Refugio Laguna Grande de Gredos

Refugio Laguna Grande de Gredos, formerly known as Refugio Elola, is a staffed mountain refuge located beside the Laguna Grande in the Sierra de Gredos, at an altitude of 1,950 metres in the heart of the Circo de Gredos. Administratively it lies within the municipality of Zapardiel de la Ribera, in the province of Ávila, Castilla y León, central Spain, inside the protected area of the Sierra de Gredos Regional Park. The refuge is a sports facility whose main purpose is to support mountaineering and related activities. It offers 65 bunk places with mattresses and blankets across three collective dormitories, and provides overnight stays, meals and drinks, a small shop, lockers, electric light, running water, toilets, telephone, emergency first-aid kit, AED, mountain guides, emergency radio, rest footwear and showers (summer only). When the refuge is closed and the wardens are absent, a lower area with capacity for 10 people remains open, without running water or electricity. The only access is on foot via the signposted short-distance trail PR-AV 17, taking about 2–3 hours from the Plataforma de Gredos car park in Navacepeda de Tormes (1,750 m). Construction began in 1970 and the refuge was inaugurated in 1972, built by the Federación Española de Montañismo under its president Félix Méndez on land ceded by the then owners of that part of the Sierra de Gredos. In those years the federations depended on the Delegación Nacional de Deportes; with the creation of the CSD, the refuge was transferred as a sports facility by an Adscripción act in 1978. When the Consejo General de Castilla y León was created, the refuge became its responsibility in 1982 by royal decree. Ten years later, in 1992, the Junta de Castilla y León assumed direct management through the Consejería de Cultura y Deportes. Currently the company REFUGIO GREDOS HUVIMA SL is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the facility. During the summers of 1990 and 1991 the FEM carried out various renovation and modernisation works, increasing the number of places from 80 to 103, changing the winter open area, enlarging the kitchen and dining room and providing the refuge with permanent running water, electric light and a radio. From 1992 to the present, the Consejería de Cultura y Deportes has been responsible for all remodelling and updating works (reducing the number of places to 65, changing the roof, interior furniture, electrical systems and motors, purification and services systems, etc.). The refuge was previously named Refugio Elola in honour of the Spanish politician José Antonio Elola-Olaso but changed its name in November 2016 in compliance with the Historical Memory Law. It is a starting point for many hikers practising hiking in the Circo de Gredos area, as well as a starting point for ascents of some of the most representative peaks of the area, including Almanzor, La Galana, el Morezón and the Ameal de Pablo. In winter it is also a starting point for ski mountaineering itineraries, high-mountain and ice climbing.

The refuge was built by the Federación Española de Montañismo (FEM) on land ceded by the then owners of that part of the Sierra de Gredos. Construction began in 1970 and it was inaugurated in 1972, under the presidency of Félix Méndez. At that time the federations depended on the Delegación Nacional de Deportes; when the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD) was created, the refuge was transferred as a sports facility by an Adscripción act in 1978. With the creation of the Consejo General de Castilla y León, the refuge became its responsibility in 1982 by royal decree. Ten years later, in 1992, the Junta de Castilla y León assumed direct management through the Consejería de Cultura y Deportes. During the summers of 1990 and 1991 the FEM carried out various renovation and modernisation works, increasing the number of places from 80 to 103, changing the winter open area, enlarging the kitchen and dining room and providing the refuge with permanent running water, electric light and a radio. From 1992 to the present, the Consejería de Cultura y Deportes has been responsible for all remodelling and updating works, including reducing the number of places to 65, changing the roof, interior furniture, electrical systems and motors, and purification and services systems. The refuge was previously named Refugio Elola in honour of the Spanish politician José Antonio Elola-Olaso but changed its name in November 2016 in compliance with the Historical Memory Law. Currently the company REFUGIO GREDOS HUVIMA SL is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the facility.

• 2016

  Renamed from Refugio Elola to Refugio Laguna Grande de Gredos in November, in compliance with the Historical Memory Law.

• 1992

  Junta de Castilla y León assumes direct management through the Consejería de Cultura y Deportes.

• 1991

  Further renovation works during summer.

• 1990

  Renovation works during summer: places increased from 80 to 103, kitchen and dining room enlarged, permanent water, electric light and radio provided.

• 1982

  Becomes responsibility of the Consejo General de Castilla y León by royal decree.

• 1978

  Transferred as a sports facility by Adscripción act to the CSD.

• 1972

  Refuge inaugurated by the Federación Española de Montañismo.

• 1970

  Construction begins.

A staffed mountain refuge in the Sierra de Gredos Regional Park, serving mountaineers, hikers and climbers as a base for ascents and winter activities.

• Overnight stays

• Meals and drinks

• Small shop (economato)

• Lockers

• Mountain guide services

• Showers (summer only)

1. 1Refugio Laguna Grande de Gredos - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia librees.wikipedia.org
2. 2Refugio Laguna Grande de Gredos - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Official websiterefugiolagunagrandegredos.es
4. 4This is the default server vhostrefugiolagunagrandegredos.es