OverviewThe Frondiella is one of the most important peaks of the massif of Balaitous but due to his minor height and minor difficulty does not have the well-deserved reputation of his great brother from whom it separates less than 1 kilometre. Inevitably from many parts of the Spanish Pyrenees both united peaks will appear. Only from the north face in France the Balaitous there prevents the vision of this peak. Certainly the best view of the great peak of Balaitous and many mountains that surround it it's obtained from the summit of Frondiella.
A great difference between both peaks is the aspect of the top, the colossus Balaitous is very wide but the Frondiella is indeed a set of 4 summits joined by elegant ridge, by what often there is used the word Frondiellas (plural) to refer to this mountain.
The connection between both tops is a ridge scarped with a great crack in his central part, the Brecha Latour, which supposes the most common, but not easiest, route of entry to climb the Balaitous.
The list of the summits of Frondiellas is from NE to SW:
-Frondiella North (3062m, very secondary summit in the ridge with the Ag.Cadier and Brecha Latour)
-Frondiella (3071m, or Eastern Frondiella, the real summit, main summit with mailbox, location NE)
-Frondiella Central (3055m, secondary summit in the ridge between the 2 main summits and step forced for the great majority of routes of this mountain)
-Frondiella Western (or south, 3001m, main summit of southwestern side).
The ridges between the summits:
-North to main: I+, narrow.
-Main to Central: I+, very wide.
-Central to Western: III, breaks, descent (even rappel advisable), narrow.
RoutesTwo important routes to climb this mountain, both in the spanish side from the dam of La Sarra (slope of 1631 meters):
-Normal route (easiest): lakes of Arriel (F+, 5h30min).
-Respumoso-Spun Ledormeur (PD, some shorts steps of II or II-, 5h 30min, or 3h and 900 meters of slope from the refuge of Respumoso).
The complete route of the ridge of Frondiellas includes the ridge to the western peak (III, AD) after the climb of the Central and the main summit. It generally needs a rope (rappel advisable). If you want climb this peak it's better a little descent to the route of Lake of Arriel and take the bottom of the ridge and it go from there to this summit.
The mountaineers generally climb this mountain across the spun Ledormeur (or even the most expert across the ridge Le Bondidier) because it's most direct and the route of Lakes of Arriel it's a little more heavy with a lot of stones (this is the route of descent for both routes). For the people without experience in chimney-climb of grade II you must follow the normal route.
Getting ThereTo approach to La Sarra and refuge of Respumoso you can consult the pages of Balaitous and route of Respumoso of Picos del Infierno
Red TapeNo permits required.
When To Climb
June to september. Early in the season (may-june) the routes had still a lot of snow.
CampingCamping and vivac are permit in the distance of the refuges. A nice and marvel place for the tents are the Lakes of Arriel if you climb for this route. In the route of Comba Vallot the normal sleep is in the great refuge of Respumoso (Tel: 974-490203, 105 persons).
In the french side is the refuge of Larribet (Tel:05-62972539, 60 persons) but the route is long for this mountain across the Port of Lavedan (near the peak Palas) or the Col Noir of Balaitous.
Mountain ConditionsI.N.M. Spain (consult Sallent de Gallego in the "localidades" of Huesca)
External Links- El Tiempo de Barrabés
Weather forecast for the area of Frondiellas, do "click" on Pirineo Central on the right column
Images
|
Pirineos: Tena
