TRAIL RUNNING LEYRE

The “Sierra de Leyre” has been a key location in Navarra’s geography during centuries, allocating cultural jewels as the Monastery of Leyre and astonishing landscapes. Besides, it was the common training place for Juan, a trail runner who died on an accident in the mountains.

Joining both things, a group of Juan’s friends decided to organize a memorial race, that now jumps into the virtual platform Open Trail Races

TRAIL RUNNING ROUTES

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JUAN MIGUELIZ LEYRE VERTICAL

Total distance:  3,9 km

Elevation gain: 900 metros

Start point: Yesa

Finish point: Arangoiti peak

Min. height: 490 m

Max. height: 1355 m

Description of the route

JMLV:

This route is based on the race track of the trail race Juan Migueliz Leyre Vertical, moving the first check point out of the urban area of Yesa

It is a hard and technical mountain track. The first two kilometers are fast and runnable, existing a short downhill at the end of the second kilometer. The uphill slope and the physical demand raise notoriously in the second part of the track, being the last meters of the race extremely demanding physically and technically.

The original tack starts from the new Iglesia de San Esteban in Yesa, although for this version, the first check point is moved forward, when exiting the urban area of the village.

The first 1300m of the track go along the Cañada de los Roncaleses, first on a concrete surface and later on gravel path with an slight uphill slope, that will take us on a short time to cross the A-21 highway. Turning right, and after two closed turns, first to the left and second to the right, we will leave the Cañada de los Roncaleses by the left, jumping to a single path surrounded by scrub and after surpassing a small hill and running downhill between pine trees, we will achieve the ascending road to the Monastery of Leyre. It is kilometer 2 of the race.

From this point, the only option is going always uphill following the direction to Pico Arangoiti. The slope increases notoriously, maintaining always an average percentage over 30% till the end of the race.

Last kilometer of the track, in which more than 400 meters in positive height are climbed, is very demanding from the technical and physical point of view, requiring the use of the hands in many occasions. Some chains have been installed in order to help us for overpassing the most hilly and technical points.

After a little less than 4km, we will reach the top of Pico Arangoiti on a direct and surprising way, having climbed a positive height of 900meters.

The track for this Vertical Kilometer is finished, but we must go back to the starting point. Although it is possible to go down by the same path of the race, a very recommendable option is descending to the Pico Arangoiti’s hill, in direction to Monastery of Leyre, turning right at this point to south direction and keep on descending through the Peña del Cuervo until finding the original path at kilometer 3,300. From this point we will have to follow the original path that we used for ascending.

WATER – In Yesa. There are no fountains along the track

CULTURE – Yesa, Monastery of Leyre

This race is open 365×24 using the app Open Trail Races. Time your race, rank, and get your price.

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JUAN MIGUELIZ LEYRE TRAIL

Total distance: 20 km

Elevation gain: 1400 m

Start point: Monastery of Leyre

Finish point: Monastery of Leyre

Min. height: 760 m

Max. height: 1355 m

Description of the route

JMLT:

This route is based on the race track of the trail race Juan Migueliz Leyre Trail, shortened at the beginning and the end. The start point and end point are moved to the existing narrowing when entering the uphill that connects the Monastery with El Portillo through the Cañada de los Roncaleses.

It is a hard and technical mountain track

The route starts going uphill along the Cañada de Los Roncaleses, a path with big slope and lots of stones, worked by the periodic pass of the sheep, finally achieving the Portillo, where changing the side of the sierra, and following the Cañada de los Roncaleses, descending at the beginning by a nice grass terrain and changing later to a more technical and rocky terrain, until achieving the Rasos de Biguezal.

At this point, we will leave the Cañada de los Roncaleses, turning to the right to a gravel path and after some meters,ascending again to the sierra’s crest, in a first moment between ferns and beech forest and changing later to pine forest, finally achieving a privileged viewpoint to the Pantano de Yesa.

Following the crest to west direction in a technical and slippery terrain, we will find the Paso del Oso, and finally getting back to the Portillo de Leyre.

From this point, we will go to Pico Castelar and its Cross, where starts a long technical and demanding journey between beech forest on a slightly descending terrain that will take us, after overpassing a very hard and short uphill, to a privileged viewpoint to the Foz de Arbayun.

After an easy running and fast zone, known as Senda de los Cazadores, we will turn left and will enter to the named Subida Trotecuto, a long and hard uphill where more than 300m of positive height are won in just a kilometer distance, taking us to the top of Pico Arangoiti, the highest point of the track.

From Pico Arangoiti only going back to the start point is left, first through a braking leg terrain, and finally through a direct and vertiginous descend.

WATER – In Monastery of Leyre. There are no fountains along the track

CULTURE – Monastery of Leyre

This race is open 365×24 using the app Open Trail Races. Time your race, rank, and get your price.