ESFR-TRIP 10 september 2021

The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
- friday 10 september 2021 - Reconnaissance of an alternative route to bm271 previous trip next trip
	Summary: part of a series of 11 daytrips in september 2021 in the western half of the Pyrenees. This is day 3. Today: from Col de la Pierre St-Martin a rconnaissance of the route to Col des Anies. Col des Anies is both a gateway out of the karst platea and an in between for an alternative route to bm271. Weather: cloudy, sometimes sunny Basecamp: camping in Arette
	Why I am doing this reconnaissance today? (click map to enlarge) It's part of an investigation of the different routes to bm271. On 5-9-2020 the route via Le Pourtet proved to be tough and long The route via Col des Anies is longer but possibly faster because of easier trails. I will try that today. The route from parking de la Contienda promises to be the best. I will try that one next week on 19-9-2021.
track-20210910.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 with elevation added by Gpsvisualizer.com): Distance: 13,3km Max-height: 2172m Min-height: 1764m Elevation: +961m -962m Total elevation: 1923m Start 8:37 Finish 14:56 Total time: 6:20
	Camping Arette where I arrived yesterday. (click photo to enlarge)
	In the early morning driving to Col de la Pierre St-Martin with (click photo to enlarge)
	bm262. Probably the bordermarker I have photographed the most throughout the years. (click photo to enlarge)
	Bm262 (click photo to enlarge)
	Bm262 In the background a trail. That's the trail - yellow waymarked - which will bring you to Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge)
	Bm262 (click photo to enlarge)
	Bm262 (click photo to enlarge)
	Around 8:45 I pick up the yellow trail which starts close to bm262. First crossing a grassy terrain with a view to Pic d'Arlas and Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge)
	Zoom-in to Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge)
	Geting closer to Pic d'Arlas. (click photo to enlarge)
	From the trail a view to the SW. A route from Parking La Contienda arrives at a field and then bends to climb the rocky terrain to continue to bm271. (click photo to enlarge)
	That is to say: on the maps (OSM and TopoPirineos). I will try that route on 19-9-2021.
	I continue in hazy/foggy weather (click photo to enlarge)
	A waysign in between, (click photo to enlarge)
	I have to continue in the direction of Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge)
	Then I'm getting a bit confused: there seems a new route - yellow waymarked - over the rocks. (click photo to enlarge)
	It brings me to this signpost. It took me ± 1:15h to get here. In the background the bifork as it used to be (and still can be used as such) of the 2 routes to Pic d'Anie.
	Zoom-in Left is to the Col des Anies and that is the HRP-route. That is the one I will try today (yellow waymarked). (click photo to enlarge)
	Now looking at the signpost from the old bifork. (click photo to enlarge)
	Zoom-in (click photo to enlarge)
	to the yellow waymarks. I don't understand well why they changed the route at this point. (click photo to enlarge)
	As a comparison, this picture of the old bifork taken on my trip on 5-9-2020 with Carlos & Conchita Roca.
	Back to today: I enter the crevasses of the karst plateau (click photo to enlarge)
	on an ondulating but well trodden path. Progress is fast, faster than on the route via Le Pourtet. (click photo to enlarge)
	Later on it arrives at (click photo to enlarge)
	more open terrain. (click photo to enlarge)
	Sometimes patches of clouds drift in, (click photo to enlarge)
	turning into foggy spells. For the first time I notice a red-white waymark. I check the trail to ± bm270 for a while. I walked that one on 8-9-2010 and on 29-8-2012. In fact it is also an alternative access route to Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge) But in fact I'm looking in vain for a small monument. It must be further along the trail.
	On 29-8-2012 I saw along this trail this sad monument. The little statue represents a couple embracing each other. Jon Álvarez Suárez and Naiara Larrinaga Velasco - a Spanish couple of 37 and 40 years - died here on 11 july 2011. Only dressed in shorts and T-shirt, they were surprised by bad weather, merciless on this altitude and terrain when you're not prepared.
	Back to the main trail: it brings you to this point: a red-white waymark and a yellow cross. We are more or less at Col des Anies now, there is no distinct pass discernable in this terrain. I took ± 1h to get here from the bifork. The red-white trail descends further into the valley to Cabane du Cap de la Baitch. (click photo to enlarge)
	But the yellow route continues to Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge)
	Yellow waymarks (click photo to enlarge)
	and cairns guide (click photo to enlarge)
	you to this (click photo to enlarge)
	T-junction. To the right is (click photo to enlarge)
	to Pic d'Anie on a distinct trail. (click photo to enlarge)
	But from the T-junction there is also path going left, in the opposite direction. Note the yellow cross on the rock. (click photo to enlarge)
	On the maps that's a another route downhill towards Cabane du Cap de la Baitch. But it soon gets rocky without a clear track or waymarking. So I prefer the earlier mentioned red-white descent from Col des Anies. (click photo to enlarge)
	Back at the T-junction and looking in the direction of Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge)
	I return and look back. You can see the T-junction and how the trail continues along the hillside towards Pic d'Anie. (click photo to enlarge)
	Now back at (approximately Col des Anies) with the bifork better shown. (click photo to enlarge)
	Zoom-in to the red-white waymark and the yellow cross. (click photo to enlarge)
	And further back at the first bifork cq T-junction. (click photo to enlarge)
	Zoom-in to the yellow waymarks. (click photo to enlarge)
	The trail brings (click photo to enlarge)
	me back (click photo to enlarge)
	to the very first bifork with the new signpost. (click photo to enlarge)
	Returning and going underneath the rocky hill of bm267. (click photo to enlarge)
	This is at the foot of Pic d'Arlas where the trail passes. A source with the name Fuente de la Contienda and which is the only water source on the vast karst-plateua. (click photo to enlarge)
	Back at the car, returning to the camping in Arette. (click photo to enlarge)
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