The
bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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3 september
2010 -
Lost in the mist
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esfr-trip-track-20100903.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 10: in a large semi-circle
from Vallée de la Pez to Refuge la Soula, finally a tough climb to
bm330.
Weather: splendid, foggy in the end
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For explanation of
the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page
Start: 9.15, break: 12.15-13.30, finish: 19.30, net walking time: 9
hours
According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 21,7 km
Time moved: 6.16h
Time standing still: 4.13h
In total: 10.29h
Total ascent: 1165m
Maximum height: 2579m
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According
to visugpx
- distance : 14.23 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1291 m
- cum. elevation loss : 759 m
- total elevation: 2050
- altitude maxi : 2607 m
- altitude mini : 1350 m
- altitude average : 1862 m
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From
my camping-spot, descending down the valley
.
.
.
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and into a
refreshing
forest untill a sign pointing to Refuge de Soula, taking the “lacets”
and not the steep shortcut.
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Along the trail, a
lot of interesting information panels about nature and the history of
this mountain region.
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I like roadside
chapels likes this one: it's devoted to "Notre dame de la Garde".
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It was built when
this path - the "chemin de Clarabide" - into the mountains was
constructed in the beginning of the 19th century.
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Lunch
with cassoulet at the refuge (the little building left to the large
electricity-generator one).
They don’t sell provisions so this will be my last day, I decide.
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After the refuge
there's a trail climbing uphill and delivering you at this valley-floor
Later on, after the climb at the end of this picture and arriving and
continuing at a second valley-floor, there's a steep trail to the left.
I
follow that rocky trail to Lac de Pouchergues. No signs, only cairns. |
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Circling the lac
and continuing on the trail, it shows that the trail apparently leads
to Lac de Clarabide and not to Port de Clarabide.
Then I try a straight
line to the Port de Clarabide
(Move the mouse over the
picture to see where Port de Clarabide is and approximately my ascent.)
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which means a long
and difficult climb over stones and
boulders.
A bit scary, I allmost got my foot caught by a tumbling rock.
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At the end I reach
the foot of the final climb to the Port.
Cairns and a sort of
trail to the Port itself have appeared. |
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At the port, the
cross is at the westside: bm330.
BUT: in september 2012 I will learn that this cross should be considered as bm330bis
Read the full story at the curiosities-page.
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Bm330 or bm330bis
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Bm330bis, hardly
visible at this picture.
There's a rectangular enclosure right at the pass itself.
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The Spanish side
seems more manageable, I see no waymarks or cairns.
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I
go back and try to follow the cairns to know where the real ‘trail’ is.
Clouds drift in and limit my vision. The cairns-trail takes the grassy
parts if possible.
However, suddenly I realize that I’m not returning
to the lake but heading nw into the adjoining valley. At that point,
I’ve already lost the cairns.
Meanwhile, a stream nearby has appeared and I stop and pitch my tent , it’s
already 19.30.
Camp N42 42 01.1 E000 26 13.3 H2195
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