Where is Picón del Fraile?
Spain, europe
4.5 km
1,590 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, picture this: You're in northern Spain, right on the border of Cantabria and Castile and León, smack-dab in the Collados del Asón Natural Park in the Soba Valley. You're headed up Picón del Fraile, a mountain that tops out at 1,590 meters (5,216 feet).
Heads up: there's a military base, Escuadrón de Vigilancia Aérea nº12 (EVA 12), and a bunch of radars chilling at the summit since '97.
The road, also known as Las Motas, is all paved, but get ready for some serious twists and turns! The last stretch is off-limits to personal cars, though.
From Portillo de Hoz, where you hop off the BU-572, it’s a 4.5 km (2.79 miles) climb. Don't let the short distance fool you; this climb is STEEP, hitting a max gradient of 17% in spots! You'll gain 308 meters in elevation with an average gradient of 6.84%.
Weather-wise, be prepared for anything! This area's known for being super harsh and totally unpredictable. Think crazy snowstorms that can block the road for weeks – we're talking snow walls over 20 meters high! Sometimes the only way to get up there is by helicopter. So, yeah, pack accordingly!
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 4.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,590 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
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