Route Climbed: North Face Classic (60ºSnow, 80ºice, 200m) Date Climbed: Jan 9th, 2004
We never hoped for the route to be in such good conditions. We had south winds for a few warm days, and a lot of ice had melted from the ice-falls. Good and busy saturday. If you need info of the route email us.
Route Climbed: Ascend via Portilla Bermeja, descent via Portilla del Crampon Date Climbed: Feb 8th, 2003
I left early from Plataforma, just before seven o´clock. I reached the hut by 8:15, and had a coffe there. It had snowed the previous day, no tracks were to follow. After reaching Portilla Bermeja going around the Risco the la Portilla del Crampon was a little airy. It was about 10:30 by the time I standed in the summit. The way back was via Portilla del Crampon, descending the gully when others were going up was not pleasant. Got to the hut, had another coffe and by 3:00 back in plataforma. A good day.
Route Climbed: Portilla del Crampón Normal from Plataforma Date Climbed: October 12, 2002
Once again I've climbed Almanzor by this route, when you climb with team mates you must to do what everybody wants to. So on saturday we left Refugio de Reguero Llano placed on Prado de las Pozas. The day started foggy but at 10 h, when we started to ascend it was sunny. Soon we reached Los Barrerones, where some trail works had been happening, even a wood bridge had been built over the stream coming from Fuente de los Cavadores. The trail now surround this water source and another drinking fountain has been built on Los Barrerones W slope.
After taking some photos we descended to Laguna Grande so 2 hours after the start we was at Refugio Elola eating some power bars and chocolate. A man who wanted to climb Almanzor met us meanwhile some women would await him in the hut. This man would overtake us because we ascended slowly but when we descended from Almanzor we met him anew because he had mistaked Almanzor for Risco de la Portilla del Crampón. He descended soon to meet his team mates. Meanwhile, 2 of us climbed Cuerno del Almanzor after having a meal. There wasn't as people as in August so the climb to Almanzor was in 2 hours. The snow patch under Portilla Bermeja was icy and some last week snow reminds were near Almanzor summit.
The descent of Almanzor was by the same route but once on Hoya Antón we followed the stream passing La Esmeralda pond. We didn't rest at Laguna Grande or Refugio Elola because we had rested at the foot of Almanzor. So we did at Los Barrerones when the temperature became lower with some wind guts. The descent to Refugio de Reguero Llano was quick, and then my cousin and me acompanied a friend to Plataforma because he wanted to leave. I left my plastic boots, poles, crampons and took my trekking boots. Finally we both ascended wearing headlamps to Refugio de Reguero Llano. Total: 11 h; 1,295 m ascent; 1,295 m descent. Tmin = 11 ºC.
Route Climbed: Risco de la Portilla del Crampon Date Climbed: September 21, 2002
Miserable day to begin Autumm. Mostly cloudy and cold when we started our approach from Plataforma at 8:30AM. We arrived Refugio Elola 2:30 hours later in the middle of light rain. Rested for about an hour and started to climb at 12PM. An hour later when I arrived Risco de la Portilla de Crampon, a heavy fog cut visibility to no more than 10-20 meters away. Rain and wind also picked up. Started traversing the ridge for about 1:30 hour in the middle of this dense fog and rain. Without knowing the place beforehand and unable to locate Almanzor's summit I turned back the ridge over my steps. Visibility at this point was minimal. Arrved the Col to descend to Refugio Elola only by thorough compass navigation. By this time, it was really pouring! The rock started to get dangerously wet. Back to Refugio Elola five hours later from my departure. Rested for about an hour and started hiking back to Plataforma in the middle of heavy rain. Crossing the stream wthout soaking my boots was impossible, as the rain greatly increased its flow. Took me another 2:30 hours to reach Plataforma. To summarize, very beautiful place but you can easily spend a miserable day in lousy weather.
Route Climbed: Portilla del Crampón Normal descending to Plataforma by Portilla de los Cobardes, Cuchillar de Ballesteros, El Gargantón and Refugio Elola Date Climbed: August 17th, 2002
Two cousins and me climbed Almanzor yesterday after vivouaquing at Laguna Grande shore. On August 16th, we started late in the evening from Plataforma. After Los Barrerones (nice sunset) we were wearing frontal lights, 3 hours-walk (total time) conduced us to our vivi where we had dinner until sleep. The night was warm (16 ºC) but the wind guts were moderate lashing us from behind. The next day we kept waiting a friend of us till 12 PM but he didn't come so we decided to climb Almanzor ourselves. It was hot, first we kept our rucksacks at Refugio Elola, where we filled our canteens. The ascent was fair but many people, part of them inexperienced, were following the route. Be careful at Portilla del Crampón because climbers drop rocks. On the upper section we had to wait people to descend from the summit. Then I climbed Cuerno del Almanzor. Soon a shout alerted us, it came from our friend. He was doing Integral (turn) del Circo de Gredos, we joined him to descend by El Venteadero passing Cuchillar de Ballesteros. We took a bath in a puddle at El Gargantón reaching Refugio Elola in the evening. We left the hut after a break pushing forward up to Los Barrones. Descending the slope we joined 2 kids and father because they hadn't torches so we went with them back to Plataforma. Nice male wild goats near Laguna Grande and Los Barrerones in the evening of the last day: 10h 30'
Route Climbed: Portilla del crampón Date Climbed: Agosto 2001
El Almanzor es una cumbre a la cual he subido en 5 ocasiones. La primera de ellas hace unos 18 años, en una de las excursiones que organizaba el grupo gredos de montaña de Arenas de San Pedro y de las que era asiduo.
Esta última vez subí en una pequeña excursión que hicimos con mi mujer y unos amigos. Llegamos por la carretera de Hoyos del Espino hasta la Plataforma de Gredos, donde empezamos la marcha hacia el prado de las pozas, zona a partir de la cual se empina el camino hasta llegar a la loma de los Barrerones, donde se agradece un trago de agua fresca en la fuente de los cavadores. Siguiendo el camino, al ver el pluviométro se nos presenta la impresionante vista del circo de gredos con el pico Almanzor dominándolo. A partir de aquí descendemos dejando a la izquierda el Morezón hasta llegar a la Laguna Grande de Gredos, desde donde subimos al Almanzor por la ruta de la Portilla del crampón, la cual es la mas frecuentada por su escasa dificultad y además por ser el punto mas directo si subimos desde la laguna grande de gredos.
Ni que decir tiene la impresionante vista que tenemos en la cumbre, donde junto al vértice geodésico en un día claro contemplamos la vista de tres comunidades, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla-León y Extremadura.
(The Almanzor is a summit to which I have ascended in 5 occasions. The first of them about 18 years ago, in one of the trips that organized the group Gredos de montaña de Arenas de San Pedro and of those that it was assiduous.
This last time I ascended in a small trip that we made with my wife and some friends. We arrive for the highway of Hoyos del Espino until the Plataforma de Gredos, where we begin the march toward the prado de las pozas, area starting from which zooms the road until arriving to the hill of the Barrerones, where we is appreciated a swig of fresh water in the source of the diggers. Following the road, when seeing the pluviometer is presented the impressive view of the gredos circus with the summit Almanzor dominating him. Starting from here we descend leaving to the left the Morezón until arriving at the Big Lagoon of Gredos, from where we ascend to the Almanzor for the route of the Portilla del crampón, which is the but frequented by their scarce difficulty and also to be the point but direct if we ascend from the big lagoon of gredos.
Neither that to say has the impressive view that we have in the summit, where next to the geodesic vertex in a clear day contemplate the view of three communities, Castilla La Mancha, Castila-León and Extremadura.)
Route Climbed: Portilla del Crampón Normal Date Climbed: 1978/14 October 2000
I don´t remind very much the first time that I reached the summit of Almanzor, but it could be on Summer 1978 with my father, when I was 8 years-old. I´ve must climb it near 10 times, in most cases by this route. The last time that I went there was on Autumn 2000. A cousin and me left the little hut of Reguero Llano (1.910 m) on Prado de las Pozas, after hide one of our back-packs into the bushes because nobody kept it. There were no free places on Refugio Elola that night. Walked up to Los Barrerones (2.183 m), descent to Laguna Grande and climbed Almanzor, then a little descent and climbed to Cuerno del Almanzor (2.538 m). Then joined to a new friend wich came from Cuchillar (ridge) de Ballesteros. He wanted to go rounding Circo de Gredos by its ridges but he were tired and joined us, back to Laguna Grande, Los Barrerones, Refugio de Reguero Llano and Plataforma.
TodoVertical - Jan 11, 2004 6:05 pm
Route Climbed: North Face Classic (60ºSnow, 80ºice, 200m) Date Climbed: Jan 9th, 2004We never hoped for the route to be in such good conditions. We had south winds for a few warm days, and a lot of ice had melted from the ice-falls. Good and busy saturday. If you need info of the route email us.
TodoVertical - Feb 8, 2003 4:12 pm
Route Climbed: Ascend via Portilla Bermeja, descent via Portilla del Crampon Date Climbed: Feb 8th, 2003I left early from Plataforma, just before seven o´clock. I reached the hut by 8:15, and had a coffe there. It had snowed the previous day, no tracks were to follow. After reaching Portilla Bermeja going around the Risco the la Portilla del Crampon was a little airy. It was about 10:30 by the time I standed in the summit. The way back was via Portilla del Crampon, descending the gully when others were going up was not pleasant. Got to the hut, had another coffe and by 3:00 back in plataforma. A good day.
Diego Sahagún - Oct 14, 2002 2:57 pm
Route Climbed: Portilla del Crampón Normal from Plataforma Date Climbed: October 12, 2002Once again I've climbed Almanzor by this route, when you climb with team mates you must to do what everybody wants to. So on saturday we left Refugio de Reguero Llano placed on Prado de las Pozas. The day started foggy but at 10 h, when we started to ascend it was sunny. Soon we reached Los Barrerones, where some trail works had been happening, even a wood bridge had been built over the stream coming from Fuente de los Cavadores. The trail now surround this water source and another drinking fountain has been built on Los Barrerones W slope.
After taking some photos we descended to Laguna Grande so 2 hours after the start we was at Refugio Elola eating some power bars and chocolate. A man who wanted to climb Almanzor met us meanwhile some women would await him in the hut. This man would overtake us because we ascended slowly but when we descended from Almanzor we met him anew because he had mistaked Almanzor for Risco de la Portilla del Crampón. He descended soon to meet his team mates. Meanwhile, 2 of us climbed Cuerno del Almanzor after having a meal. There wasn't as people as in August so the climb to Almanzor was in 2 hours. The snow patch under Portilla Bermeja was icy and some last week snow reminds were near Almanzor summit.
The descent of Almanzor was by the same route but once on Hoya Antón we followed the stream passing La Esmeralda pond. We didn't rest at Laguna Grande or Refugio Elola because we had rested at the foot of Almanzor. So we did at Los Barrerones when the temperature became lower with some wind guts. The descent to Refugio de Reguero Llano was quick, and then my cousin and me acompanied a friend to Plataforma because he wanted to leave. I left my plastic boots, poles, crampons and took my trekking boots. Finally we both ascended wearing headlamps to Refugio de Reguero Llano. Total: 11 h; 1,295 m ascent; 1,295 m descent. Tmin = 11 ºC.
flearreta - Sep 27, 2002 7:21 am
Route Climbed: Risco de la Portilla del Crampon Date Climbed: September 21, 2002Miserable day to begin Autumm. Mostly cloudy and cold when we started our approach from Plataforma at 8:30AM. We arrived Refugio Elola 2:30 hours later in the middle of light rain. Rested for about an hour and started to climb at 12PM. An hour later when I arrived Risco de la Portilla de Crampon, a heavy fog cut visibility to no more than 10-20 meters away. Rain and wind also picked up. Started traversing the ridge for about 1:30 hour in the middle of this dense fog and rain. Without knowing the place beforehand and unable to locate Almanzor's summit I turned back the ridge over my steps. Visibility at this point was minimal. Arrved the Col to descend to Refugio Elola only by thorough compass navigation. By this time, it was really pouring! The rock started to get dangerously wet. Back to Refugio Elola five hours later from my departure. Rested for about an hour and started hiking back to Plataforma in the middle of heavy rain. Crossing the stream wthout soaking my boots was impossible, as the rain greatly increased its flow. Took me another 2:30 hours to reach Plataforma. To summarize, very beautiful place but you can easily spend a miserable day in lousy weather.
Diego Sahagún - Aug 18, 2002 11:37 am
Route Climbed: Portilla del Crampón Normal descending to Plataforma by Portilla de los Cobardes, Cuchillar de Ballesteros, El Gargantón and Refugio Elola Date Climbed: August 17th, 2002Two cousins and me climbed Almanzor yesterday after vivouaquing at Laguna Grande shore. On August 16th, we started late in the evening from Plataforma. After Los Barrerones (nice sunset) we were wearing frontal lights, 3 hours-walk (total time) conduced us to our vivi where we had dinner until sleep. The night was warm (16 ºC) but the wind guts were moderate lashing us from behind. The next day we kept waiting a friend of us till 12 PM but he didn't come so we decided to climb Almanzor ourselves. It was hot, first we kept our rucksacks at Refugio Elola, where we filled our canteens. The ascent was fair but many people, part of them inexperienced, were following the route. Be careful at Portilla del Crampón because climbers drop rocks. On the upper section we had to wait people to descend from the summit. Then I climbed Cuerno del Almanzor. Soon a shout alerted us, it came from our friend. He was doing Integral (turn) del Circo de Gredos, we joined him to descend by El Venteadero passing Cuchillar de Ballesteros. We took a bath in a puddle at El Gargantón reaching Refugio Elola in the evening. We left the hut after a break pushing forward up to Los Barrones. Descending the slope we joined 2 kids and father because they hadn't torches so we went with them back to Plataforma. Nice male wild goats near Laguna Grande and Los Barrerones in the evening of the last day: 10h 30'
OBIJUANKENOBI71 - Jun 11, 2002 10:04 am
Route Climbed: Portilla del crampón Date Climbed: Agosto 2001El Almanzor es una cumbre a la cual he subido en 5 ocasiones. La primera de ellas hace unos 18 años, en una de las excursiones que organizaba el grupo gredos de montaña de Arenas de San Pedro y de las que era asiduo.
Esta última vez subí en una pequeña excursión que hicimos con mi mujer y unos amigos. Llegamos por la carretera de Hoyos del Espino hasta la Plataforma de Gredos, donde empezamos la marcha hacia el prado de las pozas, zona a partir de la cual se empina el camino hasta llegar a la loma de los Barrerones, donde se agradece un trago de agua fresca en la fuente de los cavadores. Siguiendo el camino, al ver el pluviométro se nos presenta la impresionante vista del circo de gredos con el pico Almanzor dominándolo. A partir de aquí descendemos dejando a la izquierda el Morezón hasta llegar a la Laguna Grande de Gredos, desde donde subimos al Almanzor por la ruta de la Portilla del crampón, la cual es la mas frecuentada por su escasa dificultad y además por ser el punto mas directo si subimos desde la laguna grande de gredos.
Ni que decir tiene la impresionante vista que tenemos en la cumbre, donde junto al vértice geodésico en un día claro contemplamos la vista de tres comunidades, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla-León y Extremadura.
(The Almanzor is a summit to which I have ascended in 5 occasions. The first of them about 18 years ago, in one of the trips that organized the group Gredos de montaña de Arenas de San Pedro and of those that it was assiduous.
This last time I ascended in a small trip that we made with my wife and some friends. We arrive for the highway of Hoyos del Espino until the Plataforma de Gredos, where we begin the march toward the prado de las pozas, area starting from which zooms the road until arriving to the hill of the Barrerones, where we is appreciated a swig of fresh water in the source of the diggers. Following the road, when seeing the pluviometer is presented the impressive view of the gredos circus with the summit Almanzor dominating him. Starting from here we descend leaving to the left the Morezón until arriving at the Big Lagoon of Gredos, from where we ascend to the Almanzor for the route of the Portilla del crampón, which is the but frequented by their scarce difficulty and also to be the point but direct if we ascend from the big lagoon of gredos.
Neither that to say has the impressive view that we have in the summit, where next to the geodesic vertex in a clear day contemplate the view of three communities, Castilla La Mancha, Castila-León and Extremadura.)
Diego Sahagún - Feb 17, 2002 11:06 am
Route Climbed: Portilla del Crampón Normal Date Climbed: 1978/14 October 2000I don´t remind very much the first time that I reached the summit of Almanzor, but it could be on Summer 1978 with my father, when I was 8 years-old. I´ve must climb it near 10 times, in most cases by this route. The last time that I went there was on Autumn 2000. A cousin and me left the little hut of Reguero Llano (1.910 m) on Prado de las Pozas, after hide one of our back-packs into the bushes because nobody kept it. There were no free places on Refugio Elola that night. Walked up to Los Barrerones (2.183 m), descent to Laguna Grande and climbed Almanzor, then a little descent and climbed to Cuerno del Almanzor (2.538 m). Then joined to a new friend wich came from Cuchillar (ridge) de Ballesteros. He wanted to go rounding Circo de Gredos by its ridges but he were tired and joined us, back to Laguna Grande, Los Barrerones, Refugio de Reguero Llano and Plataforma.