Torrent des Gorg Blau (sa fosca)
It is the "king" of the Majorcan torrents. Here we have water, length, unevenness and technic. It was explored for the first time in 1965. The walls are more than 300 m high and at some points the gap is only about 35 cms wide. The torrent starts up at the feet of the Puig Major massif, the Tossals massif and the Teix Serra, the nowadays named dam Gorg Blau, in the "pla d´Almallutx" and ends up in the Torrent de Pareis.
Sa Fosca is a symphony to the beauty of nature where the musical notes are written with water and the pentagram is vertical. What can it be said of such exuberance?? It is not a compliment: It is a reality. This karstic gorge is peculiar for its 400 m length of total darkness.
The outstanding characteristc of this torrent is the fact that it is very long and there is water throughout the course, therefore, it is expected to lose corporal heat.
Remarks: Only for real experts. Artificial light needed, the headlamp will be our friend on all inseparable in the last section. Cold water all year round. High lost of corporal heat. In summer many pools are empty what makes it difficult to progress. When spring arrives, if you make little noise you can hear the song of "ferreret" who living at the beginning of the canyon.
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| Names: | Gorg Blau, sa fosca |  |
| Location: | Illes Balears – Mallorca | |
| Zone: | Tramuntana Nord | |
| Municipality: | Escorca | |
| UTM: | Datum: European 1950; Fus: 31 S; 485 E – 4408 N | |
| Access: | Start and End 1: Road Andratx-Sóller-Lluc-Pollença (Ma-10) | |
| End 2: Calobra-Cala Tuent (Ma-2141) | ||
| P Car: | Start: Aqueduct, turning Ma-10 towards sa Calobra -Cala Tuent | |
| End 1: Restaurant Escorca (Ma 10) | ||
| End 2: sa Calobra fent el T de Pareis (Ma-2141) | ||
| Bus: | Línia: Port de Sóller- Lluc-Pollença-Can Picafort / Línia: Lluc-sa Calobra | |
| Lluc-sa Calobra, bus daily from April to October (not Sunday) |
Restriccions: Natural Monument of Torrent de Pareis-sa Fosca. Restrictive regulations. Respect the environment, is everyone’s: Leave things better than you found it.
| Technical Summary | Mostra un mapa més gran | |
| Difficulty (1-6): | 5 | |
| - Technical Difficulties (1-6): | 3 | |
| - Physical Level (1-6): | 6 | |
| Length: | 2.500 m | |
| Unevenness: | 320 m | |
| Acces : | 15’ | |
| Descent: | 4h - 5h | |
| Back to P | Rest. Escorca: 1h 30’ | |
| sa Calobra: 2h 30’ - 3h | ||
| Ropes *: | 2 x 20m | |
| Abseil maximum: | 20 m | |
| Waterfall max: | 20 m | |
| Rock: | Limestone | |
| Equipment: | Good |
*Recommended length of ropes, think of the safety rope. In the summer or very little water, standing pools of water down on their level, recommend 2 x 25m.
Times given are approximate, vary according to group size, water level and state of the canyon.
Consult the forecast before making the canyon.
| Escapes: | Right: Salt des Pas; Pont natural; Pas des Duro (150m by fixed ropes). |
| End: Back up the Canyon "Torrent de Lluc" to footpath to Restaurant Escorca or down to "torrent de Pareis" | |
| Material: | Helmet, Harness, neoprene, headlamp, ascender, lanyard, rescue kit. |
| Period : | All year round, perfect after rain if you want to do with water. |
| water: Gen Feb Mar Abr Mai Jun - - - Oct Nov Des | |
| Observations: | Water in the dark area all year. Ferreret presence of the first pools with water. |
| In summer or very little water in the canyon thinking that the pools are emptied, recommend 2 x 25m ropes. | |
| Remember that is a canyon is not a water park | |
| Bus: Lluc-sa Calobra, daily from April to October (not Sunday) |
Recommend the ravine topography and area map, it’s important to know how to interpret it. Use the marked trails.
Be respectful with the properties you walk through. They all have owner.
1 Opening: 1965. Maties Oliver, T. Suarez, Bernadí Morell
| Maps: | Mallorca Tramuntana Nord; E: 1:25000; Ed Alpina |
| Mapa Topografico Nacional IGN E:1:25000 de Sóller 670-I i sa Calobra 670-IV | |
| Bibliography: | Els Torrents clàssics de la Serra de Tramuntana; M trias i F Ramon; Ed: Miquel Font. 1999 |
| Guia de descenso de cañones y barrancos. Asturias, Mallorca, ... ; E Gomez - L Tejero. 2004 | |
| Guia pràctica del descens de barrancs i engorjats de Catalunya. P Miralles. 1994 | |
| Gorgas y barrancos de Cataluña, Mallorca y Alto Esera. E Gomez i M Soro. 1993 | |
| Descenso de cañones. Mallorca; E Gomez. 1998 (Exhaurit) | |
| Canyons aux Baléares. T Achmétoff. 2004 |
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If you want to do canyoning or make any other activity, please contact Escull Aventura that will provide you with information on all type of activities, or else, get in touch with us |  |
Some facts can vary due to natural phenomenons or due to man’s action. If you become aware that there is any information incorrect or any installation misfunctioning, please let us know.
Remember that streams, after floods, are subject to changes. Also, the installations may suffer changes. The legal rule is subject to variations as well, therefore, it has to be taken into account.
Be respectful with the environment. Take the Rubbish home. Do not light fires.
It would be quite imprudent to descend a canyon with only these facts and without a previous training by the titled people. Mallorcacanyoning.com is, in no way, responsible of any kind of incident deriving from an incorrect interpretation or a misuse of these facts.
Telephones: Firefighters, Mountain Rescue Group: 085 ; Emergencies: 112
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