Official GR20 stage · 13/16
Stage 13: Usciolu → A Matalza
From the Usciolu refuge, known for its well-stocked shop, the stage heads to A Matalza along the Monda ridge — a thin, granite-studded crest once nicknamed the 'ridge of statues'.
Essentials
The essentials
Key facts
- Distance · 10.9 km
- Elevation gain · +266 m
- Elevation loss · -602 m
- Max altitude · 1,815 m
- Difficulty · Moderate (3/5)
- Estimated walking time · 2h40 – 4h20
- On the trail · Stage 13 / 16
Download this stage's GPX
Official OpenStreetMap track, snapped to the PNRC refuges.
On the ground
On the ground
The signature passage of this stage is the Monda ridge, just past Usciolu: a long granite crest whose weathered blocks resemble standing figures, with a few chain-equipped sections along the way. The terrain alternates slabs and boulders, on a route that's mostly descending (the loss far outweighs the gain) once past the day's high point at 1815 m. Usciolu is one of the first three refuges to book out on the Park's reservation system, so reserve early if this is your starting point.
The Monda ridge includes chain-equipped sections: take them steadily, especially in wet weather when the granite gets slippery.
Water & resupply. Usciolu, at the start, has the best-stocked shop on the whole GR20 (supplied by mule train) — a real bonus before the more isolated south, though also the priciest. Check water availability at the refuge before setting off, as on every stage.
Locate