Photo: Ruined buildings
June 17, 2001 In morning walked to Espot. There, I bought some groceries and then headed for Lake St Maurici. It was warm in the morning, but the weather was cool at the Port de Ratera d'Espot. I walked on snow for about 2 miles on each side of the pass. In late afternoon I reached Refugio de Colomers. There were about 15 people at the refugio, mostly French.
The primitive toilet at the refugio emptied directly into the dam situated next to it. Not a place to go swimming.
Photo: View of Pyrenees
June 18, 2001 The morning was very cold. The snow that I walked on in the morning was frozen and dangerous in places. I walked over three passes that day, but none of them were difficult.
The weather warmed up and I reached Hospital de Vielha in late afternoon, but the refugio was closed. About 20 minutes further I found the abandoned ICONA government building and slept there. At night I heard rocks being moved by some animal, but had no idea what it was.
Photo: Ibons de Ballibierna
June 19, 2001 The first part of the walk to the Estanys d'Anglios lakes was steep and difficult. The vegetation was fairly thick. There were few trees above the lakes. As I gained altitude, I encountered much snow, some of it very steep. I was also worried about holes beneath the snow and rocks that might lie below the snow surface. I would hate to injure a leg at this point.
Just before the pass at Collada de Ballibierna I met 3 French men and a woman. One spoke English and commented how great and rare it was to see an American in that part of the Pyrenees. The views from the pass were spectacular. In late afternoon I reached a fishermans hut that had a number of bunks. I shared the hut with some young climbers.
Photo: Old country house
Photo: Abandoned houses
Photo: Mountain lake
Map: Pyrenees trek from Andorra
