"This climb was a logistical nightmare, but at the end turned out that the Spanish authorities are more flexible if they see that you know what you are doing. I needed 2 permits one to hike the trail to the top of the cable cart area, and another one which is really hard to get, is to climb the last half a mile from there to the top. All the permits are for certain hours, so you have to plan accordingly, which makes logistics painful. On top of that, they ask you to have certain gear or otherwise, they don’t let you hike. I was gonna try to run it, but with all that gear, I decided just to hike. The terrain is a mix between Haleakala and Mauna Kea with a rocky climb to the top. One more stratovolcano off the list😜" — nandorszotak • Sep 2, 2025

"Sunday 28th January 2018. The first day of a two-day trek on Pico del Teide 3718m, Tenerife, Canary Islands. From the Teide National Hotel at 2150m by route 19 to Montaña Blanca car park, then by route 7 to the Altavista Refuge at 3260m. 12.9km, with 1250m of ascent and 140m of descent. 6hrs 45mins. At 3718m, Pico del Teide, on the island of Tenerife, is the highest mountain in Spain and its dominions - over-topping Mulhacén, the highest mountain on the Spanish mainland, by nearly 240 metres. The peak is a stratovolcano, formed from around 160,000 years ago (very recent, in geological terms), and still active - the last eruption from the summit itself occurred around the year 850 AD, although the most recent eruption was from the north-west ridge in 1909. The stratovolcano sits on the remains of an earlier shield volcano, which formed about 6-5 million years ago. It is thought to be the fourth stratovolcano on the island, with the first reaching a height of around 4500m. For further details, see at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teide. Pico del Teide is also somewhat unusual in that it lies within a tectonic plate (the African one), rather than on a boundary, where mos..." — marktrengove • Jan 29, 2018

"Hiked from the Montana Blanca car park Sunday afternoon up to Altavista. 5 am wake up to summit for the sun rise. 'Twas cold and windy...and altitude was definitely a factor. Absolutely worth it. " — scottheaney • Mar 9, 2015

"Första av många berg som skall bestigas. Så varför inte börja med ett högt. Tog och sov över på vandrarhemmet på toppen, rekommenderar starkt. Den natt himlen och både sol uppgång och solnedgången är svår att slå." — patrikottvar • Dec 17, 2014

"I started from the TF21 road and having reached the upper station I waited for my wife Sarah and the two children Laura and Celine. They took the cable car. I had to wait for them about 45 minutes. From there we climbed together to the top. At that time, being about 6 hours on that tour, I got a splitting headache. After the descent with the cable car I felt much better within half an hour. After all a wonderful tour and my first experience with a slight altitude sickness." — LordOfStars • Oct 9, 2013

"I took a number of panorama pictures, 26 of which became a part of my virtual tour "Solo tracking and Climbing Caldera las Canadas - Pico del Teide" http://www.360-vr.net/teide.php" — 360-vr • Feb 28, 2012

"Started 5 am in the dark went hard and beat the ranger to the permit check point (did have a permit but for 11-1) So carried on and was on the summit for 8.15 am but cold realy cold spent 40 mins up there. as soon as got down as far as thr refuge had to strip of to shorts and t shirt " — sighnbox • Dec 31, 2011

"During a weeks stay at Puerto de la Cruz, we had been to Santa Cruz earlier in the week to get our summit permits. We drove up to 2300m before starting the ascent the remaining 1400m. The weather on the coast was warm and sunny, at the walk start point it was cooler and breezy. On the ascent this soon turned to gale force winds and some snow at the top. We followed a good path, up to Refugio de Altavista at 3270m. Here we stopped for a short break and snack. Above the refugio the weather deteriorated and Tim, feeling the altitude, decided to go back down there and wait our return. We continued to the top lift station in very strong winds and snow flurries. At the top station everything was closed and no-one there to check the permits, the cloud came in with the snow and the wind was horrendous. We made a fairly swift ascent for the final 20 minutes to the summit, but did not dwell there as the conditions were bad. It was a pity as the views should have been superb. We quickly retraced our steps and went down to the refugio, picked up Tim and continued our descent, back into the warmth." — davidlong • Mar 29, 2002

"2 days hike to the top. 20 kids from the highscholl and one teacher. 20 get the shelter. 16 get the end of the cable car, and just 7 get the top of the hill to see the sunrise..." — purkinje17 • Apr 29, 1996

"Stayed at sea level, drove early morning to the crater and walked up in sunshine from the road. Some snow lying. Fortunately the cable car was not operating that day so it was very quiet and there was no official there to prevent reaching the summit. Could smell sulphur at the summit from the very dormant volcano." — TrevorKitching • Mar 28, 1993