Peñalara is the highest mountain in Sierra de Guadarrama, placed in Sistema Central between two provinces, Madrid and Segovia. IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional) and Alpina 1:25.000 show 2.429 m. IGN 1:50.000 shows 2.428 m but a drawing on the survey point shows 2.430 m as the elevation. A lot of people climb Peñalara on weekends because of the nearness of Madrid, but only a few people ascend this mountain on working days.

Sierra de Guadarrama is a range of rounded mountains with alpin style only in some points. At Peñalara these are on NW and SE-NE faces. Below them Circo de Peñalara includes Laguna Grande as a glacial lake, but it isn't alone because other little lakes are located in the east (Cinco Lagunas) and north east (Laguna de los Pájaros) sides. On 1929 these spots were named Sitios de Interés Nacional but just on 1990 was declared Natural Park. Nowadays its surface is 768 Ha / 1,897 acres. As a result, on 2002 normal route (F) starts on Puerto de Cotos (1.830 m) and goes first across a pine wood to avoid walking on the Valcotos ski-runs once existed here, and now replan with firs. This direct route can be soften walking along a forest trail, which crosses normal route closely of the place where previously was the ski-resort altitude snack bar. Note that some maps mark 1.848 m as Puerto de Cotos elevation, but recent self-measurings indicate 1.830 m (IGN 1:50.000) as a more accurate height. Even there is a placard on a house of Puerto de Cotos wich shows 1.830 m.

The first ever climb was by the naturalist Félix Gila and 5 mates on 13 August 1890.

Getting There

From Puerto de Cotos go north along a little road to the Natural Park Checkpoint and Info Center (Casa Los Cotos). Both trails I've mentioned in the Overview section start on those building sides.

TRAVEL

Plane

The nearest International Airport is Barajas in Madrid (82 Km).

Private vehicule

From Madrid and east Península take M-607 passing Navacerrada village, M-601 to Puerto de Navacerrada (1.860 m) and then M-604 to Puerto de Cotos (67 Km). Or take (also from S and W Península) A-6 to Collado Villalba and M-601 as the preceding route (69 Km).

From Segovia take C-601 to Puerto de Navacerrada and M-604 to Puerto de Cotos (35 Km).

From north Península take A-1, after Buitrago de Lozoya (Madrid) turn right, M-604 to Puerto de Cotos.

Train

Go from Madrid to Cercedilla and then take the old tramway (1923) passing Puerto de Navacerrada to Puerto de Cotos. The track is the most incline all over Spain and the second higher.

First you have to go to any of the train stations in Madrid. All of them have connection with the subway, Atocha and Chamartín are both main stations. Take the train on line C-8b of RENFE Cercanías (tel: 91 328 90 20), this is the timetable on weekends and holidays:

Madrid Atocha - Cercedilla 7:03 ; 8:03 ; 8:48 ; 9:03 ; 10:03 ; 11:03 ; 12:03 ; 13:03 ; 14:03 ; 15:03 ; 16:02 (only from Chamartín) ; 16:03 ; 17:03 ; 18:03 ; 19:03 ; 20:03 ; 21:03 ; 22:03 ; 23:03

Cercedilla - Madrid Atocha 6: 37 ; 7:37 ; 8:37 ; 9:37 ; 10:37 ; 10:52 (only to Villalba) ; 11:37 ; 12:37 ; 13:37 ; 14:37 ; 15:37 ; 16:37 ; 17:37 ; 17:52 ; 18:37 ; 19:37 ; 20:37 ; 21:37 ; 22:37

Finally take the tramway at Cercedilla (line C-9) to Cotos, this is timetable for Sundays and holidays:

Cercedilla - Cotos 9:35 ; 10:35 ; 11:35 ; 12:35 ; 13:35 ; 15:35 ; 16:35 ; 16:35 ; 17:35 ; 18:35

Cotos - Cercedilla 11:00 ; 12:00 ; 13:00 ; 14:00 ; 16:00 ; 17:00 ; 18:00 ; 19:00 ; 20:00

For more information see the External Links below in the page.

Bus

Travel on line 691 (Madrid-Becerril de la Sierra-Navacerrada-Cotos-Valdesquí ski resort) of Larrea (tel: 91 530 48 00). They part from Moncloa station (with subway), this is the timetable :

Madrid - Cotos
Labour days 9:30 (also to Valdesquí ski resort) ; 11:00 ; 12:00 ; 13:00 ; 14:00 ; 15:00 ; 15:30 ; 16:00 ; 17:00 ; 18:00 ; 19:00 ; 20:00 ; 21:00 ; 22:00. Labour Saturdays: 8:00 and 9:30 (also to Valdesquí) ; 13:00 ; 15:30 ; 18:00 ; 19:00 ; 20:00. Sundays and holidays 8:00 and 9:30 (also to Valdesquí); 13:30 ; 17:00 ; 19:00 ; 22:00

Cotos - Madrid
Labour days 6:30 ; 7:00 ; 7:25 ; 8:00 ; 9:00 ; 9:30 ; 10:30 ; 12:00 ; 13:00 ; 14:00 ; 15:00 ; 16:00 ; 16:30 (from Valdesquí) ; 17:00 ; 18:00 ; 19:00 ; 20:00. Labour Saturdays 8:00 ; 10:00 ; 14:00 ; 16:00 ; 17:00 (from Valdesquí) ; 17:30 ; 19:00 ; 20:30. Sundays and holidays 10:00 ; 14:00 ; 15:45 ; 16:00 ; 17:00 (from Valdesquí) ; 17:30 ; 19:00 ; 21:00

Red Tape

No permits or summit fees are required to climb Peñalara but there are some rules for wildlife conservation you must observe due to Peñalara is inside a Natural Park. Just get informed in Casa Los Cotos.

In 2000 was decided that wildlife, plants and environment had to be protected. Laguna Grande and other lakes tended to be dirty because urban people didn't respect the habitual rules in wild areas. As a result many amphibious (with Valle del Paular is one of the higher concentrations in Europe), like some little species of frogs, and reptiles like viper were in extinction threat. 90% of rock-climbing pitches were dismantled, leaving only Pared de la Teresa as a climbing spot. Recently (in 2001) lots of pitches has been re-equiped in other spots. Also there were 3 ski resorts on the area and another near. Valcotos was one of the smaller resorts, so Comunidad de Madrid decided to buy it (520 million pesetas) to the owners and create Parque Natural de Peñalara. Estimate for restoration is about 1.000 million pesetas ( = 6.01 million euros). I think this fact set an example of wild areas management in Spain, even though I was one of the skiers that went there.

A free restored parking is situated on the East side of Puerto de Cotos. It is divided in two parts separated by a stream to preserve amphibious. Also at Cobertizo del Depósito, near Mirador (viewpoint) de la Gitana (Lagunas de Peñalara Descent Route), is placed an amphibious preservation area with species like Sapo Corredor (Bufo calamita) and Sapillo Pintojo Ibérico (Discoglossus galganoi).

Presentación del Parque Nacional

Camping

Camping is forbidden in Peñalara Natural Park and all over Madrid province. The huts like Refugio de Zabala or Refugio El Pingarrón are closed due to the vandalism caused by the urban people that don't respect the wilderness. All the mountain routes can be attempted in a day but, if you want to spend the night in the area, best way is bivouacing (only 1 night permited over 2.100 m) out of winter months.

See more information about lodging in the External Links section, below in the page.

When To Climb

You could climb Peñalara at any time of the year but the winter months are the worst because of the fog and snowstorms. They can confound you, at least on the summit area and Dos Hermanas and force you not to find the trail. In this case always descent to the valley, Rascafría (NE) and La Granja (NW) could be the reference towns. In Winter, temperatures of -10 ºC and below are usual on the Peñalara area.

Current weather conditions on Puerto de Cotos (1830 m).

Very complete (pdf) weather forecast at Puerto de Navacerrada (1.860 m).

Get informed of winter road conditions in pages 601 and 611 of
"Teletexto" TVE.

Webcam installed on Puerto de Cotos wich points at Cabezas de Hierro. Includes current temperature.

2 Thousand-meters Mountains of Sierra de Guadarrama

ONLY PRINCIPAL SUMMITS

The heights are those of the Spanish IGN 1:25.000 maps except the peaks without any reference in them, in these cases I've put the elevations that the Spanish IGN 1.50.000 maps show.

Peñalara 2.429
Risco de los Claveles* 2.387
Cabeza de Hierro Mayor (4) 2.381
Cabeza de Hierro Menor (3) 2.376
Dos Hermanas Mayor 2.285
Valdemartín (2) 2.282
Dos Hermanas Menor 2.268
Risco de los Pájaros 2.266
Bola del Mundo (1) 2.255
Pandasco (5) 2.247
Asómate de Hoyos (6) 2.242
Maliciosa 2.225
Nevero 2.209
Oso 2.192
Pinareja 2.192
Peña Citores 2.182
Alto del Parrinoso 2.174
Alto del Puerto 2.164
Peñacabra 2.164
Montón de Trigo 2.155
Los Neveros 2.139
Los Pelados 2.138
Siete Picos 2.136
Bailanderos (7) 2.133
Cerro Morete 2.133
Najarra (8) 2.123
Peñotillo 2.123
Peña del Buitre 2.106
Reajo Alto 2.105
Cerro Negro 2.087
Alto Poyales 2.081
Lomo Gordo 2.079
Flecha 2.077
Reventón 2.073
Pelado 2.057
Cerro Minguete 2.023
Peña del Aguila 2.012
Pico de Pasapán 2.003
Peñas de la Majada 2.001

* Could be considered a subsidiary summit of Peñalara.

Numbers from 1 to 8 include the summits (in order) wich forms La Cuerda Larga, one of the most classic and hard traverses of Sierra de Guadarrama.

I've climbed the majority of those summits, many of them can be attempted in a whole day.

External Links

Web of the suburban trains of this Spanish railway company. Timetables and prices. Only in Spanish.

Special section of renfe.es where there is a route to climb Peñalara from Puerto de Cotos and descending on the Lagunas de Peñalara route. Only in Spanish.

Albergue Coppel
Web of this Club Alpino Español mountain shelter situated on Puerto de Cotos.

Escuelas de Escalada
Web of Desnivel (Spanish publishing company of mountain books) climbing section. You can find all about climbing in Peñalara (Puerto de Cotos). In English.

Sierra Norte
Site of the North Madrid province municipalities, Peñalara is in Alto Lozoya/Rascafría. In sierranorte.com you can find information about: roads, lodgings, restaurants, bars, and pubs in towns, shopping and a mountain bike route in Valle del Alto Lozoya. Interest devolves upon the Puerto de Cotos webcam (¡En Directo!) showing Cabezas de Hierro.

El Chorro de Navafría
El Chorro is one of the highest cascades in Sistema Central and is located near Navafría (Segovia). This site offers information about the recreational area established there. Contains hiking routes. Only in Spanish

Mountain and Climbing Guiding/Instruction
Rock and Ice climbing school. Mountain Guiding. English speaked.

Peñalara from San Ildefonso (In spanish)
Summit Log (Peñalara) from La Granja de San Ildefonso. I spent the night in "Laguna de los pájaros" and came to La Granja the next day. (In spanish)

Images



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