The
bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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26 august
2010 -
Finding shortcuts
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esfr-trip-track-20100826.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 2: a tough day from bm415 to bm418, tiring descending and climbing in the afternoon.
Weather: a warm day, at the end it gets very windy,
the sun disappearing behind the clouds.
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For explanation of
the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page
Start: 8.30, break: 13.45-15.00, finish: 19.15, net walking time: 9,.30h
According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 17 km
Time moved: 6.34h
Time standing still: 4.12h
In total: 10.46h
Total ascent: 1585m
Maximum height: 2448m
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According
to visugpx
- distance : 16.73 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1363 m
- cum. elevation loss : 1391 m
- total elevation: 2754
- altitude maxi : 2434 m
- altitude mini : 1625 m
- altitude average : 2135 m
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Climbing
from my camping-spot, it’s not so obvious where to go. Close mapreading
gives the clue: there are two half-bowl shaped steep valleys with in
the middle a grassy ridge which leads to the Port de Pla d’Aube.
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There,
on the south-side of the pass, is bm315 (the numbers are in mirror writing).
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Bm315
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Bm315
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Bm315
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I
descend on the French side and try a shortcut to bm316. That’s easy:
follow the slope to the right to a sort of hill-ridge with a kind of
pass in the middle.
Move the mouse over the
picture to see my (approximate) route.
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After the pass
you’ll reach a lake (Lac du Cardal).
From that lake, head to the right.
A path (with cairns) appears parallel to
a mountain-ridge at your right hand (on this picture on the right). |
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to bm316 (Col du
Cardal)..
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Bm316.
Again: in mirror writing
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Bm316
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Descending
back and trying another short-cut: well before the lake, bend to the
right towards the stream which flows from the lake downwards. Follow
the grassy slope to the right - the path leading to bm417 already
visible in the distance at the end of the valley.
You can spot that trail on this picture.
Stay high - just
below the rocky top part of the slope - until you get closer to where
the steep ascent of the trail starts and you can descend to that trail.
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Climbing
to Col de la Bernatoire with bm317, on the west-side, horizontally but
somehow difficult to find. |
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Bm317
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Looking back into
the valley.
Move the mouse over the
picture to see my (approximate) shortcut-route.
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From the pass looking at this Spanish lake.
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Descending (steep,
fatiguing) into Spain.
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Break in
between against this boulder.
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At the end of the descent, there’s a cabin. Perhaps you
can cross the stream behind it, I didn’t try.
Anyhow, a bit lower in
the eucalyptus-forest, the trail descends to the dry stream, crosses it
and descends further.
We're looking to the north on this picture.
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But I climb back
uphill on the either side of the
stream. There are cow-trails, they cross the stream.
Back to the other
side and a trail climbs zigzag to an electric transmission
tower which you can see on this picture at the right pass.
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Don't forget to enjoy nature
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From
that point climb into the valley to the left in front of you (the
electric line entering a valley to the right). There are no trails but
one appears as you approach a pass at the top of the valley.
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After that
pass you descend in another valley. The electric line
reappears
further on and you can see where it passes a sub-pass, giving access to a lake.
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Looking back in
the valley, I came from the right side.
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The path climbs under and along the electric line to the lake with the borderpass now visible.
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A strange
construction I've seen more often in the mountains.
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Col de Espécières
with bm318.
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Bm318
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On
the French side I find a camping spot near the lake with a view on the
borderpass.
Strong winds start.
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