Refugi de Colomina

Refugi de Colomina is a mountain hut (refugi de muntanya) located at 2,425 metres (7,956 ft) in the head of the Vall Fosca, beside the Colomina lake, in the municipality of Torre de Cabdella, Pallars Jussà, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It is one of the classic high-mountain refuges of the Catalan Pyrenees and lies at the southern end of the Carros de Foc, a 55 km circular route linking the huts inside the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. The surrounding lake district, with 24 lakes, is the largest in the Pyrenees. The building was constructed around 1917 under the name Casa Keller by a Swiss engineer who lived in it during the construction of the first hydroelectric works built in Spain. It was owned by FECSA and later ceded to the FEEC (Federació d'Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya), which continues to operate it. A major renovation in 1985 restored and adapted the building. The hut offers 36–40 places in collective dormitories, with sheets and showers in summer, meals, a mountain guide service and a climbing school with around 200 routes of all difficulties. In winter, an open refuge with 18 places, mattresses, blankets and an emergency radio remains available. Access is normally from the Sallente reservoir at 1,777 m, where there is parking; a steep ascent leads first to Gento lake at 2,142 m and then to Colomina lake at 2,420 m. When the cable car to Gento lake is running, only about 45 minutes of ascent remain. The Sallente reservoir is 4.5 km from the village of Torre de Capdella and about 35 km from Pont de Suert along the Vall Fosca. From the hut, numerous climbs are possible, notably the west face of Peguera peak and the south-east face of Colomina peak (2,673 m). Nearby summits include Mainera (2,905 m), Peguera (2,982 m), Saburó (2,908 m) and Mar (2,902 m). The hut is also reachable on foot from other refuges: 3–5 hours from Josep Maria Blanc (2,310 m) via the Saburó col (2,668 m); 4–6 hours from Estany Llong (1,985 m) via the Colladeta de Dellui (2,577 m); and 4–6 hours from Ernest Mallafré (1,893 m) via the Saburó and Monestero cols. As a brand, Refugi de Colomina represents a specific staffed mountain hospitality and guiding operation within the FEEC network, marketed through its own website (refugicolomina.com) with booking, services, access, excursion, ski, climbing, opening-date, photo and weather information.

The building that became Refugi de Colomina was constructed around 1917 under the name Casa Keller by a Swiss engineer who lived in it during the construction of the first hydroelectric works built in Spain. The site, at 2,425 m beside the Colomina lake in the head of the Vall Fosca, was tied to early twentieth-century hydroelectric development in the Pyrenees. The building was owned by FECSA (Forces Elèctriques de Catalunya, S.A.) and was later ceded to the FEEC (Federació d'Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya), the Catalan hiking and mountaineering federation, which has operated it as a mountain refuge. In 1985 a major renovation was carried out to restore and adapt the building for refuge use. Over time the hut became a key stop on the Carros de Foc, a 55 km traverse linking all the refuges within the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park; Colomina sits at the southern end of that route. The surrounding lake basin, with 24 lakes, is described as the most extensive in the Pyrenees. The refuge has continued to serve hikers, climbers and ski tourers, offering collective dormitories, meals, a guide service and a climbing school with around 200 routes. In winter, a smaller open refuge with 18 places, mattresses, blankets and an emergency radio remains available. Access is typically from the Sallente reservoir, with a steep climb to Gento lake and then Colomina lake, or a shorter ascent when the cable car to Gento lake operates.

• 1985

  Major renovation to restore and adapt the building as a mountain refuge.

• 1917

  Building constructed around 1917 as Casa Keller by a Swiss engineer during construction of Spain's first hydroelectric works.

• Building owned by FECSA and later ceded to the FEEC, which operates it as a refuge.

Historic high-mountain refuge in the Catalan Pyrenees, part of the FEEC network and the Carros de Foc circuit, offering accommodation, guiding and climbing for mountaineers.

• Collective dormitory accommodation (36–40 places)

• Meals

• Mountain guide service

• Climbing school with around 200 routes

• Winter open refuge (18 places, mattresses, blankets, emergency radio)

• Excursions and ascents in the surrounding area

• Ski touring access

1. 1www.refugicolomina.comcasacota.net
2. 2Serveis del refugicasacota.net
3. 3Refugi de Colomina (Wikidata)wikidata.org
4. 4Refugio de Colomina (Wikipedia ES)es.wikipedia.org