The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- sunday 13 september 2020 -
Backpacking along 272-279 -> day 2: doing 273-274

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Summary: part of a series of 6 daytrips and 1 multiday trip in september 2020 in the Pyrénées Atlantiques. This is trip 7 - day 2

Today: from the Sources de Marmitou climbing via Col des Ourtets to the Table des Trois Rois. From Col d'Esqueste traversing on the French side to Col de Pétragème (bm273). Then in a semicircle to Col de la Chourique (bm274) and continuing to Lac de la Chourique.

Weather: splendid

track-20200913.kml
(click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version). The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. For cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page

Gps-waypoints of all bordermarkers (most recent version):
kml:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.kml
gpx:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.gpx (with elevation added by gpsvisualizer.com)
According to Garmin Basecamp (uncorrected track):

Distance: 13,2km
Max-height: 2407m
Min-height: 1708m
Elevation: +1191m -1239m
Total elevation: 2430m

Start 8:46  Finish 17:53
Total time: 9:07
After a long night of sleep, I climb towards Col des Ourtets on a trail waymarked with cairns.


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Getting closer to the Col.


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Arriving at the Col.


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Looking forward to


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Pic des Trois Rois.


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An interesting hole


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with a number.


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I follow the cains,


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proceeding towards Pic des Trois Rois.


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Looking back with


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a zoom-in to the ridge of Añelarra. Bm272 still exists


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but the cross 272bis is lost. As such ("détruite") it is indicated on the maps and it hasn't been found by anyone.

This is a very interesting view of the possible spots for 272bis. The French IGN-maps still indicate the position but if we measure (in Google Earth) the distance of 360m (Treaty) between bm272 and 272bis, we arrive at place 45m to the SEE.

But looking at this picture, the IGN-position seems more likely as a geophysical landmark. See also this page.


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The cairns-marked route brings me to this tilted rockwall


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which means some scrambling while climbing. Not that easy with a full backpack.


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But I can't remember this scrambling from my trip of 1-9-2012.
If I compare these 2 routes from Col des Ourtets to Table des Trois Rois, the difference becomes very visible (up is south):


I think the blue route is easier.

At the top of the rockwall, this view back and


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this view ahead.


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Zoom-in to the climbers of the Pic. I did that climb on 20-8-2011.


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Looking ahead to the climb to the 'pass' between the Table and the Pic des Trois Rois.


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And again a view back.


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I'm approaching the 'pass' between the Table and the Pic des Trois Rois.


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From there I walk up the Table des Trois Rois.

It took me 2 hours to get here from the Sources de Marmitou.


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From the Table I have a tremendous view of the landscape and route ahead.


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From the Table a view to the Pic and


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a zoom-in to Col d'Esqueste.


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From the Table looking down at Lac de Lhurs.


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It's time to continue: along the north-side of the Pic des Trois Rois descending


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in the direction of Col d'Esqueste.

There is no distinct trail, only an occasional cairn will help but it is mainly navigating on sight towards the Col.

From the saddle west of Pic des Trois Rois there might be a better waymarked trail to Col d'Esqueste.


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Getting closer to the Col.


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Col d'Esqueste.


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It's a steep, slippery and tiring descent.


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Looking back to Col d'Esqueste.


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I descend to this bunch of boulders where I take I break.


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From these boulders I climb S to this ridge where

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a vague trail brings me closer to Col de Pétragème.


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Further on navigating like this


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and then the last climb to the Col, now on a distinct trail.
Having arrived at the main trail from Cabanes d'Ansabère to Col de Pétragème


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Bm273 at Col de Pétragème.

From Col d'Esqueste to Col de Pétragème took me 2,5h walking.

That makes a total of ± 5h from Sources de Marmitou to Col de Pétragème.


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Bm273


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Bm273


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Bm273, looking into Spain.


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Bm273


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I wondered yesterday if there is a route from Col d'Anaye (bm272) to Col de Pétragème (bm273) on the Spanish side. If we look on the 4umaps-site, we see a lot of trails on the Spanish side. That makes a route possible as shown on this map:

There is even a source and bivouac-opportunity on the route. The distance is ± 10km with a total denivellation of ± 1100m. Could be faster and safer than the route of today. A route to check myself in 2021. You can download the above track as a kml-file.

The route above is confirmed by this map (derived from this pdf):



Let's annotate the above map:

We can now see that this alternative is waymarked for a large part: from Col d'Anaye to ± Collada de Linza. From there it's ± 2,5km walking E on trails to Col de Pétragème (bm273).

What would the alternative route from above mean for my GRPdesBF-stage from Sources de Marmitou onwards? The 'old' route is as follows:


It would change to this route itinerary:

As you can see: no variants needed and an earlier stop at Ibón de Acherito instead of continuing to bm276. Reason: the lakeside is a perfect bivouac-spot.
Then descending back, towards Cabanes d'Ansbère. I start to get tired.


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The Col de la Chourique becomes soon visible to the right.


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This is a bifurcation: the main trail descends to Cabanes d'Ansabère and a smaller trail continues the half circle to Col de la Chourique.


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Getting closer to Col de la Chourique.


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Arriving at Col de la Chourique.


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Bm274 is not easy to find.


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Bm274


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Bm274


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Bm274


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Bm274


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Bm274


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Then descending into Spain,


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passing this archeological site.


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It concerns a megalith


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and the information panel gives an explanation.


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And the horizontal large rock is the megalith in question.


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Descending further to the bottom of the valley with a view of the route ahead to Lac de la Chourique (or Ibón de Acherito in Spanish).


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There is a distinct path climbing up the hillside.


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At the bottom of the valley


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this cabin.


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Nowaday the route to Ibón de Acherito is part of a well waymarked and trodden circular walk.


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The cabin has been upgraded since my last visit on 1-9-2012 offering now better sleeping facilities but still very basic.

Around the cabin excellent bivouac-possibilities.

A water source is available nearby on the trail uphill to Ibón de Acherito.


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This is that source.

Between Sources de Marmitou and Ibón de Acherito, it's the only watersource on my route.


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Looking back.


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Having arrived at the upper level, the trail makes a half circle


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to arrive here with


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the lake of Ibón de Acherito soon visible.

Also visible: the route up to the rocky ridge which I will climb tomorrow morning.


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A nice bivouac spot at the lakeside. I have to collect water from the lake.




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