GR 11 - Etapa 7: Balneario de Panticosa - San Nicolás de Bujaruelo

Refugio Casa de Piedra - Ibones de Brazato - Cuello Alto de Brazato - Valle del Ara - San Nicolás de Bujaruelo

The GR 11 to the Ibón de Brazato and Ibón de Bujaruelo starts by crossing the spa complex, the climb beginning at a set of stairs that lead southeast towards the Fuente de la Salud. Now on the mule road, the trail begins to climb uphill along a series of switchbacks, first through a forest and later over open terrain. Between riverbeds and scree, the trail leads to the area around the Ibón de Brazato dam (2,390 m). Bordering the reservoir to the north, the GR 11 continues to climb steadily, past the high Ibones de Brazos before reaching the old Brazato pass, also called Puerto Biello (2,566 m), which separates the Gállego and Ara-Cinca river basins.
From this point it begins the long descent through the Ara valley. Over rugged terrain formed by granite blocks, the trail passes the Ibones de Batanes and reaches the bottom of the Ara valley at an elevation of 2,000 m. The GR 11 crosses the river and takes the left bank (which might pose some difficulty when the river is high) and connects with the old road that runs along the left bank from the Collado de los Mulos (natural pass to France). Stay on this road as it descends through the meadow to the Cabaña de Labaza and Cabaña del Cerbillonar, as well as the Cabaña del Vado de Ordiso further on. A cattle trail starts at the cabin and crosses the bottom of the valley towards San Nicolás de Bujaruelo. The Mesón is reached along a pedestrian path that crosses the river Ara over the medieval Bujaruelo bridge.

Datos MIDE

+Info on FAM trails

Previous stage

• GR 11 - Etapa 6: Refugio de Respomuso - Balneario de Panticosa

Next stage

• GR 11 - Etapa 8: San Nicolás de Bujaruelo - Refugio de Góriz