Peña Ten

Overview

This huge and not conventional mountain has probably the longest ridge in all Cordillera Cantábrica. The peak stands alone with its semicircular long ridge between Macizo de Mampodre (Mampodre massif) and Picos de Europa. It seems to be not very high, but it´s reasonable tall (the highest one except Mampodres peaks). The reason why is how wide it is. In the distance, it pay your atention with its particular shape, but you can´t imagine how exciting it is.
You have a lot of possibilities, you can use skies, you can choose different routes or make up new ones... it´s a peak to use your imagination.

Getting There

Maybe you can use public transport, a coach. But the best idea is driving your car there. Even, it could be a great idea take two cars to plan a route starting and arriving in far places.
This is allways a good idea, but this area let you plan a really long distance routes.

I´ll only tell you now the nearest starting point, but have a look at the routes I´ll enclose to know interesting diffent possibilities. Our start will be a little and quiet village called La Uña.


a) From León:

- N-601 to Mansilla de las Mulas, in the crossroad, left to N-625.

- N-630 to La Robla, turning right to C-626 to Boñar. There take the road to Sabero. You´ll

get the crossroad with N-625. Turn left to the North.

Using both options you can go towards Riaño. Leave Riaño on your back. In the interjection

take the road to Puerto del Pontón N-625. Then take the road on your left to Puerto de Tarna

C-635. Just go to La Uña.


b) From Asturias:

You have four mountain-passes to cross the mountains driving. From West to East:

- Puerto de Pajares N-630: go to La Robla and then the same as I described for coming from

León.

- Puerto de San Isidro LE-333: go to Boñar and just the same.

- Puerto de Tarna C-635: just go to La Uña

- Puerto del Pontón N-625: turn right into C-635 and drive to La Uña.


c) From Santander:

-Puerto de San Glorio N-621: before entering Riaño take the road on your right hand, N-625 to

the North. Then in the first interjection go left to C-635 Continue driving to La Uña.


d) From Palencia:

Take C-615 crossing Puerto Las Portillas. In León province take LE-241 going through Puerto de Los Picones.Don´t take Puerto de Monteviejo road is not very well. You´ll arrive at Boca de Huérgano. Take here N-621 towards Riaño. From here you can use the previous explanation.

Red Tape

As in other mountains in León province there´s nothing special to say about. No wild dangerous animals known.
PLEASE: Keep the environment clean.

When To Climb

You can choose when to go to Peña Ten. Of course, you´ll suffer a terrible hot in summer, and frozen winds on winter. The technical requirements will increase in winter time with ice and snow. It´s not an specially dangerous peak, but don´t forget that allways there is an inherent risk. The inclination of some really big slopes it´s probably the main risk of accident.
Even if you take a really difficult route you can fall down some hundred of meters.

Camping

Camp is not allowed in León province, except private camp sites.

You have many possibilities of accomodation in the area.

Mountain Conditions

Remember the sea is not far... the storms can reach these mountains quickly. This is dramatically true in Picos de Europa, but over 2000 meters the weather could be horrible and the North wind strong and cold.

The Norh-NorthEast face will be surely frozen with low temperatures. And you´ll be crossing this faces near the ridge. Ice-axe and crampons are mandatory. If the temperature it´s not very low in winter or snow you´ll need definetly gaiters... even snowboots or skies could be a great idea.

Take care with fog if you are crossing the Peña Ten redge.

My Suggestions

VERY IMPORTANT:

** Take a MOBILE PHONE with you. You can use it most of the mountain areas. If you can phone try going up or changing your position. I can remember my moibile ringing on the summit of Torre de Friero... I couldn´t believe it! Mobile is the best thing to make an emergency call. Forget about radios.
Take note of this number: 987 718 004. It´s the number of G.R.E.I.M., Guardia Civil Mountain Rescue Team. They are really good proffessionals with lots of years of experience. If you have serious problems phone them: tell them who you are, how many people is in difficulties, try to tell them where you are, or at least a detailed description of the area.

Special info

The meaning in English of some Spanish words.
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* Collado, collada: col, for instance "Collado de Gete"

* Pico: peak, for instance "Pico Fontún"

* Peña: peak (very tipical from León, Asturias, Santander), for instance "Peña Ten"

* Torre: peak (very tipical from León, Asturias, Santander), for instance "Torre del Friero"

* Cueto: peak, for instance "Cueto Millaró"

* Puerto: mountain pass, for instance "Puerto de Pajares"

* Cordillera: big group of mountains, for instance "Cordillera Cantábrica"

* Macizo: massif group of some mountains or peaks, massif, for instance "Macizo Central, Urrieles of Picos de Europa"

* Cumbre: summit

* Cima: summit

* Canal: corridor, for instance "La Canal de Dobresengos", note it´s in femenine

* Canaleta: narrow corridor

* Hoces: cannon made by a river, for instance "Hoces de Vegacervera", "Hoces de Valdejeja"

* Valle: valley, for intance "Valle de Valdeón"

* Río: river, for instance "Río Torío"

* Horcado: narrow col between two peak, normally difficult to cross, for intance "Horcado de Pambuches"


Books I recomend.
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Montañas de León (in Spanish only)

Ramón Lozano, Santiago Morán
Everest Editorial
ISBN 84-241-0404-8

Description in detail of more than one hundred routes across the mountain of the León province, including the Picos de Europa Area and many others.

Book details (English) | Book details (Spanish)


50 montañas de la Cordillera Cantábrica (in Spanish only)

David Atela
Desnivel Ediciones
ISBN 84-96192-90-3

Really useful book about the most remarkable mountains in Cordillera Cantábrica massif. It doesn´t containt anything about Picos de Europa area so it lets it go along another interesnting and no so famous mountains.

Book details (Spanish)



Another remarkable peaks in the area

* Pileñes - 2021 m
* Niajo - 1744 m
* Peña La Cruz - 2196 m
* La Polinosa - 2160 m
* Convento 2156 m
* Cervunal - 2173 m
* Mediodía - 2181 m
* Vajarto - 2046 m

The Spanish corner :-)

Info in Spanish for Spanish Speakers & Spanish Studients:

Para todos aquellos que no tengan un inglés súper, y yo me incluyo, he decidido añadir esta sección. También para todos aquellos que estudian o están aprendiendo español.

Prometo un cresteo alucinante en Peña Ten. Si bajas o caminas por el circo vas a disfrutar como un niño. No puedo decir nada objetivo... quedé tan alucinado en mi día allí que deseo volver con todas mis ganas.
Realmente es toda una sorpresa ver este extraño pico de lejos y ver lo especial que es visto de cerca. Es toda una catedral de León como montaña. Sin los desniveles brutales y alucinantes de los Picos de Europa, es una montaña hermosa, para disfrutar y mucho (y de muchas maneras)

Para una información más detallada os remito al texto en inglés. Si tuviéseis algún problema estoy a vuestra disposición para facilitaros toda la información que esté a mi alcance.

Images

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