Circo de Ip

Approach

See main page for description of approach to village of Canfranc. In the village near the Puente de los Peregrinos (Pilgrims's bridge) we leave the car (1050m).

Route Description

Face: north.
Slope: 1826m.
Time: to climb: 5-6 hours; to descent: 3-4 hours. Total: 9-10 hours.

In the other side of river take a forest trail that turn to left and across the Garganta de Ip we pass down the bridge of train (railroad). For the straight hillside of the valley we come to a landing. In the bifurcation of the track both ways lead to the high part of the valley. We follow into the forest to a little mountain hut of stone (1840m, 2h).
We will have to continue the path indicated with cairns (small heaps of stones) in horizontally up to going out to the track of the Moleta that we have to the left side. We will come to the constructions of dam of Ip with 2 small mountain huts and a ruined hotel and we continue to dam(2115m, 2h 45min).
The dam is bordered for the right side indicated with cairns (see with many attention) to a valley. In this point the climb continue for the hillside of the right (you see the principal incline that we still have). (2135m, 3h).
Always following the cairns we will promote for channel left and then towards the right up to the base of the visible mounts to pass for the left side path at the end of this corridor that has led us to Collado de Ip (2590m, 4h 30min). This corridor and the final climb are hards in winter and they can need skills adapted as the use of the rope (and crampons and ice axe of course).
Finally, the last hillside has a hard slope up to the base of the white calcareous rock that meets ultimately (2795m 5h). For numerous rocky passages, some of degree I +, we reach the plain of the summit (2886m, 5h30min).

Essential Gear

In summer generally the few snow is soft (but is advisable take the crampons and ice axe in some occasions specially at the start of summer).
In winter ever crampons and ice axe. The hardest slope can need be roped to assure.

Miscellaneous Info

A good alternative is camping with the tent near the damming of Ip and climb the next day.

Images

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