Peña Prieta

Overview

Peña Prieta, the queen of Fuentes Carrionas, is the highest summit of the Cordillera Cantábrica if we don't consider Picos de Europa. Its magnificent and dark north face is visible from the valley of Liebana and confers him its name (Prieta mean black). Their imposing aspect dominating the nature reserve of Fuentes Carrionas should not frighten us since the normal routes do not offer difficulties except in winter.

Grupo del Alto Carrión
The north of province of Palencia, the valley of La Reina (León) and the south of the valley of Liebana (Cantabria) they constitute a knot of slender rocky mountains over green valleys and forests that give forms to group of the Alto Carrión in the Cordillera Cantábrica.
The group has in the south two great mountains, Curavacas (2524m) and Espigüete (2450m), and in the center the group of Murcia (2341m), Peña Malas (2279m), Cuartas (2448m), Tres Provincias (2496m) or Peña Prieta (2539m).

Spain's highpoints:
as curiosity for the peakbaggers, the South Summit of Peña Prieta is the highest point of the province of Palencia.

Getting There

The trailheads of normal routes are in Puerto de San Glorio, Llanaves de la Reina, Valle de la Lechada or Cardaño de Arriba near of the important villages of Potes (Cantabria), Riaño (Leon) or Cervera de Pisuerga (Palencia).

**Approach to Riaño:
From Palencia (C-615) or Burgos (N-120) go to Carrión de los Condes. N-120 to Sahagún. C-611 to Cistierna. N-621 to Nuevo Riaño.

**Approach to Potes:
From Bilbao E-70 (highway) to Castro-Urdiales, Santander, Torrelavega, Cabezón de la Sal, San Vicente de la Barquera. 11km from San Vicente is the crossroad signaled Picos de Europa/Unquera. N-621 to Panes and across the beautifull Desfiladero (Gorge) de la Hermida we arrive to Potes.

**Approach to Cervera de Pisuerga:
From Burgos go to Melgar de Fernamental (N-120), after 8km take N-611 to Herrera de Pisuerga. C-627 to Cervera de Pisuerga.

**Trailheads:
Puerto de San Glorio (1601m):
In the km-122 of the road N-621 between Potes and Riaño.

Llanaves de la Reina (1410m):
In the km-117 of road N-621 from Riaño (25km) before the Puerto de San Glorio. The track of 3km to Vega del Naranco (1550m) generally is closed.

Portilla de la Reina (1200m)-Valle de la Lechada (1950m):
Between the km-111 and km-112 of road N-621 from Riaño (19km), before the village of Portilla de la Reina, is the access to the forest track of 11 km of valle de la Lechada. This is the shortest way to reach the summit (2h) but your car will suffer.

Cardaño de Arriba (1401m):
Road P-210 between Cervera de Pisuerga and Velilla del Rí­o Carrión for 15 km to crossroad of Cardaño de Abajo and 4km to Cardaño de Arriba.

Red Tape

Peña Prieta is very near (just in the north) of Natural Park of Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente del Cobre (Montaña Palentina) with usual rules about the conservation of wildlife.

No permits required.

Camping

Camping it's not allowed in this area but the villages are near of the trailheads.

Lodges, Hostals and Hotels: a lot in Potes, Riaño, Vega de Liebana, Fuente Dé,...

When to climb

-All the year but for me the best season are Spring (remain some of snow) or Fall.
-Summer is a good epoch but it's a hot area without water.
-Winter is a magnificent and easy climb for mountaineers with some of experince with crampons and ice-axe (necessary in Ridge of Cubil de Can in route San Glorio, west face of Cubil de Can from Lechada or Cardaño, final ridge of Peña Prieta...). The climb with skis to peak Tres Provincias (pre-summit of Peña Prieta) from Lechada is a very good option.

Ski resort of San Glorio-Project

The plan of ski resort in this natural enviroment is controversial. The project of ski-resort go across the west flanks of peaks Altos del Cubil de Can, Tres Provincias, Lomas, Cuartas, Guadañas and Peñas Malas. The people who love the mountains we are against the project (11780 signs for the moment) but the people of the valley is divided.

-Links:
Plataforma en Defensa de San Glorio
news-desnivel routes of ski cross-contry before the beginning of the construction of ski resort.

-News: walk of protests at March 4th, 2007 (10:00 am) from San Glorio to peak Coriscao.

Weather conditions

See Aemed: weather in Riaño.

External Links

• I.G.N. of Spain: free download of map of 1:50.000 "Potes" where Peña Prieta appears.
  
• C.Cartográfico del Ejército : Link to Ceget to buy the map "Serie L, Hoja 16:6 Potes, 1:50.000".
  
• Fuentes Carrionas: some information about the natural park.
  
  
  

  Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

  Viewing: 1-5 of 5

  

  Diego Sahagún - Mar 7, 2007 12:47 am - Voted 10/10

  San Glorio o la vida de la langosta

  http://www.desnivel.com/tus_paginas/ecologia/object.php?o=15540

  

  Diego Sahagún - Mar 21, 2007 1:29 am - Voted 10/10

  ¿La ley es la trampa?

  http://www.desnivel.com/tus_paginas/ecologia/object.php?o=15605

  

  Diego Sahagún - Sep 3, 2007 7:41 pm - Voted 10/10

  Tres Provincias para defender San Glorio

  http://www.desnivel.com/object.php?o=16046

  

  Diego Sahagún - Apr 2, 2008 8:47 pm - Voted 10/10

  Se paraliza San Glorio

  http://www.desnivel.com/newsletter/desnivelaldia/object.php?o=16880

  

  Diego Sahagún - Jun 30, 2008 6:40 pm - Voted 10/10

  Una nueva sentencia...

  del TSJCyL rechaza la construcción de la estación de San Glorio: http://www.desnivel.com/newsletter/desnivelaldia/object.php?o=17283

  Viewing: 1-5 of 5
  
  
  

  Images

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