Lobera

Overview

Peña Lobera is the third mountain in importance (prominence 87m) of the Sierra del Moncayo (Moncayo's range) after Pico San Miguel (2315m, prominence 1600m)) and Peña Negrilla (2118m, prominence 166m). Although other elevations as Morca (2280m) or Cerro San Juan (2283m) surpass it in height they cannot be considered main summit because they are secondary tops of the long ridge among both main peaks.
Due to the proximity of the imposing and higher Pico San Miguel (or Moncayo), Lobera is a much less frequented mountain but possesses own routes and it's perfect to design nice traverses, including both tops, for which has interest to bring to light. In spite of trying the second geodesic vertex of the sierra is practically an unknown peak among the mountaineers. The top is an enormous hill, what has obliged to place the vertex near the north face so that be visible from below for which itself is not found in the highest point for a few meters.

The normal route and shortest begins in the sanctuary of the Moncayo and reaches the top through the col of Bellido although is habitual also descends from the summit of Moncayo to the col of Morca to climb the peak using for the descent the normal route. Of course, a good itinerary it's reaching the peak Moncayo from Peña Lobera descending across the normal route of last peak. Also it’s possible to reach the col of Morca from Cueva de Agreda but this route I don’t know anyone that have it traveled through and probably be not well marked. Finally, for trained mountaineers it's possible the complete walk of all the main summits of the range: Santuario>Collado Bellido>Lobera>Morca>San Juan>San Miguel (Moncayo)>Peña Negrilla>Collado de Castilla>Parking Haya Seca>Santuario, or viceversa, in more than 8 hours!

Getting There

Trailhead: Sanctuary of Virgin of Moncayo.

Approach:

*From Zaragoza: Road N232 to Tarazona.

*From France, Navarra and Basque Country: Highway A15 to Tudela (pay) or N121+N232. From Tudela take N121 to Tarazona.

*From Madrid: Take N-I to the north in direction to Burgos. Before Burgos and Aranda de Duero, take direction to N-121 to Burgo de Osma and N-122 to Soria. Follow the N-122 to Agreda and Tarazona.

From Tarazona to Sanctuary: take to the south for local roads to San Martin de la Virgen del Moncayo. Reach the former sanatorium of Agramonte and turn to right to sanctuary across a road and after a forest track of 12 km.

Red Tape

No permits required but the mountain is in the Natural Park of the Dehesa del Moncayo.
For more information about the rules of natural park, see the page of Moncayo

Camping

Not camping allowed. The free camping is forbiden in the natural park. You can to find a lot of lodges in the nearest villages of Tudela or Tarazona.

When to climb

All the year. In winter is a good climb with crampons and ice-axe for mountaineers. Summer for all the people.

External Links

Mendikat:Lobera
good information and pictures (spanish).

Images

View Lobera Image Gallery - 14 Images