Full ridge

Approach

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Route Description

Time: 6h to the last summit (+2h30 to descent)
Slope: 1600m.

Note: this is an itinerary of high mountain, only for mountaineers, not for hikers. The view for the ridge is spectacullar with some step-crossing with great fall. The mountaineers generally enjoy of the great rocky landscape surrounding with some of the nice peaks of the zone (Midi d'Ossau, Lurien, Balaitous, Vignemale, Perdido-Taillon,...).

Following the normal route to the Mallata Alta de Argualas, under the mass of Garmo Negro we turn to right side in direction to Col of Pondiellos (see as well the route of P.Infierno to this col).

Aguja de Pondiellos (3.011m)

In the col of Pondiellos we search in left side the first of the summits, the secondary (but impressive) Aguja de Pondiellos. We climb the ramp of stones bordering the ridge in south side going to a little coulouir with free-stones of I+ (40º with snow). We follow near of the ridge still to left side until a gap to reach the edge of the ridge (grade I) and finally to the summit of Aguja de Pondiellos (3.011m).

Garmo Negro (3.051m)

We descent a path to the little col in the ridge with the great Garmo Negro. We search a little wall in left side of the ridge of white colour (grade II) with good rock. We find a spun of grade II- to access to upper side and finally a ramp (walk-up) until the summit of Garmo Negro (3.051m), the high point of the full ridge.

Algas Norte (3.032m) & Algas (3.036m)

From the summit we must descent in the border of the ridge (right side, just 2-3 meters under the edge in south side) and not for the path of stones (left side) what the people use to descent directly to Col of Argualas. For the ridge we reach the Col of Algas (2930m).
The visible path goes to the two peaks of Algas with bad terrain (scree, hard slope) to reach the bottom of the first peak, across a little rock climb in the spun of the ridge (easy, grade I) we arrive to the summit of the secondary Algas North (3.032m). The view of the rest of the ridge is spectacullar and it's a good point to observe the confuse access to the main summit of Algas.

The best option is a little descent to cross the hillside 20-30 meters under the edge of the ridge (some cairns, no path). The bottom of Algas is a little confuse, we must search the access among spuns of rock in right side to reach the gap with a little cote without name (3.012m) and we turn to left side (I+) to exit finally to the little plain of summit (2 meters wide). Great cairn in the main summit of Algas (3.036m) with spectacullar fall to west side.

Argualas (3.046m)

It's curious but from the summit of Algas the itinerary of the ridge is the hardest (grade II+) without summits with name (3.007m, 3.018m and 3.046m), and for this reason the people descent to get the visible path in the middle of the hillside of stones in direction to the last peak, the spectacullar Argualas.

In the bottom of the peak we follow the cairns to the first little coulouir (grade I, very easy, good rock) under the ridge. We get the ridge and we find a great gendarme just in the middle. You can climb it with grade II- but it's a better option turn to right side and border the great rock with a step of I+ (exposed but easy). We find a path to right side with cairns and finally we turn to left side for a little rock-climb (grade I) to reach the summit of Argualas (3046m).

We descent the same itinerary to the bottom of Argualas and for a path we go in east direction to the descent of the normal route of Garmo Negro until Balneario de Panticosa.

Essential Gear

Rope? according with the experience of mountaineers, the ridge is impressive but easy (no more of grade II and one pass II+ evitable). I think it's not necessary except for begginers.
Water on summer (very hot zone).

Images

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