Refuge Mas del Tronc

Refuge Mas del Tronc (Catalan: Refugi Mas del Tronc) is a staffed mid-mountain refuge owned by the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya (UEC), situated at an altitude of 719 metres on the north slope of the Serra de Rubió, in the village of Maçana, municipality of Rubió, comarca of Anoia, Catalonia, Spain. It lies about two kilometres from the church of Sant Martí de Maçana and near the farmhouse of La Coma. The refuge is a key stop on the GR-7 long-distance footpath and serves hikers, cyclists and mountain bikers exploring the Serra de Rubió. The refuge offers 28 beds when staffed and two emergency places when the warden is absent. Its interior is equipped with bunk beds with mattresses and blankets, solar-powered lighting and butane-heated hot water. Since 2004 it has been open all year round. It provides a kitchen service with breakfasts, lunches, dinners and picnics, and prepares meals for groups. The 2016 rate card lists prices for members of UEC, federated and non-federated guests, covering overnight stays, half board, full board, breakfast, picnic, lunch or dinner, and showers. The refuge is a base for excursions, walks, traverses and mountain-bike routes across the Serra de Rubió. The GR-7 long-distance path passes by the refuge, making it a pilgrimage point for hikers on that route. Access is possible by car from the BV-1031 road between Igualada and Els Prats del Rei, turning off at kilometre 9 towards Sant Martí de Maçana, or on foot via the same turn-off, passing the wind farm of Rubió and descending to the refuge along the GR-7. Walking times include about four hours from Igualada and two and three-quarter hours from Sant Pere Sallavinera. The refuge is a commercial hospitality and outdoor-recreation offering rather than a public monument: it sells accommodation, meals and related services to the hiking and cycling public under the UEC brand. Its official website, hosted on WordPress.com, publishes route information, descriptions of local heritage such as chapels and churches, and the refuge's tariffs. The refuge also maintains a presence on Facebook, Blogspot and YouTube through the Rutes Serra de Rubió route page.

The history of Refuge Mas del Tronc begins with the Igualada hiking movement's search for a suitable mountain refuge site in the Serra de Rubió. On 29 May 1965, the Igualada delegation of the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya (UEC) promoted the purchase of a 500 m² estate in a quiet natural setting of woods, rivers, springs and farmhouses in the Serra de Rubió, in the municipality of Rubió, at the place known as Mas del Tronc. The estate and the old ruined farmhouse of Cal Tronc were ceded indefinitely by their owner, Joan Piqué Solà, to the Unió Excursionista de Catalunya, which fully restored them with the help of its members in order to build a mountain refuge there. The new refuge was inaugurated on 16 March 1969 in the presence of many hikers from across Catalonia, including the president of the FEEC, the president of the UEC, the president of the UEC Igualada delegation, the president of the FEEC Refuges Committee and the president of the Centre d'Estudis Comarcals d'Igualada. In 1980, through the Department of Culture of the Igualada Town Council, the refuge became a Nature Classroom for school groups from across the Anoia comarca, until a large fire devastated the Serra de Rubió in 1986. Since 2004 the refuge has been open all year round. It has a kitchen service offering breakfasts, lunches, dinners and picnics, and prepares meals for groups. The refuge's official website, hosted on WordPress.com, publishes route information for hikers and cyclists, including sections on fauna and flora and on history and culture, as well as the refuge's tariffs. The 2016 rate card lists prices for UEC members, federated and non-federated guests for overnight stays, half board, full board, breakfast, picnic, lunch or dinner, and showers. The refuge remains a stop on the GR-7 long-distance footpath and a base for excursions, walks, traverses and mountain-bike routes in the Serra de Rubió.

• 2016

  The refuge published its 2016 rate card for accommodation and meals.

• 2004

  The refuge began opening all year round.

• 1986

  A large fire devastated the Serra de Rubió, ending the Nature Classroom period.

• 1980

  The refuge became a Nature Classroom for school groups across the Anoia comarca through the Igualada Town Council's Department of Culture.

• 1969

  The new refuge was inaugurated on 16 March with hikers and UEC and FEEC officials present.

• 1965

  On 29 May, the UEC Igualada delegation promoted the purchase of a 500 m² estate at Mas del Tronc in the Serra de Rubió.

A staffed, year-round mountain refuge and outdoor-recreation base in the Serra de Rubió, operated by the UEC for hikers, cyclists and groups.

• Overnight stay (pernocta)

  28 beds when staffed; 2016 rates: UEC members 7 euros, federated 10 euros, non-federated 12 euros.

• Half board (mitja pensió)

  2016 rates: UEC members 25 euros, federated 28 euros, non-federated 30 euros.

• Full board (pensió completa)

  2016 rates: UEC members 37 euros, federated 40 euros, non-federated 42 euros.

• Breakfast (esmorzar)

  2016 rate: 6 euros.

• Picnic

  2016 rate: 7 euros.

• Lunch or dinner (dinar o sopar)

  2016 rate: 12 euros.

• Shower (dutxa)

  2016 rate: 2 euros.

1. 1Mas del Tronc – Smile! You’re at the best WordPress.com site evermasdeltronc.wordpress.com
2. 2Refugi Mas del Tronc – Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org
3. 3Refuge Mas del Tronc – Wikidatawikidata.org