Es Pontàs 9a+ (DWS)

Es Pontàs is a deep water solo on a free-standing natural rock arch off the coast of southeastern Mallorca, Spain, between Cala Santanyí and Cala Llombards. The line climbs steep, technical rock up the arch and finishes with a long, powerful dyno out over open water, climbed with no rope and no protection beyond the sea below: every fall means a big drop and a swim back. At 9a+ (5.15a), it was the hardest deep water solo done at the time, a grade previously confined to bolted sport routes.

History

Chris Sharma made the first ascent in 2006, after already climbing the nearby arch route Pontax at 8c (5.14b) in 2005 on the same stretch of coast. Es Pontàs was the first deep water solo climbed at 9a+, and its position above the sea made repeating it a serious undertaking on top of the difficulty of the moves themselves. Because it demands both hard redpoint-level climbing and total commitment with no rope, it saw very few repeats in the years after Sharma's ascent; Jan Hojer is noted among the handful who have since climbed it, as its third ascensionist.

On film

Es Pontàs: The First Ascent, a 2007 Reel Rock release, documents Chris Sharma's process on the route: the repeated attempts, the falls into the Mediterranean, and the eventual success on the dyno that closes the climb. The film centers on the same image the route is known for: Sharma airborne over the water mid-move on the arch, one of climbing's most widely circulated shots.