Pyreneestrip
Monte Perdido
Photo: Tigerente · CC BY-SA 4.0
PeaksNature & viewsSpain

Monte Perdido

Europe's highest limestone massif, 3 355 m

The 'lost mountain' stands in the middle of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido national park and is part of the Pyrénées–Mont Perdu World Heritage Site. It can't be seen from Gavarnie – hence the name – but from the Spanish side it dominates the Ordesa valley. The Góriz hut is the starting point.

Ascent

Height
3,355 m
Massif
Monte Perdido
Country
Aragon, Spain
Grade
F · Hard
Days
2 days
Season
July–September
Starting point
Pradera de Ordesa (approx. 1 300 m) – bus from Torla in summer, private cars are not allowed in
Mountain hut
Refugio de Góriz (2 190 m)
Elevation gain
approx. 1 165 hm from the hut
Time
4–5 h up, 7–8 h round trip
First ascent
1802 – the guides Laurens and Rondo with a shepherd on 6 August, Ramond de Carbonnières himself on 10 August

Louis Ramond de Carbonnières, the first great explorer of the Pyrenees, searched for a long time for the way up. The glacier on the north face is now on the international list of glaciers that have died.

How to get up – the normal route step by step

  1. Day 1: through the Ordesa valley past the waterfalls to Circo de Soaso and Cola de Caballo, then steeply up to Refugio de Góriz. 4–5 hours.
  2. Day 2: from Góriz up through the limestone plateaus to Lago Helado (2 980 m), the frozen lake below the summit.
  3. The final stretch climbs the steep La Escupidera gully, with scree and often hard snow, and on to the summit.
  4. Descend the same way. Take it slowly in the Escupidera – most accidents happen on the way down.
SafetyLa Escupidera is dangerous when icy or snow-covered: bring crampons and an ice axe if there is snow. Góriz is very popular – book well in advance.

Other routes up

From France you start from Gavarnie via Refuge de Tuquerouye, a longer and more alpine route.

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42.6755° N, 0.0343° E

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