The heart of Gran Canaria has one of the highest viewpoints of the archipelago, after Tenerife and La Palma. From this point it is possible to appreciate the wildest beauty of its geography, and is that at almost 2000 meters high, the Pico de las Nieves is presented as the watchtower of Gran Canaria.
How to get to Pico de las Nieves
Surrounded by species adapted to its climate, the 1956 meters of altitude of the Pico de las Nieves are home to specimens such as Canary pine and thyme summit, in addition, the viewpoint has been gradually receiving greater popularity due to its recognized cycling competitions that have led to catalog the Pico de las Nieves as a route of international interest.
Its climate, with high temperatures in summer and low temperatures in winter, is a detail to take into account when deciding how to climb Pico de las Nieves. In any case, it is recommended to avoid windy and rainy days.
Route of the Pico de las Nieves
The route of the Pico de las Nieves is characterized by a medium-high difficulty of about 9.5 km and an estimated duration of 5 hours and a half, although the hours spent depend on your pace and goal in the ascent.
The route begins in the historic center of the municipality of San Mateo, in the Alameda de Santa Ana, from where you take the route towards Pico de las Nieves.
After crossing the streets Principal and Cifuentes, it crosses the GC-41 road and reaches La Palma, the street that connects with the Camino Cuesta de los Majoreros. At the end of it, cross the GC-41 road again and continue to the Cuatro Caminos track. When you finish it, turn right and go up the road until you reach the La Asomada turnoff.
Take the Lomo de los Ingleses (the GC-414 road), continuing along a bend, the Lomo de Cuevas Altas and the Hoya del Gamonal until you reach Fuente Fría, where you will find yourself on the left side of the Cañada de las Siete Fuentes.
It reaches the hamlet of Lomito Blanco ascending to Degollada de la Capellanía. Cross the GC-130 road to the Barranco de la Abejarilla ravine and, finally, Pozo Grande, at the foot of La Montaña de los Pechos. From here, cross the GC-130, turn right and continue to the snow well set up by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria known as Los Canónigos.
At this point, you can choose to continue along a poorly signposted path on your left, next to the Military Station, or continue along the road until you finally reach the viewpoint of Pico de las Nieves.
Gran Canaria's Pico de las Nieves: a very popular viewpoint
The Pico de las Nieves viewpoint gets its name from the ancient practice of storing snow in the wells known as neveros. Later consumed as ice cream in the centre of the city, the area gradually began to receive, from the 17th to the 19th century, its current name.
Likewise, due to the image it offers to adventurers and the fact that it is the highest point on the island, the Pico de las Nieves is one of the most famous destinations in Gran Canaria. From it, it is possible to enjoy views of a large part of the UNESCO biosphere reserve and, on occasions, the silhouette of Tenerife, its neighbouring island, can be glimpsed through the clouds.
The ascent to El Pico de las Nieves, in Gran Canaria, is a hiking and trekking route of unequal beauty, suitable for families or solo travellers. If done on a cloudy day, the image that appears after the hike can seem imposing and magical.
In addition, if after the viewpoint you want to continue exploring the area, you can go to Roque Nublo, a beautiful basaltic rock about 75 meters high, next to which is El Fraile, another smaller monolith.
The viewpoints of Tejeda
In the municipality of Tejeda, close to the Gran Canarian peak, there are two other viewpoints of spectacular beauty: the Degollada de las Palomas viewpoint and another viewpoint close to the Parador Nacional Cruz de Tejeda. From both it is possible to enjoy the rocky formation of Gran Canaria, among which the Roque de Bentayga and La Caldera de Tejeda stand out.
Travelling to Gran Canaria means the possibility of being fascinated by the beauty of its rocky shapes to exploring the numerous outdoor activities that Gran Canaria has to offer. With long beaches, a subtropical climate and high mountains to climb, the Pico de las Nieves is crowned as one of the most interesting tourist attractions for any hiker or trekker looking to get to know the island in depth.
Therefore, if you want to keep the memory of the sunset falling over the mountains, the viewpoint Pico de las Nieves is worth your ascent.
Photos: getyourguide.es, wikipedia, lowcosttoursgrancanaria.com.
