Faro de Fuencaliente

Faro de Fuencaliente

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 28.47350°N / 17.8513°W
Additional Information Route Type: Hike and Scramble
Additional Information Time Required: Half a day
Additional Information Difficulty: Walk-Up
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach


From the town of Los Canarios take the winding road LP-130 which first heads westwards befor winding down to the southernmost tip of La Palma. Just before you reach the southernmost part of the road a side road turns off towards the two lighthouses of Fuencaliente.

Route Description


  • General data
      - Start altitude: 0m
      - Summit altitude: 437m
      - Prevailing exposition: N
      - Type: 3h along well marked trails
      - Protection: marked
  • Effort: 500m of altitude gain
  • Power: 1 - no difficulties
  • Psyche: 1 - easy - the eastern ridge of the north summit is somewhat expposed and slippery

    This is by far the more interesting of the rwo routes to Teneguía. Halfway up its slopes you can actually decide between the northern ascent (described here) and the ascent along the southern spur of the volcano. The northern ascent follows the Ruta de los Volcanes, marked GR131.

    From the lighthouses of Fuencaliente follow the trail northward as it shortcuts the windings of the road LP 130. After about 1km you cross the road for the second and last time and reach a trail which climbs through a black scree field and heads directly for Teneguía which can be seen above the scree. Another km and you come to an intersection (see picture below) where you can decide between the steep but steady scree ascent along the southern spur of Teneguía or the moderate northern ascent which ends in a very steep scramble for the Teneguía north summit.

    The southern ascent seems obvious (but I haven'#t done it so I can't comment), the northern ascent crosses the large lava fields, which Teneguía created during its own creation. Members of the park service (Monumento Natural de los Volcanes de Teneguía) have put aside all obstacles along the Ruta de los Volcanes so that it is an easy hike until you reach the northern base of the mountain.

    Here you head directly for the northern crater but aim for its eastern side. There, after some scrambling you get to the crater ridge which you follow to the summit. Though from afar an obvious trail, from nearby it is hard to be found. There are several possible routes along the crater ridge and I'm not sure we picked the best one. We climbed on the inside of the ridge but the better trail seems to be on the outside (?!?).

    Near the northern summit the trail gets a little exposed as you negotiate the ridge between northern and southern crater, which is a knife-edge. Between northern and southern summit the trail is obvious and rather broad. Only in gale conditions like we encountered them it can get very dangerous.

    Essential Gear


    Hiking gear and water. This is a very dry region of La Palma.


  • Parents 

    Parents

    Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.