Sierra Nevada National Park to assist grassroots initiatives to restore mountain huts

[elperronegro]

Good news from the National Park in the Sierra Nevada who are willing to assist grassroots initiatives to improve mountain huts and refuges.

Reformation work outside the Refugio de Caballo, Sierra Nevada
Last week we conducted a reformation of the Refugio del Caballo. The initiative came from a few friends and fellow mountain lovers. In three days we managed to clean up the shelter, put in a new window, refix the door that had been torn loose. We also painted the door and window frames and took away all the garbage from inside.

We opened a Facebook Page to support the initiative and welcome any further support. More details of the reformation work and photos

Our friend Jesús Labajo Yuste of Campo Base, who has subsequently negotiated with the National Park reports further…

The National Park learned of our actions with the Refugio del Caballo and afterwards we had a meeting with them and the conclusions of that meeting are excellent:

1. The park is open to this kind of grassroots initiative to improve concrete mountain huts and refuges and other activities in the Sierra Nevada in general. Any initiative should be communicated in advance to the National Park. That is contrary to the false belief that we have previously had on the Park’s refusal to welcome local initiatives. We will find in future we will have a very good disposition. For the economic times in which we currently live, the Park cannot provide funding, but it will allow any initiative that meets the rules and is respectful of the environment. This is a huge step forward.

2. At the moment another initiative for the Elorrieta Refuge is developing. The National Park is to inform and facilitate the paperwork for the project as well as providing advice. We shall keep you informed on the development of it. When the time comes, the mountaineering community will be called on to actively participating in the restoration work and/or donations to the attainment of the project.

3. It is clear that we live a time of great economic, social and even moral problems. If management fails to act then we (the mountaineers) must take the initiative. The issue of refuges in Sierra Nevada has always been a recurring issue. It is time to act! We now also have the support of the Sierra Nevada National Park. The Refugio de Caballo has been restored with very basic means and very few people, but with lots of enthusiasm and effort. We wish this work to be respected and preserved by all who pass by this Refuge.

Follow the discussion thread on Nevasport Forums at http://www.nevasport.com/phorum/read.php?10%2C2536558

There is now massive support from the local spanish mountaineering community to push things forward. We shall be opening a website specifically for initiatives to restore the old mountain huts. Things are moving in the right direction!