Picos and Pica del Jierro

Overview

 

The highest peaks and summits of Macizo de Andara are close together and located around the culmination point of the range: Morra di Lechugales.

From this summit a ridge stretches to the north where the Jierro peaks are located close to Morra di Lechugales.

For those who are not accustomed to the Spanish and Asturian denominations the situation can be quite confusing: The broadest of these Jierro peaks is named Pica del Jierro or Pica l´Jierro or Pica l´Herru. The Picos del Jierro (or del Herru) are located between the Pica del Jierro to the north and the Morra di Lechugales to the south. This is at least the situation stated in the Adrados map.

Pica del Jierro is the meeting point of the two main ridges of Andara massif: the east – west main ridge and the south north main ridge.
To the north there is Collau Valdominguero, some 300 m lower than the Pica. The north ridge from the Collau has beautiful meadows in its lower part, the so called Campos de Valdominguero.
To the east is located Pico del Grajal de Arriba, about 80 m lower than Pica del Jierro. To the south a col, some 50 m lower, separates the Pica from the Picos del Jierro. The west face of Pica del Jierro drops down about 1300 m to the Duje valley.

The Picos del Jierro ridge borders the Hoyo del Evangelista, a huge sinkhole, to the west. The highest point of this ridge is stated with 2432 m in the Adrados map, thus marking the Picos del Jierro as third highest mountain of Macizo de Andara. As the Picos and the Pica are located close to Morra di Lechugales and Silla del Caballo Cimero, all four summits can be visited together in one day trip.

Pica del Jierro is a distinct mountain and may get visits for its own. The Picos del Jierro don´t have this prominence, this makes them, perhaps, less frequented.

But both summits offer excellent views, especially down to Duje valley and to the peaks of the Macizo Los Urielles. On clear days even the town of Santander can be spotted in the far northeast.

Getting There

 

Main trailheads are

Sotres or Jito Escarandi

Caseton de Andara

Invernales del Texu / Duje valley

Lon or Brez

Tanarrio

You reach Sotres or Jito Escarandi on road number AS-264 from Arenas de Cabrales (look up the Macizo de Andara SP page how to get to Arenas de Cabrales) to Poncebos. Turn there on road number CA-1.

Invernales del Texu can be reached by leaving the CA-1 at the first switchback about 1 km before reaching Sotres. Follow the dirt road for a while and park your car above the Invernales.

Follow CA-1 until you reach Sotres, leave the village on that road to the east and park your car at or near the first switchback after the village limits.

For Jito Escarandi follow CA-1 until you reach this col between Sotres and Tresviso; there is a hiker parking area on the right side of the road.

For Caseton de Andara leave your car at Jito Escarandi and follow the old mine road in southern direction until you reach the Caseton (about 1 hour to walk).

For Tanarrio, Lon or Brez follow road number CA-185 from Potes in the direction of Espinama / Fuente De.

For Lon leave CA-185 at San Pelayo and follow the signposts to Lon.

For Brez and Tanarrio leave CA-185 at Camaleño and follow the road in direction of Brez, passing by the village of Tanarrio.

Main Routes Overview

 

Northern Routes

Route via Collado del Mojon and Pico del Grajal de Arriba

Trailhead: Jito Escarandi or Caseton de Andara

From Jito Escarandi take the old mine road in the direction of Caseton de Andara.

Pass by the Caseton at a broad road switchback on a trail west of the hut and regain the mine road above or go to the hut and follow the mine road. Above the route junction stay left and follow the steep road up to the Minas de la Providencia.
Instead of entering the huge Vega del Hoyo Oscuro stay right and ascend to Castillo del Grajal on a mine road. Follow that road up to Collado del Mojon and descend on that road into the upper parts of Canal de las Arredondas south of the Collado. A swithback brings you in western direction – pass the south slopes of Pico del Grajal de Abajo and regain the ridge at the col west of the Abajo peak.

Follow this road/trail in western direction. First the ridge is steep, narrow and rocky. After a while you enter a gentle meadow slope. Follow the mine road until its enters the Hoyo del Evangelista. Leave the road there and ascend the meadow slope on a narrow and marked trail to the summit of Pico del Grajal de Arriba. From there follow the cairns on the ridge crest or a bit south of it until the trail starts to ascend the east ridge of Pica del Jierro.

Traverse of Picos del Jierro

Picos del Jierro as seen from the north

Campos de Valdominguero / north ridge route

There are several possibilities now:

1. Follow the east ridge up to the summit of Pica del Jierro.


2. Follow a cairned narrow trail which branches off to the left and traverses the southeast slope of Pica del Jierro above Hoyo Evangelista. From the end of that traverse you can use a trail on the south ridge of Pica del Jierro to climb the summit.


3. Alternatively follow from that trail junction the trail running in southern direction. It climbs up steeply to a scree field below the Picos del Jierro ridge. At a second trail junction turn right, follow a scree ledge up to the ridge crest and climb the first Pico of the Picos del Jierro on easy rocks on its eastern side. Then follow simply the ridge crest on easy but exposed rocks in southern direction to the notch between Picos del Jierro and Morra de Lechugales. At that notch follow the trail to your left with some easy rock scramble above the col between Picos del Jierro and Silla del Caballo Cimero (the latter can easily be climbed by crossing the col and following the easy rocks on the west ridge of the Silla). The trail uses then a rock ledge and regains the above mentioned scree field below Picos del Jierro. Short but enjoyable round trip.

 

Route via Collau Valdominguero

Trailhead: Jito Escarandi or Caseton de Andara

From Jito Escarandi take the old mine road in the direction of Caseton de Andara.

Pass by the Caseton at a broad road switchback on a trail west of the hut and regain the mine road above or go to the hut and follow the mine road. Above the route junction stay right at the next switchback and follow that mine road shortly until you arrive at the Collado de la Aldea. Take the road branching off to your left and follow that road up to Minas de Mazarasa and further on to the north slopes of the two Grajales south of Valle de Andara. These parts are called Traviesas del Grajal de Abajo and de Arriba. The trail ends at Collado Valdominguero.

A cairned route guides you up the meadows of Campos de Valdominguero south of the Collado, which are the lower part of the Pica del Jierro north ridge. The meadows end at point 2286 m of the Adrados map where the north ridge of Pica del Jierro gets narrow and rocky. Follow the ridge crest until the ridge drops down to a narrow and steep notch; climb down these rocks ending in a narrow rock chimney some steps above the notch. There is a short UIAA grade II move to get down in that chimney.

From the notch ascend the steep rocks first left of the ridge crest than near the ridge crest up to the scree slopes of the upper north ridge. Ascend these steep scree slopes – there is some easy rock scrambling, too – on a narrow foot track until you reach the summit of Pica del Jierro.

Use the south ridge of Pica del Jierro to traverse to the Picos del Jierro. Use the east ridge to gain the route via Pico del Grajal de Arriba and Collado del Mojon.

If you use this route as a descent route, pay attention at the lower end of the scree slopes: You first follow a rocky part of the ridge crest (easy rock scramble). When you arrive at some steep chutes dropping down to Jou Lleroso you have to follow a red arrow (!!), painted on a rock, wich leads you to the above mentioned notch. Don´t miss that, otherwise you end up in nasty terrain!
From the notch there is a scree and rock chute down to Jou Lleroso with many foot tracks. You can shortcut the Campos de Valdominguero by following that chute. I found it much more entertaining ( and better for my knees!!) to descend the Campos to the Collado Valdominguero.

 

Canalon de Jidiello (Hidiellu) route

Trailhead: Invernales del Texu

From the Invernales del Texu parking space follow the road into the valley, leaving Invernales del Texu behind, until you reach the steep Canalon de Jidiello valley, about a bit more than 2 km after the Invernales. There is a green mark on a huge rock left of the road where the Canalon starts.

Leave the road there and start ascending the Canalon. There is a narrow trail first up to the ruins of Majada de Jidiello, cairned, partly marked with green dots and even leading further up the Canalon. Then the trail gets even more narrow and you have to find your way up until you reach the small and steep rock chute below the meadows of Collau Valdominguero. There is a short rock scramble up the chute.

From the Collau follow the route via Pica del Jierro north ridge, as described above.

South routes

Canal de las Arredondas route

Trailhead: villages of Lon or Brez

Follow the road from both villages in northern direction to Prao La Mayor, where these roads meet.
Ascend now the long Canal de las Arredondas to the mine road below Collado del Mojon (long ascent!)
At the mine road turn left and follow the route via Pico del Grajal de Arriba to Pica and Picos de Jierro.

Canal de Lechugales route

Trailhead: Tanarrio

Take the road north of Tanarrio, branching off to the left from the road to Brez.
Take the left hand road at a road junction about 1,3 km later. This road terminates at the end of the long Canal de Lechugales.
Ascend the Canal until you reach the col between Picos del Jierro and Silla del Caballo Cimero. Turn left and scramble in western direction until you reach the trail between Picos del Jierro and Pica del Jierro.

The route is steep, long and at least partly off-trail.

 

Ski routes

Picos and Pica del Jierro can be summited with skies, too. For the last rock parts you may need crampons and an ice axe.

From Jito Escarandi or Caseton de Andara go to Collado del Mojon and follow the west ridge to Pico del Grajal de Arriba.
Traverse into the upper parts of Hoyo del Evangelista and summit directly Pica del Jierro or traverse to the south and summit Picos de Jierro, following more or less the summer routes.

The Canales de las Arredondas and de Lechugales are ski routes, too. As the Canal de Lechugales is very steep it seems to be a preferred downhill area.

If you plan a ski round trip from Lon or Brez, ascend the Canal de las Arredondas, traverse to Pico del Grajal de Arriba, Pica and Picos del Jierro and even Morra de Lechugales. Ski down Canal de Lechugales until the broad chute from Collado Untuje de Tanarrio comes down to your left. Ascend to the Collado (about 300 m) and ski down the Canal de Untuje tp the lower end of Canal de las Arredondas.

A very, very long and strong day or a two days undertaking with a night at Caseton de Andara.

Red Tape & Accommodation

 
Red Tape

The Grajales are part of the Parque National de los Picos de Europa.
The entrance to the national park is free, you need no permits.

The regulations for the park can be seen here.

 

Accommodation

Arenas de Cabrales

Sotres

Tielve

Tresviso

Poncebos / Camarmeña

Potes and the adjacent villages

Mountain hut

Caseton de Andara with 20 places, food and drinks; guarded throughout summer

Gear & Mountain Condition

 

Pica and Picos del Jierro are mainly a spring, summer and autumn outing.

As the route Caseton de Andara - Collado del Mojon and the Canal de las Arredondas is one of the main ski routes within Macizo de Andara, the Picos and Pica del Jierro are a ski tour summit aim.

Canal de Lechugales, too, is used as a ski route.

You need normal hiking gear for a summer and autumn tour on the Jierro summits. Gaiters and hiking poles may be useful in springtime.

The traverse of the Picos del Jierro require some scrambling aibilities, the last part of the ascent routes are very steep and a bit exposed. On the northern route to Pica del Jierro there is a short UIAA grade II move at the top of the Campos de Valdominguero where the rock drops down into the sharp notch within the north ridge.

In winter and early spring you need full ski tour gear / snow shoe gear and avalanche protection.

A Spanish avalanche bulletin for the Picos de Europa (Boletin de Peligro de Aludes) can be seen here.

Current Weather for Sotres:

Current weather for Potes

Maps & Guide Books

 

Maps

Picos de Europa; Central and Eastern Massifs (Los Urielles Y Andara); Topographic Map, scale 1 : 25.000 with Hiking Trails; Adrados Ediciones –

the best and most detailed map as far as I know

For more information see the Adrados website (only in Spanish).

A good hiking map, not too detailed but sufficient for simple hikes:

Parque Nacional de Picos de Europa; 2 Mapas Excursionistas, Escala 1 : 40.000, Macizo Central y Oriental; Macizo Occidental; Editorial Alpina


Guide Books

Standard guide book in English:

Robin Walker: Picos de Europa, Walks and Climbs, Cicerone guide

Spanish publications and more maps can be purchased in the towns and villages round the Picos.

Images

View Picos and Pica del Jierro Image Gallery - 15 Images