Ordesa National Park is the enchanted mother of the Spanish national park
system. Set aside in 1918 by royal decree, the park has been progressivly
expanded to include more than 56,000 acres of lush valley forests and meadows,
steep limestone slopes and delicate alpine reaches. Wildlife abounds, although
some of the efforts to protect the more wary species have met with mixed success
due to the popularity of the park.
Times to Vist
The park is open from May through mid-November, but if you plan to visit early
or late in the season, double check snow conditions. Also, mid-July through
August are the height of the Spanish vacation season -- not a good time of
year to come if you want to avoid crowds. Besides, it's the hottest time of
the year.
Natural History
Ordesa Park actually comprises three separate valleys emanating out of Monte
Perdido, "the lost mountain." The park's namesake, the Ordesa Valley, is renowned
-- and deserves to be. Carved out by glaciers, the valley is outlined by limestone
folds brilliantly marked with bands of gray, red and yellow ochre. Unlike
most valleys in the Pyrenees, the Ordesa runs east/west. Since it is open
to the west, the valley gets lots of cool, moist air from the Atlantic, making
the plantlife lush and the climate moderate. The valley ends in the dramatic
Circa Soasa, a glacial cirque.
The valley floor is home to forests of firs and beeches. On the slopes, tough
dwarf mountain pine hold out up to the tree line. Above the treeline are beautiful
alpine shrubs and meadows, with many seasonal wildflowers such as edelweiss,
gentians, orchids, violets, belladonna, and anemones.
Ordesa National Park was set up specifically to protect the ibex, a wild goat.
Ironically, the ibex is still in decline, along with the lammergeier, a type
of bearded vulture. However, many other species are flourishing in this otherwise
well preserved enclave. The valley shelters 171 species of birds -- including
golden eagles, griffon vultures and alpine finches, 32 mammals -- including
wild boar, otters and foxes, eight species of reptiles, including the asp
(Vispera aspis) of Cleopatra's doom, and five amphibia. Especially notable
are the only herds of Pyrenees mountain goats in existence and a healthy number
of chamois deer, which in the nineteenth century were in danger of becoming
extinct.
Hiking and Climbing
One of the great advantages of Ordesa is that if offers a variety of hiking
opportunities, from the relatively short and easy to the very challenging.
Your best bet is to land in the almost-too-charming village of Torla, frequently
overran by tourists. But from Torla there are dozens of trailheads that will
allow you to leave the tapas-munching hordes behind. (Tapas is like
Spanish gorp, but with lots of olives instead of raisins.)
The most popular walk is the Circa Soasa, which takes 5 to 8 hours and offers
a lot of beauty and interest without a lot of exertion. If you strike out
towards the Circo de Cotatuero, you can pay a visit to the Brecha de Rolanda,
where legend has it the heroic Roland struck a breach in the wall with his
sword, Durandal.
Climbers have many choices. Two noteworthy are the Petit Vignemale, which
reportedly offers almost every possible technical challenge, and for very
experienced climbers, the Aqisclo Valley.
Accomodations
From three star luxury to tenting. The towns surrounding the park offer many
hotel options. On the opposite extreme, although you can't sent up a base
camp in the park, you can pitch a tent overnight, as long as you strike it
first thing in the morning.
The park also has several refugi (plural for refugio). A refugio is
an alpine shelters, sort of like a youth hostel, but unlike a hostel where
you frequently need a special card to stay, a refugio is open to all comers.
Price vary from 100 to 900 ptas. To ensure a spot, it's best to arrive by
mid-afternoon, although you probably won't be admitted to the sleeping area
until evening. Food is sometimes available, but because it frequently has
to be packed in or dropped by helicopter, it can be pricey. So bring you own,
but then you might want to spring for a carafe of wine to wash it down and
relax your hike-weary muscles.
from Away.com
