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Pico de las Nieves-southwest

CyclingUp: Pico de las Nieves-southwest


Region: Gran Canaria
Climbing effort: 1324 cep
Elevation meters: 2121
Steepest kilometer: 10.0%

Steepest 250 m: 12%
Foot: 44 m    Top: 1939 m
Mean slope: 4.2%
Length: 44.9 km

From: Puerto de Mogán
Road conditions (2022): average
Other race bikers: 5-10 per hour
Motor vehicles: 30-60 per hour
Scenery and road: circle landscape (5/5)
Restaurant or bar near top: no

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Pico de las Nieves-southwest


Profile Pico de las Nieves-southwest

This climb from Puerto de Mogán to the Pico de las Nieves is a real pleasure for cyclists. The causes are mainly the way the road winds upwards between km 10 (Mogán) and 20 (Cruz de San Antonio) after the start, and the fantastic landscape between Km 10 (Mogán) and 37 (parking lot near Roque Nubio). In addition there is little traffic on the road, especially between Mogán and Ayacata. The description of the ride can be divided into three parts.

The first part (20 kilometers) runs from Puerto de Mogán to the Cruz de San Antonio. Over the first 10 kilometers after the start at Puerto de Mogán cycling is quite easy (mostly 2-5%) on the relatively busy GC-200. This section is not very exciting but that changes immediately after turning right onto the GC-605. Right at the beginning there is a steep section of 250 meters (12%). The next fork of the GC-605, the side road towards Barranquillo Andrés, is, as the crow flies, only 2.1 kilometers away but the road needs almost 9 kilometers to get there. With the help of many, many bends and hairpin bends 540 meters in altitude are overcome. Just before the end of this section there are excellent view points for looking back on this part of the ascent. The biker is also awarded by the impressive steep, barren mountains. The road is narrow and generally not very steep (except one, all 500 meter segments have a gradient between 5 and 9%). A kilometer and a half after the side road towards Barranquillo Andrés the Cruz de San Antonio (968 m) is reached.

Over the next 14 kilometers, which connect the Cruz de San Antonio with Ayacata, only 340 elevation meters are overcome. It's not really steep anywhere with a maximum of 6% in the last 3 kilometers before Ayacata. However, this is one of the most scenic sections that I cycled on Gran Canaria. The landscape is most beautiful in the green forests, when brown and orange-colored rocks line the road and high steep mountains rise above it. Road conditions are typical for Gran Canaria: partly fantastic, partly miserable.

In Ayacata we turn left heading for the Pico de las Nieves (GC-600). The highest point of the road (1939 m) lies just below this peak at a distance of 12 kilometers from Ayacata. On the first 3 kilometers, ending at the parking lot near the Roque Nubio, the gradient is considerable (8-10%) while the surface of the road is miserable again. Beautiful mountains still surround the road. Everything changes after the parking lot. The mountains become rolling instead of steep and a forest of tall conifers replaces the low vegetation. The road also generally gets much less steep, drops a bit at times but also includes some steep sections (two 250 meter strips at 11%). After leaving the GC-600 the road surface is in very good condition again. In clear weather you can overlook almost the whole island from the summit.


Profile Pico de las Nieves-southwest Pico de las Nieves-southwest

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