Salvaguardia

Overview

This peak delights us with an exceptional panorama towards the clump of the Maladetas, but without losing of sight the Retriever, the Posets and other summits of Remuñé Valley. The peak of Salvaguardia is the culminating point of a long frontier comb that separates the end of Benasque's valley (Plan d'(Espital) of Luchon's French region. These two regions were connected, for the commercial interchanges and the contraband, across two principal steps, the Puerto de la Glera and the Portillón de Benasque. The latter places to few meters of the peak, for what his ascension was already very frequent from the neighboring country in the second half of the XIXth century.
The ascension to this top takes as a principal interest the sights that we can contemplate of the whole clump of the Maladetas, a long comb that spreads from Peak of Rusell up to Peak of Alba, going for the Aneto and The Maladeta. There are few places in the Pyrenees where we can observe such a spectacular panorama, where the glaciers are mixed by granitic edges and the greenery of the meadows and of the black pines of the lowest zones.

Getting There

For approach to Benasque from Huesca: in the road on direction to Barbastro (N-240). After Barbastro we follow the indication to valley of Benasque to the C-1311 to Graus and the C-139 to Benasque across the gorge of Congosto de Ventanillo.
The approach of the principal summits has different trailheads but the principal are:
-Llanos de la Besurta (near the Hospital de Benasque) and refuge of La Renclusa in the north of Maladeta (Aneto, Maldito, Maladeta...)

Route

Difference: 800 meters
Hourly ascent: 2h30min

Point of Item(Game): Benasque's Hospital (1760 meters) or of the parking of the Ford 1 km before the Hospital. The itinerary up to the Portillón, does not have loss so(then,since) it is a question of a former way of horse-shoe and that from always has been very travelled.
We are going to initiate the itinerary in the Besurta, since up to this point it is possible to come with the autobus or with the car out of the summer station. For those that prefer dividing from the Hospital, adding approximately 40 additional minutes. From the Besurta, we get down a few meters for the track asfaltada up to the first meadows in a curve. From there, we will take course to the right (initially N, later NE) for grassy slopes that will be drawing successive very wide Zig-zags that were helping us to gain height comfortably up to a high plateau that the Mina crosses the whole base of the comb of the peak to the Salvaguardia. This zone has the appearance of having lodged some small ibones today practically missing (2250 meters). We cross the longitudinally above mentioned high plateau towards the Portillón (ONO) up to a small promontory where we will see the ruins of the former House Cabellut.

We continue the ascending way up to the nearby Portillón (2444 meters). This step in the shape of narrow gap gives step to Boum's nearby lakes and continuing the decrease, up to Luchon's French locality. From the Portillón, the comb that gets up towards the West raises directly to the Salvaguardia, nevertheless, the way continues for the hillside South of this mountain flanking it in ascending direction. We will cross the first rocky zones, in which to summer beginning still it is frequent to find remains of snow.
Later, we will reach a zone a bit more exposed of smooth and whitish rock that falls down in vertically in the shape of an immense slide. This step is the most delicate of the tour, specially in winter, and for it, they have installed a sirga where we can insure or simply to use it of banisters if we need little safety. Immediately there is reached a small spur that we will cross and where we will give a draft to our right to take direction And and to reach in a few meters the comb. The last section we will realize it in direction Or weakening the dome cimera for the South and going out directly to the narrow top.

When To Climb

The normal epoch is summer: June-September
If you want to climb it in winter you have to take crampons and ice axe.

Weather Conditions

Camping

Baños de Benasque/Benás (1680 m)
Hospital de Benasque/Espital de Benás(1758 m)
Refugio de la Renclusa (2140 m)

View

From the summit it can be seen the best views of Macizo de la Maladeta, with all the glaciers of the massif.

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Images

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