Anboto

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Anboto
Anboto seen from the south.
Elevation	1331 m
Location	Biscay, Spain
Range	Basque mountains
Prominence	734 m
Coordinates	43º 05' 20,7010´´ N 2º 35' 43,3060´´ W.
Easiest route	From the southern Urkiola pass (711 m)

Anboto (1331 m) is a limestone mountain of the Western Basque Country, the highest peak if the Urkiola range and not far from the pass of Urkiolamendi between Durango and Vitoria-Gasteiz.

[edit] Description

Immense mass of limestone, very compact and of gray color, contains fossil remainders of massive colonial corals and large seashells.

The north face has impressive 1,000 m high cliffs, over the valley of Atxondo. The south face descends more smoothly toward the pass of Urkiolamendi, with less unevennesses and by where the most popular routes of ascent to the summit are opened.

Its ascent, that can be carried out for any of its faces, requires in all cases certain care when passing next to the cliffs.

The Anboto is one of the most known and most characteristic summits of Biscay and of the Basque Country.

In its summit there is a geodesic vertex of second order [1].

[edit] Mythology

Anboto has been always related to magic and mythology. Not in vain in a cave close to its summit, the legend tells us that Mari the Lady of Anboto has her main dwelling. Legend says that is usual to see her in the mouth of the cave, the days of good weather, combing her pretty blond hair with a comb of gold in the sunshine. It is not rare neither to see her spend some nights as a great ball of fire on the sky above Anboto, toward other places of the Basque Country where she possesses dwelling like the nearby Oiz, depending on where she is found there will be good or bad weather.

[edit] Ascents

Anboto can be reached from a great number of places. From the north it is a 1,000 m ascent from the Atxondo valley. From Urkiolamendi beginning the road in its famous sanctuary of San Antonio (730 m). From the valley of Atxarte begins the complete ascent of the crests, long but simple along Alluitz (1,034 m) and Anboto (1,331 m). From Otxandio (549 m) or Aramaio (312 m), stoping at the extensive and grassy hillock of Zabalaundi (896 m), where we sample one of Anboto,s more captivating images, being able to rise here directly to the top passing near the caves of the Lady of Amboto and the Eye of Eskilar.

View of the crest of the Anboto from the north.

The normal way consists on leaving from Urkiolamendi pass, to flank mount Urkiolamendi (1,009 m) to arrive at Asuntze (870 m), then clib right under the summit, to the hillock Pagozelai (970 m) to mend its stony slopes (Arrueta) to the hillock of Agindi (1,227 m) just the West of the top.

The North face is a rocky 1,000 m climb that requires some rock climbing level and can be very dangerous in bad weather conditions or ice.

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