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bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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saturday 12 june
2021 -
Redoing bm407-408IV with Carlos & Conchita Roca
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Summary:
part of a series of 8 daytrips in june 2021 near Bagnères-de-Luchon and
Col de Somport. This is day 3.
Today: guiding Carlos & Conchita along bm407-408IV
Weather: sunny, warm
Basecamp: camping Les Myrtilles in the village of Moustajon
This trip on the website of Carlos & Conchita Roca: see this page
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According to Garmin
Basecamp (uncorrected original track):
Distance: 16,8 km
Max-height: 1631m
Min-height: 511m
Elevation: +1108m -1099m
Total elevation: 2207m
Start 8:12 Finish 17:15
Total time: 9:02
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| After a breakfast together, we drive to Fos. Parking and preparing.
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| We enter the forest on our way to Cabane d'Herechet or Cabane des Réchets.
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| Climbing along this rocky path
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| and passing this wooden cross.
Michel Molia told me the story of it. A walker passed by and saw a
scarf on the ground, apparently lost by another walker. He tried to
hang it on a tree-branch but leaned out too far and lost his
equilibrium and fell to his (or her) death.
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| View to the barrage
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| Continuing in the forest
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| to another viewpoint with annotations.
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| We pass several ruins
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| Finally we arrive at the cabane
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| and take a well-derved break.
But the hard work still to come.
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| The cabane from the inside. I slept here last year on 21-6-2020.
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| The water supply is working again, making this cabane very nice and practical for sleeping.
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| In the shade
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| we enjoy our break.
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| But we have to go on. Behind the cabane, this path starts
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| and brings us to this point with two trees with double red stripes.
The main trail goes straight on but we have to turn left here.
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| That trail towards the bm408-submarkers is vaguer.
Arriving at the open strip where a tiny stream (now dry) descends from bm408I.
Bm408III is already visible but we skip it to do it on our return.
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| Same story for bm408II, higher up on the steep hillside.
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| Now the difficult part starts: the part between bm408II and 408I.
It's very steep
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| Just above bm408II, there is a kind of ridge going to the right.
I tried that last year but arrived at steep rocks.
We have to take the left route, I cleaned the first part last year.
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| Carefully climbing, making use of the trees to keep hold, we arrive at a higher level.
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| A last scramble and
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| we arrive at bm408I
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| Bm408I
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| Bm408I
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| Bm408I, time to take pictures
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| Bm408I
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| From bm408I to bm408, there is no trail or obvious route but climbing to it - using our gps-devices - is not that hard.
The terrain is less steep now.
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| Bm408
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| Bm408
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| Bm408
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| Bm408
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| Bm408
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| Bm408
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| Bm408
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| Still, it has been a tough climb from bm408II to here and Carlos takes a rest.
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| Then going on, climbing towards the ridge
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| which will bring us to bm407.
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| Through the broom we find our way uphill.
With bm407 coming closer, Carlos gets new energy.
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| Continuing
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| uphill
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| Arriving at bm407
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| Bm407
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| Bm407 - the original marker.
This is the best preserved old mansonry marker in the range bm366 to 407.
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| Bm407
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| Now it's time to harvest this conquest by making a lot of pictures.
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| Bm407
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| Also the indispensable selfie
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| A picture by Conchita of the borderidge to the W.
You can see that bm406 is far away and walking that stretch (hardly trails) takes a lot of time and effort.
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| Carlos and Conchita are content, it's been al long climb but they made it.
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| Bm407
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| Bm407
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| Bm407
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| We descend back
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| and enter the forest again
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| and head to bm408.
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| Bm408
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| Another moment of rest, we can relax now, the hardest part is done.
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Then returning to bm408I
It takes some time to find it back.
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| Bm408I found
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| Bm408I
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| Bm408I
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| Bm408I
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| Then the last difficult part of the trip: descending steeply from bm408I to bm40II
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| When you are slow and careful and go from tree to tree, you will survive.
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| Arriving at bm408II
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| Bm408II
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| Bm408II
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| Bm408II
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| Bm408II, a moment of rest
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| and then the photo session
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| A selfie with only Carlos, the terrain is too steep for a 'three-ie'.
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| Bm408III lies at the side of the open strip.
It has slided from its original place and was unfindable until 31 may 2018.
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| Bm408III
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| Bm408III
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| Bm408III
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| Enjoying the sacred energy of the forest or just two elderly men taking a pause?
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| Bm408IV, the last target of today. Same story as with bm408III: slided from its original place and unfindable until 31 may 2018.
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| Bm408IV
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| Bm408IV
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| Bm408IV
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| Bm408IV
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| Bm408IV
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| Bm408IV
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| Then quietly returning
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| to the cabane.
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| There is - to my surprise - a mini-chapel behind the cabane
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| with mother Mary.
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| Saying goodbye to cabane d'Herechet. Will I ever return here?
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| Descending through the beech forest.
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| In the last part we are surprised to meet a group of motorcyclists.
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| Back at the car, we are tired.
For Carlos and Conchita, it has been their longest and most strenuous trip ever.
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| At night we celebrate our 'tour de force' with a bottle of cava.
It has been a nice and successful day.
Tomorrow, they will drive home.
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