Pou brothers add Vicios Ocultos to Picos de Europa

The prolific brothers Iker and Eneko Pou have returned to the Picos de Europa, where this autumn they have established one new route and made the first free ascent of another.

The two Basques kicked things off on the beautiful Aguja Alfonso Martínez tower in Poncebos, where they freed Pilar del Texu. This six-pitch route had been established by Iker Pou and Víctor Sánchez in 2021, and has now been given an overall grade of 7c+ for its 250 meters. Eneko described it as "a serious, bold and committing climb where there’s no room for mistakes."

A few weeks later, the pair established Vicios Ocultos on Tiro Pedabejo, the 2189m summit between the Valdeón and Liébana valleys. The 285-meter route was established ground-up over two days and freed with difficulties up to 7c+.

The Picos de Europa massif is one of the Pou brother's favourite climbing areas and in recent years it is here that they established calibre climbs such as Truenu (9a/+, 600m) and Rayu (8c, 600m) on Peña Santa de Castilla. On Picu Urriellu, also referred to as Naranjo de Bulnes, their list of first free ascents include El Pilar del Cantabrico (8a+, 500m, 1997), Zunbeltz (8b+, 500m, 2003), Quinto Imperio (8b, 500m, 2006), Lurgorri (8c+, 250m, 2006), Orbayu (8c+/ 500m, 2009), Gorilas en la Roca (7b+, 200m, 2011), La Reina Fortuna (7b, 200m, 2016) and Marejada Fuerza 6 (8a+, 500m, 2016). In 2018 on neighbouring Tiro Pedabejo they established Dardara (7c+/8a, 200m) with Kico Cerda and Ion Gurutz.

Links: FB Hermanos Pou, La Sportiva, Petzl