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Olmo-Soler, Montrebeï

Publié le 4 March 2011 | Catalunya Eng, Spain

An easy, short and very accessible route, the Olmo-Soler is ideal for beginners or for taking children. However, the route is aerial, especially the second part which climbs a large ridge with the turquoise waters of Lac de Canelles some 200m below. The scenery is magnificent, with an almost permanent view over the Noguera Ribagorçana as it plunges towards the Monterebeï gorge, between the gigantic Aragón (Montsec d'Estal) and Catalunya (Montsec d'Ares) walls.

Technical summary

Location ✦ Corça, Ager
Region ✦ Montrebei, Catalunya
Country ✦ Spain
Type ✦ Via ferrata
Vertical rise ✦ 75m
Difficulty ✦ K2
Distance ✦ 300m
Duration ✦ 45' to 1h

Access to the place

40 kms before Leida (coming from Barcelona on the A2), turn north to Balaguer and then Ager on the edge of Catalonia. Drive to the village of Corça, 7 kms from Ager. As you enter Corça, turn right onto the semi-bitumen track towards La Pertusa and its hermitage. After a few hairpin bends and a few minutes, you come to a cul de sac at the top of the Pertusa rock, just above the pantano de Canelles. Parking here is the starting point for the ferrata.

Map & topo

Itinerary description

Hiking to the start 10'

From the parking lot, head due west along the Pertusa ridge towards the hermit's house. The narrow path descends to the left along the south face of the Pertusa. Follow the green and white dots. After a maximum of 10′ you'll reach the start of the Olmo-Soler ferrata on the right, which corresponds with the end of the Teletubbies ferrata.

Course 30' à 45'

The via ferrata, opened in 2001 by J.Olmo, faces south and west. The equipment is good and recent.

1st part

We climb up the south face of the rock using rungs and chains. There is no difficulty. A little higher up, the route skirts a wide slab of ochre-colored rock to reach a flat area. At this point, which is also the arrival point on the left of the Cast-Urquiza-Olmo ferrata, there is an extraordinary view of the Pantano de Canelles and the great walls of Aragón and Catalunya.

Part 2

It's not really more difficult, except that it's much more aerial. The route runs along the edge of the north face of the rock, and there's easily 200m of empty space underfoot. With the help of chains, you climb up the large ridge in 2 stages to finally reach the hermit's house, Mare de Déu de la Pertusa, at 672m.