Guided ascent of Aneto, in two days via La Renclusa

What it is

Aneto, at 3,404 metres, is the highest summit in the Pyrenees and the roof of the Maladeta massif, in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, at the head of the Benasque valley. It is not a walker's peak: the normal route crosses the Aneto glacier with crampons and ice axe and ends at the Paso de Mahoma, a ridge of blocks with a drop on both sides that leads to the summit cross. With a high-mountain guide and a night at the La Renclusa refuge, it can be done in two days.

The Rutes Pirineus plan, day by day

Day 1: Benasque – La Besurta – La Renclusa. You meet at 13:45 at the entrance to Benasque, opposite the Barrabés shop, with the guide, who checks the equipment. By car to the Hospital de Benasque, about 11 km, and from there to La Besurta: in summer, road access is regulated and you go up on the public bus, about 30 minutes; the rest of the year you go by car. From La Besurta to the refuge is 1.5 km and 250 m of ascent, an hour's walk. In the afternoon, if you still have the energy, a short walk to the La Renclusa tarn, also called Paderna. Dinner and night in the refuge.

Day 2: La Renclusa – Aneto – La Besurta. Breakfast at 5:00, which is the refuge's timetable, and departure towards the Portillones and the glacier. The glacier and the Paso de Mahoma are done roped with the guide. The descent goes by the Salterillo tarn, without passing the refuge again. It is 13 km, 1,265 m of ascent and 1,500 of descent, about eight hours of actual walking and twelve of activity: you finish between 17:00 and 18:00 at La Besurta or at the Hospital de Benasque.

Who it is for

The company rates the physical demand and technical difficulty as high. It asks for very good fitness, the habit of long days with more than a thousand metres of ascent and ease in high-mountain terrain: scree, blocks and snow. It is not essential to have used an ice axe and crampons before, but they recommend it. If you have never been above 2,500 metres or walked ten hours in a row, start with another summit.

What it costs and what you carry

On the scheduled dates, €287 per person with the guide, dinner and breakfast at La Renclusa; the group is six at most. Hire of harness, helmet, ice axe and crampons is €27 more, and the second day's packed lunch is bought at the refuge for €16.20. Bring mountain boots with mid-to-high ankle, a waterproof jacket, warm clothing, gloves, hat, sunglasses and sun cream, head torch, thermal blanket, a 30 to 35 litre rucksack with ice-axe loops, poles and a sleeping-bag liner, which the refuge requires. As the descent does not pass La Renclusa, you cannot leave anything there.

When to go

Rutes Pirineus schedules it from 15 May to 15 October. At the start and end of that window there may be new snow and ice: on 11 November 2026, the Aragonese federation listed the route from La Renclusa to Aneto as snow-covered, going up and down by the Salterillo, with crampons, ice axe and helmet compulsory. Before going, check the state of the routes on the Albergues y Refugios de Aragón website and the AEMET mountain forecast.