil approach. It is possible to traverse the base of the routes at all states of tide, but if there is a big sea running you may need to rappel down your chosen route and stop on a ledge before reaching the base. There is a 2007 vid showing some of the Original Walls sector here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpbzJZdvtEc At low tide with a calm sea it might be possible to scramble down and then traverse the base of the cliffs to this sector, but I don't know this for sure and I have always abseiled in.
Look at the crag photos for location information and to match routes to their descriptions. (Be sure to click on "View all Photos")
Approach notes
There are at least 3 sections of developed cliffs, which can be approached from the salt pans of Janubio to the North (easiest), or Playa Blanca to the south . If you have a 4WD vehicle it is possible to drive to the top of the climbs. In a 'normal' hire car you can easily get within a 20-30 minute walk without having to drive on anything rough.From the roundabout near Janubio salt lagoons take the old road towards Playa Blanca (parallel to the new fast road). Go past the dirt road turning down to the southern end of Janubio beach after 1.5km and turn right after 2.5km down a tarmac road leading to a big building on the clifftop, a water desalination plant. If you park here and walk south along the cliffs you reach the developed sectors in approx 20-30 minutes. It is best to keep to the vehicle track (for easier walking) rather than following the rough cliff edge path. Have a look at the photos to get an idea of locations and routes. The first sector Temprano Quizor is a little further than shown on the photo, but it is roughly correct. Photos showing routes from RD, are sector Temprano Quizor
Walking south from the desalination plant for a few minutes you pass an obvious inlet with a small white cross ( a track bends inland at this point). Keep heading south until you come to the Sector Temprano Quizar which is below a memorial cross and garden - see photo. The young man's name and picture is on the seaward face of the cross. (This is directly above the cave area). To the left (looking out) it is possible to scramble down to arrive at the base of the routes RH1, 2 and 3 which are obvious.
Walking south you next pass Unknown Amphethetre area. I have looked over the edge and seen bolts, but have no information.
South again a few hundred metres first is an unbolted cave area, next a small concrete cliff-top pillar with a square base and then the Original Walls sector. (Looking south from here you can see the ruined/unfinished hotel on the top of the cliffs not far from Playa Blanca. It is possible to approach from there, but it requires quite a lot of rough track driving). Once you spot the stainless bolts and belays of the sector, the easiest rappel is from a pair of very obvious large rings - see photo
No Access Issues
There are a lot of stainless steel glue ins. Some of them broke just by body weight.
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Climbs at this crag
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