Puigmal
2,910 m
Spain, France
Also known as Пуигмал, Puigmal d'Err, +1Also known as
Пуигмал · Puigmal d'Err · Пучмаль
- Elevation
- 2,910 m
- Prominence
- 1,331 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 2
RegulationReported 19 Mar 2026 · until 1 Nov 2026
2026 Fontalba vehicle access regulation: booking required (EUR 5 per vehicle per day) on Easter and May holidays, weekends from 6 June, daily from 25 July to 6 September, September holidays and weekends, and weekends in October until 1 November.
parcsnaturals.gencat.cat
Routes
2Sources differ: F (Rutes Pirineus (overall difficulty rating))
The shortest and most popular way up: from the road-end car park at the Collada de Fontalba (2,070 m) above Queralbs, a broad grassy ridge climbs over the Cim de la Dou and Cim del Borrut to the summit. About 840 m of ascent and 2 hours up. Car access to Fontalba is booked and paid on regulated days.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 4.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +850 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,910 m
- Time Up
- 3h 23m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 16m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Drive from Queralbs up the 12 km Fontalba track to the car park at the Collada de Fontalba (2,070 m). On regulated days (spring holidays, summer and autumn weekends, and daily from late July to early September) the number of vehicles is capped and a place must be booked in advance online. From the car park climb west up the broad, grassy ridge on an obvious path to the Cim de la Dou (2,456 m) in about 45 minutes, drop slightly to the Coll de Fontalba (about 2,450 m) and continue up the ridge to the Cim del Borrut (2,670 m). The ridge then turns north; zigzags over about 150 m of steeper, stony ground lead past a false summit to the top of Puigmal, about 1¾–2½ hours from the car. There are small stone wind shelters near the summit. Waymarking is limited to cairns; the line is obvious in clear weather but the ridge is broad and featureless in fog. Descend the same way in about 1½–2 hours, or make a loop: down the Coma de l'Embut to the Santuari de Núria (about 1¼ hours) and back to Fontalba on the Núria–Fontalba path via La Fita (about 1¼ hours), for 15 km and 1,000 m of ascent in all. In winter the route is a classic snowshoe and ski-touring ascent, with avalanche risk on the steeper slopes and hard, icy snow.
Start
Collada de Fontalba2,068 m
- None to Fontalba. Rodalies R3 trains run to Ribes de Freser, from where taxis can be arranged through the Vall de Ribes tourist office; the Núria route is the public-transport option.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collada de Fontalba → Puigmal | 4.3 | 850 | 9 | 3h 23m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Collada de Fontalba2,068 m
- Shoulder: Cim de la Dou2,454 m
- Shoulder: Cim del Borrut2,665 m
- Summit: Puigmal2,910 m
Key Passages
- Broad ridge over the Cim de la Dou
- Steeper stony zigzags and false summit above the Cim del Borrut
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 85%Overview
A broad, rounded 2,910 m summit on the Spain–France border, the highest point of the eastern Catalan Pyrenees around Núria. Grassy ridges lead to the top from Fontalba and from the Núria rack railway, making it one of the most climbed high peaks in Catalonia.
Puigmal (Puigmal d'Err on the French side) stands on the frontier ridge between the Núria valley in the Ripollès and the Cerdagne. It is a massive, smooth-sided mountain rather than a sharp peak: long grassy and stony ridges, wide combes and very little rock, so in good weather it is a straightforward walk. Its height and position give a wide view over the Cerdanya plain, the Canigó, the Carlit and, on clear days, towards the Mediterranean.
The Spanish side lies in the Parc Natural de les Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser. Two approaches dominate: the short ridge walk from the road-end car park at the Collada de Fontalba (about 840 m of ascent), and the longer climb from the Santuari de Núria, reached by rack railway, through the Coma de l'Embut. Combining them in a loop is popular. From France, a path climbs from the car park of the former Err-Puigmal ski station.
The mountain's popularity has led to car access to Fontalba being capped and paid on busy days. Its exposure is the main hazard: the summit plateau catches strong winds, fog and summer thunderstorms, and the broad ridges are hard to navigate in poor visibility. In winter it is a classic snowshoe and ski-touring summit, with avalanche risk in the combes.
Climbing Notes
In summer this is a fit walker's day, with no technical difficulty: 2 hours up from Fontalba, or about 3 hours from Núria, on good paths with a steeper stony section near the top. Start early in July and August to avoid afternoon storms, and carry a windproof jacket even on warm days. Waymarking is sparse outside the Núria area; carry a map or GPS track for fog.
If driving to Fontalba on a regulated day, book a vehicle place online in advance (queralbsnatura.com); without a booking, use the Núria rack railway instead. Overnighting is possible at Núria (hotel and the Pic de l'Àliga youth hostel). In winter and spring, treat it as a mountaineering objective: hard snow and ice on the upper slopes call for crampons and an ice axe, and an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe are needed.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Possible
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Snowshoe and ski-touring ascent; avalanche kit; Fontalba track usually snowbound
- Feb
- Winter conditions; wind-hardened or icy snow
- Mar
- Ski touring; avalanche risk in the combes
- Apr
- Spring snow; Fontalba access regulated over Easter
- May
- Late snow on the upper slopes
- Jun
- Mostly snow-free; regulated weekend access to Fontalba
- Jul
- Main season; afternoon thunderstorms; daily Fontalba regulation from late July
- Aug
- Busy; book Fontalba access or use the rack railway
- Sep
- Often stable weather
- Oct
- Cooler, first snow possible; weekend Fontalba regulation
- Nov
- Early snow; short days
- Dec
- Winter ascent with snowshoes or skis
Access & Permits
- Permits
- Fontalba vehicle access bookingRequired
On regulated days the Fontalba forest track from Queralbs is limited to booked vehicles (EUR 5 per vehicle per day, online booking only, booking tied to the named vehicle and day). No overnight parking at Fontalba. Not needed for walkers or on unregulated days.
queralbsnatura.com
- Fees
- Fontalba vehicle access EUR 5 per vehicle per day on regulated days
- Cremallera de Núria rack railway fare
- Rules
- Parc Natural de les Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser: park rules apply on the Spanish side
- Overnight stays with vehicles at Fontalba are banned by municipal ordinance
- Camping at Núria only in the controlled area
- Getting There
Ribes de Freser and Queralbs (Spain); Err and Puigcerdà (Cerdagne)
Girona–Costa Brava (GRO); Barcelona–El Prat (BCN)
- Car: N-152 to Ribes de Freser, GIV-5217 to Queralbs, then the 12 km Fontalba track (about 11 km unpaved) to the Collada de Fontalba; booking required on regulated days
- Train: Rodalies R3 (Barcelona–Ripoll–Puigcerdà) to Ribes de Freser, then the Cremallera de Núria rack railway via Queralbs to Núria
- France: road to the car park of the former Err-Puigmal ski station above Err
Hazards
- Weather
- Avalanche