Itinerary

We will meet at the 300 year old Refugi Rosta which is in the center of the village of Salardu. We will have a welcome dinner that night at the hotel. If you arrive early, you can view the nearby medieval villages and churches.

After breakfast, we go by taxi up the Valarites valley to the trailhead.
After an hour’s ascent (about 1200 feet), we deposit our packs at the Refugi de la Restanca (6594 feet) where we will spend the night. After a break, we climb to the stupendous lake, the Estany del Mar and the pass above the lake, the Collado Del Mar (8097 feet). This is one of the most rewarding days one can have in the Pyrenees. (We can easily adjust the length for anyone who wants to take it easy on their first day.)
Distance: 1 mile to the Restanca refuge from the trailhead, 5 miles to the Collada del Mar and return.

We hike east to the Col de Crestada at 8120 feet. From there, we hike up to the top of the Montardo d’Aran (9295) overlooking the Valley of Aran. Then we descend an enormous lake- filled cirque to the Refugi Ventosa i Calvell (7283) overlooking the Besiberri massif. This spectacular refuge overlooks the mountains and lakes of three separate valleys.
Distance: 4 miles

Today we do a circuit of the Agulles de Travessani in about eight hours. We go back up the cirque we descended the day before but turn east to the Caldes col (8366) and cross over into the Colomers cirque with its dozens of lakes arranged as if they were in a Japanese flower garden, climb up to the Colomers col at 8501 feet and descend down to the Black lake (Estany Negre) and the Ventosa hut.
Distance: 7.5 miles.

We reluctantly leave the Ventosa hut and head over the Contraix col (9088) to Refugi Estany Llong (6513). This is one of the harder days of our circuit with some steep but short snow slopes. We have 1805 feet of ascent and 2576 feet of descent and it should take us about eight hours. On a good day with views, this is one of the most rewarding days we can have. It plunges us into the heart of the Encantats.
Distance: 4.3 miles.

From the Refugi Estany Llong we climb to the Refugi Colomina via the Collado dels Gavatxos. We go up a lake-choked narrow valley to the Gavatxos col at 8858 feet and then down to the large lakes around the Colomina hut. (7858)
Distance: 5 miles.

From the Refugi Colomina (7858) we traverse to the Refugi J.M. Blanc (7546) crossing the 8760 feet high Collado de Saburo past the Cap de Port lakes.
This is a rest day as we only need four hours to reach our destination. The more ambitious and energetic can do the Pic de Minera (9531) from the col. After we reach the J.M.Blanc refuge, we can also walk up the easy but spectacular Pala Sudorn. (8822).
Distance: 3.1 miles

We cross the Monastero pass at 8858 feet. We may want to do the easy 9444 Pic de Monastero from the col. Then we descend into the Monastero Valley below the Enchanted Mountains past the Saint Maurici Lake (6234) and up an easy track to the Amitiges hut. (7808)
Distance: 9 miles

Our task for the day is to cross the Ratera pass (8380), descend into another watershed to the Saboredo refuge (7587) and then traverse over an easy saddle to the Refugi Colomers (6972). In an extra hour, we can hike up to the top of the Tuc de Ratera ( 9318).
Distance: 6 miles

We tour the Cirque de Colomers in about six hours. The Enchanted Mountains merit their name on this last day of our trek. The truly energetic may wish to climb up to the top of the high pass above the cirque. Upon return to the refuge, we pack up and descend 700 feet in less than an hour to the road-head in the Valley of Aguatimox. We return by taxi to the Refugi Rosta for showers and dinner.
Distance: 7 miles

Farewell breakfast at the Refugi Rosta in Salardu.

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