Very good granit, ( very good grip and cracks, very solid). Easy to very dificult sportive and free climbing routes. In a cold wet winter you can find excelent gullies and mixed routes. easy acess and you can park the car near the peak, abseil down and start climbing back to the car in time to go for a very good dinner ( food arround is underfull and wine and spirits that will knock you out). It is a small mountain where you can create very difficult route that possibly now one have climb before. unspoiled.

Getting There

Go to Guarda (City in the North side of Serra da Estrela) then follow direction to Torre (Torre is the highest point in Portugal, 1997 m). in the way you should enter in Manteigas (that means Butter) and drive up the Manteigas paleo-glacial valley at the top of the valley stop in the rest area of Covao d' Ametade (where you can camp free of charge). from the camping area you can walk till the base of the cantaro magro, that is the main spur in the west. go to google earth and search coordinates (N 40 19 38.50, W 7 35 58.26. ... very easy to access, park the car and walk 30 minutes.

Red Tape

It is a conservation area, that you can enjoy freely... just dont leave garbage and try not to follow the portuguese tradition of making barbacues.

When To Climb

Rock climbing from March to October. Ice climbing in special winter days. winter climbing from december to febuary, plenty of gullies. Do not go when the forecast show very bad weather, ... all roads close and there is no way in or out unless you would like to spend hours or days walking in the midlle zero visibility terrain up and down steep valleys.

Camping

free camping area...

If you want to have the dinner of your life, you will need to drive 20 km, but you will not regret it ... Go to Guarda and ask directions for Folgosinho village and then you will find the only restaraunt in that village Albertino (all you can eat for around 15 euros with the most tipycal diches of the area and is a very beautifulll village).

Mountain Conditions

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Serra-da-Estrela.html

http://www.turistrela.pt/inverno/estancia/webcam.asp

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/index-world-forecast.asp?zipcode=penhas+da+saude&partner=accuweather

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