Teide - Altavista Refuge

[38capriman]

I have been looking on www.telefericoteide.com website about staying at the Altavista Refuge and then going to the summit of Teide. As the website states people staying at the refuge can obtain a stamped copy of a permit to go to the summit but must be off the Telesforo Bravo trail by 9am I have the following questions.

Has anybody stayed at the refuge/done this climb?

What facilities are available in the refuge?

I assume one has to start from the base of the cable car?

How long does it take to climb to the summit?

Is a guide/guard present at those early hours?

What is the penalty for not being off the Telesforo Bravo trail by 9am?

I assume that weather permitting one would be able to use the cable car to get down?

Thank you in advance to everybody who replies to my questions.

[Cyberhiker]

I have climbed Teide (although it was 10 years ago) but I have never used the refuge. The facilities are, from what I have read, very basic, similar to most mountain huts or a bothy in Scotland.

The start of the walk is not from the the bottom of the cable car but from the Montana Blanca bus stop about a mile or so further along the road towards El Portillo. I took eight hours to climb to the summit and back down again with about an hour on the summit. I would say that it took around 3.5 to 4 hours to get to the summit but my progress was fairly slow as I felt the effect of the altitude quite a bit.

When I climbed it in 1996, there was no permit system operating but even so, it was a windy day and the cable car was not operating so I barely saw a soul. I don't think there will be a guard before the cable-car is operational, I can't see anyone living up there in the refuge full time. I've no idea if there are any penalties for being caught up there without a permit. I've often thought of climbing it again in the summer and setting off around 1-2pm from Montana Blanca so that I arrived around the time that the cable car closes. Hopefully, there would be no guards and I could then summit and still have enough daylight to get back down again.

Yes, you can get back down by using the cable car, assuming it's operational.

[38capriman]

Firstly thank you for your reply Cyberhiker.

I don't know what the facilities are like in a mountain hut or Scottish bothy. Maybe they are similar to youth hostels? I imagine at the refuge there are large rooms with several beds, some toilets/showers and a communial kitchen area?

Looking at a map of Tenerife I think what I was thinking is the refuge is actually Parador Nacional de las Canadas (whatever that is!)? When driving up to Teide from Playa de las Americas several years ago I remember seeing a building on the right a little way before reaching the cable car. Do you agree with this?

The refuge looks to be to the East of Teide.

When you did the climb from the Montana Blanc bus stop in 1996 was it on roads, pathways or across rough ground?

How did you get to the starting point bus/car?

I am hoping it is possible to drive a car to the refuge and then do the walk from there (the time to walk to the summit should be less then). Do you recall a road to the refuge?

Thank you again for your previous reply and I hope to hear from you again soon.

[38capriman]

Firstly thank you for your reply Cyberhiker.

I don't know what the facilities are like in a mountain hut or Scottish bothy. Maybe they are similar to youth hostels? I imagine at the refuge there are large rooms with several beds, some toilets/showers and a communial kitchen area?

Looking at a map of Tenerife I think what I was thinking is the refuge is actually Parador Nacional de las Canadas (whatever that is!)? When driving up to Teide from Playa de las Americas several years ago I remember seeing a building on the right a little way before reaching the cable car. Do you agree with this?

The refuge looks to be to the East of Teide.

When you did the climb from the Montana Blanc bus stop in 1996 was it on roads, pathways or across rough ground?

How did you get to the starting point bus/car?

I am hoping it is possible to drive a car to the refuge and then do the walk from there (the time to walk to the summit should be less then). Do you recall a road to the refuge?

Thank you again for your previous reply and I hope to hear from you again soon.

[Cyberhiker]

Hi Capriman,

Firstly, I would assume that the accommodation is going to be very basic. I.E. Bunks, basic toilet facilities, water and a communal kitchen area. I have stayed in bothies in Scotland with no facilities whatsoever apart from a roof and somewhere to put your bed down. Check this out:

http://www.puntoinfo.idecnet.com/index.php?sectionID=13&lang=2&s=2&ID=3893

And

http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/page66.htm

A Parador is a state owned/run hotel, which as you say, is passed by a mile or two before reaching the cable-car.

The Altvista Refuge is actually on the side of Teide at a round the 10,000ft mark so when you reach this you have already completed a large 'chunk' of the climb. The path from the Montana Blanca bus-stop is initially a rough track, which would be navigable in a four-wheel drive vehicle but you are not allowed to drive on it.

Once you have left the road at Montana Blanca bus-stop, you have to walk all of the way to the summit. The wide track runs out at the junction where you turn left for the Montana Blanca summit and the path for the summit of Teide begins just past this. This is a very steep, rocky path and can only be accessed on foot, so even if you could follow the track from the bus-stop to Montana blanca, you would have to park here anyway.

I was fortunate in that my wife drove me to the start of the walk, which I started at around 8am. She then returned for me later in the day. Your only options if you haven't got this luxury are paying for a taxi or catching the once a day bus to El Portillo from PDLA or LC. I you take this second option, you will not be able to return until the following day.

[38capriman]

Does anybody know when the Altavista refuge will be re-opening this year (the website states that it is currently closed).

Thank you to everybody who reads/replies to this question.