GR-11 Trail (IV) Vielha-Encamp

Overview

-Approach: the last stage of GR-11 Trail (III), from Espitau de Vielha. This place is in the South Access to Tunnel of Vielha, just in the road and it’s easily reachable by car to walk only some stages.

-Overview: the land of the last great mountains, the wonderful lakes of Natural Park of Aigúestortes. It’s the last part of the central Pyrenees.

-Maps: the itinerary goes across the areas of Alta Ribagorça (in many maps of Benasque this area appears as well), Aran, Aigüestortes, Andorra.

Stage 21: Vielha-Colomèrs

-Time: 8h 30m.
-Slope: Ascent: 938m, Descent: 453m.
-Trailhead: Espitau de Vielha (South side of Tunnel of Vielha)
-Night: Refugio de Colomérs (Mountain Hut, reservation advisable, Tel: 973 253008, 40 places).
-Route Points: Espitau de Vielha (1630m), Port de Rius (2355m), Refugio dera Restanca (2010m), coll de Crestada (2475m), Pòrt de Caldes (2578m), Ref. de Colomèrs (2115m).
-Difficulty: hard stage.
-Mountains-Landscape: Besiberris, cirque of Colomérs, Montardo d’Aran.
-Commentary: another option to make easiest the route is one more night in Refugio dera Restanca, but the walk it’s only a half day to this place. The peak of Montardo (2833m) is near of Col de Crestada (2475m) and the climb is advisable (2h more of walk).

Stage 22: Colomèrs-Sant Maurici

-Time: 4h.
-Slope: Ascent: 419m, Descent: 609m.
-Trailhead: Refugio de Colomérs.
-Night: The Refugio Ernest Mallafré in Lake Sant Maurici (Tel: 973 250118) is in a great place but you can make as well the next stage in the same day spending the night in Espot or Guingueta d’Aneu, villages with camping and shops.
-Route Points: Refugio de Colomèrs ( 2115m), Lac Obago (2236m), Pòrt de Ràtera (2534m), Estany de Sant Maurici (1920m), Refugio E.Mallafré (1950m).
-Difficulty: easy stage.
-Mountains-Landscape: Pic de Ratera, Cirque of Saboredo, Pic d’Amitges, Lake Sant Maurici, Els Encantats.
-Commentary: Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici is one of the favourite places of many people on Pyrenees, you can discover why.

Stage 23: Sant Maurici-Guingueta d’Aneu.

-Time: 3h or 4h.
-Slope: Ascent: 210m, Descent: 1005m.
-Trailhead: Refugio Ernest Mallafré
-Night: Guingueta d’Aneu.
-Route Points: Ref.Mallafré (1950m), Espot (1320m), Jou (1306m), Guingueta d’Aneu (945m).
-Difficulty: easy stage.
-Mountains-Landscape: Serra de les Agudes, Fonguera,
-Commentary: it’s a short stage with possibility of “go shopping” in the nearby villages of Espot or Guingueta d’Aneu.

Stage 24: Guingueta-Tavascan

-Time: 9h.
-Slope: Ascent: 1262m, Descent: 1091m.
-Trailhead: Guingueta d’Aneu.
-Night: Village of Tavascan with a few of hotels.
-Route Points: Guingueta d’Aneu (945m), Montcaubo (2207m), Estaon (1237m), Col Carena de Lleret or Col de Jou(1858m), Lleret (1380m), Tavascan (1116m).
-Difficulty: hard stage.
-Mountains-Landscape: Montcaubo, a few of small villages of Pyrenees as Estaon, Lleret or Aineto.
-Commentary: the first part to climb Montcaubo is hard and after it in the descent you must ascent to col of Jou, it’s a stage to be patient. The col South of Moutcaubo (2207m) is very near of the summit of Mountcaubo (2281m) and the climb is advisable in spite of the antenna to view the landscape.

Stage 25: Tavascan-Areu

-Time: 4h.
-Slope: Ascent: 1100m, Descent: 1000m.
-Trailhead: village of Tavascan.
-Night: village of Areu.
-Route Points: Tavascan (1116m), Bordills (1480m), Col of Tudela (2243m), Àreu (1229m).
-Difficulty: easy stage.
-Mountains-Landscape: Serra de Tudela, Serra de Costuits, the great pines of Costuix.
-Commentary: the stage is short but the possibility of continuation to Refuges of Vallferrera or Baiau on the same day is very long.

Stage 26: Areu-Refugio de Vallferrera

-Time: 2h.
-Slope: Ascent: 710m, Descent: 0m.
-Trailhead: village of Areu.
-Night: in Refugio de Vallferrera (1940m), Tel: 973 624378, Alternative: Refugio de Baiaus (2517m) small free hut, overcrowded in summer
-Route Points: Areu (1229m), Pla de la Selva (1680m), Refugio Vallferrera (1940m)
-Difficulty: easy stage.
-Mountains-Landscape: Pica d’Estats, Monteixo, Pica Roja, the Lake of Baiau.
-Commentary: the last three-thousands of Pyrenees, the nice valley of Vallferrera. It’s a moment to decide between different options because the slope is very hard to reach Ref. Baiau, and probably it’s a good option to reach easily the Ref.Vallferrera. The problem is the bad conditions of free hut of Baiau, overcrowded in summer. The slope to gain to reach Ref.Baiau is 1300m and you need 8h. Another option is reach Ref.Vallferrera the previous day with 1800m of slope to gain!!, I think it's long and hard.

Stage 27: Ref. Vallferrera-Encamp

-Time: 8h or 9h.
-Slope: Ascent: 1200m, Descent: 1477m.
-Trailhead: Refugio de Vallferrera.
-Night: Village of Encamp. Alternatives: villages of Arinsal, Arans.
-Route Points: Refugio Vallferrera (1940m), La Socalma (2149m), Refugio de Baiau (2517m), Col of Coma Pedrosa (2260m), Arinsal (1466m), Coll de las cases (1965m), Arans (1390m), La Cortinada (1340m), Coll d’Ordino (1970m), Encamp (1280m).

-Difficulty: medium stage.
-Mountains-Landscape: Coma Pedrosa,
-Commentary: spectacular view of great mountains of Andorra, a small country in the centre of Pyrenees. You can climb Coma Pedrosa (2946m) from its col in 2h+1h if you have enough forces.

Essential Gear

-Wear: Boots, great haversack, sleeping bag (light), vivacq wraping for an emergency, polar jacket, clean clothes, anorak.
-Useful: map (very important), compass, first-aid kit.
-Others: water bottle, frontal flashlight, food, money (for the refuges and food).
Generally the stages go across the refuges each night but you must to think in the things that you need to a great trail of 5 weeks if you walk all GR11.

Images

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