PLANA CANAL AND ESCUAÍN

Cycling up to Plana Canal, right on the edge of the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park and overlooking the wild Añisclo Canyon, is a truly wild experience. If you add a visit to Escuaín to discover the Escuaín or Yaga Canyon, you can confidently say you have explored two of the wildest spots in the Ordesa y Viñamala Biosphere Reserve.

Escalona

Technical data

Route type: Up and down

Estimated time: 5-6 h

Terrain: Pista y carretera

Total elevation gain: 1600 m

Physical difficulty: Hight

Technical difficulty: Low

Distance: 51,5 km

Track 18,2 km

Road: 33,3 km

51,5 km

5-6 h

1600 m

Hight

Points of interest

• Km 0: Departure from Escalona
• Km 7.2: Puértolas. Arrival by road after a medium-high gradient climb, exceeding 7% in the first few kilometers. The final steep ramp through the village is quite demanding.
• Km 9.2: Plana Canal track turn-off. Before reaching Bestué, the dirt track begins, leading you to the top of Plana Canal, the highest point of the route.
• Km 18.3: Plana Canal, in the area known as the Sesa Mountain. You arrive here after bypassing Castillo Mayor on its western side, climbing a path where the gradient gradually eases. The area is spectacular, especially in July when the echinospartum (hedgehog broom) is in bloom, turning the mountain a very characteristic yellow color.
• Km 28.8: Puértolas Pass
• Km 36.3: Escuaín. Arrival at the picturesque village via a beautiful paved track. It is highly recommended to walk to the viewpoint to observe the ‘Escuaín Canyon’, rock walls carved out by the Yaga River.
• Km 51.5: Arrival in Escalona after the descent from Escuaín.

Water / Refreshment point

Water points: You must refill your water in Puértolas for the Plana Canal climb and for Escuaín. You can refill your water again in Escuaín.
Supplies: There are very few supply points along the route, although there is a restaurant near Puértolas.

Caution

• Cycling is strictly prohibited inside the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. When you see the National Park sign, you must leave your bike and continue on foot. Take special care at the Plana Canal boundary and upon entering the village of Escuaín. • The route includes a high percentage of road riding, and the sections it covers are narrow mountain roads. Exercise caution on descents and use red warning lights or similar gear so drivers can see you safely

Stage map