Refuge de Armeña
The place
Sleeping places: 16 Places on mattresses: 14 Sturdy cabin in very good condition. Interior fittings: - 1 large table - 4 benches - 1 mezzanine with 5 mattresses - 1 upper floor accessible by a ladder (with 9 mattresses) - 1 first-aid kit (not well stocked...) - 1 emergency call post Exterior fittings: - 1 concrete terrace (can also be used as a sleeping spot) Firewood: You cross a small wooded area bordering a lake before reaching the hut when coming up from Barbaruens, but there isn't much deadwood lying around, so it's worth loading up while crossing the preceding forest on the way up — i.e. carry it in...) Water: You'll find the [->5842], 70 m on the flat, past the hut continuing NW towards the Colledeta de l'Ibon; no need to descend below the hut... (see photo). There's also water in the forest on the way up from Barbaruens. Warning: mice are present, protect your food at night... Benasque valley: At the level of the village of Seira, south of Castejón de Sos (from where you can reach the Vielha tunnel), enter this village and continue towards Barbaruens; 200 m before the village, where driving is prohibited, take the track that climbs to the left — it's stony but fairly manageable — take the first forest path that continues from a bend (the 3rd one); you reach a car park cleared by bulldozer. You can optionally continue a little further on the track, which ends in a dead end where the path from the car park passes and climbs to the hut (signposted). From the car park, continue on the wide path that climbs steeply through the forest; you'll then meet the waymarked path (coming up from Barbaruens), which you follow to the hut (allow 1h30). You can also set off from Barbaruens on the red/white waymarked path.
Getting there
Départ depuis Barbaruéns, environ 8,1 km et 800 m de dénivelé positif, environ 4h30, niveau moyen. Le sentier traverse jardins et prés bordés de murets en pierre, une pinède, plusieurs ruisseaux, avec des passages rocheux et herbeux jusqu'au refuge.
The setting
Situé dans le cirque d'Armeña, au pied du massif du Cotiella, point de départ classique pour son ascension, à proximité immédiate de l'Ibón de Armeña, petit lac de cirque rocheux généralement enneigé en hiver.
A word from the warden
Refuge libre, non gardé, sans réservation, arrivée selon disponibilité.
