Unprecedented Measures at Teide
The Cabildo de Tenerife will implement an unprecedented operation starting Tuesday, 16 December, to prevent congestion at El Teide following Storm Emilia, which resulted in the heaviest snowfall in the last nine years. The number of security personnel deployed to monitor traffic will be the largest ever implemented. Local Police from La Orotava, Civil Guard, Canary Police, Environmental Agents, rural guards, and BRIFOR reinforcements will be stationed along the park roads to ensure visitor safety.
Access and Restrictions
Access by car will be allowed from 11:00 to 18:00 hours, with traffic direction restrictions and four parking points throughout the National Park. The operation will be dynamically managed, allowing changes based on visitor volume. During the initial days of road reopening, quad bikes, buses, and motorcycles of any kind are banned from the natural area.
Anticipated Visitor Numbers
An expected influx of visitors due to the intensity of the snowfall has led to these regulations set by the local government. They urge residents and visitors to exercise “common sense” and comply with the directive from the Department of Natural Environment, Sustainability, Safety, and Emergencies to manage access.
Traffic Regulations
Regarding vehicular access, if entering via La Orotava (TF-21), traffic will only go as far as Portillo Bajo, with descent via the La Esperanza road (TF-24) in a single-direction. On the southwest side, which experienced the most snowfall, entrance will be allowed from Chío (TF-38) and Vilaflor (TF-21) to the Teide Cable Car, where cars will turn around to leave through the South. Two-way traffic will be permitted. This is the second time the Cabildo has implemented this traffic model in anticipation of high visitor numbers, the first being in 2021.
Parking Facilities
Stopping and parking along the road and at viewpoints is prohibited. The designated parking areas are located at the National Parador, Teide Cable Car, Roques de García, and Portillo Bajo, according to the Insular Corporation. The action of the Cabildo de Tenerife’s Roads Service is crucial for establishing these parking zones, as on the midday of Monday, 15 December, some were completely covered with snow.
Schedule Changes
Access control to Teide will change its schedule from Wednesday, 17 December, to Friday, 19 December, starting an hour earlier at 10:00 hours. Regarding the ‘Snow Operation’ activation for the upcoming weekend, the Cabildo de Tenerife will make an announcement in the coming days.
Defiance of Regulations
Despite the total prohibition of access to Teide, some have dared to disobey the instructions and have appeared in the middle of the road with a buggy. They reported that they encountered several agents and are aware of the ban. Likewise, a determined cyclist is making his way up to the highest point of the park but complies with warnings from Pepe Reñasco, a technician from the Civil Protection Service of Cabildo de Tenerife.
Snow Coverage Disparity
Snow appeared gradually as one ascended the road from La Orotava. The first frost was spotted near Ramón Caminero, at about 1,500 metres. Unusually, Emilia blanketed the southern face of Tenerife with much more snow. The journey to the National Parador of Teide, the last stop, became increasingly white and cold, and the view from the Roques de García resembled a Christmas postcard. At the tourist facility, around twenty foreign guests were caught off guard by the storm over the weekend. By Monday, 15 December, only three or four astrophotographers remained. The rest were able to exit the national park with the assistance of snowploughs. The phone lines went down on Friday and have yet to be restored.
Continuous Snow Clearance
The machinery from the Insular Roads Service continued to clear the verges in the day leading up to their reopening. The section between the Teide Cable Car and El Portillo was ‘swept’ by four machines without mercy. Workers from the department have been working tirelessly throughout the weekend. “We expect to be here until at least eight this evening,” one of them said, while instructing a colleague to stop near Montaña Blanca.
Before arriving at this point, one finds the San José Mines, at around 2,300 metres above sea level. The flat area was overwhelmed with a blanket of white and without any tracks. The sun made its long-awaited appearance on Monday, not wanting to miss Emilia’s snowfall. The intensity of its glow threatens the existence of the snow for several weeks, although in some places along the road edges, it reached almost a metre in height. Looking towards Siete Cañadas and Diego Hernández was a delight, showcasing a landscape comparable to the very planet Mars, now feeling much closer.
