Foradada del Toscar, Ainsa

Via ferrata

Publié le 30 October 2020 |

Set in the magnificent setting of the Alta Aragon region, a few kilometers east of Ainsa, this ferrata is well worth the detour. The 1st part of the route follows the faces, edges and hollows of an imposing rocky peak facing due south, then continues on the other side of a large suspension bridge to climb a second, less vertical peak, via a series of inclined slabs. At the summit, the view of the site and the region is breathtaking. A long climb, demanding in its continuity of effort, very aerial in places, varied, very well equipped - in short, very good.

Technical summary

■ S tarting point: on the N260 between Ainsa and Campo, Aragon, Spain
■ Type of route: via ferrata
■ Direction: south
■ Length: 600 m
■ Vertical rise: +240m
■ Estimated total time: 2h to 3h
■ Min and max altitude: 990 m / 1340 m
■ Equipment in place: excellent, bars, chain, nails, 1 small monkey bridge, 1 footbridge, 1 suspended platform
■ Equipment required: standard equipment

Difficulty: K4 or Difficult

Access to the place

From Barbastro, turn towards Ainsa and then right towards Campo on the N-260. The road approaches and then skirts a huge mountain range. Pass Samper and keep an eye out for a sculpture of giant spears stuck in the ground, a tribute to King Gonzalo de Ribagorza. A little further on, on the left, is the start of a track where you can leave your car. Arriving from Campo, drive towards Ainsa on the N-260 and a little after the village of Foradada del Toscar, you'll find the scupture on the left, with the track leading up to the ferrata just ahead on the right.

Itinerary description

Hiking to the start 15' à 20'

Go up the wide, winding track, then head more to the east. This is indicated by small signs. After the 2nd bend, leave the main track and go straight up, then the track becomes a path which leads to the foot of the track.

Course 1h30 à 2h

The ferrata, opened in 2000, faces south. The equipment is very good: rungs, chains, nails, suspension bridge. There is an escape route after the bridge and before the final section.

Part 1 (45' to 1h)

We start directly on a vertical ridge using a series of good rungs, and halfway up, the route crosses to the right to enter a rocky fold. You reach a sort of large chimney in the hollow of the cliff. The passage is highly original. Climb up a pretty wall in the half-light to come out on a small level and reach another flat slab under a tree.

Climb the slab with a new flight of rungs before crossing to the left to reach a platform. Continuing left, you emerge above the void for a mini aerial traverse. Immediately afterwards, a small suspension bridge enables you to tackle another beautiful vertical pitch, passing a small monkey bridge. All that's left is a final flight of vertical rungs over a wide column, finishing on the flat top of a piton. It's really not wide, there's emptiness everywhere. Exceptional panoramic view.

Transition (15' to 20')

From the summit, a short descent leads to a long traverse, not as hard as all that, still heading west. The route then descends to skirt the rock from the west, reaching a long footbridge (20m) behind it, which leads to the 4th section.

Part 2 (30' to 45')

This is easier. It climbs slowly up the mountain, with short, equipped pitches, often on inclines, sometimes more vertical, but fairly short. Before you start, you may want to exit at this point (escape route indicated on the left). Small walls or inclined slabs follow one another, interspersed with walks or short traverses, pleasant climbing with increasingly aerial views of the site and the region.

The last pitches go up between roots and then into a pretty dihedral to reach the summit. Below, you can see the large piton we climbed in the 1st section and the suspension bridge at the very bottom.

Back

Take the path back down behind the summit. We have to de-escalate a little and then descend a decomposed path with the help of a few knotted ropes in average condition. Continue along the path, which becomes more practicable below and finally reaches the foot of the ferrata after about 20′. Return to the parking lot via the approach track.