Carros de Fuego. The High level route in the Pyrenees with Snowshoes
Place
Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici, Cataluña España
Duration
5 days
Season
Spring
-
Level
⤤See table
Program in PDF GALLERY
THE TRIP
If there is an area in the Pyrenees that can accommodate a high route to be made with snowshoes, this is the Parc National d’ Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici, and if there is a route that can be categorized as high route, this is “Carros de foc”.
The story of “Carros de fuego” began a little over twenty years ago with the courtesy visits between the mountain huts guards in the park, but it has become quite a classic in the Pyrenees.
The park treasures all the elements that characterize the high Pyrenees and it features the water, either in the form of snow, rivers, waterfalls and lakes. With its varied orography dotted with comfortable mountain huts, like Restanca and Ventosa I Calvell, and famous peaks like Montardo (2.833 m), Punta Alta (3.014 m) or Tuc de Saboredo (2.833 m), it is the ideal scenario for a high route.
THE DESTINATION
The National Park of Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici is one of the fourteen national parks of Spain. Located in the Catalan Pyrenees is, together with the National Park of Ordesa and Monteperdido (in the Aragonese Pyrenees) and the National Park National of Pyrénées (in the French departments of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées), an excellent representation of the main ecosystems Of the Pyrenees.
Its main hallmark is water, which runs through rivers, canyons and waterfalls and stagnates in lakes and peat lands. All this is located between mountains of more than three thousand meters altitude and leafy forests of black pine, spruce, wild pine, birch and beech.
In the park there is an extensive network of sheltered mountain huts that allow mountain lovers to discover all corners with all comfort and at any time of the year. In winter, when the park is covered in white and its more than 200 lakes freeze, it becomes a perfect and beautiful stage for crossings with mountain skis or snowshoes.
Following the trail left in the Middle Ages by Romanesque art in the Boí Valley is another way of approaching this place. The church of Sant Climent de Taüll with its slender square-shaped bell tower is the most well-known image of the eight churches built in the valley under the influence of the Lombard Romanesque and they are declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The natural products that this land brings to its gastronomy are such as vegetables from the garden, game meat, mushrooms, forest fruits (such as blueberries, wild strawberries, currants or raspberries) or honey. Hence the civet of wild boar, the Aranese pot or the truhada.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Make a high route with snowshoes.
- Visit to an emblematic national park.
- Ideal environment for multi-day snowshoeing.
- Wide network of comfortable High Mountain huts.
- Good snow conditions.
MORE INFORMATION
Equipment required
It is important to carry little weight in the backpack to walk comfortably, so it is recommended to take only the essential material and clothing. We will inform you so you backpack weighs no more than 6-8 kilos.
- Backpack (between 30-35 litres).
- Snowshoes and folding trekking poles.
- Crampons and ice axes.
- Clothing:
- Socks.
- Long and short trekking pants
- Thermal shirt (first layer). A spare change.
- Fleece jacket or similar (second layer).
- Gore-Tex type jacket and pants (third layer).
- Primaloft jacket or light down insulated jacket.
- Fleece, light type of gloves.
- Thick snow gloves.
- Hat and suncap.
- Sunglasses.
- Head lamp (extra batteries).
- Cotton or silk sheet-sleeping bag and very light towel.
- Water bottle or water bag Camelback type of minimum capacity 1 liter. In case of opting for bag type Camelbak keep in mind that the tube can get frozen.
- First aid kit and essential toiletries.
- Sunscreen and protection lip balm.
- Camera.
Notes
Flexibility of dates
We always propose several departures with several dates but also adapt the trips to their availability. So do not hesitate to consult us if the dates do not fit you and we will adapt an outing for you.
Physical and technical level required
It is advisable to have previously started on snowshoes. Physical level to face slopes of between 800 and 1000 meters daily at a calm pace but with solvency.
Time and place of meeting
Two weeks before the start of the trip we will send you information about the place and time of meeting as well as the name and phone number of the guide that will accompany the group. In addition we will send more useful information that will facilitate the final preparations.
Insurance of the activity
As indicated in the 10th paragraph of the General Conditions www.muntania.com, it is mandatory that you have an insurance to cover the activity of the trip. If you do not have one, you have the option to contract it through our travel agency (please consult). If you already have it or would not want to hire it through us, you must confirm in writing that you are giving up.
Without doubt, for just a little more we recommend insurance with cancellation and so if you or a family member has any mishap before the trip will be entitled to the full refund of the amount paid both in the tickets and in the trip itself
* The cancellation insurance that we manage allows a refund of up to 1500 euros. If the amount of the trip plus flight is bigger you can extend the amount that you want to insure (please consult).
Another questions
• In the huts it is not cold and they have blankets. The primaloft or fine feather jacket will be worn during the activity if the temperature is too low.
• It is not necessary to bring a sleeping bag but you need to bring a silk or cotton travel liner.
• It is recommended to bring very little food since it can be purchased in the mountain huts along the way.
• In all shelters there are slippers so it is not necessary to carry extra shoes.
• The selection of mountain huts may undergo some change in which they can be substituted for any other in the area, depending on the availability at the time of forming the group and depending on the reservation and cancellation conditions that they impose. If we make these changes we will keep you informed.
