Thursday, August 15, 2013

GR10 // day 17 // Cauterets - Ossoue

Distance: 19.4km (324.2km), time spent: 8:34 (125:39).
Ascent / descent: 2186m (19247m) / 448m (16613m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 913m / 2651m / 3032m.
Weather: Sunny throughout the day.


This was another eventful and beautiful day, for good and worse with an emphasis on good. Today I set course for the highest situated staffed refuge in the Pyrenees, where I will pass over the highest point of the GR10 on the way.

The ruined bridge over the Lutour River at la Raillere.

The Pyrenees was earlier in the year home of some severe flooding, which were to put their mark on the first part of my walk today. After having walked for about an hour through a forest after leaving Cauterets I arrive at a junction, where the path of the GR10 is barred by ribbons and a note with the following message: 'Access interdit au public'. Other than not care about the message and walk on I have no option but to walk back to Cauterets again. I walk on and soon the reason for the message is evident. The trail is crossing a rapid, where the bridge has been broken by the flooding.

Lac de Gaube.

I walk down to the river and jump across to where the remains of the bridge are and shake it quite hard. It seems not to fall completely apart so I take the chance so walk across it. I hold on to the railing and then walk fast over the bridge that is hanging unevenly over the rapids (my mother will probably not be happy when she hears about this). I get across and can continue down to the restaurants below before I start walking up Val de Jeret. It's an enjoyable walk in the morning next to the river up to Pont d'Espagne (1496m).

Great mountain scenery with grassing horses and the majestic Vignemale in the background.

It's swarming with people up at the beautiful Lac de Gaube (1725m). Being early up doesn't help when you have to cover some grounds to get to a place, when the day-trippers only need to drive up to Pont d'Espagne and take the cableway up. The lake is lovely and beyond it mighty peaks are rising to the sky, it's quite understandable that it's a popular spot. Yet, a lot of people, so I don't take the longest break at the lake before I continue walking upwards.

The tension is rising the further up the valley I go, for the sight of the mightiest mountain on the French side of the Pyrenees is tempting. After a nice ascent through a nice valley I can finally let go of my breath and look up towards the majestic Vignemale (3298m). There is a great image before me, green meadows with grassing horses and the mighty mountain towering behind. I take a break at Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube (2151m) where I enjoy the view of Vignemale, together with a sidelong glance at the pass I have to go over next.

View from Petit Vignemale.

Up to Hourquette d'Ossoue (2734m) the stony path is undulating steeply upwards, with Vignemale guarding every step you take. I catch up with Dominik and Anna on the way up, they had planned to go another route from Refuge d'Ilheou, but we had expected that we would meet again at Refuge de Bayssellance. At the top of the pass we can look down upon the mountain hut and the beautiful mountain scenery with the sun shining down upon us, the mountains finally displaying more gray colors than green.

At the summit of Petit Vignemale. The characteristic shape of Pic du Midi d'Ossau can be seen far away in the horizon to the left.

At the pass we leave the backpacks behind and climb up to Petit Vignemale (3032m), it's an easy climb up to the top from Hourquette d'Ossue. The view is a panorama of peaks, just wonderful. In the far distance in the horizon I can glimpse Pic du Midi d'Ossau. There are people at the summit of Vignemale; no wonder, it's splendid weather. I'm extremely pleased at the moment.

Down by Refuge de Bayssellance (2651m) I pitch my tent to a striking view, I'm high up so I'm a little bit anxious about the tent. I take a drink together with Dominik and Anna inside the cabin. The following evening is just a nice as the day, a clear and starry sky with a moon shining upon Vignemale.

Night over Vignemale.
<- CauteretsSaugue ->

3 comments:

  1. More than 2000m to climb up in one day !!! I don't know if we'll do it in one day next summer
    We spent holidays in Cauterets in 1989 and in 2005 and we walked until Refuge des Oulettes : it's marvellous

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    1. A long way up, but a great reward at the summit. The view was magnificent. The area around Vignemale was great. Some part of me regret not checking if I might stay one more night there and try to climb the Vignemale.

      Otherwise I found the 2700m of combined descent on day 21 between Lac d'Aumar and Loudenvielle far more tiring.

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    2. we're preparing our next step from Lescun until St Lary or Luchon depending on conditions
      no hesitation we'll take the same track. we'll probably have a night at Oulettes. it seems too hard and too long to climb up to Petit Vignemale and go until Gavarnie the next days ; i think we'll climb up to Vignemal and stop at Bayselance if fine weather or go directly from Oulettes until Gavarnie if not !
      We think about starting from Lescun on 2nd or 3rd of July
      We'll send you news

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