The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- 13 september 2010 -
Drinking wine with a sailor

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Summary: A daytrip from Bagnères-de-Luchon in two subtrips with two targets: bm364 and bm417, both not found yet.

The two trips together: 8½h, maxH 1777m, total ascent 1381m

Weather: hazy in the morning, bright in the afternoon.
esfr-trip-track-20100913-trip1.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version)

For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

Trip1
Start: 9.15, finish: 12.15, net walking time: 3h
 
According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 5,1 km
Time moved: 1.30h
Time standing still: 1.32h
In total: 3.02h
Total ascent: 244m
Maximum height: 1406m
According to visugpx
- distance : 4.03 km
- cum. elevation gain : 175 m
- cum. elevation loss : 177 m
- total elevation:  352 m

- altitude maxi : 1399 m
- altitude mini : 1283 m
- altitude average : 1351 m
I parked my car at Col de Portillon.
Target: to see if bm360  (and further) is accessible from the Spanish country road, coming down from Col de Barèges.

I've been here before on
10 june 2009

But first bm366
Bm366, looking to Spain
I descend from the Col into Spain and pass along this border-pillar. At this point the border leaves the sidewalk and enters into the forest.

 
But I keep following the road untill 





.
.

.
the country road to the right to Col de Barèges.
This picture: at the start of that country road and looking back.
Further on there’s a sign pointing to the right: “Plan des Bruishes”.

That's a trail leading to an open grassy space, a bit rerouted because of the fallen trees. It goes along the right side of the open space, then to the left of the tiny stream and to the right of it 
untill bm360.
Bm360 is repainted since last year.
Bm360
The double red stripes at trees (bordermarkers as it were) and arrows help to get close to bm361.
It’s under a large overhanging rock wall.

Move the mouse over the picture to see where bm361 is.
The red color of bm361 is visible through the pine tree.
Bm361
Bm361
Bm361, the number and cross are engraved, not the F and E
Red stripes and crosses help again, now to get to bm362

Getting to bm362 required some searching. From bm361, it’s climbing in a clockwise curve, keeping an eye on the double red stripes.
Bm362
Bm362
Bm363 is easier to find since it has a borderstone outside a cross. 
Bm363
Bm363
Bm364 is unfindable as it was last year.

This picture: somewhere in the forest, indicator of the border.

The position of bm364 can be established quite exact, taking in account the distances from bm363 and bm365 to bm364 as mentioned in the Procès-Verbal and the red stripes on trees and an occasional boulder.

Apparently this is the same rock as Jacques Koleck found in 2010 and he reports that it is located 108m from bm463 and ± 4m west from the dirtroad
But there's a clue left.

If we examine the IGN 25k map more closely, you'll see that my waypoints of bm364 and bm365 and my red-stripes-trail from bm363 to the Col du Portillon don't fit with the borderline and bm364 and bm365 on the map.
So: the question remains where the real borderline between bm363 and the Port is.

 Bm365 is several meters above the roadside. 
Bm365
Bm365, the stone pillar now covered by a fallen tree.
And there are some unnumbered bordermarkers like this one
and this one with F on one side and E on the other.

Then - over and under fallen trees - back to the col. And driving to Canejan in Spain.
esfr-trip-track-20100913-trip2.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version)

For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

Trip2
Start: 13.00, break: ½ h, finish: 19.00, net walking time: 5½ h

From Canejan I climb the same path as last year, with a break at an old couple’s house who invited me for a glass of wine. The man was once sailor and retired here with his wife.
 
According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 13,7 km
Time moved: 4.01h
Time standing still: 1.59h
In total: 6.00
Total ascent: 1074m
Maximum height: 1777m
According to visugpx
- distance : 12.6 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1005 m
- cum. elevation loss : 1001 m
- total elevation:  2006 m

- altitude maxi : 1772 m
- altitude mini : 886 m
- altitude average : 1423 m
Roundtrip from Canejan, the target being bm417 since the sky has cleared. But that is too ambitious, at Pas de la Portéule it’s already 15.30. This picture was taken when I arrived at the ridge, before bm415.

Later on - in autumn - I will learn that bm417 was more close then I have thought for years.
Robert Darrieumerlou showed on this webpage pictures of his recent conquest of bm417.
And those pictures proved that bm417 is on the Cap de la Pique and not on the Pic de Huradic which is further on the ridge.
The Procès-Verbal mixes up both Pics and shepherd Roger was resolute on the bm417 being on or near Pic de Huradic. According to him a pillar-shaped one like bm416 and that puzzles me still. He was so explicite in his statements. See esfr-html-trips-20060829.html

Anyway I have to return and then will try to walk the whole ridge.

But I'm not yet at Pas de la Portéule

Having arrived at the ridge, I first pass bm415. There’s a trail starting from here

leading to bm416

and Pas de la Portéule which is a bit further than here. At this spot I stop and

return and decide to do bm414-411 again and to explore the footpath from/to Pas de Trentanade.

You need to tackle a steep rocky wall (at the end of the ridge on this picture), just before you enter the forest but that can be done on either side or in the middle.

Then a gentle descent in the forest on the hillridge. Being attentive to make some noise to warn the possible bear(s), as the shepherd told me in 2006.

Bm414 is easily found (note the cross at the foot of it)

as is bm413, also stone + cross.
Bm413, the cross at the foot
Bm413

But, as in 2006, I miss bm412 (only a cross) and first find bm411 (only a borderstone) which is a bit to the left of the crête. 
Bm411
Bm411
Back uphill I find bm412.

According to my gps it's 62 meters from bm411.
Bm412

Then I try to find the trail to the footpath Canejan - Tuc de Pan as it is shown on the maps. First from bm411 but without success.
However, I manage to find a kind of a trail underneath bm412. So that’s  where I should locate Pas de Trentanade, I think, not at bm411. But the trail vanishes in a field of dense fern. Wrestling through it, I reach the footpath.
It might be easier - I think - to do bm411-bm414 as follows.

Instead of diagonically crossing the forest from the cattle drinking place eastwards to the borderridge, go from the drinking spot first in NE-direction along the edge of the forest.

Then NW through the forest. If you do that while staying horizontally or gently climbing, it should take you to the borderridge at approximately Pas de Trentanade. From there you can find bm411 and 412 and climb along the borderridge to bm413 and bm414 and so on.
I descend to Canejan and pass again the house where the retired sailor and his wife live.

From Canejan driving back to Bagnères-de-Luchon.
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