Arcalís is where the sun and the earth meet every August 7th. The solar mountain becomes a meeting place to contemplate a wonderful natural phenomenon in the Pic d’Arcalís.
Every year on August 7, the Sun and the Earth come together in an extraordinary natural phenomenon that occurs in the mountains of Ordino d’Arcalis Station. Thus, at exactly 7:37 in the morning and for about three minutes, the first lights of dawn passed through the distinctive opening of the Pic d’Arcalis, also known as the Solar Mountain.
For this reason, and in recognition of the meaning of the summit, the Mirador Solar de Tristaina was inaugurated in 2021. It is a sundial that, at the same time, serves as a new point to enjoy this landscape and is located in the Pic de Peyreguils, at an altitude of 2,701 meters. The structure is a suspended metal sphere with a diameter of 25 meters and a weight of 32 tons fixed to the ground with only four points of contact that offer a 360-degree panorama, to the west to the Tristaina glacier circle, to the south and to the east across the entire area of the Ordino Arcalis station, and to the north of the Ozat valleys, with views of emblematic peaks such as the Pic de d’Estats.
unusual natural phenomenon
It was Bonaventure Adelague who rediscovered the amazing natural phenomenon of Peak d’Arcalis, but it seems that the ancient inhabitants of these lands already knew about its existence. Today, August 7th has become a very special day for nature lovers to meet and see the spectacle of this solar mountain, sacred for its history as a sublime point for the worship of the Sun God.
A holiday destination in the heart of the Pyrenees
The Ordino Arcalís resort of Grandvalira Resorts is one of the most attractive destinations to get to know the natural environment of the Pyrenees during the summer months, largely due to the wide range of activities on offer. So, for example, visitors can take the guided Sorteny-Arcalís trek which allows them to spend the night in a shelter, have breakfast and start the ascent on foot to the Mirador Solar de Tristaina and end the gastronomic experience at the La Coma restaurant.
The Tristaina cable car has six cabins with transparent glass floors that allow hikers to feel like they are flying over the mountain on a route of more than a kilometer and a half. This infrastructure and the Creussans lift facilitate access to the Mirador Solar.
Another possible proposal is the Riberamont route which allows you to discover the history and curiosities of the towns in the area with the aim of uniting the past, present and future of this area declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. This year, as a novelty, two new points of interest have been marked with a QR code integrated with Parl’APP panels allowing access to information on the environment. The new points are designed to promote inclusive tourism and add to the more than 30 points already available.
Visitors can also complete their experience with other excursions and via ferrata activities and with the newly expanded restaurant services at the Kokoi terrace in l’Hortell, Camp Base (quick drink), as well as enjoying traditional Andorran cuisine at the Refugio de Sorteny.
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