The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- 1 june 2009 -
No marker on the Pic d'Orhy

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 esfr-trip-track-20090601.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version)

Part of a 16-days trip, using day 1-10 to cover bm154 to 264 in the eastern Pyrenees and day 11-16 for bm416 to 365 near Bagnères-de-Luchon.

Day 8: continuing along the border from approximately bm234bis, over the Pic d'Orhy and finishing near bm242.
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

En route: 10-18.15, 8.17h, no break.
According to my watch: up 1409m down 1265m = 2674m in total. Hmax 2013m Lmin 1297m

According to visugpx
- distance : 12.91 km
- cum. elevation gain : 986 m
- cum. elevation loss : 829 m
- total elevation:  1815

- altitude maxi : 2002 m
- altitude mini : 1292 m
- altitude average : 1685 m
A late start, 10am. I return to the tarmac road and climb SEE along a sort of stream-bed or cleft- keep that at the right - to the hillridge.

At the hillridge, go to the right. You will pass many hunter's shelters.

This picture: I've left the shelters behind me. The Pic d'Orhy is visible in the far distance.
The hill-ridge becomes a rock-ridge and it's not obvious where the summit (the Zazpigain) is. On - what I think is the summit - I make a gps-waypoint and ± 150m further (Procès-Verbal) I start searching for bm235. That location fits with the description of the borderline: where a ravine coming from bm234bis ends at the ridge.

It's a rocky terrain, requiring some rock scramble, with some trails underneath. But no matter how I search, there's no trace of a a bordercross.

This picture: looking from approximately the summit of Zazpigain along the borderridge towards Pic d'Orhy (in the clouds).

In 2010 Robert Darrieumerlou reported that he had found this cross. And showed me - embarrassing - that the location is visible on my own picture. It's somewhere between the Zazpigain and the spot where I searched.

I couldn't believe that I missed it but learned later that this bordercross is ± 150m off the borderline. I didn't expect it there and didn't search there.

See Robert's pictures on this page
I continue on the ridge, that means first a short but steep & slippery descent on the E-side and climbing back on a decent path to the ridge, passing this gate.

This picture: looking back. One can see the slippery (whitish) descent and the more gentle climb to this gate.

I search a bit along the steep rockridge from this side but no bm235 here either.
There's a distinct worn-out trail along the ridge to Pic d'Orhy which is shrouded in clouds.

The Pic is in fact a horizontal ridge of ± 150m with a geodetic pillar at the N-side.
At the S-side there's this metal pole with a sign "Pic d'Ory" etcetera. Not looking very official. I can't find a bm236 on the ridge. Is it vandalized?
I descend on worn paths to Port de Larreau.
Zoom-in of Port de Larreau.
Hunter's shelters along the borderridge.
Port de Larreau, both bm237 and bm237bis are visible,
as you can see better at this zoom-in.
Bm237
A sign warning against the danger of hunters shooting the migratory birds and a hand-written outcry of a protester: "So what?? Gang of savages".
This is interesting: there's a long-distance path in the basque country, partly covering the esfr-border.
Bm237bis
Bm237bis
And then - after all that searching - I can now speed up. There's a strong wind, it's sunny, only the Pic d'Orhy covered in clouds.

I continue on the borderridge and find

bm238 and
bm239.

Then it's easier to traverse underneath the next hill-summit (S of it) to
bm240.
Bm240, backside

Then it's quite a climb to

bm241 and then
descending to

bm242.
Bm242
I can collect water from the melting snow, still lying underneath bm242, and descend to the N to this valley to bivouac. The wind has become cold.
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