Climbing the tallest mountain in Portugal: Mount Pico, Azores
This post is an in-depth guide about everything that you need to know before climbing Mount Pico, the tallest mountain in Portugal!
I’ve now climbed Mount Pico twice.
If you were around when I wrote about my first experience climbing the mountain, you know it didn’t go so well. A lack of experience paired with horrible weather led to a cold, miserable, long, and very sore experience.
The second time around I was much more prepared and it showed in how quick and fun the climb was - even though we had less than ideal weather again.
This guide is comprised of everything I’ve learned during those two climbs to make sure you have a great time climbing Mount Pico and don’t make the same mistakes that I did.
Mount Pico is located on the island of Pico, the second-largest of the nine Azores islands. Standing at 2351 meters tall, this dormant volcano is the ultimate Azorean challenge - if you're visiting Pico, you cannot pass up the opportunity to climb it! At more than twice the altitude of any other peak in the Azores, it's not just the highest point on the island, but also in all of Portugal and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Climbing Pico is both a physical and mental challenge and it is not for the faint of heart. You'll want to be a good physical condition and good spirits before beginning the hike. Keep reading for some information on the history of Mount Pico and everything you need to know before climbing including what to expect, when to go, and what to pack.
History
Mount Pico is a stratovolcano, with a pit crater on its summit. It's topped by Pico Alto, a round crater which spans about 500 meters in diameter and drops about 30 meters deep, and Piquinho (meaning "small peak"), a small volcanic cone, rising 70 meters within the crater to form the true summit of Pico.
Pico's most historic eruption was in 1562; it lasted for more than two years and sent lava flowing all the way into the ocean. The most recent eruption occurred in December 1720. Mount Pico has been dormant ever since.
Before You Go
Admittedly, Tyler and I were not as prepared as we should have been for this hike. We'd heard stories of family members hiking the mountain decades ago in running shoes, using tree branches for hiking poles, long before Pico was a tourist attraction with a maintained trail. Our dad, who is notoriously afraid of heights climbed Pico as a kid, so we were really making light of the entire thing.
Until we got to the Mountain House.
The Mountain House, or Casa da Montanha, is essentially "base camp". It's located 1200m above sea level (almost halfway up already!). All climbers need to check in here whether you're hiking on your own or going with a guide.
I strongly recommend going up with a guide. Especially if this is your first time climbing Pico. Not only do the guides know the best route up the mountain, but they give you the extra motivation that you're bound to need around the six-hour mark.
There are plenty of different companies that you can book a guide through. We booked through Tripx Azores and had a really wonderful experience with our guide.
FUN FACT: The owner of Tripx Azores made his 2351st climb up Pico Mountain on the same day that we climbed!
As we stared up at the massive volcano from the Mountain House we quickly realized that all the gym sessions we'd suffered through in the last year still weren't enough to prepare us to tackle this beast.
Pico is STEEP. For every 3 meters you walk forward, you also walk up 1 meter in elevation. It's like being on the Stairmaster for eight hours straight.
When to Climb
Without a doubt, the best time to climb Pico is in the summer months. Strong winds and bad weather often cover Mount Pico with little warning, especially in the winter months.
FUN FACT: Pico is the only place in the Azores that sees snow in the winter.
You have a few options when considering what time of day to climb. It takes approximately 6-8 hours to hike Pico, so a lot of people recommend hiking it in the morning. This is what we did. We arrived at the Mountain House around 7AM, began climbing at 8AM, and made it back down just after 3PM.
Another very popular time to climb Pico is in the middle of the night in order to be at the summit for sunrise. This is what Tyler and I had originally planned to do, but looking back now, I'm glad that we made our first climb in the daylight. For the sunrise climb, hikers typically begin climbing at 2AM. There is absolutely no doubt that watching the sunrise from the summit of Pico is a magical experience - when I hike Pico again my plan is to be at the top for sunrise!
You can also camp on Pico. Many tour companies offer guided overnight trips in which you begin climbing at 4PM in order to make it to the summit for sunset. You then camp out at the crater and wake up to see the sunrise over Pico the next morning.
The biggest tip that I have for trying to schedule your hike is to be flexible. Don't plan to hike Pico on the last day of your trip. If adverse weather conditions leave you unable to climb, you'll have missed your shot to conquer this. Pico is subject to a lot of rapidly changing weather conditions including fog, rain, and cold temperatures that can make it uncomfortable or unsafe to hike. Keep an eye on the weather reports during your trip and make sure to have a backup plan in case the weather prevents you from climbing one day.
What to Pack
Climbing Pico is a 4-8 hour exhaustive adventure (your timing depends on how fast you hike and how much time you spend hanging out at the top).
There are a few things that you'll need to help you along your way and make sure that you have a great time.
Water - lots of it. It's recommended to take a minimum of 1.5L per person.
Snacks - you're going to be up there for the better part of the day and burning a wicked number of calories. I recommend taking up things like granola bars, chocolates, nuts, and fruits. Ourselves and many other climbers also packed sandwiches to enjoy at the crater before making our way make down.
Rain jacket - Pico is subject to rapidly changing, adverse weather conditions. While we experienced clear skies on the way up the mountain, we weren't so lucky on the way down. In the blink of an eye, the weather turned and the sky opened up on us. This climb is hard enough, don't make it harder by being soggy and miserable. Bring a rain jacket.
Layers of clothing - as you climb the mountain the temperature on Pico begins to drop. It's a good idea to be prepared to take off and put on layers as the temperature changes and you work up a sweat. As you can see from our photos, I started the climb in a long-sleeved athletic shirt, ended up at the top in just a sports bra, and made it back down wearing a hoodie and a rain jacket.
Sunscreen - you're a lot closer to the sun at 2351 meters.
What to Expect
For the first part of the hike, the mountain is covered in thick forests. After that, the trees give way to shrubbery until you reach the cap of the mountain, which is made up of of rock and naked lava.
There are a total of 47 numered poles marking the way up to the peak - though by pole 44 you're already at the crater of the volcano. After that, it's a final 70 meter push to the top of Piquinho, the real summit of the mountain. I'd heard that this was the most challenging part of the climb, as by this point fatigue has set it and it's pretty much a 90-degree straight shot to the top - it's more rock climbing than hiking and there is no trail anymore. Personally, I really enjoyed this part. It was super fun to rock climb this last portion of the mountain and while it looks daunting, it doesn't actually take that long to pull yourself up those 70 meters.
As you reach the top of Piquinho, you'll begin to experience the hot steam that escapes from between the fissures of the rocks. Everything at the top is hot: the stones, the surrounding air, and at this point, you! It's a really humbling reminder that ground is very much alive beneath you.
On a clear day, from the top of Pico, you'll be greeted with a breathtaking view of some of the other islands: Sao Jorge, Faial, Graciosa, and Terceira. Legend says that one the clearest of days (and maybe with the help of a telescope), you can see all the Azores islands.
As you can tell from our photos, we didn't climb Pico on a clear day. By the time we reached the crater a heavy fog had settled in, ridding us of any possible view of the islands. Nonetheless, I thought it was a really surreal experience to literally be on top of the clouds. Even though we didn't get the coveted picture of the islands, being at the top was incredible.
The one thing that I hadn't anticipated before our hike was how quiet it would be. There is an eerie, peaceful silence on the mountain, unlike anything that I've ever experienced before. It was probably one of the few times in my life where I have actually felt really, truly connected to nature. For this reason alone, climbing Pico is such a rewarding and spsiritual experience.
Coming Down
There is a reason that I have a whole section dedicated to getting down from the mountain. And an even better reason why it's at the very end of this post.
When you check in to collect your GPS before beginning your hike, you might hear Mountain House employees joking, "If you find the hike too difficult, don't worry, it's much harder coming back down."
Coming down the mountain sucks.
Mentally, there is no goal anymore and physically, it's so much more demanding. We essentially spent the hours climbing down the mountain choosing the best place to put our feet on the tricky old lava flows, trying not to slip on loose gravel, and parkouring over the cheese grater lava rocks with our hands. My knees have aged at least ten years from all the impact that the downhill trek put on them.
I would climb up Pico every day for the rest of my life if I never had to come back down it.
Final Thoughts
Hiking Pico is incredibly challenging, but it's also one of the most rewarding things that I've done in my life. It was a truly remarkable experience to be surrounded by a vast silence on the mountain, to feel the hot breath of life from a volcano right under my hands, and to stand above the clouds in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Regardless of what view you're met with at the top, hiking Pico is an unforgettable experience that you cannot pass up if you're visiting Pico. I promise that all the sore muscles and knee problems will be absoloutely worth it.