Pico Aneto 3404 m
MCS AlexClimbPico Aneto climbing program - here
Other climbing programs in Spain: - Mallorca
Other programs in Spain: - Tenerife
Pico Aneto 3404 m - the highest point in Spain (province of Aragon) and the entire Pyrenees mountain system.
A simple and rather beautiful climb can be done to Pico Aneto during the entire summer and autumn season. Access to the summit in spring or winter is also possible, but the format of the ascent is changing - its complexity increases significantly in the conditions of snow cover and avalanche danger.
The altitude of the Pico Aneto is 3404 m - which is within the zone of asymptomatic acclimatization, climbing to this altitude does not require any additional acclimatization. At the same time, climbing Aneto Peak combined by an overnight stay on the summit can be a good workout before climbing mountains of 4000+ meters in other mountain systems.
There are many routes of the different difficulty levels the the summit of Aneto Peak, of which the two main routes are Portillon (NW) and Lake Corona (SE).
The first route starts from Plan de la Besutra (42.67755582969101, 0.6506807931596321)
The second route (I like it more regarding the ease of access by car from Barcelona), starts from Refugio de Coronas (42.61113690519646, 0.6196885305545324)
Both routes are nothing more than intense trekking, but share a common section at the top, which is the only technical difficulty of Pico Aneto routes.
After climbing the Mahoma pass, the section of the rocky ridge in front of the very top is a narrow rocky bridge (it is called Puente de Mahoma) consisting of a random heap of large granite blocks.
If the rocks are dry, climbing in this part of the route is quite easy, but the majority of the climbers uses organized belay and climbing gear. It is also advisable to use a helmet - in its absence, even a leg fracture can be recognized as a non-insured event.
The length of the technical section of the Pico Aneto route is no more than 100 m. In addition, depending on the condition of the slope on the route part below the pass (whichever side you climb), crampons may be required in case of the dense snow.
The altitude gain of the Pico Aneto route is 1400 m, at a moderate walking pace you can climb it in 5-6 hours. My personal speed record for climbing Pico Aneto via Corona Lake is 52 minutes, without equipment.
Also, the route via Lake Korona can be divided into two days with an overnight stay in the middle of the route - that is an ideal option for lazy trekking with a tent and a romantic overnight stay on a beautiful lake. Along the shore of the emerald lake there are numerous equipped places for the tents.
When choosing the time for climbing of Pico Aneto, you need to keep in mind that the classic routes of Pico Aneto are very popular - during the season, especially on the weekends and holidays, you should be prepared for high traffic on the route.
The section of the route from the parking to the Lake Corona camping site can be done even with any kind of pets: cats, dogs, alcoholic friends, wives, and even small children.
The author of the text and photos - Alex Trubachev
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MCS EDIT 2023