ᐅ Summit No. 1 Teide (Spain) | Top Summits of the World

SUMMITS

SUMMIT Nº 1: TEIDE (SPAIN)

SPAIN

TEIDE

30 / 01 / 2016

ALTITUDE

3.718 m

ALBERT ENGUIX AND ANDREU LÓPEZ

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

LOW

CHRONICLE

The territory of “one hour less” is the one chosen with Albert Enguix to go spend a few days of vacation and good weather in the middle of winter. We met Albert in 2013 in a “Master of Financial Analysis and Wealth Management” at the Institute of Financial Studies (IEF) and he had accompanied me on several days of the “100 summits” as well as shared numerous getaways. We understand each other and organize very well.

We landed in Tenerife after a 3 hour flight from Barcelona; We chose the island for its attractive mix between the coast and the mountains and within the latter, climbing Mount Teide, the highest point in the Spanish State at 3,718 meters high, called our attention.

Once our vehicle has been chosen from the rental agency, we go to the apartment in Mesa de Mar (Tacoronte) where Antonio, a great person and very generous and welcoming to us and who is the owner of the property, awaits us. It is true that Jordi’s recommendation, a friend who had been there the previous year, is very accurate both in terms of the owner, the accommodation and the environment in which it is located, since Mesa de Mar is full of natural pools.

We did not stay too long in the apartment since that same afternoon we headed towards the Teide National Park to investigate our starting point for the route and which is none other than Montaña Blanca at 2,369 meters high. As we head there we find numerous professional cyclists who are in full pre-season and take advantage of the unevenness of the island to simulate the conditions of the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France or the Vuelta in Spain.

We start our route at 6:00 p.m. and try to take advantage of the little daylight that we will have. It is our first experience in a volcanic territory and we are surprised by the almost total absence of trees and vegetation, although the landscape is not without its charm. We arrived at the Altavista Refuge (3,260 meters) at night and with the headlights on after traveling approximately 8 km and 900 meters of positive elevation gain. During the ascent we have not met anyone along the way, a clear sign that we have been the last to leave. We are going to rest right after dinner since the next day we will have to get up very early.

We woke up at 4:00 in the morning, quite early, yes, but our intention is to be the first on the island to reach the summit and we want to ensure the play. Neither of us have rested too well so we don’t get hooked on the sheets and we start walking at 4:30 with the help of the headlamps. We are surprised that the succession of debris thrown out by the people who have preceded us in the form of handkerchiefs, papers, bags… marks the path to the summit… an unfortunate scene that unfortunately is repeated too often in the mountains and other natural environments. Along the way we do not find competition in the desire to be the first to reach the summit and it is that people will go much later than us.

We have a good rate of ascent, we are going fast… so much so that we get confused and lose the path that has to take us to the summit. I start to go up the side of the mountain…someone in the distance yells at us “not this way” but Albert and I see it clearly and we take the theory that if we go up and up without ceasing there will come a time when we won’t be able to climb any more And indeed it is, our theory is fulfilled and we reached the summit of Teide. We reached the summit of Teide, not without a doubt and it is that we found the occasional flag and/or signaling missing from a point as special and important as the roof of a country.

It’s 6:00 in the morning and it’s dark. The positive is that we are in good shape and we have completed the ascent at a dizzying pace while the negative is that we have 2 hours left to wait until the sun makes an appearance there at 8:00 in the morning. The wait is very long at a temperature below 0 degrees and without moving and in this thermal crisis some local hikers will be angels who are very prepared and provided with hot tea as well as the heat emitted by the rock itself and we cannot forget that we are in a volcano.

The first rays of sun make an appearance and with them a curious visual phenomenon such as the reflection of Teide itself on the horizon. We immortalize the moment with Albert although a server does not make a very good face in the photographs and the fact is that the cold still has him captive. The views at sea are spectacular and in fact that is where we go. In the afternoon there will be a well-deserved beach session and we quickly begin the descent to the car to Montaña Blanca at 2,369 meters. On this second day of trekking we have approximately 14 kilometers and 600 meters of positive elevation gain for an accumulated total of 22 kilometers and 1,500 meters of elevation gain (+ / – ).

Tenerife is not only Teide and during our stay on the island we enjoy its pleasant capital (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and its friendly people, we enjoy its beaches, fantastic places and routes such as the “Descent of the Masca Ravine” ( The boat tour from Masca beach to Los Gigantes beach is recommended) as well as “Las Vueltas de Taganana” (it is recommended to eat in front of Roque de las Ánimas). Finally, a visit to the thousand-year-old tree “Drago Milenario de Icod de los Vinos” is also highly recommended, in the north of the island and declared a National Monument in 1917 and which measures 18 meters in height and a crown diameter of 20 meters.