Pico de Aneto

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Aneto
North face of Aneto
Aneto Location in Spain
Elevation	3,404 metres (11,168 ft)[1]
Location	Huesca, Spain
Range	Pyrenees
Prominence	2,821 m (9,255 ft)[1]
Coordinates	42°37′56″N 00°39′28″E / 42.63222°N 0.65778°E / 42.63222; 0.65778Coordinates: 42°37′56″N 00°39′28″E / 42.63222°N 0.65778°E / 42.63222; 0.65778
First ascent	July 20, 1842
Easiest route	basic snow/ice climb
Listing	Ultra

Aneto's summit and glacier seen from the upper Portillon

Aneto is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees and in Aragon, and Spain's third highest mountain- reaching a height of 3,404 metres (11,168 ft). It lies in the Spanish province of Huesca, the northernmost of all three Aragonese provinces. It forms the southernmost part of the Maladeta massif. It was also known as Pic de Néthou in French, though this is little-used as the mountain lies entirely within Spain.^[2]

Aneto holds the largest glacier in Spain, covering 79.6 ha in 2005; it is shrinking rapidly due to warming summer temperatures and decreasing winter precipitation over the twentieth century- it covered 106.7 ha in 1981, and over 200 ha in the 19th century (Boletín Glaciológico Aragonés, 2004).

Climbing

The mountain's ascent is usually made from the Refuge of the Renclusa (2,140 m). From there, the itinerary traverses the longest part of the glacier that extends to the north of the peak. The summit is defended by a short rocky passage called the Bridge of Mohammed. It is a narrow ridge of large, stable blocks, with an exposed void on each side. At the summit is an impressive cross and a contrasting view, with the snow-covered Maladeta massif north and the Alto Aragon region to the south.

First ascent

On 18 July 1842, Platon de Tchihatcheff (Чихачёв, Chikhachev), a former Russian officer staying in Luchon, left from Bagnères-de-Luchon accompanied by guides Pierre Sanio de Luz, Luchonnais Bernard Arrazau and Pierre Redonnet. Also in the party were Albert de Franqueville, a Norman botanist, and his guide, Jean Sors. They took the trail from the Hospice de France, crossed the Benasque Pass, then spent the night at the shelter of La Renclusa, a simple construction of dry rocks that is now a large mountain refuge.

The next day, they crossed a pass towards Alba pass and lost their way on the south slope around lake Gregueña. Late in the day, at the end of their strength, they took refuge for the night in a cabin near the Vallibierna valley.

As the sun rose the next morning, the group left for the Coroné pass. Despite a fear of crevasses, they decided to approach the summit by the glacier. After climbing a ridge only a few metres wide (named the "Bridge of Mahoma" by Albert de Franqueville), they reached the summit on 20 July 1842, where they constructed a cairn and left a bottle containing each climber's name.

First winter ascent

The first winter ascent of the mountain was achieved on 1 March 1878 by Roger de Monts, B. Courrèges, and B. and V. Paget.

Air traffic boundary

An aviation intersection called ANETO exists very close to the mountain itself, exactly on the border of France and Spain. For pilots crossing the Pyrenees this intersection marks the boundary between the Bordeaux and Barcelona airspaces.

References

Panoramic view of the Maladeta massif. The Aneto summit is in the left side of the image.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Aneto

• (Spanish) Info on Climbing Aneto
• Information on the glaciers of the Aneto-Maladeta area