The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- thursday 16 september 2021 -
Redoing bm323-325

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Summary: part of a series of 11 daytrips in september 2021 in the western half of the Pyrenees. This is day 8.

Today: a long circular hike to redo bm323 to 325.

Weather: mostly cloudy



track-20210916.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: 23,3km
Max-height: 2601m
Min-height: 1290m
Elevation: +1992m -1992m
Total elevation: 3984m

Start 7:56  Finish 17:41
Total time: 9:45 (no break)
From the camping in Bielsa (Complejo Turistico Camping Bielsa) driving to the south side of the Bielsa tunnel.

There is a parking at the large maintenance building and that's where a waymarked trail starts.

In the blue circle my car.


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Climbing out of the valley


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and passing a hiker's cabin which is very basic and a bit shabby.

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The waymarking is clear enough.

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Arriving at a bifork.


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Straight on is to Port Vieux


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but I turn right towards to the Puerto de la Forquela which is the Port de Bielsa.


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Passing a small stream, in fact the last water source for the next few hours.


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The Port de Bielsa comes in sight.


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It's a "brèche" in the rocky ridge.


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Bm323 is engraved above the passage.


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Entering the passage.


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From the other side (France) looking back. Too steep to climb directly to bm323.


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I have to approach bm323


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from the French side, climbing the hillside when it gets possible.


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Climbing the hillside


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to the ridge


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and proceeding to the passage.

The 323-cross + -number is not that straighforward to see.


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But now it's visible.


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Bm323


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Bm323


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Bm323 with some chalking.


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Bm323


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Bm323, zoom-in


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Bm323, another zoom-in


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This picture shows how I will proceed E towards bm324.


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I return and climb back to the passage.


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I spot a


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geodetic marker.


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And I see a photo


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of an indian or native American as it called nowadays.

Why? By whom?


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It took me 2 hours to reach and 'do' bm323.

Then picking up the trail to the E


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which has now and then cairns as waymarks.


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At a certain point, the trail turns left to climb uphill along this ridge.

It is harder and steeper than it looks on this picture.


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Almost arriving at the borderridge.


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At the borderridge, clouds drift in from the north.


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There is still a physical trail, sometimes vague or absent.


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Arriving at Pic de Bataillence.

Be sure to head SE from here (I went first NW which seems the logical continuation of the main ridge).


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Continuing along the ridge, going underneath a rocky summit at its Spanish side


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until I approach Puerto de Salcorz or Port de Héchempy.

The treaty says that bm324 is at this borderpass but in reality it is ± 300m further.


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Port de Héchempy with


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a view to the valley at its north-side (France)


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Port de Héchempy again


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with now a panorama into Spain.


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Then continuing to bm324


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Approaching bm324


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Bm324 is where you see the cairn.


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Having arrived at bm324.

From bm323 it took me 1:45h to get here.



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Bm324


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Bm324 with some chalking.


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Bm324


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Bm324


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Bm324, looking back along the borderridge.


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I continue, first along the southern slope of the borderridge (underneath the next rocky summit) on a trail and then crossing the ridge at this point.

Cairns and trails help.


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Crossing the ridge to the French side.


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Zoom-in to where the trail continues.


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The next part is mostly traversing the northern rockfall slope on an well path.


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Looking forward


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Cairns help when trails get vague.


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Passing a tiny lake.


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It gets more grassy


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and I pass another small lake.


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A last traverse of a rockfall


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and then the climb to bm325 starts, the trail becoming less clear so more relying on my gps.


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Last panorama-view before reaching


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the saddle-like Port du Moudang (or Puerto de Tringonier)

A last small lake to circumvent


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and I arrive at the Port.

It took me 1,5h to get here from bm324.

Bm325 is however not in the middle of the pass but 45m NW of it.


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Approaching bm325


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Bm325


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Bm325


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Bm325


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Bm325


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Bm325


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Bm325


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Bm325, looking back to the middle of the pass.


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Then I descend back into Spain,


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picking up a white-yellow trail which is not that obvious in the beginning but later well waymarked.


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The trail leads me


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downhill


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into pastures


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and arriving at this large field


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with a hiker's cabin.


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It's the Refugio de Tringonier


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with a basic but clean equipment.


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After the vast field, the trail


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descends in the forest along a stream.

I can see that the cattle has been driven downhill recently because of the muddy, trodden and shitty underground at the steeper parts.


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Gradually I descend


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and further on I cross this small canal.


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Arriving at the main road from Bielsa to the Bielsa-tunnel.

It took me 3 hours to descend from bm325 to the road.


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Then the last stretch: ± 4km along the road to my car.


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Also ± 350m altitude meters to tackle.

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In fact it was 4,4km and 400m elevation. In a fast pace I arrive 1 hour later



at the parking at 17:45.

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After some doubt, I decide to drive on to Bossóst.

I arrive in the dusk and pouring rain at camping Prado Verde, 5km south of Bossóst.

My favourite camping (Espalias) near Bossóst didn't admit camping guests for whatever reason, to my regret.
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