Ganboa

Overview

Ganbo or Ganboa is the second highest mountain of the sierra de Aralar perfectly situated at heart of the range with the most complete panorama of all the massif. Due to it, it's a mountain that although is worthwhile to be climbed by itself and it's a great complement of the ascents of the two most popular mountains of Aralar, the highest one Irumugarrieta in its route from Guardetxe and the precious one Txindoki since its route of Larraitz since the col of Egurral. The peak has other routes from Azkarate or Lizarrusti.

A curious detail... Irumugarrieta is a mountain that share the provinces of Gipuzkoa and Navarra, but Ganboa it's the highest mountain considered entirely in the Aralar of Gipuzkoa for which has an additional interest for the inhabitants of this province. The third highest peak of Aralar is Aldaon (1411m) also located in Gipuzkoa, near of Irumugarrieta, but really it's difficult to know what is highest (only 1 meter is really very difficult to consider). The IGN of Navarra give the height of 1417m to Ganboa and 1412.7m to Aldaon, the IGN of Gipuzkoa give 1391m to Aldaon and don't show the height of Ganboa!!!!. Other maps give 1402m to Ganboa and 1390m or 1410m to Aldaon. I have tried to measure in the summit of both peaks with my GPS and it had a different of 1 meter but it's normal the mistake of 2 or 3 meters with the GPS. Actually the most frequent height in the maps is 1412m to Ganboa and 1411m to Aldaon.

Getting There

The sierra de Aralar it’s in a very well communicated zone near of the highway Pamplona-San Sebastian and Vitoria-Pamplona. It had only one road into the range, the road from the village of Lekumberri to the Santuario de San Miguel in Excelsis and a track from Huarte-Arakil to the Santuario.

For approach to Aralar take direction to Pamplona, the most important city neary to Aralar. From Pamplona take the highway A-15 to Alsasua, take direction Donosti/San Sebastian to the village of Lekumberri (inverse if you come from Donosti or Vitoria to Lekumberri before Pamplona). Approach to the trailheads:

-Amezketa, Larraitz: villages. highway Pamplona-Donosti to the exit of Arbizu (NA-120) and we go across the Puerto de Lizarrusti (617m, a good place for anothers hikes in Aralar like Putxerri or Alleko) we entry in the province of Guipuzkoa. We follow the road GI-120 across the villages of San Gregorio and Ataun to Ordizia. In Ordizia we follow the GI-2133 in direction to Zaldibia/Amezketa..

-Guardetxe/Casa Forestal de Aralar: at 13 km of the road from Lekumberri to Sanctuary of San Miguel.

Red Tape

Aralar is a natural park with rules about the wildlife. Generally the routes are easy to follow in sunny days but with fog the forest and karsts of Aralar they become in a labytinth with very difficult orientation. As well in winter the people don't believe what this peak of 1412m has complications but the snow is hard because the days can be very cold in the area.

Camping

Camping is not allowed in Aralar. Many lodges and hotels in the villages of Amezketa, Tolosa, Pamplona...

Camping:
-Camping Aralar in the village of Lekumberri. Tel: 948-504011
-Camping Etxarri in Etxarri-Aranaz. Tel: 948-460537

External Links

Mendikat.net very interesting web with catalog of mountains of Spain (text in spanish)

Images

View Ganboa Image Gallery - 19 Images