Richard PearsonI believe the reservoirs were built at the same time as the base and the huge improvement to the mountain road. All part of the quid pro quo for letting them use the top of the mountain. This blog will tell you all you ever need to know. Scroll down for fascinating comments from ex US servicemen who were stationed there : https://mallorcaphotoblog.com/2010/03/08/puig-major/
tranq tranquerMy pleasure. Soller valley must have been fantastic back then, the only downside would have been having to drive up and down the old road, as I imagine that this was before the tunnel was built. I was told that the two reservoirs were stocked annually with rainbow trout, so that would have been an added bonus.
Thank you Richard. At least that makes sense -. organised groups, like the one I was on which was cancelled .When are they going to let us have some sort of available to all access ? I was told the Americans built it because it gives a radar picture from Gibraltar to Malta, the western half of the Med. It was a popular posting, with many living " off base" in the Soller area.
tranq tranquerTranq, on the two occasions that I have reached the summit, was due to being a guest of a larger group. The first one was in a bus with a group, probably of around 40 people, of small business owners. The trip had been prearranged and authorized by obviously someone who was presumably a friend of one of the businessmen. We spent around an hour up there. We were told that we were not allowed to take any photographs. I have a group photo to prove this 😄 The second time was on my motorbike, together with around 25 others. Again, as a guest of someone who obviously knew the boss man. We also spent around an hour up there, and this time nothing was said about not taking photos. The first half of the road is comparable to the old Soller road. The last half was slightly worse, presumably due to the freezing and melting snow, rain, high winds and anything else that Mother Nature can throw at it.
I still do not believe it. Richard and Chris, are you both saying it is possible to walk, bicycle or motorbike to the very top . If so please confirm in plain language and tell us all when and how we can go. I assume it is still a dirt road .
tranq tranquerTranq, do it the way I did; on a bike with an engine between your unshaven legs.
ChrisBikes,to the very top, the radar base and the domes. You do surprise me. If true then fine, but I want to be able to go up without having to display shaved legs.
ChrisTo the very top, to the radar base and the domes , really ?
tranq tranquerThere are two bicycle races to the very top of Puig Mayor each year. One starts in Soller, the other in Alcudia. Both in April/May so you have time to get fit for it!
tranq tranquerInteresting. According to Wiki they were inaugurated in April 1972, having cost 290 million pesetas ( 2 million € ? ), which today wouldn’t even cover the “commissions” paid to local politicians. The road to Puig Mayor, presumably from Soller and not Lluch, was started in 1956 and finished in 1959, but the reservoir project didn’t get off the ground until sometime later. I suppose the U.S. government financed the road and then later the Spanish government took advantage of it to consider and then start the reservoir project.