Culfreda (Pic de Batoua)
3,034 m
Spain, France
Also known as Punta Culfreda Sur, Pic de Batoua, +1Also known as
Punta Culfreda Sur · Pic de Batoua · Culfreda / Batoua
- Elevation
- 3,034 m
- Prominence
- 604 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The usual Spanish ascent: a long, well-marked path from the Tabernés free refuge (1,740 m) in the Chistau valley up through pine forest and pasture to the frontier col at about 2,550 m, then a cairned schist ridge over Punta Cabalera (2,901 m) to the main summit. About 4 hours up, 1,500 m of ascent.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 8.9 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,374 m
- −71 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,034 m
- Time Up
- 5h 50m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 4h 06m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the Refugio de Tabernés (1,740 m), at the end of the forest track from San Juan de Plan, follow signs for the Puerto de la Madera: drop to a bridge over the Zinqueta (Cinqueta) de la Pez, follow green-and-white marks and then the PR-HU 114 up the right bank of the river past the Culrueba hut to the Vado de Bachimala / Llano del Pluviómetro (about 1,790 m, 30 minutes). Here the path to the Puerto de la Pez and Gran Bachimala goes straight on; turn left (signed) for the Puerto de la Madera. The path climbs steeply through big pine and fir forest, then makes long, easy zigzags across open pasture on an old packhorse trail, built up on dry-stone walls, to the frontier col (about 2,550 m, 2–2½ hours from the refuge). Maps are inconsistent here: the col the path reaches is mapped as the Port de Cauarère or Collado de Cabalera, with the 'Puerto de la Madera' proper slightly further south. The French Rioumajou valley lies below. From the col the ridge runs north. Turn the first part on the French side, then climb loose slate and schist, using hands at times, to Punta Cabalera (Pic de Cauarère, 2,901 m). Drop easily to the broad col beyond (about 2,860 m) and follow the cairned crest to the summit, bypassing a foresummit on a horizontal ledge on the Spanish side and the steepest step on the French side; the moves are easy (I+). Most parties continue over the Central (3,028–3,031 m) and NE (3,032–3,033 m) tops in about 30 minutes, then return the same way, re-climbing Punta Cabalera. Allow about 7½ hours for the round trip of 19 km.
Start
Refugio de Tabernés1,730 m
- No regular public transport up the valley. Autocares Bergua in Ainsa (coaches, taxis and 4x4s) lists Viadós and Tabernés among its Pyrenean destinations; contact them for transfers.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Refugio de Tabernés → Culfreda / Batoua | 8.9 | 1,374 | 71 | 5h 50m |
Waypoints
- Hut: Refugio de Tabernés1,730 m
Free unstaffed refuge at the end of the Tabernés branch track; parking on the flat area before it (summer traffic restrictions apply)
- Feature: Vado de Bachimala1,811 m
Signed junction: turn left for the Puerto de la Madera
- Col: Port de Cauarère2,548 m
Frontier col reached by the path; usually called Puerto de la Madera in route descriptions (OSM maps the Puerto de la Madera 300 m further south at 2,526 m)
- Shoulder: Punta Cabalera2,891 m
Also Pic de Cauarère
- Summit: Culfreda / Batoua3,034 m
Key Passages
- Steep forest climb above the Vado de Bachimala
- Loose slate slope below Punta Cabalera
- Ledge bypassing the foresummit on the Spanish side
- Short steeper step turned on the French side (I+)
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
A three-topped 3,000 m schist ridge on the Franco-Spanish frontier between the Chistau (Gistaín) valley and the Rioumajou, known as Culfreda in Spain and Pic de Batoua in France. The normal route is a long but technically easy day with cairned scrambling on the final ridge.
Culfreda (Batoua on the French side) is the westernmost group of three-thousanders in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, a short crest of three tops a few metres apart in height: the main south-west summit (3,034 m), the central top (about 3,028–3,031 m) and the north-east top (about 3,032 m). It stands on the frontier ridge between the remote upper Zinqueta de la Pez valley in Aragon and the French Rioumajou valley, just west of the larger Bachimala massif.
The ascent is long rather than difficult: about 1,500 m of ascent and 19 km for the round trip from the Tabernés refuge, mostly on good paths through forest and high pasture. Above the frontier col the character changes to dark, loose slate and schist, on a cairned ridge that keeps mostly to easy ledges on either side of the crest; hands are needed for a few moves. Sources describe the terrain as 'lunar', and the views take in Posets, Bachimala and the French Pyrenees.
It is a quiet peak compared with the nearby Posets and Aneto, and one of the more accessible 3,000 m summits for experienced hill walkers. The French approach from the Hospice du Rioumajou is similar in length and difficulty.
Climbing Notes
You need the fitness for a 7–8 hour day with about 1,500 m of ascent, and to be comfortable on loose, broken ridges where a slip would matter. No climbing equipment is needed in summer without snow; a helmet is useful. The route is usually done in a day from Tabernés, either driving up the forest track early or sleeping in the free refuge (or at the staffed Viadós refuge, on the other branch of the track).
The track from San Juan de Plan is about 10 km of unsurfaced road; in July, August and the first half of September the last section is usually closed to traffic and you walk from the designated car park. Water is available at springs below the col but not on the ridge. Start early in summer, as afternoon thunderstorms are common on the frontier ridge. Snow lingers on the ridge into early summer; in winter the peak is a ski-mountaineering objective, mostly from the French side.
History
Camptocamp records the first ascent in 1848 by the army topographer Captain Loupot, during geodetic survey work, and a second dated ascent on 18 August 1874 by Firmin Barrau and Henry Russell, who wrote about the evening silence on the summit.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; ski mountaineering only, for experienced parties
- Feb
- Winter; avalanche risk
- Mar
- Ski touring possible from the French side for experienced parties
- Apr
- Spring snow; access track may be snowbound
- May
- Snow on the upper ridge
- Jun
- Snow patches likely on the ridge; Viadós refuge open daily from 1 June
- Jul
- Main season; summer traffic restrictions on the access track; thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season; summer traffic restrictions on the access track
- Sep
- Often settled; track restrictions usually end mid-September
- Oct
- Early snow possible; short days
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- The Refugio de Tabernés is a free, unstaffed refuge (no booking). The staffed Refugio de Viadós (60 places, open daily 1 June – 30 September) takes bookings online only, via alberguesyrefugios.com.
- Fees
- Staffed Viadós refuge: EUR 18 per night (EUR 16.50 for federation members), dinner EUR 17, breakfast EUR 8 (current refuge tariff)
- Rules
- Posets-Maladeta Natural Park: in July, August and the first half of September traffic on the forest track to Viadós and Tabernés is usually restricted, and you must walk the last kilometre or so from the designated car park
- Frontier ridge between Spain and France; no border formalities on the mountain
- Getting There
San Juan de Plan and Plan (Chistau valley); Ainsa for services
Zaragoza (ZAZ) or Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS)
- Car: A-138 to Salinas de Bielsa, A-2609 to Plan and San Juan de Plan, then about 10 km of forest track (signed Parque Natural Posets-Maladeta) past Virgen Blanca and El Forcallo; keep straight on at the Viadós turn for Tabernés
- No regular bus up the valley; transfers from Ainsa by Autocares Bergua on request
- French side: road up the Rioumajou valley from Saint-Lary-Soulan to the Hospice du Rioumajou (1,560 m)
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
- Remoteness
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,740 m
Refugio de TabernésRefugeUnstaffed