Cañadas del Teide

Located on the island of Tenerife, El Teide is a volcano that has an altitude of 3,718 meters above sea level (7,500 meters above the Atlantic bed), thus constituting the highest mountain high of Spain. It is also the third largest volcano behind the Hawaiian volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. El Teide is located within the Cañadas del Teide National Park, considered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 2007. It is also recognized as a Natural Monument within the Teide-Pico Viejo volcanic complex that constitutes only this volcano but also other minor ones. From the tourist point of view, the Teide National Park is the most visited National Park not only in our country, but also in Europe, as well as being the second most visited in the world.

The pride of Tenerife, the unmistakable symbol of practically the entire archipelago is El Teide and all its surroundings are declared World Heritage Sites

The Teide National Park, located on the island of Tenerife, is one of the most impressive areas of the Archipelago, a changing landscape that at times will make visitors believe be on another planet. In the National Park you will find one of the most picturesque places in the natural area, the Roque Cinchado. This Roque is part of a set of formations that are located at the foot of the peak of Teide at about 2100 meters above sea level is about 27 meters high and is part of a series of rocks called Roques de García. The Roque Cinchado has a curious formation thanks to the volcanic action, the wind and the sudden changes of temperature that has also served to have the nickname of Stone Tree The Roque Cinchado is a place of reference, so much so that it even appeared on the old 1000 pesetas bills, which made this place much more famous. Close to the Roque de Cinchado is the Parador del Teide, as well as a spectacular viewpoint where the action of the volcanic eruption can be seen in the maximum splendor centuries ago.

They are known as the Teide Nose to two volcanic craters that are just below the Old Peak, in the surroundings of the Teide, which were formed as a result of a volcanic eruption in June of the year 1798.

In the middle of Teide National Park, at the foot of the most emblematic peak of the archipelago is the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. A temple of small dimensions and square plant about 100 meters from the National Parador of Las Cañadas del Teide, which has the curiosity to be the Christian temple at higher altitude on the sea level in Spain. The Hermitage of Our Lady of the Snows located in Cañadas del Teide depends on La Orotava and inside you can highlight the marble image of the virgin that gives its name to the hermitage. The sculpture that holds the child in its arms is a replica of the Youth Cross of the World Youth Day and commemorates the one that took place in 2011 in Madrid. The surroundings of the hermitage have some points of interest that are the symbol of Tenerife, besides the imposing Teide, at about 200 meters there is the Roque García or a viewpoint where you can see a solidified lava river from one of the eruptions of the volcano. A picturesque hermitage and anchored in a place of incomparable beauty.

To have one of the most incredible views of the Teide flanked by the spectacular sea of clouds and that is often located at the foot of the mountain next to the pine forest of Parque Natural de Corona Forestal you have to stop at the Mirador de la Tarta. This viewpoint has this curious name because from it you can see a cut with several stratifications that resembles the different layers of a cake. As mentioned from here you can see the sea of clouds, but when the trade winds allow you can see the Valle de la Orotava, but without a doubt, the game of layers with different colors that can be observe, of different materials expelled by the volcano make this point a place of obligatory stop. Each of the layers that can be seen in the Mirador de la Tarta corresponds to a different eruption, a white layer resulting from a violent eruption that detached pumice stone at high altitude and that the wind dragged to the area. On the other hand darker layers that form basaltic picto, emitted by nearby volcanic cones and fruit of a softer eruption, a black and reddish layer other.

Volcanic eruptions often cause incredible formations, thanks to which there is the Ice Cave in the Cañadas of the Teide in the middle Teide National Park The insulating character of the volcanic tubes causes ice to be conserved inside when the area is hit by a storm and months after it causes water to remain in the solid state, the rainwater that filters through the cracks the winter freezes and that months later it still remains frozen. The Ice Cave is located at an altitude of 3,300 meters and has a dimension of about 50 meters in length, having one of the highest sources of the National Park strong>. It is curious to note that the cave has water throughout the year and that it is kept frozen thanks to the isolation of the materials. This cave was known for centuries and from there the ice that was consumed in the past was removed and it was a luxury item. With beasts and with some long stairs they acceded to the interior of the cave and removed blocks of ice that were taken to the Puerto de la Cruz. It is situated near the Altavista Refuge.

The Montaña Blanca is located in the middle of Teide National Park, Las Cañadas and is a volcanic cone not very pronounced whose formation, According to the experts, it originated in the period of Postmiocene Formations or Recent Series II, III and IV and is within the Edificio Pico Viejo-Teide.   The attention of this mountain is striking that the light colors of its materials make it different from those that can be seen in the area, usually of darker colors. It was formed from pyroclasts (pumice or pumice), is located at about 2750 meters, and there is a wide network of trails that pass through the mountain.   The Montaña Blanca is one of the most traveled routes of the trails that pass through the Teide National Park.

prueba

El Refugio de Altavista está situado a más de 3200 metros sobre el nivel del mar y es lugar de descanso de todos aquellos montañistas y senderistas que eligen el Teide para realizar rutas. El refugio fue construido originalmente en 1892 y puede albergar hasta 54 personas y dispone de aseos, cocina y una enfermería, desde 1950 es propiedad del Cabildo Insular de Tenerife. En 2007 fue totalmente reformado y modernizado.Es lugar de descanso para las personas que se atreven a recorrer algunas de las sendas más bellas de la isla de Tenerife. Desde aquí se puede disfrutar de los amaneceres y atardeceres más espectaculares del Archipiélago. Es curioso que cuando el sol sale la sombra del Teide se refleja en el océano, añadiendo más belleza si cabe a éste fenómeno.La reserva del Refugio de Altavista está limitada a la estancia de una noche y los usuarios que hayan reservado pueden calentar alimentos, líquidos en la cocina y dormir en alguna de las camas disponibles.