The Clavijas of Cotatuero
It does some weeks were in the National Park of Ordesa and Stray Mountain.
The excursions that can do inside the park are innumerable and the majority are of half difficulty, without any type of technical complication. The majority of excursions go out from The Meadow, where find a bar, services and the office of information of the park. Also it is the zone more concurrida, but luckily the majority of people limits to be followed the course of the river until the Tail of horse, a beautiful fall of just water in the Circus of Soaso. In fact this excursion knows like the highway of Ordesa, and if you have been a Saint Week in the park will know that this name is not an exaggeration.
We opt for doing the Route of the Hunters, a beautiful way to half height between the Meadow and the Circus of Soaso by the slope south and the next day the Faja of Racún, the same route that the previous but this time by the slope north.
Both excusiones, are stupendous and allow to do you an idea of the ecosystem of the park, moving you away of the bullicio of The Meadow and surroundings.
Before going to the park had heard a lot speak of the famous clavijas of the park, that are some aerial steps created in the mountain by means of clavijas of metal inserted in the rock to way of stairs. So we could not us contain the curiosity and from the Faja of Racún approach to the Clavijas of Cotatuero.
Only I will say you that we try to happen them, and that I was not able to surpass the first clavija. Once surpassed the chimenea and already suspended in the first of the clavijas, after looking under my feet and see a free fall of some 100 metres, decided that it did not be and gave me half turn.
The truth, is that afterwards we saw people happen them with elder or lower difficulty, but sincerely think that is a madness manage without them some arneses to ensure and minimizar the risk of fall.
Like this, that have escusa to go back to the Park of Ordesa: we will do the clavijas of Cotatuero but this time will carry arneses to avoid useless risks.
I measure 1,66 m the subi with my German sheep dog of 43kg to the shoulder. And me acojoné, went a stupid error of dominguero that could have finished very bad. It IS not PRANK, NEITHER SEAT ME PROUD OF THIS.
Really impressive; if you do not look for down neither you think that it would happen if you fell you can happen with some ease; this yes, are wise, if it carries arnés better that better.
We happen them in reverse sense, when we make a mistake of way going down from the brecha of Rolando (wanted to go back to the meadow by Góriz and the tail of horse). With three days of pateada in the body, and with few hours of available light, prefer to cross them that desandar the way. And this that went with Walter, our dog of Spanish water, so I crossed, in addition to with the rucksack, with 20 Kg of dog tied to the breast…
Acojonar acojona, but is easier of what the fear does you see.
I have happened quite a lot of times the clavijas of Cotatuero and in all they did not exist the wire of safe.
They mounted them smiths by commission of hunters of sarrios to finals of the 19th century principles of the XX and
They happened to peel and with the shotgun to the shoulder.
It is truth that, to the one who was not accustomed, can impose him (in but of an occasion have seen
Doubt and go back), but the happen them is like happening the humbral of a big door that opens you new
Routes.
The wire does not have to use agarrandolo with the hands, but happening a mosquetón by the and joining it to
The rope or to any another system of safe. The hold it, although it is truth that produces feeling
Of security, can be even dangerous, when producing swings of the same.
I have been this weekend (17,18 and 19 July) in the Valley of Ordesa and have done the route of the circus of Cotatuero – Goriz – Meadow of Ordesa.
By curiosity, am looking in the web the opinions of the personnel on the clavijas of Cotatuero and have two impressions. One, that those who put them have fulfilled the aim to facilitate to the montañer@s and excursinistas in generaal, the traffic by this fantastic route. The another impression, no so positive, is that, when instrumenting the step of the clavijas with a wire of steel along all his horizontal route, loses the sense of risk and adventure that this route has.
It does not seem the most convenient to facilitate in true excess «delicate steps» by the mountain since, to practise this activity, it is necessary to have a clear perception of the danger and the necessary preparation to face them… And the step of the clavijas is not the only danger that these mountains shut.
I have to clear that it is the third or fourth time that do this route. That the first time that happened them (with 26 years) some movian and no habia wire. That this time seems me that there is too much ironmongery in the wall. That have 59 years to a month to fulfil 60 and that in all the occasions have managed without them insurances.
As they would react some of which cross this step if they found with a no instrumented difficulty with artificial helps?
Greetings to all.