The Spanish Pyrenees

Bad weather in the French Pyrenees drove me to the Spanish side of the mountains a couple of days early and I was rewarded with sunny skies and some spectacular hiking, particularly in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park.

A few days ago, as I was hiking out of Candanchu into thick, dark clouds hanging low on the mountains, I looked to the south into Spain and there was blue-sky and sunshine... so that's where I went! Conveniently there was a trail  heading south that intersected with the Haute Route very close to Candanchu... in fact it was the Camino de Santiago and I hiked on it for the entire day! The Camino de Santiago is a famous hiking pilgrimage route across northern Spain and along the route are many historical sites and ancient buildings/ruins that made my hike that day quite interesting.

On a side note: There are trails everywhere in Spain - if there is a valley or peak that you want to explore, there is probably a trail going there!

The next day, thanks to a short bus ride from Jaca to Torla, I entered Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park.

Due to its outstanding natural scenic landscape (high mountain peaks, deep canyons and spectacular cirque walls), this park is designated as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.

My planned hiking route was to climb the Circo (Cirque) de Cotatuero to Cotatuero Pass and visit the Brecha de Rolando (a high pass - 2807m - on the French-Spanish border looking down into the Cirque de Gavarnie in France) before hiking down to camp at the Refugio de Goriz. At first the trail climbed fairly steeply from the Pradera canyon floor and quickly I was high up in the basin of the cirque with cascading waterfalls and incredible views. But the canyon wall became increasingly steep and I began to wonder where the trail would go... and how was I going to get to the top of the canyon?

Then I arrived at the Clavijas de Cotatuero and saw the death-defying route that lay ahead! 32 iron pegs hammered into the side of the rock face led to the top of the canyon.

So using the pegs and the security of the fastened chain, I carefully climbed the Clavijas de Cotatuero with full adrenaline pumping. When I got to the top of the canyon my heart was pounding and my legs were shaking and I shouted out across the gorge!

But my climb had only just begun.

The top of the Cirque de Cotatuero was a huge alpine basin that seemed to go on forever. Several herds of chamoix deer made this basin their home.

Quickly the trail disappeared and I began following sporadic rock cairns as I climbed the northern wall of the cirque towards Cotatuero Pass. From here on it was basically just alpine route-finding and common sense as I walked/climbed my way higher and higher and the cirque went on and on.

Normally these type of hiking conditions wouldn't phase me but the map I had was less than detailed, it was getting late in the day (5pm already) and dark clouds were starting to gather over the mountains ahead... plus I hadn't seen anyone else hiking in this area!

Right before I reached the pass I passed another herd of chamoix which scurried away probably uncertain of the foreign human presence in their normally quiet habitat.

At Cotatuero Pass (2500m) I found the trail coming up from Refugio de Goriz and it looked like a highway compared to the route that I had just taken.

As it was getting late and the weather was turning nasty, I forego my side trip to the Brecha de Rolando and just headed down to the refugio to make camp and have dinner. A brief rain and hail storm kept me moving quickly on my descent to the refugio!

At the Refugio de Goriz I met again with John and Liam from England who had come up the traditional route via the Ordesa Gorge, which I would descend the next day.

Dinner of chicken soup and cheese and tomato tortellini and off to bed.

Low clouds and a little rain greeted me the next morning but the Ordesa Gorge was still stunning and the hiking was easy and enjoyable.

The Ordesa Gorge is a huge glacial-carved valley, at the head of which is the Cirque of Soaso.

I descended the steep trail of the cirque to reach the valley floor.

The Arazas River cascades down the Ordesa valley in many waterfalls.

I didn't quite beat my camera's self-timer for this photo!

The trail in the valley is incredibly scenic, surrounded by the steep walls of the gorge.

I reached the parking lot just as the rain began to come down hard so I stuck out my thumb and hitched a ride back to Torla where I would catch the bus to my next destination in Spain... somewhere sunny for sure!