Days 105 to 108: Entering the Pyrenees With Dad and Walking in Good Company

Day 105: The Pyrenees Have to Be Earned

After two rest days, it is now time to get back on the trail. Today is going to be fairly tough, with 2,000 metres of elevation gain over 24 kilometres.

First, we say goodbye to my mum, who will begin a week of solo travel, during which she will go and see a Swiss friend she has not seen for 25 years. That should be a reunion full of emotions. I say goodbye to Mum with a heavy heart, because the week with her flew by like a shooting star. We agree to meet up in Toulouse a few days before her departure, so we can see each other one more time before she returns to Montreal.

After our farewell, my dad and I head to the small grocery store in Vinça to resupply. Since I do not yet know how fast my dad will walk, we take an extra day of food. I hate being hungry and I am incapable of rationing myself. The pack is going to be very heavy with a total of five days of supplies. But as Obélix says, “when appetite goes, everything goes.” With our heavy packs, we finally set off around 9.00 am. Off we go for a wonderful father daughter outdoor adventure.

Since last night, I have been chatting with Robin and Valentine on social media. Initially, Valentine had decided to stop walking and not enter the Pyrenees with us, but as they say, the night brings good counsel, and she decided to continue. I am really happy about her decision, because the weather looks incredible and she will get to see magnificent landscapes. We decide to meet further along the trail to bivouac together.

The trail begins fairly gradually, alternating between asphalt roads and small country paths. However, that ease does not last very long and soon we face a first wall leading us to Baillestavy.

We continue our climb to a small village where we take a break for coffee. The ascent is tough with our huge backpacks and in the heat. For a first trek and an enormous pack, Dad is doing brilliantly.

Mid afternoon, I hear familiar voices a little further up the trail. A minute later, I spot Robin and Valentine sitting in the grass on a little break. Apparently I talk loudly, oops, and they have been hearing me approach for a few minutes. With the group reunited, we all set off together to tackle the mountain. The higher we climb, the more the wind picks up.

By the end of the day, we reach our planned bivouac spot. Unfortunately, the unstaffed refuge is locked, so we pitch our tents nearby. There are very few flat spots, so we have to squeeze in. Shortly afterwards, three hikers join us and make it clear that we do not really have the right to be there. In fact, from their tone, you understand that it is completely allowed, but they themselves wanted to settle in that spot.

After a good little meal, we quickly retreat into our tents because as soon as the sun disappears, it gets very cold. While we thought our camp was somewhat sheltered from the wind, it shifts and blows straight into our fabric shelters. Gusts at 80 kilometres per hour crush my tent. It is going to be a short night.

Around 11.00 pm, I still cannot fall asleep even though I have had my eyes shut for two hours. Believe it or not, we are dozens of kilometres from any town, and yet we are right next to a party. Some hikers chose a spot about a hundred metres from our camp to blast music and shout for no reason at all. Thanks for the respect.

Around 2.00 am, I realise it will probably be a sleepless night for me. It is simply impossible to drift off. This lack of sleep is going to make tomorrow’s planned ascent of the famous Pic du Canigou even more challenging.

Day 106: Climbing Canigou After a Sleepless Night

After an incredible night of no sleep, my alarm finally goes off. It is a relief because I spent the whole night tossing and turning in my sleeping bag, waiting for a sleep that never came. We each eat inside our tents because it is far too cold to sit outside at a table.

After a good, too small breakfast, we set off toward the Pic du Canigou. The final part of the climb is rated T4, which usually requires using your hands to scramble up certain sections.

Before starting the ascent, we take a short break at the Refuge des Cortalets, a shelter chosen by many hikers who want to climb one of Catalonia’s most mythical summits. We meet a cheerful group of about ten children aged around five to eight, heading up for a summit excursion. There are two routes to the top, one that avoids the T4 section, which makes it accessible for families. The HexaTrek, however, chose the difficult route. Surprise. We will therefore reach the summit from a different direction.

After tart, biscuits and coffee, we set off again for Canigou, passing the beautiful Portella de Callmanya pass. Halfway up, we have to stop to put on warmer clothes because of the icy wind that never stops blowing.

After the Portella de Callmanya pass, we drop our large backpacks and prepare for the final ascent up the chimney that leads to the summit. To climb Pic du Canigou, you have to do an out and back and step a bit off the HexaTrek route. So there is no point carrying all our gear, and we prefer to travel light to keep better balance in the steep vertical scree that awaits us.

Walking without a backpack feels like a kind of freedom. It is so much easier, you almost feel like you are flying. The first part of the final climb is fairly easy, but it gets tricky in the last 100 metres. It becomes scrambling, not a V6, but still. My dad decides to wait for us for that final part, and I head up with Robin and Valentine, paying very close attention to where I place my feet.

After about fifteen minutes of vertical effort, we reach the summit, which is already packed with at least 40 hikers. But that was to be expected. It is Saturday at midday and the conditions are perfect. Not a single cloud in the sky. At the top, a group of Catalans sing their national anthem and receive an ovation at the end of their performance. We take a few photos, then head back down.

The descent is a bit more complicated, not because of technical difficulty, but because of certain hikers who think they are alone in the world. One first, of the “look at me” type, announces to everyone that he will run down because it is easy and blah blah blah. Alright, well done, big guy. Then a few minutes after we start descending, a hiker above us knocks loose three rocks, and not small ones, that tumble down and pass just centimetres from my head. Mistakes happen easily on this loose rock, but instead of apologising, he starts laughing. Enlighten me, but I do not see what is funny about almost smashing someone’s skull in a precarious gully. Valentine cannot believe the stupidity and starts telling them off. I also tell them to wait until we are further away before continuing down.

We eventually make it back in one piece and rejoin my dad. Around 1.30 pm, we reach the backpacks we left at a small bivouac spot. Phew, all our gear is still there. It is always a bit stressful leaving packs in full view of everyone, and you can only hope nobody will be nasty enough to steal anything.

Starving, we devour our meal, then begin a long descent toward the friendly Refuge des Mariailles, which turns out to be rather funny. In the toilets, there is a “commandments of poo” sign, explaining all types of toilet situations in a very elegant way. I will leave you the photo, you can judge for yourself. We have a good meal with a bit too much red wine. Being very tired, Dad, Robin and I start laughing hysterically at nothing. It feels so good to laugh that much after a sleepless night and an exhausting day.

Even though we initially planned to sleep in the unstaffed refuge, the cheerful mouse droppings scattered everywhere make us change our minds. So we pitch our tent in the last light at the designated bivouac area.

Having not slept for the last 36 hours, I fall asleep very quickly.

Day 107: Walking Into the Wind Under Strange Clouds

The next morning, after a very good night’s sleep, we go back into the staffed refuge to buy coffee, then we set off again. Today, we will walk a few kilometres along the mythical Haute Route Pyrénéenne. Later in Stage 5, it will be possible to take a big alternative route, considered the most difficult of the HexaTrek, to continue along this route.

The main obstacle today is the wind. Fortunately our packs are still very heavy, because gusts at 100 kilometres per hour regularly hit us. Very quickly, we have to dress warmer, as the wind chill makes it feel like 0 degrees. Erm, where is my Indian summer. To avoid turning into an ice cube, I have to put on all my layers.

These strong winds do have one big advantage: they create spectacular clouds in the sky. Some clouds almost make it look like UFOs are about to land on Earth.

The trail is extremely wild, and during the day we meet very few hikers. The quite extreme temperatures, especially for September, stop us from eating lunch outside without freezing our fingers. So we keep walking until we reach a small unstaffed metal shelter. Even though it is very basic, it lets us get out of the wind while we eat.

At the end of the day, we reach the Vallter 2000 ski resort, arriving a few minutes before a restaurant closes. We take the chance to recharge our batteries a bit, eat good chocolate crêpes and rehydrate. After a solid hour break, we head off toward the staffed Refuge Ulldeter, where we will spend the night. Since the summer season is over, the refuge has officially been closed for a few days, but each one is required to leave a section open for off season hikers. Usually, a few bunks are available, sheltered from the wind. We will definitely need them tonight, as winds of 120 kilometres per hour are still forecast.

On the way to the refuge, we cross paths with a horse that seems, at first glance, very friendly. It approaches my dad for a few pats. Then it approaches Robin and tries to bite his balls. Robin steps back just in time. Phew. You have to watch out for those horses.

By late afternoon, we finally reach the refuge. The open section of the refuge can accommodate about six hikers. That is perfect, because when we arrive, two people are already settled in. We get to know them, share a meal together, and then it is already time to go to bed.

Day 108: A Day on the Ridges

The next day, the alarm goes off at 6.00 am. We have a long day ahead, with a good 27 kilometres to cover. The positive is that we will reach a town where we can buy good food. Today looks promising. We will go over more than six passes, and the sun should be out. Luckily, the weather conditions are good, because we will pass by Pic du Noucreus, which has already witnessed tragic lightning related accidents. It is therefore essential to cross it on a day without thunderstorms.

Leaving at 7.00 am, we witness a spectacular sunrise. The sky fills with colour, and it is hard to look away from the show above us.

After a steep climb, a grand day begins, attacking ridges and passes. The sun dominates the sky, we have 360 degree views, everything is perfect. We feel incredibly lucky to move through such landscapes.

The last big climb of the day, the ascent of Pic des Nou Fonts, triggers sharp pain in my left Achilles tendon. It worries me a bit because it has been a long time since I have been in that much pain, but it is also true that the last climb was on an extremely steep slope. I decide to slow my pace so I do not make it worse. Fortunately, there are only a few metres of elevation gain left, and the rest of the day is mostly long descents and flatter terrain.

Since it is going to be quite cold tonight, we decide to rent an Airbnb in Super Bolquère, I swear that is really what it is called. After a long descent, we reach Eyne, where we still have about 7 kilometres of flat walking left before reaching our place for the night. My tendon is increasingly painful and it worries me more and more. I tell Robin and Valentine, and we agree to meet at the flat, since I am going to slow down a lot.

Two hours later, walking with my dad, I can finally put my pack down. Not being able to walk much anymore, I stay in the flat while my dad, Robin and Valentine go shopping at a store 2 kilometres away. Luckily, they get a lift.

In the evening, we enjoy rotisserie chicken and potatoes, a change from pasta and sausage. Comfort does feel good from time to time. Over the next few days, we will tackle the magnificent Pic du Carlit.