Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
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38.65038°N / 0.25983°W |
Activities:
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Hiking |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
Elevation:
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5108 ft / 1557 m |
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Overview
Aitana, the highest summit of the spanish province of Alicante, is not an accessible summit. The highest point of the massif (1557 meters above sea level) is placed within the boundaries of a Spanish army facility and therefore can’t be reached easily. But that’s not the main point. There’s a secondary summit, scarcely eight meters lower, marked by a cairn and a wooden sign easily reached without any technical trouble. This lower summit is placed 16.9 km away (on a crow’s flight) from the Mediterranean shore at Benidorm and offers good sights in clear weather. The coordinates indicated in the heading of this page are those of this secondary summit.Oh, yes, and the easier route from the Font de Partagas can be hiked in a not too long morning. After bagging the summit, you could be able to enjoy a good meal and a nicest afternoon at the beach. Does that sound attractive enough?
Getting There
The closest main city – and also the closest airport - is Alicante, placed 67 km away from the Benifato trailhead. As far as I know, there is no public transport available to reach Benifato. You might use trains or buses up to Benidorm, but after that you would need to use a car. Anyway: leave Alicante towards Valencia via highways A70 and AP7 (toll highway).After 29 km on the highway, leave it at exit number 65 (Benidorm). Cross the toll station, turn right and (in not more than a couple of hundred meters) take road CV70 to your right side. Follow it across Polop, up to Benimantell. That’s where you will need to turn left on road CV70 to reach Benifato after some additional kilometres. The village of Benifato is placed to the left of this road, but properly indicated by a road sign. Before the first house of the village, a big signboard marks (to the right) the beginning of the 4.6 kilometres narrow road to the recreational area of the Font de Partegat. It’s placed 1034 meters above sea level. You will find up there a good parking space and a cold water fountain.
Red Tape
There are two main points to be considered. First of all: as stated before, there is an ample military base around the summit of the mountain. You won’t be able to reach the real summit, and I’d say it would be prudent not to get too close to the Base boundaries. The good news is you don’t really have to approach those limits, as there are no significant differences in the panoramas to be enjoyed from any point in the wide summit ridge and what we might call the “alternative” summit is scarcely lower than the real one.Second point: Aitana is placed in the province of Alicante. That means a Mediterranean climate, really hot in full summer and not too cold any other time. Bear in mind that climbing early in the day could mean a much nicer experience, and (in any case) never forget your water bottle. You will be able to fill it up on the way.
1 Routes