Arlo Rogers climbs 9a’s in Santa Linya

Arlo Rogers, who sent his first 9a in January, has done Seleccion natural left exit (9a) and Direct into your Fabelita (9a), as well as flashed Rollito Sharma (8b+). (c) Kieran Whitehead

Can you tell us more about those ascents?
I first tried this back in April 2024, sleeping in a bivvi tent in the car park, I got really ill and despite my best efforts, many days were written off and I went home with my best go getting me to the tuffas. I later returned a year on to the most rain the area had almost ever received. Despite a good time on that trip training and skating down the hill many goes ended with wet hands and air time.

This time I went to the digital anchor [Seleccio Natural (9a)] on the second day of my trip and then to the top of the crag for the extension on my third.

My friend Josh was then trying direct in to your fabelita which I started trying with him, I was surprised to send it on my 6th session. I did also manage to fall of on the last v1 move 30cm away from the chains the day before the most pumped I have ever been. On the send go through conditions were terrible so the top took me forever.

I went for the flash on my last tie in on the last day of my trip. It’s one i have saved for a good flash go for a while and felt brilliant being carried up by robs beta as the sun was setting. I used a techy knee for the big move in the crux. Maybe this reduces the Grade but obviously hard to tell on the flash, it’s very low percentage and I certainly had to fight for it!

What are your 2026 plans?
This winter I’m back in UK but going to Pitumarca in July in South America with some friends. Hoping to repeat some of the classics and develop some new single pitch and multi pitch routes.