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Types of Skiing Explained: Alpine, Nordic, Touring & SkateSpain
Sep
Hike deep into the Spanish Pyrenees and tackle boulderfields, glacial lakes, mountain refugios and two summits above 2,600m.
Intermediate
Challenging
Home Comforts
From
£1,800
(USD $2,826.00)
Four days, alpine terrain
Most people head to the French Pyrenees, but not on this trip. The Spanish side is wilder, quieter, and the trails are yours. Spend four consecutive days hiking above 2,000m through boulder fields, steep cols, glacial lakes and ridgelines that go on forever. Spend two nights in remote mountain refugios with no road access, just peaks and the satisfaction of having got there on foot.
Your qualified mountain guide knows this range inside out. They’ll teach you navigation, terrain reading and how to move confidently when the going gets rough. Base yourself in a 4-star hotel in Biescas village, with a pool and sauna for when you’re back down from the hills.
An active agenda
No hidden costs
Four days of guided alpine hiking across the Pyrenees
A 4 star hotel with pools and sauna
Dormitory-style rooms in two remote mountain huts
Breakfasts, packed lunches and dinners
A qualified mountain leader and your Gutsy Girls host
Pick-up and drop-off at Zaragoza airport and train station
Activity Overview
Hike four consecutive days across the Spanish and French Pyrenees, covering up to 14km a day on rough alpine terrain. Boulderfields, steep ascents to cols, loose rocky paths and a couple of sections where scrambling comes in. You’ll spend most of the week above 2,000m, with daily ascents of up to 1,250m and two optional summit pushes: Pico Musales (2,653m) and Pico Tebbaray (2,866m).
On the hut-to-hut days, you’ll carry your overnight kit between refugios along the mountain trails. Your qualified mountain guide knows this range inside out and will teach navigation skills, terrain reading and how to move confidently when conditions change.
The Destination
Your adventure starts here
Meet the transfer at Zaragoza airport or train station and make the 1hr 45 min drive to our hotel. Once settled we'll get everyone together for a full trip briefing; routes, what to expect, and a chance to ask questions before the week kicks off.
Dinner at a local village restaurant. Good food, good company, early night. The mountains start tomorrow.
First day on the trail and we're heading across the border to the French side of the range to hike a circular route beneath the iconic rocky face of Pic du Midi d'Ossau. The path crosses a boulderfield with steeper sections of ascent and descent.
13km
1121m
From the high col, there's an optional 40-minute push to the summit. The return route passes a coffee hut for a break and caffeine boost.
Back to the hotel to sort out your kit for the next few days of hut-to-hut, before dinner at a local restaurant.
A 20-minute drive to the La Sarra trailhead, then straight onto the trail. The path climbs steeply through pine forest before breaking out into open alpine meadow. You'll pass the lake of Ibonciecho on the way to the Collado de Musales.
12-14km
900-1250m
From the col, there's an optional scramble to the summit of Musales, a sharp, pointed top with views in every direction. The descent is steep with a short section where you'll need to scramble, before easing down to the Embalse de Respomuso and around to the refugio.
Dinner at the refugio, then bed down for the night in your dorm room.
Today tackles a stretch of the famous GR11 - the trail that crosses the entire Pyrenean range from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. The route follows a climb to one of the highest cols on the whole trail. The final section is steep and loose with a fixed chain to help you up.
11km
1000m
From the col, there's a potential 40-minute summit push to Tebbaray (2,866m) for views across the marble peaks of the Picos del Infierno. Back at the col, the route continues down a long descent past vivid blue mountain lakes to our second mountain hut.
Dinner at the refugio, a last night's kip in the dorm room.
The final day on the trail. The route from the refugio takes you past a series of mountain lakes - a strong finish to the hut-to-hut section.
9.5km
400m
950m
Descend to the finish point for the transfer back to Biescas. Back to the hotel to use the spa, have a swim or chill out in the garden.
Celebratory dinner at a village restaurant. It's your last night, make it count.
Breakfast, then transfer back to Zaragoza airport or station. Get your last photos and make plans for your next trip.
Rest & Refuel
Three nights at a 4-star hotel in Biescas with indoor and outdoor pools, sauna and gardens for post-hike recovery. For two nights you'll be in the mountains, sleeping in dormitory-style refugios. Basic but comfortable with hot showers, a bar and hearty evening meals.
1 of 2
All meals are covered throughout the week. Breakfasts are continental buffets, lunches are packed for the trail, and dinners are at the refugios or local village restaurants. It's honest mountain food designed to fuel big days.
2 of 2
The essentials
| Accommodation |
Home Comforts Three nights in a 4-star hotel in Biescas, two nights in remote mountain refugios.
|
|---|---|
| Food and Drink |
All meals are included. We can cater for vegetarians on this trip, however options will be very limited. Unfortunately we can’t cater for vegans. We also can’t guarantee zero cross-contamination, so if your allergy is severe, please get in touch before you book.
|
| Fitness Level |
3
Challenging You’ll cover 9.5 to 14km a day with daily ascents of 400m to 1,250m, most of the week spent above 2,000m. There’s no rest day, and on the hut-to-hut section you’ll carry your overnight kit between refugios. This asks for solid cardiovascular fitness and leg strength, and the stamina to do it on consecutive days. If you know what back-to-back big days feel like, you’re in the right territory. You'll Need To Be
|
| Skill Level |
3
Intermediate You don’t need a mountaineering background, but you do need real hill-walking experience. The terrain is rough and high alpine, and some sections are exposed with steep drops, so a reasonable head for heights matters. You should be a confident hiker who’s comfortable on rocky, uneven ground and knows how to pace yourself over a demanding week. Not sure what level you are? Our Trip Rating Guide explains how we score fitness and skill. |
| Travel |
The meeting point for this trip is Zaragoza Airport or train station. Alternative routes and travel information are in our trip guide. |
| Packing List |
For a full list of what you’ll need to bring, check out the trip guide. You’ll Need
|
| Not Included |
|
| Trip Code |
PYRHPYH2H |
We’ve got you covered
You don’t need a mountaineering background, but you do need real hill-walking experience. This trip is rated intermediate, you’ll be covering up to 14km a day on rough, high alpine terrain with ascents up to 1,250m, spending most of the week above 2,000m. If you’re a confident hiker who knows what consecutive big days feel like, you’re in the right territory.
Four consecutive days of alpine hiking with no rest day, carrying your overnight kit on the hut-to-hut days. Daily ascents range from 400m to 1,250m, trails are rocky and uneven, and a couple of sections require scrambling. The distances aren’t huge – 9.5km to 14km a day – but the terrain makes every kilometre count. You’ll spend 5–7 hours on your feet each day.
Yes. Most of the trip is above 2,000m and the main routes include exposed ridgelines with steep drops. The summit pushes on Days 3 and 4 are optional, but even the main hiking routes take you onto open, exposed terrain. If heights genuinely affect you, be honest with yourself before booking.
Waterproof hiking boots with ankle support are mandatory, and they need to be properly broken in before you arrive. New boots on Day 1 means blisters on rough terrain. Wear them on hilly walks in the weeks before the trip until they feel completely comfortable. Your boots are the most important item you’ll pack.
They’re not essential, but useful, particularly on the steep descents and loose terrain. You can borrow a set; just let your host know in advance.
A 40–45 litre backpack with all your overnight kit for the two nights in the mountain huts. Pack light and, if you can, train with your backpack in the weeks before the trip – you’ll be carrying it over some of the biggest terrain of the week.
Most people fly into Zaragoza (ZAZ) – Ryanair runs a regular route from London Stansted. From Zaragoza it’s around 1 hour 45 minutes by road to our base in Biescas. If you’d rather not fly, you can take a high-speed train from Madrid or Barcelona to Zaragoza Delicias station. We provide a group transfer from both the airport and the train station at fixed times.
We run one shared transfer each way that collects guests from both Zaragoza Airport and Zaragoza Delicias Train Station.
Transfer times:
Zaragoza Airport
Zaragoza Delicias Train Station
Transfers run on a fixed schedule so plan your flights and trains around these times.
Transfers run on time and can’t wait. If you miss the transfer, you’ll need to arrange your own transport to Biescas. It’s 1 hour 45 minutes from Zaragoza and so private transfers can be expensive. Comprehensive travel insurance covering delays and missed connections is essential.
Warm at valley level, but unpredictable once you’re above 2,000m. It can be genuinely cold on exposed cols and ridgelines even in summer, and afternoon storms are a real possibility on what starts as a clear day. Mountain weather moves fast so pack a full layering system and high-factor sunscreen regardless of the forecast. Your guide monitors conditions daily and adjusts routes accordingly.
Yes. Daily routes are planned around conditions, group fitness and weather. Your guides have alternatives for every day so if weather closes in on a particular route, you’ll be rerouted rather than grounded. You’ll know the next day’s plan each evening, with the understanding that mountains don’t follow a fixed schedule.
Around €10–25 per day covers drinks with meals, coffees, snacks and any personal purchases comfortably. All meals are included, so this is purely for extras. Cards are accepted at the hotel and village restaurants, but cash is wise for the mountain huts where card signal can be unreliable.
Yes, it’s a requirement for all Gutsy Girls trips. Mountain rescue in the Pyrenees can involve helicopter evacuation, which isn’t covered by a standard EHIC card. Make sure your policy covers mountain hiking, medical expenses and emergency evacuation, as well as the standard travel delays and lost luggage. Buy it as soon as you book.
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