Aizkorri 3.33

Aizkorri or Aitzgorri is a massif, the highest one of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain) with 1,551 m AMSL at its highest point (peak Aitxuri, meaning 'white stone'). The massif is formed by a crest of limestone summits aligned north-west to south-east all in a row at the south of the province of Gipuzkoa, namely Artzanburu, Andreaitz, Arbelaitz (1,513 m), Iraule (1,511 m), Aitxuri, Aketegi (1,549 m) and Aizkorri (1,528 m). Despite its slightly lower height, this summit is the most popular one. The Aizkorri massif is one of the most conspicuous geological formations on the Basque Mountains range.The mountain range is delimited at either end by the Biozkornia and San Adrian passes. On the one end the massif stretches west to the Aloña massif, on the other one to the Altzania massif (highest summit Aratz). The major Madrid-Irun railway cuts its way through the northern steep slopes of the mountain range, with two train stops, i.e. Otzaurte and Zegama Apeadero hardly operating any longer.Access pointsNowadays, Zegama Apeadero is well known for providing access to one hard northern trail mounting up rather straight to a central pass by Andreaitz. The initial mud track going up west (PR-GI 70) peters out into a narrow trail at a major crossroads (col of Intzuzaeta) after taking a turn south-west. Signals are abandoned and the trail penetrates straight into an open beech forest, where traces of the trail can go almost unnoticed. At the final stage of the ascension, the path winds up. At this point, autochthonous forest and steep slopes are left behind, yielding to a distinctive karst and grazing landscape.