UKC

Have anyone got any good advice about climbing (routes) in the Picos, recommendations, what guidebook or has one i can look at.
cheers

In reply to Marti999:
The Picos is a magnificent area of superb, rough limestone, one of the great mountain ranges of Europe. There is good climbing in the central and the western massifs (mainly on Pena Santa), with some routes as long as 700 metres. There is a network of huts (refugios), which tend to be friendly, clean, and offering good food at reasonable rates. The weather is, like many mountain areas, variable. Autumn can be more settled than summer, though the last two summers have been very good. (2011 was a washout.) Often you get inversions, with cloud and rain in the valleys with sun higher up. The two main jumping off points are Los Lagos/Covadonga for the western massif, and Potes/Fuente De (where there is a cable car) for the central.

Dividing the two massifs is the stupendous Cares Gorge. Starting from there is not advisable, as you would have to slog up about 1600 metres to get to the start of routes. Robin Walker's Cicerone guide is a good introduction but is very out of date: it was written in 1989. More modern Spanish guides and topos will be available in outdoor shops in Cangas de Onis (the town nearest the western massif) and Potes.

The most famous peak is the iconic Naranjo de Bulnes (also known as Picu Uriellu). This can get very busy, especially on its normal route (mainly dif/v diff with a little MVS). It also has harder big wall routes. However, there are many other worthwhile objectives.

NB: The Picos is also one of the most important caving areas in the world, with at least five systems deeper than 1,000 metres, including the Sistema Xitu/Cueva Culiembro - a 1264 metre deep, 15km long through trip explored by Oxford University Cave Club and the Cave Diving Group.

In reply to Marti999:
I visited quickly years ago and did Direct route up El Naranjo. Went off route and did a really nice pitch of water runnels, the rock is really nice in places. Easy abseil descent with bolted belays (once you find the first ab point). The west face looks amazing, I still hope to have a bash a Rabada-Navarro one day, it looks truly brilliant! The hut below the face was comfortable. We took the cable car from near Potes and then walked to it. The Picos are really nice, you will enjoy it I'm sure.

I have the Cicerone guide by Robin Walker, was good for what I did.

In reply to Marti999:
Superb area, but can get very busy in July and August, with rammed campsites and lots of rather noisy Spaniards.

The queue for the cablecar (up or down) can be (well) in excess of an hour at busy times,


Chris

In reply to Marti999:

The way to avoid the cable car queue is to get there when it first opens, or last thing before it closes. In the morning last year I walked straight on on a perfect August day.

In general, the western massif (Macizo de Cornion) is a lot quieter. Also worth considering is its western extension, the Parc Naturel de Ponga, which has some amazing looking walls and is very quiet indeed.

In reply to Marti999:

10 years since I visited but if you are approaching the Naranjo from the north side its worth knowing that - contrary to the many signs saying no access - you can drive all the way to the top of the road and park where the path starts (or at least you could then) This will save you at least an hour of tedious slogging up the tarmac.