Eneko and Iker Pou add difficult new climb to Pico Cão Grande, Sao Tomé

Despite the incessant rain Eneko and Iker Pou have completed a new route on Pico Cão Grande, the striking needle that rises for 450 meters straight out of the plains of Sao Tome, the remote island off the western coast of Central Africa.

Together with Manu Ponce and Jordi Canyi the Basque brothers established Leve Leve, which translates into "slowly slowly" in the local language, dealing not only with constant rain but also with the somewhat friable rock. The result is noteworthy though: 450 meters with difficulties up to 8b+, climbed free during one of the only two days of good weather. Shortly afterwards the duo also made the first free ascent of Nubivagant, the 450 meter 8b first ascended in June 2016 by Sergio Almada Berreta and Gareth Lia.

Leve leve is the third stage in the brothers’ project called The North Face Four Elements; after travelling to the Peruvian Andes in 2017 and exploring the element air with AUPA 40! and water with Yakumama, Leve Leve now represents fire. Unsurprisingly, since Pico Cão Grande is of volcanic origin.



Link: FB Hermanos Pou, La Sportiva, Petzl, The North Face