La Galana

Overview

  
La Galana (2,564m) is the second highest peak of Sierra de Gredos and Sistema Central but the height is not very important when we tell about a beautiful peak like this. Some people think that Almanzor is the king of Gredos and obviously La Galana is the lady (la dama de Gredos).

Both peaks are separated but less of 1h of walk and it's a good idea for mountaineers climbing twice in the same day (it's around 10h of walk-up from Plataforma de Gredos) specially if you sleep in Refuge Elola (1,950m). Climbing La Galana is enough reward if you had been visited Almanzor another time and it's the perfect excuse to return to Cirque de Gredos (it's almost sure that you found really beauty this nice peak in your first visit).

The difficulty of normal route:

The normal route of La Galana is P.D.inf. with rock-climbing of II. It's the same grade of Almanzor but it's different because Almanzor has a chimney not very exposed but La Galana has a wall and a ridge exposed (the fall is impressive). For mountaineers it's not very difficult and they don't need the use of the rope. The trekkers only will suffer generally in the chimney of Almanzor and they never will try to climb La Galana, even they don't know the name of the peak. In a week-end in summertime you will find probably less of 10 or 15 people in La Galana and more than 100 in Almanzor.

Getting There

Approach from Avila to Plataforma de Gredos with access near of the village of Hoyos del Espino.

Note: from 2014 the access to Plataforma de Gredos is controlled by a barrier from 8:00 to 20:00 and you must pay 2€


see bigger map

Red Tape

With snow all the peaks of Cirque of Gredos have alpine difficulty and it's necessary a lot of experience in climbing mountains in winter conditions (ice, snow, couluoirs,...).

Important change: plataforma de Gredos paying from october 2012 (link)

Camping

Camping:

-Camping de Gredos, Hoyos del Espino, just in the beginning of the road to Plataforma de Gredos.

Hostal (small hotel):

-Hostal La Mira de Gredos, Hoyos del Espino.

-Hostal Alfonso, Hoyos del espino.

-Hostal Refugio de Gredos, Navaredonda de Gredos.

Hotels:

-Los Galayos, Hoyos del Espino.

-Parador Nacional de Gredos, Navarredonda de Gredos

External Links

-mendikat.net: La Galana

-gredos.com

Images

View La Galana Image Gallery - 35 Images