The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
Print this page
- 8 june 2009 -
Daytrip to bm408

previous trip     next trip
 esfr-trip-track-20090608.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version)

Part of a 16-days trip, using day 1-10 to cover bm154 to 264 in the eastern Pyrenees and day 11-16 for bm416 to 365 near Bagnères-de-Luchon.

Day 14: from my bivouac-spot near Cabane de Peyrehitte I make a roundtrip to bm407 and bm408-I
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

According to my watch:
Duration: 8.45-19,  in total  10.14 hours, 1 hour break
Up: 1290 m
Down: 1287 m
Total elevation:  2577 m
Highest point: 2116 m
Lowest point: 1446 m

According to visugpx
- distance : 15.62 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1084 m
- cum. elevation loss : 1086 m
- total elevation:  2170

- altitude maxi : 2126 m
- altitude mini : 1440 m
- altitude average : 1918 m
A long night's sleep after the tiring trip of yesterday. There are still clouds but high up in the sky. It's clear enough for a new attempt for bm407 and 408.

Back along the GR10, doing (again)

bm398
and bm399.

Then I go left underneath the summit with bm400 (snowfield) on cattle-tracks to
bm401

From here I follow the trail of yesterday, which goes a bit left of a first small lake, passes a second small lake and continues as a sort of cattle trail.

That 'cattle trail' brings you to a sort of col on the borderridge, probably the Col de Sacaube.

There's a branch earlier to the left which also leads to the ridge to a sort of col but that seems too sharp to actually cross it.
From the col I follow the ridge until the Pic de Sacaube gets closer and the ridge more narrow and rocky. It's obvious that you have to traverse underneath the Pic.

By the way: in 2011 I will learn that you can proceed along the ridge via Pic de Sacaube.

Move the cursor over the picture to see where the Pic de Sacaube is and how I went underneath it.
A view to the SEE with the village of Canejan on the hillside far away.
A zoom-in

Move the cursor over the picture to see the border.
And another zoom-in

Move the cursor over the picture to see the border.
I descend and traverse with some difficulty underneath the Pic and return at the ridge, bm407 already in sight.

Bm407
Bm407
Bm408, not found

However, I did find a bm408, see the next pictures . But in june 2010 I learned on Paco Nudels blog that there is a large bm408 similar in shape like bm307 and previous stones.
And I didn't find that one.
Then things get more troublesome. De borderline leaves (Procès-Verbal) the ridge at bm407 and goes in a straight line for 310m to bm408.

First I descend further on the ridge for about 310m (gps tripteller) and then circle into the forest to the left, keeping the distance to bm307 at ± 310m.

Then I hear a stream and as I get close, I spot

bm408 (I thought, later I will learn that it is the submarker bm408 I)
It's a small marker and there's a "I" above the number. I look in vain for another marker on top of the rockwall behind it.

But the description in the "Procès-Verbal"  seemed to fit well:

"From bm407, the borderline leaves the ridge and descends on the north side directly to the source of the "ruisseau du Terme". Borderstone 408 is placed on a rock above this source."
This marker is about 5m above the source of a stream.
Move the cursor over the picture to see where bm408 and the source of the "Ruisseau du Terme" are.

At least, that was what I thought at that time. In fact bm408 is 408 I and that 'ruisseau' an unnamed stream.
Bm408 I
Back to bm407 and taking a break. From there, I spot these deers.

I return on roughly the same route, now doing the traverse underneath the Pic a bit lower, following some (animal-)track.
Looking back, the Pic de Sacaube in the far distance.

Move the cursor over the picture to see the trail to the border-ridge.
Further on, this view (zoom-in) back to the Pic de Sacaube.
I finish by doing bm397 to save time the next morning.

I pitch my tent at the same spot as yesterday.

But have discovered a source nearby.

It's along the trail which you can see on this picture going along the hillside to the left. About 10 minutes away.
previous trip     next trip