When is the snow normally off the higher trails on the Camino del Salvador and the Camino Vadiniense? My travel times need to be from April to the middle of May of next year. I know it varies from year to year but are my times even a possibility?
Thanks for the input. This forum has been extremely helpful.
A few years ago, I did what you are suggesting. Started in Santander, walked on the Norte to San Vicente de la Barquera, then to Leon on the Lebaniego/Vadiniense, and then back up on the Salvador/Primitivo into Santiago. It has a lot of mountain terrain, and it is wonderful. It was also tough, and I had a bad experience getting lost on the day out of LaFuente. I am glad I persevered but I did wonder what I was doing at one point and thought long and hard about stopping.
I kept a blog in case you are interested:
http://caminovadiniense.blogspot.com
And I also have a forum post on these two caminos.
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-caminos-lebaniego-and-vadiniense.14649/
So to get to your questions -- There are two places to be on the alert for snow -- one would be from Potes to Portilla de la Reina. The trail from Fuente De in the Picos de Europa involves a 12 km trail, la Senda de Remona, where there is no road nearby. The trail connects two roads, and was at one point going to be paved into a road, but it never happened.
The other place is on the Salvador, the stages between Buiza and Campomanes. I know that people walking in April have found snow, and that it can linger into May.
Good luck with this plan! Buen camino, Laurie
