Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019

Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019
On the Archduke's Path in Mallorca

Thursday 8 August 2013

Thursday 8 August 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 55 - Stage 45 and 46 (variant over Pic du Canigou - Refuge de Mariailles to Mines de Batère

Distance: 33 km (Cum: 851 km)     

Ascent: 1370 metres (Cum: 48,130 metres)
                     
Time taken: 9.5 hrs including 2.0 hrs stops                                     

Weather: cloud above about 2300 metres at first, sunny afternoon

A really enjoyable day on Pic du Canigou with Uli and Peter, and we were joined by Jan and Oliver for the evening, encountering various others on the way. 

Sadly, visibility on Canigou was somewhat limited. It was quite chilly. Gloves came in handy for those who had them handy. The path up Canigou was very gentle apart from the final 'staircase'.

It's a busy mountain but we had to wait a while for someone to turn up to take the top picture. 
 
Sue will remember the orientation table. 

The bottom picture was taken after we had got down below the cloud base.

After an hour in the busy refuge - Chalet-Hôtel des Cortalets - we continued, soon along a lovely contouring path that must once have been a mining tramway. 

A short haul through lovely pine forest over a final col led to the descent to this busy gite. Luckily Sue's booking service had worked, Uli and Peter managed to get a room, and Jan and Oliver managed to get fed. Very nice too. But they have to camp somewhere nearby.

We left the mushrooms for Pierre and Yolaine to harvest. 

A full and sociable day, hence the brevity of today's posting. I'm sure you'll understand, especially as my last phone battery is on the wane. 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

BRAVOOO !!! HOURRAAAAAH !!
You climbed successfully CANIGOU,"THE" mythical emblem mountain of the Eastern Pyrenees and Catalans!!! Now, you can return happy in Lancashire...
(remember: Pierre is Catalan)
xxx
Chantal

Phreerunner said...

Thank you Chantal. It's a shame we chose the one cloudy day in weeks to go up. It wasn't much above freezing on the top so I didn't feel like going back down the staircase to descend by the highly recommended Crête de Barbet route, so that will have to wait. Sue and I did have lovely weather for our ascent in 2004 though.

Anonymous said...

yes, but: well done!
on the souvenir photo, we don't see the hairs of calfs stiffened by the cold .... !
xxx
Chantal

Phreerunner said...

Chantal - it was above freezing in sheltered spots, but the wind chill made it feel very cold. The boys both used their thick gloves.