Very Important It is important to understand what Naranjo de Bulnes means to Spanish Mountaineers. It is our most precious jewel, and the most wanted summit. Every single Spanish mountaineer dreams on the possibility of looking from its summit. The beauty of this mountain is not only in what you look at, is has to do more with the magic of it. When you feel it you understand. It is very difficult to express in words how people feel about it. And all this does not means it has an easy way to reach its top, because it has not. Rock climbing technics and gear is necesary, even in the easiest route on the south face: "Directa Hermanos Martinez" ( 5.8, 155m). There are about 70 routes on the mountain, and only a few of them are relalatively easy; the rest are long, difficult and exposed. Nevertheless climbing "Naranjo de Bulnes" by any of its routes would be worthwhile and incredibly grateful. I hope you get to climb it !! 
Morning light on Naranjo de Bulnes´ south (left) and east (right) faces.
Getting There Naranjo de Bulnes is located in "Picos de Europa" National Park. It is a vast and wild mountain range in the northen province of Spain named "Asturias". The mountain can be approach from the: - North: from the "Asturiana" village of "Arenas de Cabrales" take the road going south to "Tielve" and then "Sotres" (1.045m), and walk or drive to "Collado de Pandebano" (1.212m). From "Collado de Pandebano" take the obvious well traced trail going SW up the hill and then follow it for 2 to 3 hours to reach "Vega de Uriellu " Hut (1.953m).
- South: from the "Cantabrica" village of "Potes" take road to "Fuente Dé" and take cable-car to viewpoint (750m higher up). From cable-car station (1.834m) follow trail to "Horcados Rojos" col (2.344m) then follow trail going North taking special precautions descending from Horcados Rojos to reach "Vega de Uriellu " Hut (1.960m) in 2 to 3 hours.
IMPORTANT: Approaching "Vega the Urriellu" Hut is easy when in knowledge of the area and the trail. Because of the exposure of this mountain range to the northen winds that always bring really bad weather, it is a must to carry map and compass when going for the first time. The most popular route to approach the Hut is from the north.  Cleanning up "Pilar del Cantabrico" second pitch.
Naranjo de Bulnes West Face.
July 2003
Photo: Dani Oltra
Climber: Jonás Cruces
 |
West Face In the spanish climbing history this is ´The Face´. Everyone of the strongest and outstanding spanish climbers has gone up this face. Some creating new lines and others repeating the already existing ones. All routes up this face are difficult, and let me add too that most of the routes up the face are extremely difficult. Hard aid and runout difficult free climbing is the common language in most of the routes. Height: 500 m. Access: It is the face right above the the Hut, getting to the face will take us 20 min from the Hut. Descent: It is always using the rappel stations on the south side. Although most of the routes can not be rappeled down, if necesary, you could rappel down the belay stations of the Murciana Route. West Face most popular routes: - - LEIVA, (500m, 6b, A1 [7a])
- - SAGITARIO, (200m, 6b)
- - RABADA-NAVARRO, (750m, 6a, A2 [6c+])
MORE INFO OF THE ROUTE (Sorry, only in Spanish) - - DIRECTISIMA, (500m, 6a, A2 [7b])
- - MURCIANA 78, (500m, 6a, A2 [7c+])
- - MEDITERRANEO, (500m, 6b, A3)
- - PILAR DEL CANTABRICO, (500m, 6a, A2+ [8a+])
East Face The East Face looks like a huge slab. First time you stare at it does not look as large as it is until you realize those tiny little dots half way up the wall are climbers in the middle of the face. This face is also reserved for the experienced climbers only. Although the technical difficulty is not high in most of the routes good knoledge of placing rockclimbling protection, route finding skills and being used to runout freeclimbing is essential. CEPEDA route was the first line up this face, and most of the routes join this one to finish up the face, it was first climbed in september 1955 by: M Jesús Aldecoa, Jaime Cepeda y Pedro Udaondo. Height: 350 m. Access: To get to the foot of the face we would have to go up the ¨Canal de la Celada´ (Celada Gully). Starting from Hut follow trail going eastwards first down and then up through loose rock and some sections of easy scramble will leave us in approximately one hour to the foot of the face. Descent: Two options. Or either use the rappel stations starting on the fifth belay of the Cepeda Route or either go through the big hole located in the ninth belay of the Cepeda Route and traverse SW to reach rappel stations of the South Face. East Face most popular routes: - - CEPEDA, (350m, V+)
- - PAJARO LOCO, (200m, 6b)
- - MARTÍNEZ-SOMOANO, (250m, V+)
- - AMISTAD CON EL DIABLO, (250m, V+)
- - CAINEJO, (260m, 6a+, A1)
PHOTOS OF THE CEPEDA ROUTE (350m, 6a)
Climbed by Jon Cruces (6 years old) together with Jonás Cruces % Varis (both are Mountain Guides)
Cepeda Route on the East face - www.todoescalada.net
Start of the route with Varis
Varis climbing first pitches
Climbing first pitches
First pitches from below
Climbing first pitches
Jon Cruces (6) climbing together with dad - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces (6) climbing together with dad - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces (6) climbing together with dad - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces (6) going through the whole at the end of the route - Photo: Varis
Jonás Cruces going through the whole at the end of the route - Photo: Varis
Jon Cruces & Varis on the last belay
On the summit ridge
On the summit
North Face The North Face is the most dramatic of all faces of this mountain. Although climbing the South Face is easier and less exposed, the first ascent of the mountain was via the north face. We have to go back to August the fifth of 1904, Climbers: Pedro Pidal and Gregorio Pérez ´El Cainejo´. After a rigourus study of the mountain they thought the other tree faces to be unclimbable. They choose the north face and the very characteristic north face chimney; there, was the key to the summit. Today, the chimney, is climbed in three exposed and difficult pitches. In an epic climb these two experienced mountaineers succeeded in their way to the summit and descended the same way. Climbing this face is more of a difficult alpine ascent through bad rock than a proper rock climbing one, and has very little in common with the other three faces. Height: Varies, 700-450 m. Access: The SCHULZE and PIDAL-CAINEJO routes start at the very right of the East face, and basically go rightwards to meet northeast spurr and to follow north face chimney. See access to East Face. For the RÉGIL route, starting from Hut follow trail going down and eastwards to meet northeast spurr. 20 min. Descent: Via the South Face. North Face most popular routes: - - RÉGIL, (700m, V)
- - PIDAL-CAINEJO, (450m, V)
- - SCHULZE, (500m, V)
South Face A In order to reach the base of the route a long hour (may be an hour and a half) is necessary from Urriellu Hut. To do it in the same day from Sotres or Pandébano is another possibility if we do not want to do night in the Urriellu Hut, I believe this last option being much more exhausting (non advisable). The "Canal de la Celada" is better hiked up by its left side. By the right side a exists a possibility, something more direct although more uncomfortable due to the great amount of loose stones by the narrow channel (faster option to get down, but also a greater risk of stones falling). To reach the base of the route to the height of a staggered rocky slope of white color, more or less by half of the South face and immediately under a comfortable dark hole in the face that constitutes the first belay about 15 meters and something up-right. It is highly suggested to be with the helmet already on by this time, since a lot of stones usually fall.
When to Climb Usually climbing is possible since late spring till early auttum. Altough strong parties will achieve winter ascents.
Equipment-Gear Rock climbing technics and gear is necesary, even in the easiest route on the south face: "Directa Hermanos Martinez" ( 5.8, 155m). There are about 70 routes on the mountain, and only a few of them are relalatively easy; the rest are long, difficult and exposed. Standard climbing rack recomended (helmet, two ropes, nuts and friends). Nevertheless climbing "Naranjo de Bulnes" by any of its routes would be worthwhile and incredibly grateful. I hope you get to climb it !!
Red Tape and Wildlife Nothing required in terms of permits. Naranjo de Bulnes is located within the National Park boundarys, therefore, stricted regulations aply relating wildlife.
Books - - (Magazine) Desnivel #132, Sept. 1997
- - "Verticualidad" Author- Rainier Munsch y Didier Sorbé. Publ.: Publi Action, 1992.
- - "Naranjo de Bulnes" Un siglo de escaladas Author: Isidoro Rodríguez Cubillas. Publ.: Desnivel Año 2000.
- - "Cordillera Cantábrica. Escaladas Selectas de los Picos de Europa al Valle de Teverga" Author- Miguel Ángel Adrados, Oviedo 1996, ISBN- 84-605-5318-3
Weather Forecast Click Here: For a 7 days weather forecast in the "Cangas de Onis" area !!
Information
All info gathered by:
Jonás Cruces
Mountain Guide & Rock + Ice Climbing Instructor
This is his website: www.todovertical.com
External Links Images
|
Cordillera Cantábrica
