Ascent to Cornón

Route Description

The climb to Cornón is the queen of mountaineering routes in Somiedo. Being the highest point of the council, it offers an unparalleled visual reward, but requires corresponding physical effort.

We start in Santa María del Puerto, a cowboy town par excellence. The first kilometers are a pleasant walk along a track that goes up the Bayo River valley. We soon arrived at the Vega de Penouta, an idyllic place where the river meanders and it is easy to surprise chamois grazing on the slopes.

From here, the landscape changes. We enter Las Mozarras, a high mountain terrain characterized by limestone rock and low scrubland (heather, blueberries), dotted with small lagoons and peat bogs. The slope becomes progressively harder.

The final assault on the summit is carried out along its southern slope, overcoming a considerable slope until reaching the geodesic vertex. From 2,194 meters, the view is superb: to the east the Las Ubiñas massif, to the west the Ancares and the Lugo mountains, and to the north, on clear days, the blue line of the Cantabrian Sea.

💡 Practical Tips

• Orientation: In the Las Mozarras area it is easy to get lost if there is fog. Avoid the route with poor foresight.
• Water: Once you have passed the Vega de Penouta, water is scarce. Carry sufficient supplies.
• Winter: With snow, the route requires crampons and ice axe; The wind usually forms ice sheets.
• Wildlife: You are in sensitive grizzly bear territory. If you see one, keep your distance and enjoy the sighting with binoculars.

📸 Key Points

• The meanders of the river in the Vega de Penouta.
• Color contrasts in autumn (reds of blueberries and yellows of grass).
• The immensity of the Cordillera from the summit.