Ascent the Moncayo

Description of the Ascent the Moncayo

We start the tour in the last parking lot (0h 00min) that we find just before arriving at the Sanctuary.

From here we must follow the route that marks the track that brought us here and skirt the cliff that hides the enclosure.

The enormous building that houses the refuge and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Moncayo (0h 15min), marks the end point of the track that extends for a few more meters.

The tour continues next to the building, bringing us closer to the beginning of the path that will take us into the forest. Leaving on our left the path that goes down to the parking lot of the Sanctuary, we quickly begin to realize the long climb ahead of us.

Soon we find ourselves walking among stones trying to follow the path that ascends to a new crossroads, making us leave the Shrine building behind.

When we arrive at this junction, our route turns sharply, facing the shelter again and leaving aside the path that would take us to Collado Bellido if we followed it. At our feet we already have the roof of the shelter and in front of us the high part of the enormous cliff that shelters the sanctuary.

A long stretch awaits us inside the forest that already lets us intuit the continuous zigzags that the itinerary draws trying to make us gain height with the minimum effort possible.

There will be several shortcuts that not so long ago crossed this forest, shortcuts that today are cut by small stone walls in order to avoid disorientation and preserve the environment that was already beginning to be affected by the passage of so many people everywhere.

Following the comfortable, well marked path, we will see ourselves step by step gaining height and losing some of the protection that the trees offer us.

After a while they will definitely stop accompanying us, leaving us at the doors of the San Miguel Cirque, where we will take note of what we have ahead of us.

Here the path is divided in two and the wall that cuts the way to the cirque is partly dismantled by the mountaineers who follow this harder route in winter, but although it does not seem so, it is safer than the route followed in summer.

We continue on the left to begin the real ascent of the Moncayo or San Miguel Peak. This route is not advisable with snow or ice and leads us through a rocky area towards the limits of the forest that extends for a few meters in search of more height.

We quickly start with the continuous turns that like long curves climb the mountainside leaving almost at once the protection of the trees that are already under us.

The route as soon as it takes us away from the San Miguel cirque, as soon as it takes us closer to it, making us gain height with every step. Concentrating on the effort we are making, we hardly notice the magnificent spectacle we have behind us. The park stretches out at our feet, merging with the wide valley of the Ebro wherever we look.

We soon realize that we are climbing up the shoulder that separates the cirque of San Miguel from the cirque of Gaudioso, a fact that the path insists on reminding us by continuously taking us from one to the other.

The ascent is long and some wooden posts make us fall into the error that we are already at the end of it, of which we still have a long way to go.

The ascent continues and seems to be bent on separating us from our objective by moving away from it to lead us to the end of the path where the detour is (2h 10min) that will take us to the true end of the ascent.

A few milestones mark this point as on the way back it is easy to skip the start of the descent, especially if there is fog.

After recovering our breath, we headed for the distance that still separates us from the summit. Ahead, a soft up and down slope leads us to the top of an unknown hill, Cerro San Juan, to start the final ascent after descending a few meters.

After a longer than expected final stretch, we arrive at the summit of Moncayo or San Miguel Peak (2h 30min) where we will recover our strength while enjoying the spectacular views that this mountain offers us.

We return following our steps to find the detour (2h 40min), the beginning of the path where we will begin the rapid descent that takes us to the bottom of the circus. From there we will go back into the forest following the path that leads us to the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora Del Moncayo (3h 40min) and from there to the parking lot (3h 50min) where this route ends.

Technical data sheet of the route

Distance. 9.6Km

Our starting point, among other factors, will determine the actual distance of the route.

Time. 3:50h

Starting the route soon, with the possibility of having the necessary time, we can assume the ascent calmly making as many stops as we need to get to the top. In the event that the last parking spaces are full and we have to leave our vehicle in the lower ones, in all of them we will find paths that lead us to this last parking lot shortening part of the way, paths that we should not confuse with the other routes that the park has. Depending on where we start, we may have to spend up to 5h 30min to complete the route.

Time of year

It is not advisable to do this route with snow as it is a dangerous ascent due to the exposure it leaves us to possible falls, as we travel between the two circuses that leave us almost vertical walls on each side without much margin for error. On the other hand, without snow or ice, it becomes a fairly affordable route if we have a reasonable physical condition giving us the opportunity, not without effort, to enjoy a great mountain and its landscapes, surrounded by colorful contrasts depending on the time of year we decide to climb it. With good weather and days of good visibility, more common in these periods, the panoramic views can be extended considerably showing us quite distant places.

Required equipment

Adequate footwear will protect us from bad footfalls or blows and will contribute to facilitate our descent, boot or trekking shoe depending on our experience and the weather conditions we find would be more than enough. Adapt our equipment to the time of year without forgetting that we are in a mountain very prone to sudden changes in the weather and with a great difference in it, depending on whether we are in one or another slope. Wind breakers and some warm clothes, glasses and protective cream cannot be missing along with water and food in the backpack. Although the path is very well defined is not too much that we carry a map of the area and the compass along with the GPS and the tracks of the route in case we get the fog. Consult our list of material and equipment for hiking. Read more.

Difficulty. Moderated

Physical

The demand of the unevenness to be overcome, in normal conditions, is its greatest difficulty, although the relatively short distance of the route allows us to face it calmly, taking the necessary pauses to save it, not without effort. It is important, especially in summer, not to forget to hydrate and protect ourselves from the sun as much as possible, as otherwise the harshness of the route increases and can take its toll. The most demanding part of the ascent goes from the circus to the top where we must face a path that runs winding through an uncomfortable field. There are many deceptive shortcuts that cut from one zigzag to the other, shortcuts that if we are not used to mountain routes it is not advisable to fall into their trap to save a few meters. The most certain thing is that we will fall into a climb that, in itself, becomes long and heavy.

Severity of the environment

Without technical complications in normal conditions and as long as we do not leave the marked route we should not have major complications, although it is true that we must be aware of possible falls of stones that can be produced in the ascent next to the circus, especially if someone is impatient and shortens the route. With rain or wet rocks, we will have to take extreme precautions and avoid, even more, stepping on the smooth slabs to avoid falls and slips. The roots of the trees in the stretch through the forest is another factor that we must take into account and be careful not to stumble. We must not forget that we are in a changing environment subject to uncontrollable factors that can affect our safety.

Orientation

The route is well defined in its entirety. It also has yellow and white marks that indicate the route and stone walls that cut off the path in the detours that we should not take. At the end of the ascent path, when we go out to the ridge between summits, it is important to take references, since with fog and although there are several milestones that mark it, it is extremely easy to skip the beginning of the descent. The apex of the circus from the summit of the Moncayo can serve us as an improvised guide, always with the safety distance, to reach without problems the beginning of the path in case of poor visibility. The entrance to the forest when we reach the lower part of the circus is another of the points where we can find difficulties if we leave the marked path. On the trail there will be many shortcuts and alternatives that we will find, many of them in worse condition than the proposed route and that can lead us to get lost, especially on the way down.

Coordinates UTM Datum WGS84

Profile of the route

Cartography, maps and tracks

This sketch of the route is not made to scale nor does it contain all the information relating to the area, it is merely indicative.

This schematic with the path is approximate and has been created from the derived cartographic base © Instituto Geográfico Nacional "Cuadrante 352-1 1:25.000"

Senditur has manipulated the tracks to correct the aberrant points that may exist, caused by problems with the reception of the GPS signal. In any case the tracks are always approximate. SENDITUR encourages you to use the new technologies within your reach, using them as support and consultation in your activity, not basing the realization and orientation of the same only and exclusively on them, since they may see their functioning altered by very diverse causes, not functioning correctly and their indications may not be precise.