Overview
The Pico Gías (3.011m) isn't the highest summit of Clarabide group but it's the most spectacular and interesting due to its rocky aspect. The face most famous is the great rocky ridge over the Ibon de Gías seeing from the routes to climb to Puerto de Gías (2.921m), between Clarabide and Gourgs Blancs, or to Puerto de Ôo (2.909m), between Gourgs Blancs and Seil dera Baquo. This ridge isn’t really the summit, it’s the South fore-summit called Fitas de Gías (2.867m) with the real summit just behind. Thought the peak is separated for Brecha de Gías (2.953m) of the higher Clarabide (3.020m) appears as main summit in the list of UIAA of peaks of 3000m of Pyrenees. All the routes to climb Clarabide permit to climb the summit but isn’t for hikers because the access to summit require a short rock-climb (F) very easy to mountaineers but very exposed to people without experience.
The most frequented route is from
Refuge de Estós but it's possible to climb from France crossing Puerto de Gías using
Refuge de la Soula.
As curiosity the summit is completely in Spain but the border with France is in the nearby Clarabide.
Getting There
Refugio de Estós
Driving your own car: Wherever you start driving, the entrance to the valley of Benasque is the spanish city of Barbastro, easily reachable from Huesca or Lleida and placed about 40 km east of the former. Once you get to Barbastro, take road N123A and follow it up to the signposts marking the deviation towards Graus. Once you get to this small city, just follow road A139 northwards for an additional 59km and you will get to Benasque.
When you reach Benasque you will still have some kilometres to go (say four to six…) on the road northwards. Just after crossing the bridge of San Chaime (Puente de San Chaime), there’s a dirt road leading to your left (westwards) marked by the red-and-white signs of the GR11 trail. An additional two kilometres on that dirt road will place you in the parking area (near some barracks, about 1300 meters above sea level). Leave the car there and start hiking up the valley towards the Refugio de Estós.
Refuge de la Soula
Access to Pont de Prat:
Pont de Prat is easily reachable from the village of Loudenvielle. Loudenvielle is situated at west of Col de Peyresourde. The road of La Nested du Louron goes to the area of Pont de Prat (1255m). The access to
Refuge de la Soula(1h30m) is across Gorges de Clarabides in 1h30m.
Red Tape
The mountain and its southern access are included in the spanish natural park of Posets-Maladeta.
Camping
Free camping is not allowed.
Refuges guarded:
-Spanish side:
Refugio de Estós.
-French side:
Refuge de la Soula
External Links
mendiak.net text in Spanish but interesting images of the routes.
wikiloc.com: track to gps.