Why is it called Picon Blanco?
Spain, europe
4.8 km
1,512 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're in northern Spain, driving towards Picón Blanco – that's "White Peak" in English, named for its snowy winters. You'll find it chilling in the Cantabrian Mountains, right near the border with Cantabria.
This isn't just any mountain; it's crowned with the remains of an old military base, abandoned since '99. Spooky, right?
Now, there are two ways to tackle this beast. First, there's a proper paved road from Espinosa de los Monteros. It's only about 8 km long, but don't let that fool you. You're climbing 740 meters with an average gradient of 9.25%, with some sections spiking to over 20%! It's a leg-burner, even for pro cyclists – the Vuelta a Burgos and the Spanish Vuelta have both finished stages here.
Then, for the real adventurers, there's a rugged, 4.8 km unpaved track leading from the west, but seriously, you'll want a 4x4 for that one, and definitely not in winter.
Whichever route you choose, the views are gonna be epic, and the bragging rights even better! Just be prepared for a tough climb.
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 4.8 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,512 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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