Refugi Ernest Mallafré

Refugi Ernest Mallafré is a mountain hut (refugi de muntanya) in the Catalan Pyrenees, located near the dam of the Estany de Sant Maurici inside the Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici. It sits at an altitude of about 1,885 metres in the Escrita valley, close to the confluence of the Monestero and Escrita rivers and at the foot of the iconic Els Encantats peaks. The building was ceded by the utility company Endesa to the Federació d'Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya (FEEC), which has operated it as a guarded hut since 1975. It is named in honour of the climber Ernest Mallafré (1922–1946), who died in an avalanche on the Monestero peak at the age of 24. The hut is a key waypoint on two of the best-known long-distance routes in the Pyrenees: the GR-11, which traverses the entire range from east to west along the southern side, and the Carros de Foc, a 55 km circuit linking all the guarded huts within the national park. Access is normally from the village of Espot via the park road to the Prat de Pierró car park, followed by a walk of about 50 minutes; alternatively it is a 15-minute walk from the Estany de Sant Maurici or about 1 hour 45 minutes on foot from Espot. In winter, from 1 December until Easter, the road to Prat de Pierró is closed. The refuge offers 34 guarded places and 28 places open in winter, with a small emergency space of 3 places when no warden is present (without mattresses or wood stove). It provides half-board and picnic services, with prices differentiated for FEEC licence holders, members of FEEC-affiliated entities, and other users, and a 10% surcharge on meals and drinks during the winter season from November to April. The hut is a small, cosy refuge in an exceptional corner of the national park, and it remains an active part of Catalonia's mountain infrastructure.

The Refugi Ernest Mallafré is named after Ernest Mallafré (1922–1946), a Catalan climber known for his ascents in Montserrat and the Mallos de Riglos. He died on 31 December 1946, aged 24, in an avalanche while descending from the Monestero peak. After his death, one of the points of the Firé in the Mallos de Riglos was named Punta de Mallafré in his honour. The hut itself was established in a building ceded by the utility company Endesa to the Federació d'Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya (FEEC). It has functioned as a guarded mountain refuge since 1975. Over the decades it has become a standard stop on the Carros de Foc circuit and the GR-11 long-distance path, and it remains part of the FEEC's network of mountain huts in the Catalan Pyrenees.

• 1975

  The hut begins operating as a guarded mountain refuge under the FEEC.

• 1946

  Ernest Mallafré dies in an avalanche on the Monestero peak on 31 December.

A small, cosy guarded mountain refuge in a spectacular national park setting, serving long-distance hikers and climbers.

• Guarded accommodation (34 places)

• Winter open places (28 places)

• Emergency space without warden (3 places)

• Half-board and picnic meal service

1. 1Refugi Mallafré (Sant Maurici) - FEECfeec.cat
2. 2Refugi Ernest Mallafré - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Refugio Ernest Mallafré - Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org