Cantabrian Mountains

TheCantabrian MountainsorCantabrian Range(Spanish:Cordillera Cantábrica) are one of the main systems ofmountain rangesinSpain. 
They stretch for over 300 km (180 miles) across northern Spain, from the western limit of thePyreneesto theGalician MassifinGalicia, along the coast of theCantabrian Sea. Their easternmost end meets theSistema Ibérico.
These mountains are a distinctphysiographic provinceof the largerAlpine System physiographic division.
The Cantabrian Mountains offer a wide range of trails forhiking, as well as many challengingclimbingroutes.Skiingis possible in theski resortsofAlto Campoo, Valgrande-Pajares, Fuentes de Invierno, San Isidro, Leitariegos and Manzaneda.
The Cantabrian Mountains stretch east-west, nearly parallel to the Cantabrian Sea, as far as the Pass of Leitariegos, also extending south betweenLeónand Galicia. The range's western boundary is marked by the valley of the riverMinho(Spanish:Miño), by the lowerSil, which flows into the Miño, and by theCabrera River, a small tributary of the Sil.The Cantabrian Mountains reach their south-western limit in Portugal.
As a whole, the Cantabrian Mountains are remarkable for their intricate ramifications, but almost everywhere, and especially in the east, it is possible to distinguish two principal ranges, from which the lesser ridges and mountain masses radiate. One range, or series of ranges, closely follows the outline of the coast; the other, which is loftier, forms the northern limit of the great tableland ofCastile and León, and is sometimes regarded as a continuation of the Pyrenees. In some parts the coastal range rises sheer above the sea, and everywhere has so abrupt a declivity that the streams which flow seaward are all short and swift.
The descent from the southern range to the high plateaux of Castile is more gradual, and several large rivers, notably theEbro, rise here and flow to the south or west. The breadth of the Cantabrian chain, with all its ramifications, increases from about 60 mi (97 km); in the east to about 115 miles (185 km) in the west. Many peaks are over 6,000 feet (1,800 m) high, but the greatestaltitudesare attained in the central ridges on the borders ofLeón,Asturias,PalenciaandCantabria. Here are the highest peakTorre de Cerredo(8,688 feet (2,648 m)),Peña Vieja(8,579 feet (2,615 m)),Peña Prieta(8,304 feet (2,531 m)) andEspigüete(7,898 feet (2,407 m)); an unnamed summit in thePicos de Europa, to which range the Peña Vieja also belongs, rises on the right bank of theSellato a height of 8,045 feet (2,452 m); further west the peaks ofManpodres,Peña Ubiña,Peña RubiaandCuiñaall exceed 7,000 feet (2,100 m). A conspicuous feature of the chain, as of the adjacent tableland, is the number of its parameras, isolatedplateausshut in by lofty mountains or even by precipitous walls of rock.
The Cantabrian Mountains sharply divide "Green Spain", to the north, from the drycentral plateau. The north facing slopes receive heavycyclonicrainfall from the Cantabrian Sea, whereas the southern slopes are inrain shadow.
The Cantabrian Range has three very distinct sections from west to east:
TheAsturian Massifand its foothills. Geologically it is an eastern prolongation of theGalician MassifwithPaleozoicfolds. It is cut by deep east-west orientedcanyonssuch as theCares Rivervalley. Highest pointTorre de Cerredo2,648 m.
The main mountains of this zone are the massivePicos de Europa. They are composed ofCarboniferouslimestoneandmarl.TheParamo de MasaandLa Loragrasslands are located in the south crossed by theRudrón Valley.
TheBasque Mountainsat the eastern end of the system, with very erodedMesozoicfoldsand ranges of moderate height:
The Cantabrian montane woodlands are dominated bydeciduous treesand evergreenconifers, primarily of theFagales(beeches,hazels,oaks,walnuts)order, includingEuropean beech(Fagus sylvatica),English,holmandPyrenean oak(Quercus robur,Q. ilex,Q. pyrenaica), as well as numerousjunipers,pinesandyews, among other species.
Mammalianspeciesendemicto the area include theCantabrian brown bear(Ursus arctos pyrenaicus), also known as the Pyrenean brown bear (in the Pyrenees portion of its range), a subspecies ofEurasian brown bear. Listed as being in danger of extinction, around 350-400 bears are thought to remain in Spain, a figure which, in and of itself, is a drastic improvement from the 100 or so bears that were left at the end of the20th century.A combination ofoverhunting, human encroachment and loss of suitable wild habitats have led to the brown bear's gradual decline on theIberian Peninsula. The Cantabrian brown bear subspecies ranges west fromAsturias—the area of the bears' highest population density—to parts ofLéon,PalenciaandCantabria.
Of a similar plight as the brown bear are theIberian lynx(Lynx pardinus) and theIberian wolf(Canis lupus signatus), both rarercarnivoreswhich have been negatively affected by human activities in their home range; the Iberian lynx, however, has seen sharp declines due to its primary prey, theEuropean rabbit, experiencing a species-widepandemicand dying en masse. Conservation efforts have been undertaken, for both the lynx and the wolf. Other carnivores in the mountains include theEuropean badger(M. meles),hedgehog(Erinaceus europaeus),least weasel(Mustela nivalis),pineandbeech marten(M. martesandM. foida),polecat(Mustela putorius),red fox(V. vulpes),river otter(L. lutra),stoat(Mustela erminea) and theEurasian wildcat(Felis silvestris). There are also known populations of non-nativeAmerican mink(Neogale vison) andgenet(G. genetta), the former being more typically associated with theAfricancontinent.
Stalked by the aforementioned carnivores are severalungulateandherbivorespecies, which include the endemicrebecoorCantabrian chamois(Rupicapra pyrenaica parva), a type ofgoat-antelope, andPyrenean ibex(Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica). Protected areas feature some reintroduced herds ofEuropean bison(Bisonbonasus), orwizent, another conservation-focused species. Other hoofed mammals in the mountains includeEuropean fallow(D. dama) andred deer(Cervus elaphus),western roe deer(C. capreolus) andwild boar(Sus scrofa).
Among the many birds, acapercailliesubspecies, theCantabrian capercaillie(Tetrao urogallus cantabricus), is among the largest in the region, with the male birds regularly displaying for females by making their signature "throat-calls”, and dueling one another over territory.
The Cantabrian mountain range includes severalprotected areassuch as the Picos de Europa National Park, which is one of several Cantabrian parks included inUNESCO'sWorld Network of Biosphere Reserves. Some of the sites are included in theEuropean Union'sNatura 2000network andSpecial Protection Areasfor the Conservation of Wild Birds.