Peak Bagging and Long Distance Walking in the UK and Spain: Pena de Ezkaurre

Walk Summary

Fourth walking day of trip and fourth summit maintaining rate of one P600 per day, sadly that will not continue.

Leave NA-2000 down footpath
around NE corner of Punta Abizondo

Arrived early evening the day before at Camping Zuriza from Pic d'Orhy on the Spain/France border to ensure an early(ish) start tomorrow morning. Probably Camping Asolaze, Izaba would have been a better base as only planning to climb Pena de Ezkaurre. If you want to tackle the seemingly more difficult summits on the spiky ridge of Sierra de Alano as well Camping Zuriza provides an ideal staging post. For me they provide a timely reminder I do not have enough lifetime left to go up every hill/mountain I see.

Not only are the red/white markings clear
they give a clue to what the next turn will do

Early start turned out to be 11:02am, not bad for me.
Setting off from van at car park and picnic area at Collado Arguibiela along the NA-2000 you soon take the obvious, easy to follow, clearly defined on the ground, made even clearer by regular red & white paint marks around Punta Abizondo. Rate of ascent provokes good aerobic workout and continues after the tree line up a fainter path through flat sloping rock until reaching the summit ridge

Easy stepped ascent to summit plateau marked by large cairn

As the rate of ascent decreases the path turns left, becoming clearer heading towards the summit plateau identified by a large cairn and a short discernible stepped ascent. The plateau being littered with placed upright rocks not to be confused with summit which is clearly at the trig pillar about 300m away.

Peña Ezkaurre 2026m SE of summit
looking south to 2042m spot height

Brilliant views down along the Valle de Ansó and also sight of the 2026m and 2042m spot heights which look higher but no doubt are not. Fear of the possibilty they are persuades me to loop around the dry Lago de Ezkaurre. Not really necessary but does add on interesting loop on to the end of the ascent avoiding a straight up and downer by descending exactly the same route as the ascent route.

Lago de Ezkaurre shown below on map between summit,
2026m and 2042m spot heights.
Does not look like been any water in it for a while

Highlight, apart from the Valle de Ansó summit views was meeting a couple with the 5 year old son Jorgé, having a rest on the way up just after leaving the tree line. My pigeon Spanish established his name, age and the fact they where not expecting to go all the way to the summit. The next time I saw them was on the short (very short) scramble on to the summit plateau. Jorgé was still walking and turns out they were going to manage the summit. Good effort to him and his Mum & Dad. No regrets about not finding hill walking sooner but definitely recommend introducing it to your kids at a young age. They may well develop a passion for the outdoors that will continue to offer opportunities for personal progression and in my case provide purpose, challenge, adventure and fulfillment into retirement and hopefully into old age.

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 21 September 2018
Walkers - Steve Smith

Accommodation - Camping Zuriza, Valle de Ansó

Start Point - Car park and picnic area at Collado Arguibiela (N42°52'01" W0°49'37")
Start Time - 11:02

Finish Point - Car park and picnic area at Collado Arguibiela (N42°52'01" W0°49'37")

Finish Time- 14:57

Total Duration - 3hrs 55mins
Overall Average pace - 1.04mph
Total Distance Walked - 4.07 miles
Total Height Ascended - 779.00metres

Peaks visited
Spain/Portugal 600m Prominence Peaks (168S - 185S&P - 2165E)

Pena de Ezkaurre (20S - 21S&P - 49E)

Pyrenees Top 50 by Prominence (50)

Pena de Ezkaurre (3)

Spain/Portugal 300m - 599m Prominence Peaks (1000+)