Estana-Canal del Cristall

Overview

It's the shorter and nicer route to climb Costa Cabirolera but it's a little bit harder than south routes and for this reason it's almost the normal route, but it's not the easiest.

Getting There

See the main page to approach to Estana.

Route Description

We begin in the village of Estana walking the forest track to Coll dels Pallers. In the col we follow in front the signal to Prat del Cadí. The path is nice across a forest to reach the Collet Roig with some views of the range. Following the path we reach Prat del Cadí, a beautiful place with a green field and the range in front of us with a lot of nice peaks and aiguilles. We turn to right following the marks of paint yellow and white walking in the forest across stony ground to reach the bottom of couluoir, the Canal del Cristall. We climb a little in right side (very easy in dry conditions) to enter in the narrow pass walking among the stones. In the center of the couluoir we turn to left to reach the upper part turning to left to a big hillside with millions of small stones and scree. It’s a big area and you can decide the best place but it’s always bad. In this area is necessary the use of crampons if remain some of snow (spring). We walk with a lot of patient to reach the final of coulouir with two possibilities, left or right. Both exits are possibles but the path goes in righ side, climbing some big stones (easy) to reach the col of Canal del Cristall ( 2.510 m ) with a metallic signal. We turn now to left following the GR 150 (red and white) passing under Puig del Quer, Puig de la Canal del Cristall and Salt de Sastre (it’s possible also to walk near of the ridge across these peaks) reaching a small col under our peak. Turning to left we walk now easily to the summit with vertex, cross and mailbox. The landscape is nice.

For the descent we use the same route with a lot of attention in the first section of couluoir below the col using the hands and being careful with free stones (try don’t put any stone because if it falls to other people it’s a little bit dangerous).

Essential Gear

At the end of winter or spring you need crampons and ice-axe in the couluoir of Canal del Cristall (45º).

External Links

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Images

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