Capçaleres del Ter and Freser Natural Park - Ulldeter Refuge

The Refugi d'Ulldeter is located 20 minutes from the road that leads to the Vallter 2000 station, at the foot of the Gra de Fajol, very close to the source of the river Ter, in the glacial cirque of Ulldeter.

How to get there

From Setcases, we follow the road in the direction of the Vallter 2000 station, on a 12 km uphill route with numerous curves. After the first chairlift car park, you will find a sign indicating the way to the Ulldeter Refuge. You can park here; it is not necessary to reach the Vallter 2000 station. The path begins at a well-signposted curve, and from this point it is approximately a 20-minute climb to the refuge, following the GR11 markings.

Capçaleres del Ter and Freser Natural Park

The Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser Natural Park, declared as such in 2015, is located in the eastern Pyrenees, in Ripollès, with an area of more than 14,000 hectares distributed among 7 municipalities.

The current relief is the result of the erosion produced by the water network after the various glaciations. Above 2,000 m, the entire surface was covered by ice platforms and glacial cirques, from which tongues of ice flowed through the valleys and could be 10 km long and up to 500 m thick.

Cirques and glaciers shaped the relief of the mountain range forming troughs, U-shaped valleys and periglacial sedimentary zones in the upper Ter valley and the Núria valley.

Within the Park there are many examples of glacial morphology: the Coma de l'Orri, the Coma de l'Embut, the Coma d'Eina, the Coma de Vaca, the Coma del Freser, all formed by glacial cirques like the Concros circus, the Ulldeter circus, or the Funnel circus. Currently, there are no glaciers.

Bastiments and Coll de la Geganta protect the waters of the Ter River. About 100 m from the old refuge is the source of the Ter river, which rises at 2,400 m at the foot of the ancient glacial cirque and is also protected by the Gra de Fajol and the Pic de la Dona.

The river takes a route of 208 km through several Catalan counties until it reaches its mouth at the beaches of Estartit and Pals.

Ulldeter Refuge

The New Ulldeter Refuge, inaugurated in 1959 and located at 2,221 meters above sea level, replaces the previous refuge, built in 1909 at 2,393 meters. This first refuge has the historical milestone of being the first mountain equipment in Spain, promoted by the Center Excursionista de Catalunya.