Springing forth on the high plateau of the Aran Valley, the Noguera Pallaresa River runs from north to south, following a course that has encouraged trade for centuries. This affluent of the Segre is famous for its canoe races of which Sort, the former capital of the county of Pallars, is the epicentre each summer. Protected by the Alt Pirineu Natural Park, the region and its scenic valleys are guarded by the Pica d'Estats (3,145m), the highest peak of Catalonia.