Hundreds Gather in Andorra's Port del Cabús for Cloudy Solar Eclipse Viewing

Hundreds gathered at Port del Cabús on Wednesday evening for a solar eclipse viewing, though thick clouds blocked any direct sight of the event across Andorra. Attendees filled the mountain pass with music, food trucks, and photography, undeterred by the overcast conditions.

From 6pm, visitors arrived by bus, on foot from Coll de la Botella, or while on vacation. Early sunshine faded into persistent cloud cover, raising doubts about seeing the Moon obscure the Sun. Starlight instructor Jordi Colell pointed to calm winds that might hold clouds in place, voicing skepticism on visibility but holding out for a break in the weather.

Participants showed mixed responses. Álex, experiencing his first eclipse, remained hopeful despite grim forecasts. Edgar expressed frustration from the grass, lamenting a missed rare spectacle. Antoni valued the festive mood regardless, while hiker Marc dismissed the letdown, noting his lack of prior reference. Many planned to eat on-site amid the sounds, though enthusiasm cooled for a subsequent meteor shower due to work obligations or late descents.

In Ordino Arcalís, nearly 250 people rode the Creussans chairlift from around 6:45pm to the Solar viewpoint at Tristaina, above 2,700 metres, for a guided observation. Grandvalira mountain guide Patricia Mesina, with the company since 2008, highlighted the site's advantages: high elevation and an unobstructed horizon. Weather forecasts had warned of rain, which held off, but clouds dominated. Mesina hoped for a glimpse of the partial eclipse, but none appeared.

Around 8:15pm, as the maximum obscuration neared 8:30pm, ambient light dropped suddenly and temperatures fell noticeably for several minutes—earlier and sharper than sunset alone would cause—before both recovered. Attendees scanned the horizon with certified glasses or phones, but stayed upbeat. Pilar from Barcelona called the ascent worthwhile, escaping 36-37°C heat to enjoy the cool air. Local Yolanda and a friend described the late climb as magical, despite spotting rain ahead. French visitors Laurent and Géraldine, in Andorra for her birthday, savored hikes around the lakes. Andorran Carola, who had seen past eclipses, prized the unique high-altitude outing at dusk.

Selfies and chatter filled the time, with disappointment and resignation surfacing post-peak as groups descended to La Coma. Most agreed the shared effort and setting compensated for the unseen phenomenon. No incidents were reported at either location.