Cerro Pedroso

Overview

Someone defined this peak as "one of the most balconies over Luna reservoir". Visible, and not far for Collada de Aralla (Aralla col), the Cerro Pedroso (also just Pedroso or pico Pedroso) it´s the highest one on the South flank of Aralla col.
Its ascension it´s not technically difficult, and it´s possible chosing small or longer routes. Also, it´s possible going not far from the summit with your bike, a horse or any kind of 4x4 vehicle. This is too a good place to go skiing or using your snow shoes on winter.
It would be a great surprise for these days you have only a few hours to walk on the mountain, or a good election for beginers and children. For large groups of hikers, this could be a great route as well. Also, will be exciting for many people reaching a summit over 1900 m in a short route leaving their transport on the col, and recovering from the journey them having a hot coffee in the bar on the col.
Noone won´t be happy with the landscape and views from its lonely summit.

Getting There

The best option is using you´re own vehicle.


From Asturias:

Maybe the best option it´s taking the highway AP-66
* ON Km-93 you´ll find an exit. Then take C-623 to the South, towards La Magdalena and León.
* Some Km later you´ll find a intersection, it´s LE-437 towars Puerto de Aralla, Aralla de Luna and Geras. Take this road. Don´t leave it when you find a road on your left in one curve, just continue to the col.

From León:

* Take N-630 to the North.
* After leaving on your back the village of La Pola de Gordón you´ll find a intersection. Take LE-473 towards Geras and Puerto de Aralla.
* Cross Geras and drive down to the col

Red Tape

As in other mountains in León province there´s nothing special to say about. No wild dangerous animals known.

PLEASE: Keep the environment clean.

Camping

Camp is not allowed in León province, except private camp sites.
You have many possibilities of accomodation in the area.

When to climb

Every season of the year it´s good to climb the peak, but you shouldn´t understimate the peak in any case. People without mountain experience and children will find easier and more secure spring, summer or the first days of auttum.

Mountain Conditions

As in the other mountains of Cordillera Cantabrica, you have to have a look the wheather forecast. Keep in mind wheather can change quickly because the sea is not to far from this mountains. In any case where other higher northern mountains have bad conditions this peak could be an alternative.

Weather forecast:


[ Left ] Metosat satellite view provided by INM - www.inm.es -
* Note: the map shows the clouds evolution.

[ Right ] Reflectivity map provided by The Weather Channel - www.weather.com -
* Note: the map shows, from blue to red, the power of clouds.



For more info use these links: Weather forecast today (English) | Weather forecast today (Spanish)

My Suggestions

I strongly recomend the accomodation and good food of Hostal Collada de Aralla. Also you can enjoy having something hot before /after your route.
Also, you should taste the delicious "chorizo" of Geras de Gordón.

* Take a MOBILE PHONE with you. You can use it most of the mountain areas. If you can phone try going up or changing your
position. I can remember my mobile ringing on the summit of Torre de Friero... I couldn´t believe it! Mobile is the best thing to make an emergency call. Forget about radios.
Take note of this number: 987 718 004. It´s the number of G.R.E.I.M., Guardia Civil Mountain Rescue Team. They are really good proffessionals with lots of years of experience. If you have serious problems phone them: tell them who you are, how many people is in difficulties,try to tell them where you are, or at least a detailed description of the area.

Special info

The meaning in English of some Spanish words.
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* Collado, collada: col, for instance "Collado de Gete"

* Pico: peak, for instance "Pico Fontún"

* Peña: peak (very tipical from León, Asturias, Santander), for instance "Peña Ten"

* Torre: peak (very tipical from León, Asturias, Santander), for instance "Torre del Friero"

* Cueto: peak, for instance "Cueto Millaró"

* Puerto: mountain pass, for instance "Puerto de Pajares"

* Cordillera: big group of mountains, for instance "Cordillera Cantábrica"

* Macizo: group of some mountains or peaks, for instance "Macizo Central, Urrieles of Picos de Europa"

* Cumbre: summit

* Cima: summit

* Canal: corridor, for intance "La Canal de Dobresengos", note it´s in femenine

* Canaleta: narrow corridor

* Hoces: canyon made by a river, for instance "Hoces de Vegacervera", "Hoces de Valdejeja"

* Valle: valley, for intance "Valle de Valdeón"

* Río: river, for instance "Río Torío"

* Horcado: narrow col between two peak, normally difficult to cross, for intance "Horcado de Pambuches"


Books I recomend.
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Montañas de León (in Spanish only)

Ramón Lozano, Santiago Morán
Everest Editorial
ISBN 84-241-0404-8

Description in detail of more than one hundred routes across the mountain of the León province, including the Picos de Europa Area and many others.

Book details (English) | Book details (Spanish)


50 montañas de la Cordillera Cantábrica (in Spanish only)

David Atela
Desnivel Ediciones
ISBN 84-96192-90-3

Really useful book about the most remarkable mountains in Cordillera Cantábrica massif. It doesn´t containt anything about Picos de Europa area so it lets it go along another interesnting and no so famous mountains.

Book details (Spanish)

Por la Cordillera Cantábrica (Spanish)

Robin Walker
Ediciones Trea
ISBN 84-9704-062-7


Walking in the Cordillera Cantábrica (English)
Robin Walker
Cicerone
ISBN: 1852843632

Another remarkable peaks in the area

* La Barragana 1901 m
* Peña Ortegal - 1993 m
* Cirbanal - 2081 m
* Tres Marías - 1971, 1930 and 1893 m
* Fontún - 1948 m

Barraga rigde from Pedroso

Fontún peak

Tres Marías group

The Spanish Corner :-)

Info in Spanish for Spanish Speakers & Spanish Studients:

Para todos aquellos que no tengan un inglés súper, y yo me incluyo, he decidido añadir esta sección. También para todos aquellos que estudian o están aprendiendo español.

Aunque nos es una gran cumbre, el entorno del Aralla es un lugar mágico que no decepcionará a ningún amante de la montaña. Las vistas desde la cumbre son especialmente hermosas, y sólo por eso merece la pena subir hasta allí. Desde esta cumbre es posible echar un vistazo a las cumbres del valle de Arbás (Barragana, Peña Ortegal, Tres Marías...), lugar al que es posible acceder a través de la carretera que desciende desde el alto del puerto con dirección al pueblo de Aralla, pero tomando el desvío que aparecerá a nuestra derecha.
Desde la cumbre es posible obsevar el pantano de Luna y las montañas de esta comarca leonesa, e incluso, hay una buena vista de Peña Ubiña la cumbre de las cumbres de la comarca de Babia.
Sin duda, es una cumbre que merece la pena visitar. Aunque no la conozco personalmenete, es muy famosa una ruta hacia esta cumbre que cruza el Arroyo Polanco. La gente que conoce esta paraje destaca su singularidad y belleza.

Tal y como dije antes, recomiendo este Pico para iniciados, niños, para esos días que no hay mucho tiempo, para esos días en que el clima no acompaña en cimas más altas... o también como aperitivo para todo aquello que desde esta cima se observa y se nos ofrece.

External Links

• Cristino Torio´s web site>Cristino Torio´s web site
  Web about León Mountain by one of the most well known climber in the León province (Available only in Spanish)
  
• Web Site about Picos de Europa and the North mountains
  Information, photographies a lots of things about Picos de Europa, the tallest montains along Cordillera Cantabrica and the North of Spain. It counts with a valuable informations by the hand of the people on the forum, most of them experts in these mountains. I´m sure they can answer your question even in English, French or German (Available only in Spanish)
  
  
• Castilla y León Tourism Official Web Site
  You can find here many information about this region, as camp sites, accomodations, monuments, culture, nature, it could be a valuable tool to plan your holidays and trip along the mountains of this region. (Avalaible in many languages)
  
• Web site about the Riaño mountain
  Good information about the area arround this village and the mountains arround (only in Spanish)
  
• Complete weather information
  A lot of information about meteo. Satellite views and different weather forecast models (only in Spanish)
  

Images

View Cerro Pedroso Image Gallery - 5 Images