Refugi de Claror

The place

Sleeping places available: 20. The refuge is located in the Madriu valley. The Madriu valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — no less! UNESCO information: the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley. A solid stone building (like all Andorran refuges). Open all year. Interior equipment: - 8 stacked metal bed frames (-> only 1 mattress!) - Mattress and sleeping bag required — metal is cold! - 1 large wooden mezzanine for about a dozen places - Additional places downstairs in the main room - 2 large tables + 2 small tables in the kitchen corner - 6 benches - 1 sink - First-aid kit - 1 broom/shovel - No firewood immediately nearby, but some can be found coming from the Estany de la Nou. Exterior equipment: - 1 fountain (water drawn from the stream descending above) - Barbecue - Stone table and bench. Note: - Every spring, the refuges are inspected to "reset the levels", so to speak, by the people managing them, and are visited regularly. - Don't be surprised to be visited by wardens, who regularly patrol and check the condition of all the country's refuges, which are provided and maintained by the Andorran Government. In every Andorran refuge you'll find (sometimes more than one...) a "Refuge Passport" with a stamp to apply in the right box. Once you've completed one of the routes crossing the country (GR11, HRP, etc.), you present the passport to the National Tourist Office, who will give you a corresponding certificate and a gift! From Escaldes, drive up the Engolasters road: cross the bridge over the Riu Madriu (south of the base of the Via ferrata del Roc d'Esquers); the path climbing south up the Madriu Valley starts on the left, a little further west along the road. You then climb up to the Pont d'Entremesaigües, from where you take the path on the right of the bridge heading south, then the path curves east to continue on [->5451]; after the path turns east, you reach a junction where the SW-facing path leads to the refuge. From [->5451]: the Claror refuge is visible to the naked eye to the SW; descend south to reach the small Estany de la Nou, the path continues SW on the flat then, once east of the refuge, turn west to climb up to the refuge in view. From Spain, starting from the Refuge dels Estanys de la Pera: climb west to the Coll de Claror (2570 m) then descend NW to the refuge, joining the path coming from the Estany de la Nou; from there it's just a climb up to the refuge in view. Owner: Andorran Government, Departament de Patrimoni Natural, C. Prat de la Creu, 62-64, 1st floor, AD500 Andorra la Vella. Telephone: +376 875 712. Telephone: +376 875 723. Email: patrimoni_natural@govern.ad. List of Andorran refuges. Overall map of all refuges + info (warning, 8 MB). Official site:…