GUNUNG · Portugal (Azores)

Mount Pico

Montanha do Pico

Information

Elevation: 2.351 m
Country: Portugal (Azores) (PT)
Location / Range: Pulau Pico, kepulauan Azores, Atlantik Tengah
Mountain type: Stratovolcano (gunung berapi kerucut) yang sedang tidak aktif/dorman; puncak sejati adalah kerucut Piquinho di dalam kawah
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 38.4686, -28.3992
Difficulty: Berat; jalur pendek tetapi sangat curam di lereng basalt lepas, dengan scrambling singkat ke Piquinho; wajib registrasi & disarankan pemandu
Best Season: Mei–Oktober (paling stabil Juni–September); musim dingin berangin kencang, berkabut, dan bisa berlapis es
Permits & Rules: Wajib registrasi di Casa da Montanha (±1.230 m) dengan pelacak GPS; jumlah pendaki per hari dibatasi dan pendakian tanpa pemandu diatur ketat
Hazards: Lereng vulkanik sangat curam dan berbatu lepas, kabut tebal yang datang cepat, angin kencang di puncak, uap fumarol hangat di kawah, dan risiko tersesat pada turun saat berkabut

Description

Montanha do Pico (2,351 m) is the highest mountain in Portugal and one of the tallest in the Atlantic, towering far above any other peak in the Azores. It is a dormant stratovolcano standing alone on Pico Island; its true summit is Piquinho ("little peak"), a volcanic cone rising tens of metres out of the main Pico Alto crater. The ascent, the Trilho do Pico, is relatively short but very steep — about 1,120 m of climbing from Casa da Montanha at ~1,230 m to the top, guided by roughly 47 numbered poles, typically 6–9 hours round trip. All climbers must register and carry a GPS tracker. From the summit, on a clear day, neighbouring islands such as Faial, São Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira come into view; many hikers choose a night ascent to greet sunrise over the Atlantic.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Trilho do Pico (Casa da Montanha → Piquinho) — pendakian siang

Berat; pendek tetapi sangat curam di basalt lepas, scrambling singkat ke puncak; wajib registrasi + pelacak GPS

±6–9 jam pulang-pergi

The main and only official route to Pico's summit. It starts at Casa da Montanha (~1,230 m), where all hikers must register and receive a GPS tracker. The trail is marked by about 47 numbered poles, climbing steeply over loose basalt to the rim of the Pico Alto crater (~2,290 m), then a short scramble up the Piquinho cone to the highest point (2,351 m). Total ascent is about 1,120 m; short in distance but very physically demanding.

Route Segments

1

Casa da Montanha (registrasi) → tiang ~20

1.800 mdpl

Tanjakan tajam awal di lereng basalt bertiang nomor
2

Tiang ~20 → bibir kawah Pico Alto

2.290 mdpl

Lereng makin curam & berbatu lepas
3

Kawah Pico Alto → puncak Piquinho

2.351 mdpl

Scrambling singkat ke kerucut puncak; ada fumarol hangat

Source

Trilho do Pico — variasi mendaki malam / matahari terbit & menginap di kawah

Berat; sama seperti jalur siang tetapi dalam gelap/dingin, sangat disarankan dengan pemandua

Semalam (naik sore/tengah malam, puncak saat fajar)

A popular variation on the same trail: start in the afternoon to catch sunset and camp at the crater, or set off at midnight to reach the summit exactly at sunrise over the Atlantic. Because it means climbing in the dark and cold on loose basalt, this variation is usually done with a certified guide and requires a head torch, warm clothing and sure footing.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Climbing Montanha do Pico (2,351 m), Portugal's highest mountain, is done via one main route — the Trilho do Pico — starting at Casa da Montanha (~1,230 m). The trail is short but very steep on loose basalt slopes, marked by about 47 numbered poles up to the rim of the Pico Alto crater, then a short scramble onto the summit cone Piquinho. Round trips typically take 6–9 hours. All hikers must register and carry a GPS tracker. Many choose a night ascent or camp at the crater to greet sunrise over the Atlantic. Experience accounts stress the relentlessly uphill slopes, fast-arriving fog and the importance of warm layers and sure footing.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.