03 Salaron Climbing

From the bus drop-off /  (post Sept 16th car parking lot), walk out the bottom of the parking lot on the right onto a nice, new path.   This soon changes to an old road, then walks through and open field and soon joins the old path (in 2019, blocked off with branches ) that started at the now-abandoned "interpretation center". (The popular hiking map of the area does not show this new trail; it still shows walking down the road 1/2 km to start at the old "interpretation" center. )

The path first climbs through open wood, then turns steeper and ascends (in about 1 hr) past a small shelter (Lean-too).  Continuing above the shelter the trail comes to a split.  To the right is the popular hike along the base of Paired Concava, Libro Abierto, Primavera and eventually joining the trail to Cascada de Cotatuero, where you can go up to the Cascades or down back to the parking area.

The left split, which you want, crosses a drainage on flat slabs, then enters the scrub and trees and makes a few zig zags.  At one of these 270-degree turns to the right you will see the obvious climber's path that cuts off left to Tozal del Mallo.  

By now you will be able to see over to the Salaron cliffs and will notice many small climber's paths.  Pretty much take your pick to get to the base.

DESCENT- There is a hiking/scrambling descent.  Hike straight up, above the top of the cliff line, and you will intercept the hiking path from Tozal del Mallo which runs horizontally in this area.  Follow this right to a signed junction near two large boulders.  Facing downhill, the path to the left involves class 3 scrambling and is longer than the path to the right, which involves either 2 short rappels, or some class 4-easy-class-5 moves with steel rods to assist.   [ photo in the Tozal del Mallo sub-area. ]