Coma Pedrosa

File:Andorra1.jpg

Coma Pedrosa, shaped like a pyramid,{{cite book|last=Balari Y Jovany|first=Jose|title=Orígens històrics de Catalunya|year=2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sBu7_DFvmpgC&pg=PA60|accessdate=22 December 2010|publisher=Editorial MAXTOR|language=Catalan|isbn=978-84-9761-677-5|page=60}} is situated at the northwestern border with France and Spain. It has in the past acted as a barrier between Andorra and France. The mountainous terrain of Andorra, a landlocked country, contains 65 peaks that rise to an elevation of greater than {{convert|2000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, and of the 65 peaks, Coma Pedrosa has the highest one at {{convert|2943|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.

Its recent exposure to tourism has attracted millions to enjoy the unique scenery of its hills and valleys.{{Cite book|last= Augustin |first=Byron |title= Andorra|year=2009 |page= 8|isbn=9780761431220 |accessdate=22 December 2010|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O4MNjT4QS0EC&pg=PA8}} The higher reaches of the mountain are covered with forests while the lower reaches have some arable lands. The mountain gets fully covered with snow during the winter months which provides opportunities for skiing and mountaineering, ice climbing and scrambling. During the summer season, the mountain provides many easy routes for trekking through the Arinsal valley covering neighbouring areas of Vall Ferrera in Spain after crossing the mountain pass Baiau.{{cite book|author=Eur|title=Western Europe 2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M9QYndAPmuQC&pg=PA41|year=2002|publisher=Europa|isbn=978-1-85743-152-0|page=41}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.summitpost.org/coma-pedrosa/195485|title=Coma Pedrosa|accessdate=22 December 2010|publisher=Summitpost.org}}

The town of Arinsal is in the narrow valley below the mountain. The Coma Pedrosa's Estany Negre, the Torta Coma, Coma's Gaspedrosa, the Puestode las Erolas, Cape dels Croes, and Puig dels Emborts in the Sierra del Aguiro surround the parish of La Massana.{{cite book|last=Bladé|first=Jean-François |title=Études géographiques sur la vallée d'Andorre|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vaoFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA37|year=1875|publisher=J. Baer et cie|language=French|page=37}}

The local area is known as Comapedrosa. The mountain is in a natural park called Parque Natural Comunal de los Valles del Comapedrosa (Communal natural park of the Comapedrosa valleys).{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

The forest vegetation on the mountain and in its valleys are of pines, birch and firs. There are several glacier lakes formed within the valley created by the mountains and also vast meadows. Consequent to the popularity of skiing in and around this mountain valley near Arinsal and close to the Andorra la Vella and other valleys in Andorra, the valley has seen an increase in the development of tourist resorts, hotels, restaurants and business establishments catering to tourists.{{fact|date=July 2024}} This has created an awareness to preserve virgin mountains and forests, and put restrictions on further proliferation of ski resorts and urban activities by introducing a national network of parks as preserves.

Coma Pedrosa is classified as a subalpine climate (Dfc), due to fewer than 4 months with an average temperature above 10°C (50°F).

File:Way to the top of top of Andorra ( Coma Pedrosa).jpg

File:Looking down at Arinsal cablecar station.jpg

The trek or the mountain climb starts from Arinsal, which is considered an easy route, from the picnic area at the base of the Ribal Warefall at {{convert|1580|m}}. It takes about 4 to 4{{fraction|1|2}} hours to reach the highest point of Pic de Coma Pedrosa. The first part of the climb, taking just under half an hour, is along a wide, {{convert|800|m}} long foot track past a signpost to Aigues Juntes, which is the confluence of the Coma Pedrosa River and Pla de l'Estany River rising from the mountains and arriving at Grau. The ascent continues along a steep hill slope of the Coma Pedrosa River valley and arrives at the Coma Pedrosa refuge or camping site at an elevation {{convert|2272|m}}, which is located near the l'Estany de les Truites (Trout Lake). A further hour's walk leads to the Estany Negre (Black Lake), named on account of its colour. The last stretch is for about one hour from Estany Negre to the highest peak in Andorra at {{convert|2943|m}} elevation, and this trek, passing through rocky terrain, is difficult. The return trek follows the same route. A diversion through Malhiverns pass instead of Estany Negre is more enjoyable.{{cite book|author1=Alf Robertson|author2=Jane Meadowcroft|title=The Mountains of Andorra: Walks, Scrambles, Via Ferratas, Treks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tJMAXkr_ogMC&pg=PA46|date=November 2005|publisher=Cicerone Press Limited|isbn=978-1-85284-424-0|page=46}}{{cite book|author=Kev Reynolds|author-link=Kev Reynolds|title=Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e123YCdPgOkC&pg=PA398|date=October 2007|publisher=Cicerone Press Limited|isbn=978-1-85284-470-7|pages=398–400}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.hola-andorra.com/arinsal/english/comapedrosagb.html|title=The "Coma Pedrosa" 2942 m:Tackle the highest mountain in Andorra|accessdate=22 December 2010|publisher=Hola-andorra.com|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204184102/http://www.hola-andorra.com/arinsal/english/comapedrosagb.html|archive-date=2012-12-04|url-status=dead}}

In the Arinsal valley below the Coma Pedrosa, winter season offers skiing and snowboarding. The first ski lifts were installed in Arinsal in 1973. It is {{convert|10|km}} northwest of Andorra la Vella and {{convert|5|km}} northwest of Massana, providing a pleasant après-ski sight.{{cite book|author=Damien Simonis|title=Spain|url=https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetspai00dami_1|url-access=registration|accessdate=22 December 2010|date=15 March 2007|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74104-554-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetspai00dami_1/page/404 404]–}}{{cite book|author1=Loretta Chilcoat|author2=Reuben Acciano|title=Western Europe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Enrkj9PsKGwC&pg=PA30|year=2005|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74059-927-6|page=30}} At an elevation of {{convert|2260|m}} lies Refugi de Coma Pedrosa, a mountain hut.{{cite book|last=Dubin|first=Marc|title=The rough guide to the Pyrenees|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SSynY9B7XrIC&pg=PA218|year=2004|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-84353-196-8|page=218}} It was inaugurated in 1992.{{cite web|url=http://www.andorra.com/es/activita/refugi.asp|title=Refugios|publisher=Andorra.com|accessdate=22 December 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212080609/http://andorra.com/es/activita/refugi.asp|archivedate=12 December 2010}}

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{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060720164233/http://users.cybercity.dk/~bin2000/andwalks.htm Andorran walks]
• [https://archive.today/20121204184102/http://www.hola-andorra.com/arinsal/english/comapedrosagb.html Trekking Andorra's Coma Pedrosa page]

{{Highest points of Europe}}

Category:Mountains of Andorra

Category:Mountains of the Pyrenees

Category:Two-thousanders of Andorra

Category:Highest points of countries