The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
Print this page
- 25 august 2010 -
Exhausted

previous trip     next trip
 esfr-trip-track-20100825.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version)

Summary: part of a 11-days backpacking trip from Cauterets to Loudenvielle ‘doing” bm315 to bm330. Day 1: from Refuge Wallon via Port d’Arretille (bm314) into Spain untill close to bm315.

Weather: splendid, at night: full moon.
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

Start: 09.30, break: 0.45h, finish: 18.15, net walking time: 8h

According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 16,1 km
Time moved: 5.47h
Time standing still: 3.09h
In Total:  8.52h
Total ascent: 1125m
Maximum height: 2517m

According to visugpx
- distance : 15.89 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1218 m
- cum. elevation loss : 852 m
- total elevation:  2070m

- altitude maxi : 2525 m
- altitude mini : 1766 m
- altitude average : 2082 m
The previous day I had hiked from Cauterets to Refuge Wallon after a long cardrive from Holland.

From my bivouac-site near Refuge Wallon, it takes me 2.45h  climbing to Port d’Arretille. On this picture in the distance on the ridge.
Overall well waymarked by cairns + in the last part from the lake white and white/red/white waymarks. 
Bm314.
Then descending into Spain, the white/red/white-waymarking bends however to the left. So – descending southwards into the vally – there’s mostly no trail besides an occasional cairn. However, that’s no problem. I keep to the right side of the stream but not too close.
Later on there’s a valley coming from the right. At the confluence of both streams from both valleys, you’ll come across the GR11-(red/white)-waymarking.
I follow the GR11 downwards and pass later on a cabin.
At the next stream coming from the left, the ascent for bm315 starts (according to a trail-indication on the Spanish 50k-map).

It takes trial and error to find a route uphill - there’s no trail in the field– and it’s heavy climbing on that grass.
I ended up more to the south of the Barranco Salto. I was glad to find a flat spot for my tent, I was exhausted.

Looking back how the route should be (I guess): at that mentioned stream, climb a bit higher, then heading SE, gently climbing, untill you come across the stream Barranco Salto. Then climb along that stream untill you reach the high part: more flat and hilly and the borderridge in sight,
Notice the borderridge on this picture.

The rest of the route: see tomorrow.
previous trip     next trip