07. Montaña Blanca - El Teide Peak

Technical information

• Start: Foot of Montaña Blanca
• Finish: La Rambleta - La Fortaleza Lookout Point
• Approval status: Not officially approved
• Degree of difficulty: High
• Type of trail: Linear
• Distance: 8.3 km (12.89 ft)
• Duration: 5 hours
• Highest altitude: 3,536 m (12.89 ft)
• Lowest altitude: 2,349 m (12.89 ft)
• Elevation gain: 1,194 m (12.89 ft)
• Elevation loss: 812 m (12.89 ft)
• Links to other trails:
  • 6. Montaña de los Tomillos
  • 11. La Fortaleza Lookout Point
  • 22. Lomo Hurtado
  • 27. Montaña Rajada
• Protected Nature Areas:
  • Teide National Park
• Authorisation required: No

Trail description

This is, without doubt, the most popular and appealing trail in the National Park. The first stretch follows the Montaña Blanca track, where you will discover amazing examples of explosive volcanic activity and pumice stones. When you reach the slopes of El Teide, you will come to the beginning of the old path that leads up to the Peak, which climbs along the ridge of Lomo Tieso all the way to the Altavista Refuge. The slope is very steep with gradients of up to 60%. That steepness added to the high altitude makes it a very exhausting walk. The path carries on upwards a little less steeply over relatively recent tongues of black lava where the vegetation has still not managed to peep through. The trail ends at La Rambleta, by the La Fortaleza Lookout Point. This hike is only recommended for people who are in good physical condition; people with heart problems are advised not to take it. Worthy of special note are the giant accretionary lava balls at the foot of El Teide. These balls of magma were ejected from the volcano and rolled down the mountainside to the bottom. As you climb, a host of red buglosses decorate the scenery until, at an altitude of roughly 3,400 m (11,155 ft), the vegetation seems to disappear altogether. There are, however, some plant species in the Park that grow at higher altitudes, such as marguerites and the Teide violet.

Hypsometry