Penyagolosa Trails | About Us

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About Us

Penyagolosa Trails

The story began in the 1950s when a group of local mountaineers and hikers decided to recover the tradition to climb to the Sanctuary of Sant Joan de Penyagolosa from Castellón. This challenge and a project to restore ancient roads and trails resulted in the Sender de la Lluna Plena (Full Moon Trail), GR-33, which connects the city of Castellón with the peak of Sant Joan de Penyagolosa, at 1814 meters of elevation.

In the 1990s it went initially from a two-day hike to a single day, which marked the birth of the Pujada a peu Castelló-Sant Joan de Penyagolosa (Castelló-Sant Joan de Penyagolosa Foot Race). Then in 1998, the MIM Marató i Mitja (63K) was conceived. From then until now, almost 20 years’ experience of organizing sports events through mountain paths of ancient pilgrimage routes steeped in history and tradition have been added up.

The story dates back to the 1950s when a group of local mountaineers and hikers decided to recover the tradition to climb to the Sanctuary of Sant Joan de Penyagolosa from the city of Castellón.

Penyagolosa Trails was founded in 2013 to represent under one brand the two most-important mountain races in the province of Castellón: MIM and CSP. Cooperation from sports clubs, volunteers, local government, public safety officials and medical teams, with the institutional support of the Castellón County, helped the MIM celebrate its 15th edition that same year. Meanwhile, the CSP became the Spanish FEDME Ultratrail Championship in both 2013 and 2014.

2016 has been a very important year in our history. Together we staged a grand edition of the Penyagolosa Trails Sport HG, once again we were part of Spain Ultra Cup series, and we won the Emprén Esport Award in the category of Universal Endurance – Sport Event. In addition, the work and the commitment of all those involved have achieved what seemed a dream: Penyagolosa Trails will join the international circuit Ultra-Trail World Tour in 2017 and will host the World Trail Championship in 2018.

Until then, we will continue working to improve, learn and grow year after year. All with the objective to position the province of Castellón as a destination in the national and international mountain race series; to highlight the province’s natural, scenic and cultural ambience; to align outdoor sport with respect for nature; to foster cooperation between officials, businesses and organizations, as well as to promote cultural and sports activities for the public.

Philosophy and Values

Engaging in mountain sports is an important tradition in Castellón. These events are an opportunity to discover the richness of the region’s natural, social and human heritage.

At Penyagolosa Trails, we advocate for values such as solidarity, respect for people and for oneself, and care for the environment.

Responsibility, solidarity and fair play.

We want sport lovers to share with us their motivation, culture, history and origins, while always keeping in mind that the mountains have a culture that should be respected and protected.

Under this shared passion we advocate for clean, safe competition, while counting on innovation to appeal to competitors to reduce risks and ensure that rules are followed. Also, we subscribe to common sense by which athletes, supporters, volunteers, the media and general public should follow event advices that have been put in place by the organization.

We believe that in the mountains, solidarity is more important than competitiveness, and respect must begin at home. Therefore, we promote athletic performance in its purest form: free of doping substances, and without self-medicating at an abusive level.

Respect for the environment.

Our priority is to have zero impact on the environment, as well as raise awareness among competitors, their friends and fans, and visitors about the importance of protecting and caring for the environment. We also work to develop strategies to improve the environment before, during and after organized events.

In this regard, since 2013 all competitors are required to carry their own beverage containers to be used at checkpoints. As a result, the use of more than 50,000 containers and their potential environmental impact are avoided. In addition, shortcuts off the beaten track and marked trails are prohibited, especially those that are most exposed to rain. We also encourage proper waste management with a focus on batteries and promoting the use of rechargeable products.

Camins de Penyagolosa.

The Penyagolosa is at the center of our history and values. We therefore support the candidacy of the Camins de Penyagolosa as a World Heritage site. The heritage of these trails, upon which have passed centuries of pilgrimages and have served as channels of communication between our people, deserves international recognition and validation.

Trail restoration.

We actively collaborate with the region by cooperating with sports clubs, leaders and residents. In a joint effort, the goal is to restore historic trails and routes. Beyond geographical trails, the intention is to restore a history that evokes hundreds of memories that would otherwise be forgotten.

PENYAGOLOSA TRAILS:

WHO MAKES IT POSSIBLE

SPORTS CLUBS

800

VOLUNTEERS

RESCUE TEAMS

COMUNICATION TEAMS

VIR

AMBULANCES

+50

RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS

UVI

ASSISTANCE CONTROLS

CIVIL GUARD & FOREST GUARD

PHYSIOTHERAPY EQUIPMENT

HELICOPTERS