Aneto is the highest peak in the Pyrenees, reaching 3,404 metres in Spain’s Aragon region.
The mountain lies in the Maladeta massif in the province of Huesca, close to the French border. It is composed largely of Paleozoic granite and is part of the protected Posets-Maladeta Natural Park. Aneto’s summit is the highest point in both the Pyrenees mountain range and Aragon.
The final approach traditionally crosses the narrow Mahoma Bridge, a rocky ridge leading to the summit. Climbers must also negotiate the Aneto Glacier, although the glacier has substantially shrunk over recent decades because of warming temperatures.
Aneto is sometimes confused with Monte Perdido, another famous Pyrenean peak. Monte Perdido is higher than many nearby summits but reaches 3,355 metres, making it lower than Aneto. The first recorded ascent of Aneto took place in 1842, led by Russian officer Platon de Tchihatcheff.