Sunday, March 22, 2015

Winter Route to Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña  (2411 m)

The normal route begins at the small village of Tuiza de Arriba (1200 m). We have to follow the path to Meicin Hut,


Peña Ubiña




Peña Ubiña



Peña Ubiña


Peña Ubiña

From the hut we turn left (South) looking for this pass
Peña Ubiña



The normal route is the one to the left, we can descend following the one on the right


Peña Ubiña



Looking back towards the pass

Peña Ubiña


The snowed ridge

Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña


Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña
Here we met some people coming from the North Face route.

Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña

The top

Peña Ubiña



Peña Ubiña

Peña Ubiña




Monday, March 24, 2014

Morra de Lechugales 2444 - Pico Cortes - Prao Cortes

Morra de lechugales 2.444 m  
Loop from Vegas de sotres, Prao Cortes - Pico Cortes - La Morra - El Jierru

Difficulty: Hard
Trail: 1067 m Sotres Vegas - Prao Cortes : 2288 m - Pico Cortes : 2373 m - Horcada el Jierro : 2193m - Morra Lechugales : 2444m - Pica Jierru : 2422 m - Sotres Vegas : 1037 m
Time : about 10 hours

This circular route around the Morra Lechugales is much longer than the *normal route and only coincides with it in the last section of the ascent. Although the route is not very exposed, it can become really dangerous because of the fog and the absence of marked paths in some parts of the route.

* The Morra Lechugales (2.444 m ) is the highest peak in the Eastern Part of the Picos de Europa (Andara) . The normal route of ascent starts at the Jito of Escarandi passes the Andara Hut, and reaches the base of the mountain without remarkable difficulty by a marked path. The climb to the peak is common to both routes and includes a short climb of about 5 meters , although a small rope has been attached to protect the ascension this mountain has already witnessed several accidents, some fatal. 

This is the proposed route, as seen from the Central Massif of Picos de Europa.

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

NORMAL ROUTE: In Blue             PROPOSED ROUTE; In Red


We dropped the car at las vegas de sotres,


Continue along the track until  a fork near a big stone. In red, the route we have to follow to the top.

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

When the gully finishes, head south towards the summit of the Prao Cortes.

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

Our next goals: Pico Cortes and La Morra
Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

Down there: Potes and La Liebana

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

We retrace our steps to the pass, and follow a red and white marking path that leads us Northward,

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

Later on, we found some yellow markings that were directed upwards, directly to the peak Cortes.

From the summit, we see the path we will take to reach the Morra.
Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

From the summit, we see some cairns that lead us down the North Gully of Cortes Peak.
Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes
Be careful not to throw stones and also not go down too much.
Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes
As a reference, at a certain point we will give sight to the Morra, that's the time to turn to the East. (There are cairns and traces of path)
Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

This is not our descent route


Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

The collada del hierro, (Iron Pass)

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

This part is hard to explain since there are hardly traces.
From the pass, we follow a path eastward some 100 meters, then we find some cairns that leads up and then dissapeared. We continue along through scree although not difficult to walk.

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

Finally we gave view to La Morra de Lechugales.

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

This is the hardest part (There's a rope, but I'd recommend not to trust too much on it)

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

The route we've been following


Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

The gully as seen from the top.

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

We join the normal climbing route for a while and at a point we head to the easy summit of Pica del Jierru.  From the top of El Jierru we began the descent, towards the green meadow we see in the picture.


Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

We kept going down and down....

Jidiello Gully

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes


Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes

Morra de Lechugales Corredor norte Pico Cortes