Aneto and Benasque Valley

Aneto reaches 3,404 metres at the head of the Benasque valley, the highest point in the Pyrenees, and it carries the range's largest glacier on its northern flank, though the Aneto glacier has lost most of its extent since the nineteenth century and is projected to disappear within decades. The normal route to the summit crosses the glacier and finishes at the Paso de Mahoma, a short exposed rock ridge with severe drops on both sides that is the crux and where most accidents occur; a guide is standard for anyone without alpine experience. The valley below holds Benasque, a stone town, the Renclusa refuge, the Posets-Maladeta natural park with several other three-thousand-metre peaks, and the Cerler ski area.

The landscape

• Aneto - the Pyrenees' highest summit at 3,404 metres.
• The retreating glacier - the range's largest ice, shrinking rapidly.
• The Paso de Mahoma - an exposed ridge crossing near the summit.
• The Benasque valley - stone villages and three-thousand-metre peaks.

When to go

July to September for the ascent, when the glacier is at its most stable and the refuges staffed; December to April for skiing at Cerler. Conditions on the glacier vary and crevasse risk has increased as it thins.

Practical notes

Aneto is a glacier climb requiring crampons, ice axe, rope and the skills to use them, and the Paso de Mahoma is exposed and serious. Guides are strongly advised. The Renclusa refuge books out in summer. Weather changes fast at this altitude.

Nearby

Posets-Maladeta park surrounds the valley; the French border and Luchon lie north.