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Via ferrata Croqueta de Obarra, Bonansa

Via ferrata

Publié le 11 May 2019 |

The via ferrata Croqueta de Obarra in the Val d'Isabena, below the Val d'Aran, is an aerial route designed to climb the large rocky peaks that dominate the valley. It's a varied route, with the equivalent of 2 via ferrata located one above the other. The upper section is rather sporty and challenging, with some very aerial pitches and the feeling of climbing a long route. Above our heads, majestic vultures turn and fly silently and effortlessly. It's an impressive route and a great way to get out and about in the Val d'Aran, in a guaranteed natural setting.

Technical summary

■ Starting point: Ballabriga, Bonansa, province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain
■ Type of route: via ferrata
■ Direction: south-east
■ Length: 1000 m
■ Vertical rise: +360 m
■ Estimated total time: 3h to 4h
■ Min and max altitude: 1050 m / 1396 m
■ Equipment in place: rungs, 3 bridges, rescue belay
■ Equipment required: standard equipment

Difficulties: long vertical pitches and a few airy traverses, lots of passages where you have to use holds in the rock to progress. There are also a few short, slightly overhanging sections.

Access to the place

On the N-230 linking Lleida to Vielha and the Val d'Aran, turn west onto the N-260 a few kilometers north of Pont de Suert, and quickly fork onto the A-1605 towards Bonansa. Pass through the village and continue until you reach a series of tunnels. At the end of the last tunnel, you'll see the Obarra monastery on your left, and the start of the ferrata on your right. Continue for 100 m to the small road on the right that leads to Ballabriga. Leave the car there, as this is the arrival point for the return journey.

Itinerary description

Hiking to the start 20'

Simply head back down the road from Ballabriga to return to the A-1605 at the exit of the last tunnel. The ferrata starts here.

Course 2h30 à 3h

Part 1

The 1st part is easy, with a series of small walls to negotiate, traverses and small ledges to reach a slope of vegetation higher up where you can walk. After a few minutes' walk, the path leads to the foot of a large vertical wall equipped with a large flight of rungs. This is the start of the hostilities!

Part 2

A beautiful, long, continuous section that quickly gains height. After 30 or 40m of climbing, there's a fairly aerial passage with a slight overhang to negotiate to get higher up. Above this, the climb continues vertically to end on a pretty aerial traverse leading to the 1st Tibetan bridge stretched between 2 rocky pitons. From here, we're on the 1st summit, facing the next piton: l'aiguille de la Croqueta. We then have to unclimb a small dihedral to reach the second, shorter bridge and find ourselves at the foot of the final section.

3rd section

From here, we climb a huge, very vertical and aerial pitch on a ridge, and much higher up, the route goes left to cross and skirt the aiguille from the side. There's a lot of gas under our butts! Finally we reach the 3rd bridge, which takes us to a different wall. Attack of the last pitch, still very vertical, with a few diagonal steps that weren't easy at the start, to finally emerge on the summit of La Croqueta.

Back

Descend on the north side, de-escalating until you reach a small pass and then take the GR 18-1 on the left, which will take you back to the village of Ballabriga, where you'll find the starting parking lot.