Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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43.03355°N / 6.0955°W |
Route Type:
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Mountaineering |
Season:
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Spring |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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None (Class 2) |
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Overview
Easy, short and very beautiful path that combines walks through the lakes and the return along a narrow but easy ridge. For general details about this peak, see the parent page "Peña de la Calabazosa".Technical sum:
• Elevation gain: About 600 accumulated meters.
• Minimum / Maximum Height: 1,600 m / 2,104 m
• Time: 3 hours, altogether, without counting stops.
• Difficulty: Very easy. Vertiginous passages on the ridge but without real difficulty. Sections without way nor signalling; direction is easy but not obvious. With snow, slopes up to 40º.
• Done for the last time: May 11, 2008.
Itinerary:Collada Balbarán - Lago de la Cueva - Lagunas de la Calabazosa - Collado del Congosto - La Calabazosa - Collada Sousas - Alto del Colladín - Collada Balbarán.
Map of the routeThe map above is: IGN. Serial MTN50, sheet 77 (12-6) "LA PLAZA", available free in the IGN official web
If you don't understand completely the text on this page or you want to practice another languages or simply you are a little eager, you can find the original issue in Spanish of this page in the website Pirineos3000.com
(hay una versión en español de esta página, más detallada y personal, en Pirineos3000.com)
Getting There
Leave San Emiliano (see the “Peña de la Calabazosa” page) by the LE-481 road (direction: “Puerto de la Ventana”). Traverse Torrebarrio. After about 7 km, turn left on the CV-77-1 road, reaching Torrestío after another 3 km. From this village, stay on the same route, leaving the small nucleus of houses and the church to the left. The road soon becomes a track but passable by normal cars. After 4 km more, will reach the Collada Balbarán (also called Farrapona High), where there is a broad paved platform where parking.Total distance San Emiliano - Balbarán: 14 km. It’s time to walk!
Route Description
1.- The ascent: through the lakes
From the Collada Balbarán, take a dirt road that descends gently to the west, around the headwaters of Salencia Valley. Following the track, surround it right side (N). When the lane starts to rise, take a detour to the left that continues horizontally by the west bank. When arriving at a grassy gully that cuts the slope at the right (W), turn and overcome it.
Lakes trail over the Salencia Valley
La Cueva LakeThis little couloir finish at the top of the hill that separates the lakes of Cueva and Calabazosa. At the other side of this one it could see the limestone mass of Picos Albos. Cross the hill towards the left (SE), following blurred trails of cattle in the grass and surounding the lake to meet the stream that feeds it. Follow this modest watercourse between small ground prominences and rocks.
Calabazosa Lake
The stream that feeds Calabazosa LakeThe ground around opens suddenly when you arrive to the Calabazosa Lagoons, a group of small ponds in the middle of a great meadow. There is a little free hut in good conditions but everytime I gone there, the inside has been revolting because of trash; I would only use it in case of a real emergency. After crossing the lagoon's plain until the opposite end, go up the little valley that descends from the Collada Sousa. In a few minutes, when you arrive to a ledge rising diagonally to the right (SW), turn around and step onto.
Hut of Calabazosa Lagoons
Path from the lagoons to Congosto PassOn the top of the slope, there is a new karstic grassy plain. Beyond the waved meadows, you can see the summits of (from left to right) Calabazosa, Muria Brava and Peña Orniz. Go towards the Congosto pass, visible to the right of Calabazosa. In the pass, go up to the left (E) through a slope meadow. Then it has to scramble a small rocky step without difficulty. In later meters, the slope intensifies but the ground, grass dotted with a few stones, is very comfortable to walk.
The high karstic meadows
Congosto Pass2.- The descent: North ridge
From the summit, follow the ridge that goes to the north and east, towards the Collada Balbarán. It's mainly grassy but with the rock arising from time to time. The first section is practically horizontal and only some short aerial passage, like this that you can see in the photo below on the right.
Summit ridge.
Aerial passage on the ridge.Anyway, there is to take some care about where you step on mainly seeing of the pretty valley down to the right hand... But in general I would describe this ridge as relaxed. It follows a succession of smooth ups and downs to pass several secondary points. This ridge, although narrow sometimes, couldn't be easier.
Cualmarce Valley,to the south (right).
The ridge to Peña Cualmarce.In the Collada Sousa, it's possible to choose between to continue walking along the ridge or to take a footpath that cuts the left slope (W), surrounding the peaks. Following the ridge or the footpath, that sometimes changes of side, we will arrive to the Alto del Colladín, large landing located up to Collada Balbarán. From there, go down throught a narrow path that cuts the bush, returning in minutes to the point of start.
Collada Sousas, Peña Cualmarce and Calabazosa.
Collada de la Forcada and Alto del Collado.Essential Gear
Not technical equipment required.Only the adecuate clothes and individual elements (sticks if you want, piolet & crampons in winter, etc.) for high mountain hiking in temperate areas.