Carlos is the kind of guy we like, an amazing all rounder with experience of all types of climbing as well as plenty of desire to discover more - about himself and the limits across the board in this multli-faceted sport of ours...
"I was born in Lisbon on the 3rd of August 1981. By the age of 15 I started discovering my biggest passion: Climbing. Also, the feeling that what I most enjoy doing is spending time outside, even 
on my resting days; I do like to go out in the sea and catch some waves, go for a cross-country ride or, just have a nature observation walk with friends.
Carlos in Scotland onsighting Perfect Monsters, E7 6B
The early years of Rock climbing were a period of frantic enthusiasm - my first 8a, age 17 years old in Oñate, (Basque country) - and, loads of fast repetitions of the major Portuguese hard routes of the period. Climbing competition wasn’t ever my main motivation although I got the Portuguese Junior title in 1999-2000 and, a 2nd place on the 2006 national boulder contest, Caxias. I have been opening rope and boulder problems for the national championships, the last July 2010.
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In 1998 I joined as invited member A.D.A. Desnível, one of the oldest, most representative and active outdoor association in Portugal. Then started working as
climbing instructor, also having the function of being responsible for developing new climbing areas in Cascais’ surroundings - having done maintenance, equipped in the following: Guia, Mexilhoeiro, Ribeira das Vinhas, Praia da Ursa and other Sintra’s crags.
I have always believed in the conservationist inclusion of outdoor activities on wilderness management and so, contributed to the elaboration of environmental impact assessments - along with the natural park technicians - for these places I was opening lines on or just frequenting near mine.
I have also been bolting routes, on my own and with friends, on other Portuguese sport climbing venues such as: Portinho da Arrábida or Corgas. But, what has always motivated me the most is: adventuring on ground-up aesthetic and ethical climbs, committing to what I think are the main principles of climbing - by performing in nature accepting its possibilities with the fewer resources.
Likewise, opening bouldering areas in Sintra’s hills; DWS (deep water soloing) lines in Boca-do-Inferno, Sesimbra or Sagres; trad climbing in the inlets of Cabo-da-Roca and other coastal settings; exploring climbing potential in the international territory of river Douro and other varied remote spaces in Portugal and abroad – were ever since, amazing ways of getting to know very special routing places, myself, and, evolve as climber.
In 2005 I went to Scotland, living there for 3 years finishing my studies, for a MA Geography degree. Apart from university, the choice of the UK had to do with willingness of climbing and developing the skills of British ethics. I had the opportunity of going outside in gorgeous, very peculiar landscapes and also to increase, understand, climbing standards to new levels of compromise. So I was repeating some Scottish test pieces all over the glens; on-sighting up to E7 6b as well as a few E6’s routes and E5 on a regular basis; bouldering a lot, always waiting for good weather to come, training and working route-setting indoors at Dundee’s Avertical World; enjoying the crew. Respect!
A very remarkable experience was spending 10 days in Mingulay, Outer Hebrides on a nice, wild expedition, where I first free climbed “The Perfect Monsters” 130m E7 6B ground-up 2nd go.
Due to the proximity to Portugal, travelling to Spain was always a great way of progressively increase sport climbing on-sighting level and, meters of rock and gesture; also to do some larger routes than those by the Atlantic or, the small Portuguese rolling hills. Catalonia felt then as the next obvious stop for living; so culturally near and world class for climbing at the same time.
As difficult as it can be to choose where to establish there, right after my first 200m climb in the conglomerate rock needles of Montserrat, I fell in love with that massif; moved there in 2008, shared a cottage with fellow climbers at its northern face, got a part-time job and, packed for uncountable days out there.
Carlos in Monserrat
What really had me stoked were the thousands of different climbs, the renowned pure on-sighting demands - consequence of rock morphology –; the possibility of doing quality sessions on Spanish benchmark routes; freeing hard pitches on old rusty gear; going for those really appealing classic lines on afternoon rope solos and, joining the few “new school” Montserrat traditionalists who venture ground-up with gear in between pebbles. In the latter style I repeated most of the existent lines and, had the only on-sight attempt to “Pecata Minuta” – the local hardest of the genre.
It was also nice to do weekend trips either to old school Catalonian crags – like Montgrony, Sadernes, Terradets, Cavallers, Siurana, Arbolí… - or to the new international reference ones - such as Margalef, Montsant, Oliana. Also, taking advantage of location, being in neighbouring Rodellar, Aragon; Sella, Valencian country; Mallorca for DWS… With such variety of repertoire, I quickly attained a much desired on-sighting level of 8a. What has always compelled me to stretch physical capabilities is the fact of feeling then best prepared for: fast, efficient and safe accents on unknown adventure terrain; increasing the compromise of my climbing aims
Thus, it felt rewarding to do the 6th – after such names as Dani Andrada, Josune Bereziartu, the Pou brothers… - free-climbing repetition of Pilar del Cantabrico, Naranjo de Bulnes (2519m). A quick activity with a day work on the four lower pitches and an, one day ground-summit push; awesome travelling on perfect orange and grey limestone, protected by old aid gear (in-situ) and movable pieces.
After being away from Portugal for five years, I felt in need to get back, updating my knowledge of what is happening on the Portuguese crags – by hanging out with lifelong friends - and, contributing to it. It has been an amazing time for sending new routes, opening others and starting to try a few projects of my own. These, constitute a step forward for Portuguese standards – because I’m attempting to climb unexplored lines on a more committing approach. Recently, I’ve been doing so by focusing on repeating and putting up new highball problems in Sintra’s forest and also, trad climb challenging routes on the coastal inlets. I expect to attain my goals and they will definitely be groundbreaking in terms of grade vs. exposition.
Climbing in Portugal is very demanding, mainly because of seaside conditions, requiring a persistent use of spirit in the projects and through the climbing years; in spite of these, it feels very rewarding at the end, if we consider its natural uniqueness, the process of staying motivated and the fanatic climbing environment. Nevertheless, I picture myself keeping on pursuing all the possibilities around here while having plans to travel and spend different spans of time abroad.
2012 Plans
By March 2012 I’ll start an one year Europe road trip; the routine will be to work online an average of three hours a day, moving with the caravan and weather in search of the best possible place to be. Wishing to send harder sport routes than ever - on the well known venues as well as uncommon ones -, visit Britain and other areas of interest in order to do major trad lines, embark on a few alpine challenges that I have in mind and, bouldering a bit on the go. The long term and the faraway climbs, we’ll see…
