Pic de Coma Pedrosa (2,942 m): Hiking the Highest Peak in Andorra

Pic de Coma Pedrosa (2,942 m a.s.l.) is the highest peak in Andorra – a tiny, mountainous country squeezed between France and Spain. It is located in the Eastern Pyrenees, one of the highest and wildest mountain ranges in Europe. As with many beautiful things in life, the idea of reaching the roof of Andorra came quite by accident. I was planning a trip to Catalonia to visit Martyna – my sister, who was doing her Erasmus there. Since we share a passion for the mountains, we had been thinking for months about climbing Pico de Aneto, the highest peak in the Pyrenees. However, because we weren’t entirely sure if that plan would be feasible, I was looking for an interesting Plan B. That is how I became interested in Pic de Coma Pedrosa and the possibility of visiting a new European country. As it turned out, we managed to have our cake and eat it too. Thanks to good logistics and a favorable three-day weather window, we conquered both our dream Pico de Aneto and the fascinating Pic de Coma Pedrosa within 48 hours. I cordially invite you to this report from the roof of Andorra!

Table of Contents

1. Pic de Coma Pedrosa – Essential Information
2. Starting from Arinsal
3. Refugi de Coma Pedrosa Mountain Hut
4. On the Way to the Summit of Pic de Coma Pedrosa
5. Pic de Coma Pedrosa Summit
6. Descending from Pic de Coma Pedrosa
7. Route Map
8. Andorra – A few words about the country and its capital

Pic de Coma Pedrosa – Essential Information

• Pic de Coma Pedrosa is the highest peak in Andorra, located in the Eastern Pyrenees.
• The main base for trips to Pic de Coma Pedrosa is the village of Arinsal, with buildings reaching approximately 1,600 m a.s.l.
• Despite its significant altitude, the hike to Pic de Coma Pedrosa is purely a trekking route. You won’t find climbing sections or excessive exposure here.
• Nonetheless, Pic de Coma Pedrosa can be a major physical challenge for less experienced hikers. The trip from Arinsal requires overcoming about 1,400 meters of elevation gain – almost entirely in high-exposure, sunny terrain.
• The Pyrenees have their own fickle microclimate, characterized by a high frequency of violent storms and intense rainfall. If you assume that “since I’m going south, the weather is guaranteed,” you might be sorely mistaken. Need proof? During my 11-day stay in Catalonia, good weather in the high Pyrenees lasted for less than 3 days.
• Pic de Coma Pedrosa is part of the High Points of Europe (Europe’s Crown) list.
• The first known ascent of the summit took place on September 22, 1858. It was achieved by members of a six-person Andorran-Spanish committee working on demarcating the border between the two countries.
• Andorra is one of the smallest countries in both Europe and the world. Only 82,000 residents live on 467 km²! For comparison, the area of Kraków is 317 km² with a population exceeding 800,000.
• European Union citizens enter Andorra with just an ID card, and there are practically no border controls.
• Since Andorra does not belong to the European Union, **significantly higher rates for data roaming apply** within its borders. If you enter this country, be sure to turn off mobile data and use only local Wi-Fi networks.

Starting from Arinsal

Only yesterday we were standing on the summit of Pico de Aneto, and today the alarm clock rings absurdly early again — announcing another beautiful mountain on our route. We are as recovered as five hours of sleep and 30-degree nighttime temperatures allow. We leave Lleida, our base of operations, around 5:30 a.m. We are traveling in a car rented from a local Enterprise branch. It might not be the cheapest option, but it allows us to maximize the short weather window. Public transport in the Pyrenees does not work well, and it would be difficult to use it without wasting many precious hours on transfers.

The journey from Lleida to Andorra takes us about 2 hours. We drive through small, charming towns, and the road constantly opens up views of gentle hills and peaceful morning landscapes. Shades of yellow and brown dominate the colors, but the further north we go, the more intense the green becomes. At one point, we pass Oliana – a town with a world-famous climbing sector offering routes with grades reaching the astronomical level of 9b+.

After crossing the Spanish-Andorran border, we still have about a 20-kilometer stretch of road to cover. Thus, a few minutes before 9 a.m., we arrive at the mountain village of Arinsal. Among several available parking lots, we choose one located right before the entrance to a characteristic tunnel (altitude: 1,550 m a.s.l., coordinates: 42.5774789N, 1.4795064E). What is particularly wonderful is that the parking turns out to be completely free!

Leaving the parking lot, we pass through the aforementioned tunnel and find the start of the hiking trail. A comfortable path initially leads us in switchbacks up a forest-rocky slope, along the rushing Riu Pollós stream. The incline is significant, which on one hand allows for efficient height gain, but on the other hand, gives our muscles – stiff from the car ride – a real shock therapy. After less than a kilometer of ascent, we emerge onto a wide roadway. The incline clearly decreases, and the first panoramas of nearby two-thousanders open up before us.

Refugi de Coma Pedrosa Mountain Hut

Half a kilometer later, we re-enter a forest path and shortly after cross two footbridges over the Riu Pollós and Riu de Comapedrosa rivers. From this point on, the trail follows the second of these streams. The terrain becomes steep again, allowing us to gain 460 meters of elevation over the next two kilometers.

We walk through lush, incredibly intense nature the entire time. The multi-colored flowers are particularly admirable; there seems to be an infinite number of species here. Personally, I am most fond of the Alpine rhododendron, which appears here in massive quantities. Unlike the mountains I know from home, Andorra doesn’t have uniform vegetation zones. Instead, we get a true mish-mash of different tree and shrub species. Adding to this the fantastic views of the Pyrenean peaks, the Mediterranean sun, and the murmuring Riu de Comapedrosa stream, the resulting landscape is absolutely stunning.

In this way, less than four kilometers after leaving Arinsal, we reach Collet de Comapedrosa (2,223 m a.s.l.), a narrowing of the valley between the Coma Pedrosa massif and the neighboring Pic dels Aspres ridge (2,562 m a.s.l.). At this point, we turn left and after 200 meters reach the Refugi de Coma Pedrosa mountain hut. The facility is located at an altitude of 2,260 m a.s.l. and has been operating since 1992. The building is very aesthetic, blending perfectly into the Pyrenean landscape. The hut has 45 beds, but as you can probably guess, the prices are not exactly low :D.

At the hut, we encounter a huge number of mountain runners from literally all over the world. As it turned out, our visit to Pic de Coma Pedrosa coincided with the prestigious “Andorra 100 by UTMB 2023” race, part of the ITRA ranking. The race was held at two distances: 50 km and 105 km. Three Poles completed the first category, and two completed the second. Great respect, because it must have been an incredibly difficult run!

On the Way to the Summit of Pic de Coma Pedrosa

After a short visit to the hut, we continue our hike to Andorra’s highest peak. Beyond Collet de Comapedrosa, the valley widens and flattens out significantly. For several minutes, we walk across a grassy plain surrounded by Pyrenean giants. On the right, we spot a small stone building – Cabana de la Comapedrosa. This structure is a living reminder that until quite recently, the main occupation of Andorrans was… shepherding. And what place is better for grazing cows and sheep than a fertile, grassy plain?

About a kilometer after leaving the hut, the terrain breaks upward again, and we begin the actual ascent to Pic de Coma Pedrosa. From now on, it will only be steep – a full 640 meters of elevation gain over a distance of 2.5 kilometers. The path leads us up a stone-grassy slope and then turns sharply right – into the higher parts of the valley.

We soon arrive at a small lake – Estanys de Comapedrosa, located at an altitude of about 2,600 m a.s.l. Shortly after, the trail forks into two variants. The first one goes straight – towards the Portella de Baiau pass. The second one turns right – directly onto the ridge leading to Pic de Coma Pedrosa. The summit is already within sight, although at this point it still seems to be quite a distant point. We take the second of these variants, and we will return via the first.

After the aforementioned turn to the right, the path abruptly changes its character to rocky and raw. We walk across a vast field of boulders, laboriously gaining subsequent meters of height. The inhospitable and steeply inclined terrain, the baking sun, and the monotony of the section definitely amplify the feeling of fatigue. The ridge is arranged in a series of distinct, rocky “bumps,” which gives the hike a uniform pattern of “ascent, slight descent, ascent again…” And so on, until the very top. The effort is rewarded by fantastic, fairy-tale views of nearby peaks and valleys, as well as interesting, colorful flowers flashing once in a while between the rocks.

By the way, the name Pic de Coma Pedrosa comes from the Catalan language and loosely translates to “Peak over the Stony Valley.” Nothing to add – very appropriate!

Pic de Coma Pedrosa Summit

We reach the summit of Pic de Coma Pedrosa (2,942 m a.s.l.) at a quarter to 3 p.m., five hours after leaving the parking lot in Arinsal. Fatigue is noticeable, but the satisfaction is much greater. We feel that we have done something wonderful – the highest peak of the Pyrenees and the roof of Andorra in two days! Incredible! At the top, we take a long break for food, drink, and admiring the views.

The panorama from Pic de Coma Pedrosa is captivating, though a bit raw. Everywhere you look, there are dozens of brownish Pyrenean peaks. Since it’s only the end of June, we still see remnants of snow in many places. Looking toward the west, we easily spot Pico de Aneto, our yesterday’s conquest. Information boards placed at the summit help identify individual peaks on the horizon. Only the Andorran flag is missing; its remnants suggest the fabric couldn’t handle the Pyrenean winds.

Descending from Pic de Coma Pedrosa

We descend from Pic de Coma Pedrosa via the second variant mentioned earlier. Finding the right path isn’t a major issue due to its good visibility and the fact that we aren’t alone on Coma Pedrosa. Just like the ascent, the descent takes us over uncomfortable rocky scree. Although we try to walk as steadily as possible and with full concentration, we still slide on small pebbles from time to time.

For this reason, we are glad when we finally reach the Portella de Baiau (2,757 m a.s.l.) pass, located on the Andorran-Spanish border. From this perspective, Coma Pedrosa looks as if it were indeed a pile of stones, heaped up centuries ago by some great giant.

Beyond the pass, the trail is still loose, but not as much as before. Without major adventures, we reach the Estany Negre lake (“Black Pond” :D), located at an altitude of about 2,650 m a.s.l. The pond lies in a narrow, rocky valley, which has allowed some remnants of the recent winter to persist both on the water and in its immediate surroundings. Carefully stepping across the last patches of snow, we walk around the lake and then smoothly rejoin the part of the trail that coincides with our earlier ascent route.

From here on, we descend the same way we came up. We pass the grassy plain and then quickly lose altitude among stunning flowers, intense greenery, and fairy-tale landscapes. We arrive back at the parking lot in Arinsal around 5:30 p.m., which means we completed the entire mountain excursion in 8.5 hours.

I feel complete satisfaction… There was insane nature, great views, and a solid fitness challenge. Coma Pedrosa proved to be not only a fantastic addition to Pico de Aneto but also a great opportunity to explore a new, fascinating European country. Just one day in Andorra, but the memories? I hope they last a lifetime!

Date of the trip: June 24, 2023

Trip stats: 16.6 km; 1,420 meters of elevation gain

Route Map

Andorra – A few words about the country and its capital

After finishing the trek, we stop in Andorra la Vella, the capital of the small principality. The town has only about 22,000 residents but seems very lively. You’ll find a representative pedestrian zone, a multi-story shopping mall, and shops of expensive, well-known brands (not just trekking ones!). We really like the narrow, aesthetic streets, the bridges over the Riu Valira river, and the characteristic architecture, which is a blend of modernity and tradition.

And how on earth did a separate, independent state survive in the middle of the Pyrenees? Well, in 1278, a conflict over sovereignty over Andorra arose between the Spanish Bishop of Urgell and the French Count of Foix. The dispute was resolved by both rulers agreeing to be co-princes of the area. The Andorrans themselves got the short end of the stick, as from then on, they had to pay tributes to two feudal lords. Despite many historical upheavals, the status quo survived, and over the centuries Andorra became part of neither its northern nor southern neighbor. To this day, the titular co-princes of Andorra are the President of France (as the successor to the Count of Foix) and the Spanish Bishop of Urgell.

In practice, however, the principality is a democracy with its own parliament and prime minister. The official language is Catalan, and the currency is the Euro. About 85,000 people live in Andorra, a large portion of whom are immigrants. In 2016, Andorran Catalans made up only 36%, Spaniards 30%, Portuguese 16%, and French 6%. Skiing is considered the national sport, although football has been gaining popularity recently. For many years, Andorra was ranked among tax havens, which attracted a lot of Western business and earned the country a lot of money. However, the situation is slowly starting to change. Andorra’s economy is adapting to European standards, and in 2025 the principality was even removed from the Polish regulation containing the list of “territories applying harmful tax competition” (tax havens).

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