Spain, Alta Ruta, 01/09/25

Goriz to Pineta Mon 1st Sept

The wind picked up overnight but there was no appreciable amount of rain and the morning was bright with a few low clouds about and the wind had dropped.

Leaving Goriz 

Most people from the Refugio were heading up the mountain and I had a nice peaceful day, not meeting anyone until the Collado de Anisclo.

Beautiful morning 

There were marmots about on the grassy bits today and I had an interesting encounter with a stoat that appeared from behind a boulder. It played peek-a-boo for a while before coming quite close but unfortunately when I got the camera out it got shy and ran away.

Scenery with clouds

I had done the first and last parts of today's walk on the GR11 last year but the traverse from the Collado Superior de Goriz around the cliffs of Monte Perdido was new taking me high above last year's route.

The route ahead

Some of the terrain was 'interesting' but the views were incredible, the clouds bubbling up from below made it very photogenic.

An 'interesting' bit

There was a tricky chanel in the rocks that luckily for me had assistance chains, I don't think I would have managed without.

Easier ahead

After a steep descent over bare rock a 'normal' mountain path then took me to the Collado de Anisclo and the start of a steep, rough four hour descent to Pineta.

Col de Anisclo 

The way down 

I did this descent last year and swore at the time that I would never do it again and here I was again, at least there was no snow this time.

Lunch stop on the way down

It is a continuous very steep slope from 2400 meters to the Refugio de Pineta at 1200 meters.

Nearly down

The path zig zags all the way down to avoid the almost vertical bits until finally there is a flat bit where it crosses the dry river to the refugio.

The river bed

All that height to regain tomorrow 🤣

The last bit through the woods 

12km walked, 600m ascent 1800m descent.