Pic de Mil-Menut, Ransol

Ski Touring

Publié le 2 January 2020 |

The Pic de Mil-Menut is one of the peaks of the Coms de Jan cirque, which marks the natural border between Andorra and Ariège. Open and wide, the cirque offers a wide range of options for skiing in a beautiful setting. The ascent to Mil-Menut is gradual, with no major difficulties, although there are a few steeper sections to negotiate. At the top, on the final ridge, you have to progress with crampons to reach the real summit. On the way down, there are some nice wide slopes to ski, preferably on mid-winter snow due to the southern exposure.

Technical summary

Type ✦ Ski touring

Location ✦ Ransol

Region ✦ Canillo

Country ✦ Andorra

Direction ✦ South-East

Length ✦ 4kms

Vertical drop ✦ 850m

Difficulty ✦ R-2.3-E2

Duration ✦ 3h to 4h

Interest ✦ ★★

Access to the place

On the road between Canillo and Soldeu, turn off towards Ransol and follow the valley all the way to the end. There's a small parking lot on the right of the road near a solarium, at 1900m.

Itinerary description

Hiking to the start 5'

Return to the main road and follow it to the end. At the last buildings, start to climb slightly through the fir trees on the left bank (so on the right as you go up).

Course 2h45 à 3h

Climb up the left bank and soon find a passageway to cross the riu dels Meners. From the other side, continue gradually uphill until you reach the entrance to the large cirque on a flat area.

From here, climb the wide, fairly steep slope to the right, leading to an upper flat. The Bony de la Pala de Jan summit stands at over 2500m. To the left of this summit is an obvious gully into which we sink. The slope gradually steepens and the narrower, steeper exit requires knives.

Ski back

Wide slope from the summit, skiable just about everywhere, then slide more to the right to pass over the Bony de la Pala de Jan gully. A 2nd sequence of around 30° to reach the 1st flat. From here, ski either a small couloir between the rocks or go further out to sea. Before reaching the valley floor, cross to the left bank of the riu to reach the passage on the opposite side. Finish in the fir trees and glide down to the road and parking lot.