ASCENSION
TO THE PICO DE AMITGES AND THE TUC DE SABOREDO
We discover two of the great watchtowers of the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park: the Amitges peak and the Tuc de Saboredo peak.
A long and demanding high-mountain route with a total distance of 21 km and a cumulative elevation gain of 1,500 m. We begin the route at the Prat de Pierró car park in the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. From this point, we climb through the Escrita valley to Sant Maurici Lake, follow the northern shore of the lake, and ascend along the Ratera waterfall trail and a track to the Amitges refuge. We skirt the Gran de Amitges Lake and climb through the Coma de Amitges to the Amitges Pass. From this high-mountain pass, we first ascend Amitges Peak and then summit Tuc de Saboredo. We descend Tuc de Saboredo, passing through the small pass that separates this peak from the Agulles de Amitges, and continue descending to Munyidera Lake. We return to the Amitges refuge, descend along the track to Sant Maurici Lake, and retrace the path through the Escrita Valley to Prat de Pierró.
Amitges Peak (2,848 m) and Tuc de Saboredo (2,829 m) are two of the best-known peaks in the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. The climb we propose here is one of the classic high-mountain excursions in the Park and the Amitges headwaters, a route that delights with beautiful and spectacular landscapes, from the riparian forest at the beginning of the route to the granite rocks of the spectacular ridge that connects Amitges Peak and Tuc de Saboredo, passing by glacial lakes, waterfalls, scree, and alpine meadows.
THE BEST OF THE ROUTE
• Admire one of the most beautiful spots in the Pyrenees: Sant Maurici Lake, the Encantats, and the Ratera waterfall.
• The Amitges high mountain refuge, located in a magical enclave next to the Gran de Amitges lake and the foothills of the slender Agulles de Amitges.
• The unforgettable views we have from the Amitges peak and the Tuc de Saboredo in all directions.
A long and demanding high-mountain route with a total distance of 21 km and a cumulative elevation gain of 1,500 m. We begin the route at the Prat de Pierró car park in the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. From this point, we climb through the Escrita valley to Sant Maurici Lake, follow the northern shore of the lake, and ascend along the Ratera waterfall trail and a track to the Amitges refuge. We skirt the Gran de Amitges Lake and climb through the Coma de Amitges to the Amitges Pass. From this high-mountain pass, we first ascend Amitges Peak and then summit Tuc de Saboredo. We descend Tuc de Saboredo, passing through the small pass that separates this peak from the Agulles de Amitges, and continue descending to Munyidera Lake. We return to the Amitges refuge, descend along the track to Sant Maurici Lake, and retrace the path through the Escrita Valley to Prat de Pierró.
Amitges Peak (2,848 m) and Tuc de Saboredo (2,829 m) are two of the best-known peaks in the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. The climb we propose here is one of the classic high-mountain excursions in the Park and the Amitges headwaters, a route that delights with beautiful and spectacular landscapes, from the riparian forest at the beginning of the route to the granite rocks of the spectacular ridge that connects Amitges Peak and Tuc de Saboredo, passing by glacial lakes, waterfalls, scree, and alpine meadows.
THE BEST OF THE ROUTE
• Admire one of the most beautiful spots in the Pyrenees: Sant Maurici Lake, the Encantats, and the Ratera waterfall.
• The Amitges high mountain refuge, located in a magical enclave next to the Gran de Amitges lake and the foothills of the slender Agulles de Amitges.
• The unforgettable views we have from the Amitges peak and the Tuc de Saboredo in all directions.
Difficulty: High
Departure/arrival: Prat Pierró Parking
Total time: 11:00
Minimum altitude: 1635
Maximum altitude: 2848
Cumulative elevation gain: 1500
Total distance: 21 km
Nearest town: Espot
• Duration: Full day.
• Total effective time (without stops): 11:00h in total: 3:15h from the Prat Pierró parking lot to the Amitges refuge passing by the Sant Maurici lake, 2:30h from the Amitges refuge to the Amitges peak, 0:50h from the Amitges peak to the Tuc de Saboredo, 1:45h from the Tuc de Saboredo to the Amitges refuge, 2:40h from the Amitges refuge to the Prat Pierró parking lot.
• Cumulative elevation gain: 1,500m
• Difficulty: High.
• Season: Summer and early autumn.
• Equipment: If there's snow and/or ice, we'll need to bring an ice axe and crampons. We'll need to research the terrain beforehand and equip ourselves with an ice axe and crampons (especially if we're hiking in early summer or autumn).
• Cartography: Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici. Sant Maurici Sector. Scale 1:25,000. Alpina Publishing.
• Observations: We can divide the excursion into two days, spending the night at the Amitges refuge and leaving the ascent to the summits and the descent to Prat de Pierró for the second day.
• How to get there by car from Hotel Les Brases:
From Sort, we follow the C-13 highway toward Esterri d'Àneu and the Aran Valley. We leave Llavorsí and Escaló behind, and just past the Torrassaón dam, we turn left (W) toward Espot and the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. We reach Espot, cross the town to the right, and continue for about 4 km to the Prat de Pierró parking lot.
• Total effective time (without stops): 11:00h in total: 3:15h from the Prat Pierró parking lot to the Amitges refuge passing by the Sant Maurici lake, 2:30h from the Amitges refuge to the Amitges peak, 0:50h from the Amitges peak to the Tuc de Saboredo, 1:45h from the Tuc de Saboredo to the Amitges refuge, 2:40h from the Amitges refuge to the Prat Pierró parking lot.
• Cumulative elevation gain: 1,500m
• Difficulty: High.
• Season: Summer and early autumn.
• Equipment: If there's snow and/or ice, we'll need to bring an ice axe and crampons. We'll need to research the terrain beforehand and equip ourselves with an ice axe and crampons (especially if we're hiking in early summer or autumn).
• Cartography: Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici. Sant Maurici Sector. Scale 1:25,000. Alpina Publishing.
• Observations: We can divide the excursion into two days, spending the night at the Amitges refuge and leaving the ascent to the summits and the descent to Prat de Pierró for the second day.
• How to get there by car from Hotel Les Brases:
From Sort, we follow the C-13 highway toward Esterri d'Àneu and the Aran Valley. We leave Llavorsí and Escaló behind, and just past the Torrassaón dam, we turn left (W) toward Espot and the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. We reach Espot, cross the town to the right, and continue for about 4 km to the Prat de Pierró parking lot.