June 14, 2008: El Camino Del Rey

[Coign]

The King's Way

I got a cool video from a friend. After doing a search I see xoxoxoBruce posted it here http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=4624&page=114

I felt it needed an IotD presence though so I collected pics of it while surfing the net.

Here are some sources of my pics and stories about those who have climbed or tried to climb this path.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caminito_del_Rey

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=121687

http://d1052380.domain.com/leonids20...2_pictures.htm

In 1901 it was obvious that the workers of the Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls needed a walkway to cross between the falls, to provide transport of materials, vigilance and maintenance of the channel. Construction of the walkway took four years; it was finished in 1905.

In 1921 the king Alfonso XIII crossed the walkway for the inauguration of the dam Conde del Guadalhorce and it became known by its present name.


In some places the walkway has collapsed. The walkway has now gone many years without maintenance, and is in a highly deteriorated and dangerous state. It is one meter (3 feet) in width, and is over 200 meters (700 feet) above the river. Nearly all of the path has no handrail. Some parts of the concrete walkway have completely collapsed and all that is remaining is the steel beam originally in place to hold it up and the wire that follows most the path. One can latch onto the wire to keep from falling. Several people have lost their lives on the walkway in recent years; after four people died in two accidents in 1999 and 2000, the local government closed the entrances. However, adventurous tourists still find their way onto the walkway to explore it.

The regional government of Andalusia budgeted in 2006 for a restoration plan estimated at € 7 million.

And I found just a bit more info on why the authorities closed it down.

Also, the path entrances did not collapse, the Spanish authorities destroyed the beginning and end after numerous accidents in the gorge. The worst being the flying fox across the gorge that snapped when three people tried to ride it all at once.

People always ruining my fun spots because they are idiots.




























Early Picture



Redone for the king




And finally, even more impressive, the video Bruce posted two months ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNSVcmBnt-o

[Cloud]

it's tomorrow already?

[Fa-]

Originally Posted by Cloud

it's tomorrow already?

awwwww.....

[HungLikeJesus]

Originally Posted by Cloud

it's tomorrow already?

It's always tomorrow somewhere.

[ajaccio]

OMG - this is just amazing. What a fabulous video! I am so impressed. This is the stuff my nightmares are made of, I have bad balance and do not do well with heights, but I do really admire folks who can handle this stuff. It was really fun to "walk" with Bruce vicariously. How did he get such good video while walking?!? A great job!

[Coign]

Originally Posted by Cloud

it's tomorrow already?

I don't work on weekends so I figured I would post early instead of try and find a way to squeeze in an IotD on a day that one hasn't been posted yet.

Besides, this way someone doesn't feel obligated to get a pic up tomorrow. Now you can all have Saturday off.

[stevecrm]

cool, I saw the video of this people running round the high path but there were not any good photos.

thankyou for these photos they are brilliant

[Gravdigr]

Re: King's Way--DO NOT WANT!!!!

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Re: King's Way--DO NOT WANT!!!!

A-freakin-MEN!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by ajaccio

It was really fun to "walk" with Bruce vicariously. How did he get such good video while walking?!? A great job!

I didn't make the video, just posted it, I'm not that crazy.

From the Coign's post;

In 1901 it was obvious that the workers of the Chorro Falls and Gaitanejo Falls needed a walkway to cross between the falls, to provide transport of materials, vigilance and maintenance of the channel.

Say what? Transport materials? They not only traveled that path, but carried stuff too? That's crazy talk.

[Sundae]

If the life of someone I loved depended on it, I would walk that path.
Luckily, none of the above are in Spain, and that walk is.

I therefore feel justifed in saying No way Jose!

[spudcon]

I didn't see any mention in the history about how, when they built it, did they get the cement trucks up there?

[footfootfoot]

"Hey! I've got a great idea..."

[monster]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

"Hey! I've got a great idea..."

...here, hold my beer....