Pic du Balaïtous

Infobox Mountain
Name=Balaitus
Photo= Balaitous_ouest.jpg
Caption=Balaitus' summit
Elevation=convert|3144|m|ft|0
Range=Pyrenees
Location=Huesca, Spain
Coordinates = coord|42|50|19|N|0|17|24|W|type:mountain|display=inline,title
Topographic

Type=
Age=
First ascent = August 8, 1825
Easiest route="Las Neous" glacier The Balaitus (Spanish) or Pic du Balaïtous (French) ( _an. Pico Os Moros; Occitan: "Vathleitosa") is a granitic massif of the Pyrenees, located right on the border between Spain and France.

Geography

Balaitús marks the starting point of the "High Pyrenees". Its height is 3,144 metres AMSL and it is the first mountain to surpass the 3,000 metres from the Atlantic coast. Its name may come from the Occitan words "vath" (valley) and "leitosa" (milky). Another Spanish name for the mountain is Pico de los Moros ("Moors' peak").

It separates the Spanish Tena Valley (Sallent de Gállego) from the French Val d'Azun.

Ascensions

*1825 - The first one was done by French geodesic technicians "Peytier" and "Hossard" after wrongly getting to Palas peak because of the fog.
*1864 - The second one was done by Charles Packe, after several failed attempts, he thought that he was the first one, but was amazed by finding evidence of the first ascension.

Routes

There are many ascent routes, none of them are easy, mainly because of the strong vertical drop of 1,500 m from any of the access points.

From France the most frequent route goes through "Las Neous" glacier starting from any of rhe refuges nearby: "Larribet" (2,060 m), "Balaïtous (G. Ledormeur)" (1,970 m) or "Arrémoulit" (2,305 m).

From Spain the starting point is "La Sarra" parking, near Sallent de Gállego, and then to the "Arriel" lakes or the "Respumoso" lake.

External links

*cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/rcmontoliu/balaitus.htm |title=Balaitus |accessdate=2008-07-18 |language=Spanish