Spain, Alta Ruta, 05/09/25.

Vignamales, Friday 5th Sept.

A side trip today with the possibility of climbing Vignamales. The weather was good but it looked windy at the top.

A good morning 

Picked up an ice axe and crampons at the refuge and set off back down the way I came up yesterday to where the 'path' up to the glacier turns off.

Down to the glacier path

A high cliffy path leads to a big scree chute that I had to cross before climbing up ice polished limestone that gave surprisingly good grip.

Way up

The start of the glacier 

I avoided some snow patches and continued climbing until reaching the lip of the Corrie where Crampons were attached to boots to climb a snow chute leading to the glacier.

The glacier 

What can I say except AMAZING, a real glacier, not just an everlasting snow patch.

Glacier surface

There was no snow cover so the couple of crevasses were easy to see as I crunched my way over the ice.

Looking down the Glacier 

The Glacier was the main reason for being there but I climbed a horrible scree slope towards the rock slabs leading to the top.

Looking down on the glacier 

I was looking at the next stage when another couple passed me and started roping up. That made the decision for me and I slithered back to the glacier. Not the top but still 3200 meters.

Ice Ice baby

I spent a while wandering about the glacier which was getting wetter in the sunshine before retracing my steps and finding a sunny spot in the rocks that was sheltered from the icy wind coming down the glacier for a late picnic lunch admiring the view.

I'm not the only one 

There was a helicopter ferrying equipment up to the ridge which was interesting to watch particularly the skill of the pilot in the strong gusty wind.

The helicopter 

When I got back to the Refuge I found out that they were drilling for permafrost experiments.

Wow

I found a slightly easier route down through the rock but still had to cross the scree and the nasty, high, cliffy path before rejoining yesterday's path to the refuge.

Back across the scree

Spain, Alta Ruta, 04/09/25

Grange de Holle to Baysselance, Thu 4th Sept.

It was a misty morning with rain forecast for the afternoon but once I had climbed out of the low cloud it turned into another lovely day.

Leaving the refuge

Once the initial climb was done the path was reasonably level all the way up the valley.

Leaving the cloud below 

There were lots of marmots about, some even agreed to a photograph.

Marmot

The path met the valley floor at a small dam and I had crossed below the dam before I noticed the diversion signs. The bridge over the river at the head of the lake was washed away last year. I debated carrying on on the theory that there wasn't that much water in the river but then thought it might be sensible to recross here rather than chance wet feet.

The lake (reservoir)

The path from here zig zagged steeply up the up head of the valley for 800m through some more spectacular scenery to reach the refuge at 2640m.

On the way up 

Looking down the valley 

It was quite early when I checked in so I went for a walk to the top of the pass and sat in the sun for a while watching the clouds and rather enjoying myself, the 'Fool on the hill'.

View from my perch

The refuge was full and there were a lot of people camping who were all having dinner, very noisy!

Baysselance Refuge 

Spain, Alta Ruta, 03/09/25

Espurguettes to Grange de Holle, Wed 3rd Sept 

A beautiful morning again after a good night's sleep, must be the exercise.

Morning path down the hill 

A very short day today, down the hill to the Hotellerie de Cirque.

A vulture feast 

Hotel with the Cirque behind

A climb then into the Cirque de Gavarnie to the bottom of the highest waterfall in Europe (423m). I think Slartibartfast would be impressed, by the scenery if not by the height of the waterfall.

Highest waterfall in Europe 

It was early morning there were very few people about and the falls and surrounding cliffs amazing even though in the shade.

Looking back from the track down

On the way down I met more and more people going up until as I neared Gavarnie it was almost a tide.

Gavarnie 

Gavarnie is a tourist trap and full of the shops you would expect in such a place but I did manage to replace my toothbrush that I had left behind again! 

One of the parking areas

A good lunch and a while spent putting pictures on the blog and it was time to wander up to the Hostel. 

Leaving Gavarnie 

Loads of campervans and coaches but you can see why it's so popular when you look at the mountains all around.

Spain, Alta Ruta, 02/09/25

Pineta to Espuguettes, Tue 3rd Sept 

A fine morning that promised well for the rest of the day, it was a good walking and even the sun wasn't too hot.

Refuge de Pineta 

A level walk through the woods by the river which had some water in it but judging by the width of the gravel nothing like it must be in spate.

Along the river

The path climbed up and crossed the river by a new bridge before turning onto a rough path and from there it went steeply up becoming more and more rocky through some spectacular scenery.

Bridge over the river 

How do you get up there?

There didn't appear to be any way through the cliffs when looking from below but all became clear when it climbed out onto an amazing viewpoint.

View from near the top

Rocky viewpoint

The scenery continued with mountains, glaciers and a lake that was the perfect spot for a lunch break. I can't describe how amazing the scenery was and the pictures only hint at it, somewhere I will always remember.

Monte Perdido Glacier

Lunchtime view

There are a lot of people about, more than I expected at this time of year.

Up the gully from the lake

Refuge on the French border

A short very steep climb from the lake through scree and rock took me to the French border and a refuge balanced in the gap before an even worse scree descent into France.

And down into France

My climbing style deserted me and the descent was mostly by bum, but I got down safely to the boulder field below.

Looking back to the gap

The boulders were tricky but I managed to pick my way through to an easier path down the valley.

A proper path

A climb up and across some scree to another coll opened up the view across another amazing valley and the Refuge on the grassy hillside below.

Up the scree 

The Refuge 

An excellent mountainy day ending with a view of the glacier on the mountain I hope to climb on Friday.

Sunset from the refuge

Spain, Alta Ruta, 01/09/25

Goriz to Pineta Mon 1st Sept

The wind picked up overnight but there was no appreciable amount of rain and the morning was bright with a few low clouds about and the wind had dropped.

Leaving Goriz 

Most people from the Refugio were heading up the mountain and I had a nice peaceful day, not meeting anyone until the Collado de Anisclo.

Beautiful morning 

There were marmots about on the grassy bits today and I had an interesting encounter with a stoat that appeared from behind a boulder. It played peek-a-boo for a while before coming quite close but unfortunately when I got the camera out it got shy and ran away.

Scenery with clouds

I had done the first and last parts of today's walk on the GR11 last year but the traverse from the Collado Superior de Goriz around the cliffs of Monte Perdido was new taking me high above last year's route.

The route ahead

Some of the terrain was 'interesting' but the views were incredible, the clouds bubbling up from below made it very photogenic.

An 'interesting' bit

There was a tricky chanel in the rocks that luckily for me had assistance chains, I don't think I would have managed without.

Easier ahead

After a steep descent over bare rock a 'normal' mountain path then took me to the Collado de Anisclo and the start of a steep, rough four hour descent to Pineta.

Col de Anisclo 

The way down 

I did this descent last year and swore at the time that I would never do it again and here I was again, at least there was no snow this time.

Lunch stop on the way down

It is a continuous very steep slope from 2400 meters to the Refugio de Pineta at 1200 meters.

Nearly down

The path zig zags all the way down to avoid the almost vertical bits until finally there is a flat bit where it crosses the dry river to the refugio.

The river bed

All that height to regain tomorrow 🤣

The last bit through the woods 

12km walked, 600m ascent 1800m descent.