There's a newly bolted line in Barangay Poog, Cebu Province called "The Hidden Wall." The cliff was bolted by Escanio, a low-key and highly perceptive climber who splits his time between the Philippines and Italy.
To get there, face the main wall of Poog. Stick your right arm to the side and follow that direction for one hundred meters. You will see this formation below:
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| The hidden crag is a two-minute walk away from the main wall, tucked behind another rock. |
Ancient Ruins
Local climbers also call the new area "Ancient Ruins":
On account of blocks of rocks that have evenly spaced semi-funnels on the side -- which looks like it's part of an occult alien temple from the years before human words were invented.
Four bolted lines
As of now, there are four bolted routes (from left to right). All the grades are unconfirmed because we need more opinion to arrive closer to reality.
Alessandro, 8a
The bolter initially proposed 8a but when I hopped on it, I got shutdown immediately. The bolter wrote me that there's a:
"big crux and no easy exit, one of the best lines I bolted."
I learned that this meant that the crux starts right at the gate and continues for six draws (with a few moves to breathe between the third and fourth bolts).
It's also true that it's not easy to get out of the crux. I left my bailer exactly where the crux ends.
For context, I tried this line with one of the strongest climbers in Cebu (@crimpgod.jj). We both agreed that there's a possibilty it's harder than an 8a. Unless we're missing some holds.
Bugo Sisters, 7b
The aesthetics alone is enough to invite you to get on this rock. Tufas flow from top to bottom like rivers with joining and disjoining deltas.
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| This is an unbolted section of the Hidden Wall. |
Pinches and sidepulls offer wild plot twists that make this climb beautiful for climbers of any reach or wingspan.
We haven't had a chance to climb this route but I saw the potential. It was right next to Alessandro where I was close enough to tell it's a beautiful line.
Queen Bee, 7a+
The bolter named this after the bees that were nesting on the line (they weren't there anymore when we climbed).
The climber (Naoki) who first attempted this said that: the holds were thin as potato chips that tend to break.
Adrian hopped on it to confirm. However, when he was about to retrieve that draws, he realized rappel rings didn't exist at the top of this climb.
So he was forced to go back to the ground and climb it the second time to put a carabiner at the anchors.
He sealed the first ascent on that second try.
Victoria, 6a+
In terms of variation, I love this line the most. It starts on a juggy slab whose features were aggressively defined by thousands of years of rain. Then the line mellows down into a delicate slab climb that offers good feet and hidden hand holds.
As you climb, you might need to meander left and right to find the path of least resistance. But I imagine a direct line between the bolts is impossible -- although it makes the climb unnecessarily hard.
John did the first ascent of this line. It's his first ever FA and we're wishing him more first ascents.
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| We came across this boulder while searching for the Hidden Wall. |
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