Stage 13: Sallent de Gallego - Respomuso Refuge

GR11 / Stage 13: Sallent de Gallego - Respomuso Hut

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Profile of the GR11 Sallent de Gallego - Respomuso Hut stage

↔️ Distance: 11.2 km
📈 Unevenness (+902),(-36) 📉
🕒 Time: 3h15min (walking time non-stop)
⚠️ Difficulty: It does not present any significant difficulties except for the slope.
Suggestions: This stage can be extended to the Bachimaña lakes refuge or to the Panticosa Spa. See next stage.

📌 (0h0min; 0 kms) Sallent de Gallego (1288m). Leave the village along a track that initially runs parallel to the river. After a few minutes, take a crossroads on the left, the track becomes a path and after a stretch of ascent it joins the road that goes up to the Sarra reservoir. Continue along it until you reach the dam. Just before it, there is a path on the left that soon becomes a path that skirts the reservoir in about 15 minutes.

📌 (0h55min; 3,6 kms) Tail of the Sarra reservoir (1420m). Entrance to the Ordesa-Viñamala biosphere reserve. On the other bank there is a small car park and a bar-restaurant. We leave behind us, without crossing, the Faxas Bridge and shortly afterwards a recreational esplanade (Plana Tornadizas). The path enters the forest and goes up the Aguas Limpias valley on the right bank. It crosses several ravines, Bozitero, del Ministirio, de Balsaroleta and del Garmo Negro before reaching Paso del Onso, a narrow area with large cliffs. We then pass Llano Cheto, where the waters of the Arriel ravine join in.

📌 (2h00min; 7,6 kms) Crossing to the ibones de Arriel (1735m). We continue up the valley parallel to the river, the path becomes harder, the valley opens up and we finally see the dam of the Respomuso reservoir. The path passes by the Virgen de las Nievas hermitage (next to the dam) and continues along the right bank of the reservoir.

📌 (3h15min; 11,2 kms) Refugio de Respomuso (2200m).

  • Near Sallent de Gallego under the Peña Foratata.
  • Hazel tunnel
  • La Sarra reservoir
  • Waterfall in the Aguas Limpias valley
  • Onso Pass
  • On the ascent to Respomuso. In the background the Pic de Soques
  • Going up to Respomuso.
  • Respomuso Dam.  Behind it the Pico de Campo Plano (2721), the Llena Cantal (2941) and the Pico de Piedrafita (2952).
  • Arriving at the Respomuso refuge.

In the previous stage, in Formigal (40 minutes from Sallent de Gállego) there is a variety of hotels and flats. Very close to the GR11 we recommend the SNO Formigal (+34 974 490 030; reservas@snohotelformigal.com). Very comfortable and with restaurant.

At Sallent de Gállego there is a variety of accommodation. We recommend the Centro Guesthouse (+34 974 488 019; vicenterouco@hotmail.com)which also has a restaurant; and the Hotel Maximina (+34 619 965 458 / +34 678 316 670; contacto@hotelmaximina.es)The former home of the Aragonese giant Fermin Arrudi (2.29m), which has a bar-cafeteria for breakfast and dinner.

At the end of the stage, shelter saved from Respomuso (+34 974337556; refugiorespomuso@hotmail.com).

To reach Sallent de Gallego check bus timetables at Alosa-avanzabus.

Quick guide
GR 11

with everything you need to know before undertaking the Pyrenean Path