Big air on the main headwall of Barranco del Llidoners
Barranco del Llidoners and Racons
It's been a while since my last visit to this dramatic canyon and was done whilst researching for the Cicerone guidebook Costa Blanca Mountain Adventures.
We been invited to join friends who were planning a trip down this and I was quick to sign up and within no time had recruited more willing adventurers. We set off this morning as a team of 11 and had 2 ropes with us, 1 x 100m and 1 x 38m. These would prove to be pretty perfect for the abseils in store.
Amongst our team today were 2 additional proficient, skilled and qualified climbers / rope access technicians and this was to be a big help in the smooth running of the day. Big thanks to Chris and Phil for dealing with the majority of rope-work 🙂
We gathered at the top of the first bolted abseil station and geared up. The wind was howling and making us all cold. Phil volunteered to go down to the 2nd abseil station and remain there to oversee the rope-changeover at this point. The initial abseil is short and diagonal, with some major exposure.
Phil set up an excellent system to keep people safe during the changeover onto the big abseil which came straightaway and is 47m and all free-hanging. Despite the very efficient system in place, it took a long time for everyone to make this double descent.
Beyond this lay some scrambling and bush-whacking to reach the next section of descents, with the main event being 50m and our 100m rope being just enough for us to touch down, phew!
A couple of shorter but fun abseils through water worn rock features led us to the end of the Barranco del Llidoners and straight into the Racons. This gives some great fun scrambling and just one fairly short abseil. This barranco terminates on the Rio Ebo riverbed and a straightforward walk along this brought us to the path up to Fleix and the road.
A grand day out with good friends. Thanks to Kate, Rik, Ann, Phil, Nicola, Stevie, Chris, Tricia, Stan, and Theo.
For more about the activities and adventures we offer in Spain please check out this link
Thanks for reading
Mark
Barranco del Racons - this follows on well after Barranco del Llidoners
The final abseil of the day
Queuing at the final abseil
The biggest abseil in Barranco del Llidoners - 100m rope just enough when doubled
Great views into the sunny mountains