UKC

Looking at doing some of the easier routes on Picu Urriellu this October - will this be too late in the year?

Also guidebook recommendations would be great.

If there's a previous thread link me.

Thanks! 

I've been to the Picos in October and there has been a little snow on the sheltered slopes but otherwise it melts very quickly everywhere else. The past few years, October has been very pleasant, with temperatures as high as 27°C at the end of the month. Great to have a swim after a day's climbing ! The little beach at Pechon is a real gem ! Sea water 18-21°C !

I heard today from someone who is from the Basque region that there's a lot of snow in the Picos right now. Generally speaking October can be good apparently, though likely pretty cold on the fingers!

I didn't fully reply to your questions :

I've done three routes on the 'Naranjo' :

the 'voie normale' on the S face, the 'via Nani TD inf and a variation to this involving some aid, no idea what the name is and we didn't summit as it was pouring-down ! 

Take a look on Camptocamp :

https://www.camptocamp.org/waypoints/43160/fr/picu-urriellu-naranjo-de-buln...

French I'm afraid but pretty clear on grades etc.

Good to know. Hopefully years of winter grit has given me a tolerance! Cheers

Great thanks, having a nosey at that site now. Keen for that swim too!

There's a good definitive guidebook which gives photo topos for individual pitches:

https://www.needlesports.com/33659/products/picu-urriellu.aspx

I did a route called Y Flake or some such on the East Face which was really good, easy set of abseils down the HS on the S Face.

A friend went a couple of years ago and got heavily snowed on in November so there is no guarantee about weather in October.

The area would lend itself very well to making an approach by mountain bike, the tracks are broadly pretty good (depending on competence with a bike I would probably walk part of the approach if you are cycling in from the Arenas De Cabrales side). 

I did a climb on east pillar in October, 6a, finished thru the hole in the wall at the top. easy snow to plod up to get to face and once on the east face in the sun; really nice warm and still hot. in fact got sunburn and a tad dehydrated. superb climbing and setting. one other party on voie normal. now that is a treat and can soak up the atmosphere. I bivvied outside the hut, to watch sunset and sunrise and stars and sleep! Its a gem of a place.

If you have a nice few days Armistad con Diablo on the East face is awesome with the crux having a few bolts in. It has amazing rock with no polish. You end up going through a hole onto the south face close to the abseil anchors. We left ropes there and scrambled/walked to the summit. There are now three fully equipped abseil lines that take you to the floor in four pitches. We had 60m ropes. The Refugio is open until November I think and is fairly cheap 15 euros for a 3 coarse meal. It is cold up there until the sun warms things up!

WE used this guide and found it really useful. All the main info is translated into english but from what I remember, the route descriptions aren't but with some GCSE Spanish and google translate, we managed well. 

We were there this time last year (late September) and temperatures were spot on, cool at night but pleasant climbing. We were mainly on the N face of Bulnes however.

Awesome place but look out for goats foraging scraps. 

Sport crag in Poo has some ace Tufa routes.

Enjoy!