Nina Caprez and Cedric Lachat on Orbayu: climbing is hard work!

During the summer of 2014, Nina Caprez and Cedric Lachat worked to repeat the extremely difficult and demanding route, Orbayu, located in the Picos de Eruopa mountain range of Northern Spain. The couple decided to film their project. The following photo report provides a glimpse into the commitment needed for their extraordinary vertical adventure during which the protagonists were far from being on what can be considered a vacation.

"We now know the true meaning of 'Orbayu.' It is a light, very fine rain that you might at first mistake for fog, until, in just a few seconds, you are soaking wet." According to Cedric, this was the atmosphere during the entire project. Often wet, sometimes windy and cold, always changing and typical of the Picos de Europa, this incredible mountain range in Northern Spain that rises to over 2500 meters elevation.
In terms of climbing, this extremely difficult ascent and is must-do of the genre. The route was first freed in 2005 by Basque brothers Iker and Eneko Pou. Its 13 pitches, including five rated 7c to 8c, cover more than 500 meters of climbing, with odd protection options to say the least. "The first few pitches are trad, with a few bolts here and there to protect the crux moves; ditto for the final pitches," explains Cedric.
It is not at all surprising then that this route appealed to Cedric and Nina, two specialists in working long and difficult multi-pitch climbs.

Did you say logistics?

This climbing project was a photo and video project as well. Cedric and Nina brought photographer Sam Bié and cameraman Julien Nadiras with them on their vertical voyage, the latter shooting video for a film that was released in early 2016. This translated to a full logistics strategy that the two protagonists had to implement, both for climbing the route as well as to equip the wall with fixed lines for Julien and Sam. They had to carry the several dozen kilos of gear needed to work the 500-meter high wall.

First round for Cedric

In July, after several sessions on the face to work the route and to take pictures, Cedric sent the entire route in a single push on an unusually cold day. Beyond the technical difficulties, he had to call upon his wealth of knowledge in the "science" of climbing,"In my opinion, you need a certain amount of experience climbing on this type of terrain to be able to protect the route without placing yourself in real danger. Falling at the wrong spot or poorly placing a piece of protection could result in a 20-meter fall." Nina, on her end, sent everything on second except the 8c pitch. Another session to work the pitch was in order.

Nina pushes through!

At the end of July, with her battery recharged, Nina returned to base of the climb. On the first day back, she sent the first four pitches, but was once again shut down on the fifth pitch. Too much stress? After freeing her mind from the pressure of the project and film, she tried and tried again, finally sending the elusive 8c pitch in style. "I gave it my all, stayed focused, and am now truly ecstatic even though I did not send the route in a single push."

In the end, for both climbers, the photographer, and the cameraman, this was an incredible route as well as a huge well-coordinated effort to achieve the final goal. High-end climbing means hard work, too!

To rent or purchase the film: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/orbayu
Nina Caprez's blog: http://www.ninacaprez.ch
Cedric Lachat's website: http://www.cedric-lachat.com