San Victorián - South face

Approach

ROAD ACCESS: From Zaragoza to Huesca, excellent highway. After that turn right and follow road signs to Barbastro (road N-240). After this town, follow road number N-123 (direction Graus) and turn left on road n. C-138 to El Grado and Aínsa. When you reach Aínsa turn right (road N-260) for some kilometers, until you get to the crossing marked (to your left) Arro/San Victorián. Keep going on this narrow road following the signs to Oncins and San Victorián. The southern route begins some five hundred meters before the abandoned monastery and is marked by a wooden panel showing a graphic of the climb. There is a nearby chapel with a water fountain by its side.

BUS ACCESS: Hudebus is a company serving the line from Sabiñánigo to Aínsa and back (including stops at Torla and Broto, the villages placed closest to the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido). Phone number 974213277 (in Huesca)

RAILWAY ACCESS: The nearest rail stations are the ones at Sabiñánigo and Barbastro. This means that a minimum of forty kilometers will stand between you and Aínsa from any of them. Additional transport will therefore be required (see "Bus access").

NEAREST MAJOR AIRPORTS: Zaragoza / Barcelona (323 km)

Route Description

The whole climb follows an excellent path, well marked by cairns in the moment (May 2004) of our climb.
Start walking from the road to San Victorián. The path begins by the very side of the wooden panel described before. For the first thirty minutes or so it will be a matter of uphill walking northwards, through bushes and some pine trees. Arrival on a small grassy meadow will mark the beginning of the real climb (see the views from this point). Turn right (north) there, following the path through the forest. In no longer than five to ten minutes you will find yourself walking up a steeper slope. The same excellent path you have been following up to this point shall lead you across the rocky cliffs of the mountain, and will finally (about ninety minutes after leaving the car) take you up to the plain of Los Plans. Heading west from this point on, it will be about another sixty minutes before you get to the summit. The path shall lead you across the ravine of Canal Mayor. After crossing it, you will have two options. Most guidebooks speak about climbing north to reach the col where the Canal Ancha ends (see route) and afterwards climb to the summit by the ridge. This might prove a little bit tricky for unexperienced climbers. Therefore, it seems more reasonable to keep walking west and walk to the summit by the long (and steep) slope coming south.

Views from the summit:
Northwest - Monte Perdido, Cilindro de Marboré, Soum de Ramond (Pico de Añisclo), La Munia
North - Bachimala
Northeast - Cotiella

Essential Gear

No need for any special gear in dry sunny weather. Winter conditions might make it a little bit tricky, though. In such a case, consider seriously bringing crampons, ice axe and rope. Not that the route crosses any dangerous spots, but some of them could be quite impressive.

Images

View San Victorián - South face Image Gallery - 4 Images