Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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42.62449°N / 0.66591°E |
Route Type:
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Mountaineering |
Season:
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Summer |
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Time Required:
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One to two days |
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Rock Difficulty:
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5.6 (YDS) |
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Difficulty:
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D+ |
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Grade:
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IV |
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Overview
Salenques-Tempestades ridge is probably the most famous ridge in Pyrenees. This climbing is the most classical difficult climb to Aneto, the king of the Pyrennes with 3404 meters.All spanish climbers wish to climb it in life.The ridge is not a lot difficult, but it is very long and it is an isolate climb. Also there are sections on quality rock is not good at all.
A lot recomendably but only for experimented climbers!!
Getting There
From Benasque city we should continue the valley on road and go finally to the hotel Hospital de Benasque. We should continue the small road about three kilometers until the end of it in the place called Besurta, place where starts Aneto's normal route(1900 m). This is the place where starts the approach to this route too.In summer the road betwen Hospital and Besurta is not open to vehicles. Is obligatory to do this section on foot (45')or is possible to get on a bus several times on a day.
Route Description
Salenques ridge: Jean Arlaud y Ch. Laffont (1922).Tempestades ridge: J. Ussel, G. Castgané, y J. Haurillón (1912). Integral Salenques-Tempestades: R. Ollivier i H. Wild (1934).
Dificulty:
D+ (pitches IV and IV+/V-). The normal route search always the easiest path on ridge. If you would climb all the summits the difficult is a lot bigger.
1000 m approach to the ridge
2’5 km ridge
Time required:1-2 days
3-4 h approach
6-10 h ridge
2-4 h descent
Approach:
From Besurta we must continue the valley and the path arrives to Hole of Aiguallut, a beautiful natural phenomenon. We continue the valley and we must cross the river (difficult several times).In front of us we can see two secondary valleys. We must ascent for right valley, just under Aneto summit. At the top of this valley, called Barrancs valley, we arrive to a mountain pass (Salenques pass). This is the point where the ridge, our route, starts, just on the right (2800-2900 m).
Ridge:
The fist section of the ridge, Salenques ridge, is the most difficult section with 4 pitches about IV, IV+/V-. There are some easy zones too, but aerials. Very beautiful section, that finalises in Margalida summit 3240 m.
The second section, Tempestades ridge, is easiest than Salenques ridge, but is most dangerous. There are only 2 pitches IV, but is long and the rock quality is bad in general. In this section we climbed Tempestades summit 3290 m, and Espalda de Aneto 3350 m. The ridge finalises on the top of the Pyrennes, Aneto with 3404 m. Sleep there is an incredible ocasion!!
Descent:
The descent is by Aneto's normal route. In that route we will cross Aneto's glacier, the biggest glacier of the Pyrennes, and finally arrives again to Besurta, after pass near Renclusa hut.
Essential Gear
Helmet, 2 ropes 8-9 mm, some friends, ring tapes, axe and crampons (all seasons), and vivac material recommended (I recommend one night in Hotel Aneto 3404 meters situated on the top of the Pyrenees).The climb is easy to protect and there are pegs on the key passages so don’t carry too much gear. Climbing boots are no necessary because the most difficult passages are short and never more difficult than IVsup-V. Due to the length of the climb hiking boots are much more comfortable.
External Links
In spanish language:http://www.madteam.net/rutas/escaladaencresta/0.360.CrestaSalenques-TempestadesalAnetoDIV%2B
http://www.caranorte.com/resenas/directorio/europa/espana/aragon/salenques/salenques-tempestades.php
http://www.todovertical.com/home.php?opt=res&Resena=13