Anboto
1,333 m
Spain
Also known as Анбото, AmbotoAlso known as
Анбото · Amboto
- Elevation
- 1,333 m
- Prominence
- 734 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: MIDE 3-3-4-3 (hands needed; serious fall potential on the final ridge) (Wikineos)
The standard ascent from the Urkiola pass (about 740 m): an easy track to the Asuntze meadows and the Pagozelai col, then a steep, stony climb through beech wood to the Agindi gap and a short, polished and exposed scramble along the south side of the crest to the summit. About 2 hours up.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 4.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +725 m
- −135 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 1,333 m
- Time Up
- 3h 17m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 30m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the car parks behind the Urkiola sanctuary (about 740 m), either follow the signed track that contours round Urkiolagirre to the Asuntze meadows and the Pol-Pol spring, or take the GR 12 path over the grassy top of Urkiolagirre (1,008 m), which is shorter but adds a little climbing. From Asuntze (about 880 m) the track continues east under the crest towards Zabalandi; at the Pagozelai col (about 970–1,000 m) a signpost marked 'Anboto 0.9 km' points left. Above Pagozelai the path climbs about 300 m in under a kilometre up the Arrueta slope, a stony limestone hillside under beech trees, following red paint marks and cairns. Hands are needed in places, and the many braided paths make route-finding untidy; the marks lead along the gentlest line, first left, then diagonally right. The path leaves the wood at the Agindi gap (Anboto sakona urkulu, about 1,227 m), just west of the summit. The last 250 m follow the south side of the summit crest a few metres below the edge: a section of rock polished smooth by traffic where hands are needed, a short down-climb and re-ascent, and a final easy but exposed traverse before the ground widens at the summit (trig point and summit box). The drop on the north side is large, there are no fixed aids, and the polished rock is slippery when wet or icy; queues form here on busy days. Descend the same way, taking particular care down the crest to Agindi. Many parties instead return via the Zabalandi col (south ridge, easy scrambling, F), making a loop of about 11–12 km.
Start
Urkiola741 m
- Bizkaibus stop 'Urkiola (Santuario)' at the trailhead, on the Durango–Vitoria-Gasteiz pass road; check current Bizkaibus timetables, as services are limited.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urkiola → Anboto | 4.8 | 725 | 135 | 3h 17m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Urkiola741 m
Car parks on several levels behind the sanctuary; full on holidays
- Feature: Urkiolagirre1,007 m
Optional: the GR 12 path crosses the top; the track contours round it
- Feature: Pol-Pol iturria882 m
Ferruginous spring in the Asuntze meadows
- Waypoint: Asuntze Aterpea935 m
Small refuge beside the track; not a staffed hut
- Col: Pagozelai997 m
Signpost 'Anboto 0.9 km'; GR 12 continues ahead to Zabalandi
- Summit: Anboto1,333 m
Key Passages
- Steep stony climb through the Arrueta beech wood above Pagozelai
- Polished rock step beyond the Agindi gap
- Short down-climb and re-ascent on the south side of the crest
- Exposed traverse just below the summit
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
A sharp grey limestone pyramid (1,333 m) above the Urkiola pass in Bizkaia, the highest point of the Urkiola Natural Park and one of the best-known summits in the Basque Country. The normal route is short but ends on a polished, exposed crest that needs hands and a steady head.
Anboto (Amboto in Spanish) is the south-eastern and highest summit of the limestone crest that runs from Alluitz above the Atxarte gorge to Zabalandi, in the Urkiola Natural Park between Durango and Vitoria-Gasteiz. The north face drops about 1,000 m of cliff and steep ground into the Atxondo valley; the south side falls more gently, through beech wood and scree, to the Pagozelai and Zabalandi cols, and carries the popular routes.
The usual ascent from the Urkiola sanctuary is only about 2 hours, but it is not a stroll. Above the Pagozelai col the path climbs a steep, stony slope and finishes on a short section along the south side of the summit crest where the rock is polished by thousands of boots and the drop to the north is long. In good, dry conditions experienced hill walkers manage it easily; in wet, icy or crowded conditions it is where accidents happen, and many walkers sensibly stop at the Agindi gap.
The mountain matters beyond its height. In Basque mythology it is the main home of the goddess Mari, the 'Lady of Anboto', said to live in a cave on the east face; when the summit is in cloud she is said to be at home. It is also a trail-running venue, with a vertical-kilometre race from Arrazola and the Hiru Haundiak challenge linking Gorbeia, Anboto and Aizkorri. Views from the top reach Gorbeia, Aizkorri, Oiz and, on clear days, the Sierra de la Demanda.
Climbing Notes
Fitness needs are modest (about 770–850 m of ascent and 10–12 km for the round trip), but you should be sure-footed on steep, rocky ground and comfortable using your hands with a drop below. The final crest beyond the Agindi gap has no cables or chains. Avoid it when the rock is wet, after frost or snow, or in strong wind; turn back at Agindi if in doubt.
Go early or on a weekday to avoid queues on the narrow summit section, which is busy on fine weekends. A circuit, up by Pagozelai and down the south ridge to the Zabalandi col (easy scrambling, graded F by Wikineos), is a popular alternative to returning the same way. The cave of Mari on the east face is reached by very exposed terrain and is closed for bird nesting from 1 January to 15 September. The Atlantic climate means cloud can cover the summit at any time of year; carry a map or GPS track for the braided paths on the Arrueta slope.
History
Anboto has long been a centre of Basque mythology as the dwelling of Mari. According to a regional mountaineering blog, it was the first mountain to receive a summit mailbox (buzón), placed in 1915 by Club Deportivo Bilbao. A second-order geodetic trig point stands on the summit. No record of a first ascent was found; local herders and hunters will have reached the top long before any recorded climb.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Good
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Best
- November: Good
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snow or ice possible on the summit crest; only for experienced parties in winter conditions
- Feb
- Snow or ice possible; polished rock dangerous when frozen
- Mar
- Changeable; check for late snow
- Jul
- Warm and busy at weekends; go early
- Aug
- Warm and busy at weekends; go early
- Nov
- Wet weather common; rock slippery
- Dec
- Short days; ice possible on the crest
Access & Permits
- Rules
- Urkiola Natural Park: climbing on the east face and access to the cave of Mari are prohibited from 1 January to 15 September to protect nesting birds of prey (signed on the path near Pagozelai); the normal walking routes to the summit are not affected
- Natural park rules apply: stay on paths and keep dogs under control near grazing livestock
- Getting There
Durango (about 12 km by road from the Urkiola pass)
Bilbao Airport (BIO)
- Car: BI-623 from Durango or Vitoria-Gasteiz to the Urkiola pass; park behind the sanctuary (car parks can fill on holidays)
- Bus: Bizkaibus stops at Urkiola (Santuario); check the current timetable, as services are limited
- Alternative starts: Arrazola in the Atxondo valley (Bizkaibus from Durango) for the north-side and Zabalandi routes
Hazards
- Exposure
- Weather
- Rockfall