Txamantxoia

Overview

The peak of Txamantxoia, pronounced as “Chamanchoia”, is one of the best known images in the Refuge of Linza area, near Belagua’s valley, thanks to its nice west face, a great pyramid over the Hut, but its height under the 2000m have relegated it to a secondary role in an area with higher mountains as Mesa de los tres Reyes (2444m), Petrechema (2377m), Lapakiza linzola (2100m) and more two-thousands. It’s normally when you come down from these peaks when you see Txamantxoia and you search information about this peak in the refuge to climb it another day. If you see the peak from the North or South the image is completely different with a very long shoulder of over 3 km. It’s also called Maz.
The ascension is of course shorter than the other big peaks and it’s a reasonable walk searching a new climb in the rest day in the area. It rewards summiteers with a wonderful panorama of the skyline of the big mountains of the zone.

Routes:
-Collado de Maz (South): nearby to Refugio de Linza and the shortest one ( 1h 30 min).
-Valley of Belagua (North): longer and most confuse (3h). This route is not advisable if you don’t know the area because the path is not always evident in the forest.

Getting There

You will have to get there from Pamplona or Huesca, the biggest closer cities. Follow the road linking both of them (N-240) until the crossing of Venta Carrica. This is a crossing about (will check) sixty kilometres from Pamplona, where you can find a petrol station and the beginning of the road to Sigüés / Salvatierra de Esca / Roncal (signal of ski resort of Arette as well). Follow this road (NA-137) for 13 km, until Isaba. Now you will decide the trailhead.

-Valley of Belagua: you will follow NA-1370. After the desviation to camping Asolaze you will reach an area with some small huts (bordas) with a bridge, it's the place to the North trailhead.

-Linza-collado de Maz: After Isaba keep going north (NA-1370) for three more kilometres and turn right on the crossing marked as (Zuriza /Ansó). This small road (NA-2000) will take you across the valley of Belabarce and to the camping area at Zuriza, under the Sierra de los Alanos. When you finish coming down from Belabarce (that will be some thirteen kilometers after Isaba), turn left for the camping area and drive around it until the end of the road. It is not in a very good state, so don't drive fast. You will see the dirt roads to Barranco de las Eras and Barranco de Gamueta to the right, but pay them no attention. Keep going on the main road until a final turn right, around a rocky hill, sets you on the small flat valley known as Plano de la Casa and the mountain hut of Linza. A few of meters before the Hut is the track closed with a barrier.

Red Tape

Nothing special.

Camping

-Refugio de Linza
-Camping Asolaze - Isaba.
-Camping Zuriza - Ansó's valley.

External Links

mendikat.net: text (Spanish) with information about the routes and nice images of the peak.
Komandokokreta: some images of the route of Collado de Maz.
Pirineos300.com very good description (Spanish) with images and map.

Images

View Txamantxoia Image Gallery - 52 Images