< Left Panel   Spanish Pyrenees Passes   Areas   Tables   Maps   All Favorites  
Main Panel:   Main Page   Map+Profile   Pyrenees Map  


Alto de Aisa s(u)

Parts of the Spanish eastern Pyrenees are the most remote part of this mountain chain. This is one of the small passes between two old villages, that retain their appearance from a previous time.

I have used the pictures of panoramio and flickr contributors, as well as other web sites to illustrate this page. There are copyright notices and links  to all original pictures. My own pictures were on a computer, that was stolen at the train station Frankfurt Airport (model Acer Aspire One (serial# NUSGPAA01625101C947600F)

 

1.(00.0km,0600m)START-END EAST ALT: Puente La Reina de Jaca over the Rio Aragon
2.(16.1km,0750m)START-END EAST: profile turns right to Jasa
3.(23.0km,0920m)Jasa
4.(28.8km,1227m)TOP: Alto de Aisa s(u)
5.(32.8km,1030m)upper turnoff to Aisa
6.(48.1km,0780m)START-END WEST: bridge over Rio Aragon tributary, several km before Jaca


Approaches

From West.
The profile follows the Rio Aragon from Puente La Reina de Jaca upstream. Sevaral km later Jasa appears as a group of houses draped over a low ridge. In my case low clouds obscure the snow covered peaks behind it.

The signed main road goes right through the deserted town square and through a narrow alleyway with medieval surroundings. No store is open, no cars are parked anywhere. There is not a soul in sight.

This turns out to be the narrowest and most remote of the narrow and remote little passes on my route today. Climbing into the forested amphitheater of wooded hills and looking back, you have to look closely to locate Jasa surrounded by all these forested hills. they reced behind the town like waves in an ocean. The road appears to turn to dirt - that's okay as long as it doesn't end here. Actually a form of pavement returns also. There are few remarkably steep and interesting switchbacks at the well defined ridge top.

 Aisa          copyright: Panoramio; rosaflor g   piclink

From East. (described downwards). The high Pyrenees come into sight at this point and I take quite a few pictures. But the most sublime spot is further down. After the computer with my pictures was stolen, I did not think that I would see images of this remote spot again. But - surprise - this abandoned old stone building has attracted other panoramio and flickr contributors, and they had equally great light conditions as I did. Downslope weather veils the far white ridge in a soft, dark light, while the valley enjoys clear sunshine. Some of the best pictures in the slide show were taken in fall, while I was there in the spring - and during that season trees obviously behave differently. Since my pictures were bicycle touring pictures, my bike also played a more prominent role, together with the undulating edge of the road, as wild vegetation starts to erode its edges and makes it even more part of nature.

Aisa is just a small group of old houses, grouped around the church tower, equally closed down as Jasa on the other side. But I do seem to remember a closed hostal. The church tower also acts as focal point for all scenes from further below.

From Aisa there is actually another small pass that leads over into the valley of the Rio Aragon. But the profile descends the easy way to Jaca (as I did also). It reaches a low point several km before reaching this important waypoint on the Camino de Santiago, while crossing a tributary of the Rio Aragon.

cLiCk on image , arrows , or thumbnails to advance slideshow


A Day on a Tour with this point as intermediate summit is on page: Alto de Zuriza



advertisement

advertisement