The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- 2 june 2009 -
Bm251, 252 and 255 not found

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 esfr-trip-track-20090602.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 9: continuing along the border from bm242 to bm255.

Weather: clear blue sky, sunny. Still a very strong wind from the W.




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

En route: 8-845, 10.38h, break ½h
According to my watch: up 1635m down 1736 = 3371m in total. Hmax 1912m Lmin 1329m


According to visugpx
- distance : 16.46 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1124 m
- cum. elevation loss : 1225 m
- total elevation:  2349

- altitude maxi : 1904 m
- altitude mini : 1338 m
- altitude average : 1664 m
Starting at 8am. I return to the ridge and continue on it. Soon I reach

bm243. Then


bm244.
Bm244, backside.

The Pic d'Orhy in the far distance. Then further to
bm245.
Bm245, backside
Then a tough climb along this ridge to
bm246.
Besides the bm is a geodetic pillar. I can't find the bordercross from the Procès-Verbal.


Then a steep descent to a pass, the Uthurourdinétako Portilloua

Move the cursor over the picture to see the approximate borderline. And yes: 147 and 148 must be 247 and 248.
But there's more in life than just bordermarkers.
On the pass: bm247


Bm247, looking back to that steep descent.
And this zoom-in of the Pic d'Orhy.

Note the horizontal ridge of the Pic, described yesterday.
I'm heading for bm248 and look back to the pass, the steep descent from bm246 now better visible.
I follow the fence-posts (which are on approximately the watershed) until the foot of the far left summit of the Chardekagaa. Then I climb directly to that summit and find a few meters to the west of the far left summit

bm248.

Climbing to it can be done more easily making a curve to the left. That's how I descended.

I return to the pass and pick up the red-white waymarked trail that goes underneath the borderridge.

I take a short break and watch the Spanish soldiers in training which have descended from bm426 and will pass me later on.

I proceed to the pass of Chotako Lépoula with

bm249.



A next shortcut underneath the ridge brings me to Port de Belhay with

bm250.

Since Port de Larreau, all the pillars were made of concrete, built in 3 layers. This one is different as are the next ones.



Then things go wrong. After the Port de Belhay I can't navigate well in the rocky and partly snow covered landscape.

I can't identify the 'chemin' (=path or road) of the Procès-Verbal.  There are several tracks through the rockslide on the left of this picture.

This picture: looking back at the Port de Belhay in the upper-left of the picture but now hided in the clouds.

But later I will learn that bm251 was found by Robert Darrieumerlou (see this page), apparently it was still covered under the snow during my trip.


I do find a red-white waymarked trail, the GR12-trail to the next pass.


I search a long time in vain and then decide to go to the next pass, the Port de Bimbaleta. There I find

bm254.
From bm254 I return to give it a new try with compass and gps. Soon I spot in the distance on a hillridge

bm253

I passed it underneath on my way to bm254.
Bm253, looking to Port de Bimbaleta
On compass and gps (for measuring the distances) I return further.

I think I can identify with help of the distances given by the gps and the indications of the Procès-Verbal a few matching locations. But no trace of crosses or markers.

This rock could have been the spot of bm251 (it's on the GR12-trail, there are waymarks at the bottom-edge).


And this rock perhaps the location of bm252.

All my efforts are fruitless and I'm returning to the Port de Bimbaleta.
This picture: I'm looking back at the rockslide and the Port de Belhay at the far end.

But - in april 2010 - I learned that Robert Darrieumerlou found a clear cross (see this page ) close to the ground. By closely comparing his picture with mine, I think I can localize bm252 on this picture.

Move the cursor over the picture to see the approximate border.

This map shows the gps-tracks of my searches.
This picture: returning to Port de Bimbaleta.

Close to the Port I see small wooden poles with GR12-waymarks. They disappear after the Port.


I descend on various parallel trails on the hillside, switching to lower ones while advancing to Port d'Ourdayte. The direction is obvious.

This picture: the Port d'Ourdayte in sight, the wooden GR12-poles have reappeared.

At the Port however, I can't find bm255.



But tomorrow there's a new day for searching.

I descend to the valley underneath the Port to bivouac. A bull frightens me.


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