Basque brothers Eneko and Iker Pou have made the first free ascent of Vicios Ocultos (7c, 285 m, six pitches) on Tiro Pedabejo (2,189 m) in the Picos de Europa, Spain. They established the line ground-up last year; freeing it this autumn took two more long days on the wall.

On day one they climbed with Mathias Senfter and did not free every pitch. Day two — without him — they finished the job. During last year’s FA a block shifted on pitch four and nearly cost a 30–40 m fall; this time there was no scare like that.

Provisional pitch grades (pending repeats): 5+, 7c, 7a+, 7b, 7a, 6b. The brothers call it one of the most beautiful lines they have done in these mountains — rock, line, and six solid pitches. Not an extreme grade, so they expect it to become a classic. Freeing their own routes is part of how they work (Orbayu, Rayu, Lurgorri).

Route on climbing.place: Vicios Ocultos (Tiro Pedabejo, Picos de Europa).

Sources: Planetmountain, Lacrux, Pou archive (Oct 2026). Photo: Iker and Eneko Pou / Lacrux.