In the Eastern Pyrenees, in the counties of Ripollés and Alt Conflent, you can enjoy the experience of the Three Refuges mountain trek and complete it with ascents of the most important peaks in the area.
Ribes de Freser
Ribes de Freser
This is a circular route between the shelters of Coma de Vaca, Ulldeter and Ras de Carança.
The refuges are open from June to September and it is preferable to book well in advance. You have the option of picking up a forfait which you can stamp at each of the refuges and get a T-shirt and for €12 you can buy a map of the area.
Vall de Núria
Depending on the number of days you have available or your physical condition, you can do the trek in a different number of stages, we did it in five stages.
Refuge Vall de Núria
Itinerary:
Day 1. Ribes de Fresser - Vall de Núria - Refugio Coma de Vaca - Refugio Ulldeter
Day 2. Refugio Ulldeter - Refugio Ras de Carança
Day 3. Refugio Ras de Carança - Refugio Coma de Vaca
Day 4. Refugio Coma de Vaca - Vall de Núria - Puig Mal - Vall de Núria
Day 5. Vall de Núria - Queralbs - Ribes de Fresser
It is a Natural Area of high value with great biodiversity, we were lucky enough to see marmots and large groups of Isards (similar to chamois).
Vall de Núria
Although the route is well signposted, we recommend downloading the track of the route. We did it on our phone using the Oruxmaps programme and the Wikiloc app.
The refuges are very well equipped and the food is excellent. We booked half-board accommodation, which includes breakfast and dinner, so you can avoid carrying too much weight. A sleeping bag (at least in September) is enough to sleep in. Some of them have heating and even hot showers, a luxury in the mountains.
Vall de Núria
Essential: comfortable footwear, headlamp, mackintosh or gtx, first aid kit, hydration pack, sleeping bag, sun cream, batteries, charger, warm clothing (gloves, mittens, hat always).
Equipment: depending on the time of year, you will need technical equipment (crampons, ice axe, helmet) or just a good pair of boots and a lot of enthusiasm.
Freser Gorges
Day 1. Ribes de Fresser - Vall de Núria - Refugio Coma de Vaca - Refugio Ulldeter
Early in the morning we take the rack railway from Ribes de Fresser to Vall de Núria. Joaquín is a train enthusiast and he was looking forward to going up, a good experience and incredible views. If you book on the website you get a discount.
Engineers' Path
Another option is to take the rack railway to Queralbs and from there to Núria or to go up from Ribes through the Fresser Gorges directly to the Coma De Vaca Refuge.
Engineers' Path
Once we reach Núria, we take the Engineers' Path, a narrow path with spectacular views of the Gorges del Fresser up to the Coma de Vaca Refuge.
Gorges of Freser
Freser Gorges
From here we climb the Coll de la Marrana, from here you can access the Bastiments peak, until we reach our destination, the Ulldeter Refuge.
Way to Ulldeter
Coma de Vaca refuge
Coll de la Marrana
Bastiments peak
Descend Ulldeter
Gra de Fajol
We arrive soaked due to a hailstorm but at the refuge they are very kind and help us to dry our things. We have a delicious dinner.
Day 2. Refugio Ulldeter - Refugio Ras de Carança
Breakfast at Ulldeter refuge, spectacular. We walk parallel to the Vallter 2000 slopes, but not before visiting the ruins of the old Ulldeter refuge.
Ulldeter in the background
This is the source of the Ter river, one of the most important rivers in Catalonia. The path from the old refuge to the Coll de la Geganta is the worst signposted part but access to the Coll is easy.
Bacivers valley
After descending the Geganta through the valley of Bacivers we cross a beautiful forest with the river as a reference, the truth is that the route is spectacular.
Coll Geganta
At the refuge of Carança you can leave your things and climb the Gallinas peak or the Rodó.
The Carança gorge is also spectacular with several pools where you can bathe.
Forest
This is the smallest shelter of all but the atmosphere is great too. It is practically full and many people sleep outside.
Views from Carança refuge
Ras de Carança refuge
Carança Gorges
Day 3. Refugio Ras de Carança - Refugio Coma de Vaca
After breakfast we walk in the direction of Carança lagoon. This is a more alpine part of the crossing and the truth is that it leaves you speechless.
Dawn breaks in the Carança valley
After several pools we reach the Coll de Carança. Follow the mountain range until you reach the Noucreus peak and Fosa del Gegant peak.
Carança valley
Carança valley
Carança valley
Lagoon
Lagoon
Fosa del Gegant peak
Peak
We retrace our steps and descend the Coll de Carança, this time in the direction of the Coma de Vaca Refuge through the Natural Park of the Headwaters of the Ter and Fresser rivers.
Descend Coll de la Marrana
Descend Coll de la Marrana
Once you reach the Torrent de Coma de Vaca the milestones get lost but following the torrent you reach the refuge. We are lucky enough to see herds of Isar and the occasional marmot.
Torrent de Coma de Vaca
Coma de Vaca refuge
The refuge like the others is great, it has hot showers, so we took advantage of it. The dinner is excellent. At our table we meet a man in his eighties who has just arrived at the refuge walking through the Fresser Gorges, he was a sailor by profession and tells us exciting stories.
Coma de Vaca refuge
Day 4. Refugio Coma de Vaca - Vall de Núria - Puig Mal - Vall de Núria
We have the first breakfast, storms are forecast for the afternoon and we want to get to Núria and climb Puigmal, the highest peak in the area.
Engineers' Path
We return along the Engyneers path, this time the terrain is more slippery, it has rained a little and we have to be careful.
Engineers' Path
Engineers' Path
In Núria we stay at the hotel, the refuge is under construction and we get the same price. We leave part of our backpacks and go up with the essentials.
Vall de Núria
Vall de Núria
You can't get lost on the way to Puigmal, it is well signposted. We reach the summit and descend quickly as the hail storm catches us halfway to Núria. Spectacular views.
Puigmal
Puigmal
Once there, the sky falls and it rains for hours, thank goodness we have arrived, we have a well-deserved shower and then a good beer.
Descend Puigmal
Dinner and breakfast at the hotel are buffet, not as rich as in the lodges.
Day 5. Vall de Núria - Queralbs - Ribes de Fresser
After breakfast we visit the hermitage.
Núria Gorges
Although we had the free rack railway to go down to Ribes (if you stay at the hotel you can go up and down for free as many times as you want on the same day of arrival and departure) we decided to go down through the Núria Gorges. We got our teeth set on going up on the first day.
Núria Gorges
Núria Gorges
Núria Gorges
And as the rest of the journey does not disappoint, the scenery is spectacular, we recommend it.
Rack railway
Núria Gorges
Núria Gorges
After two and a half hours we arrive at Queralbs, a pretty village of stone and slate, which we immediately walk through.
Queralbs
From Queralbs we take the rack railway to Ribes de Fresser, where they are repairing the track and we get off by bus.
Budget
The average price of the refuges is €42 per person per day for accommodation, dinner and breakfast. For members of the federation, the discount only applies to the French refuge of Ras de Carançà.
Map and fortfait of the trek €12 per person. You can hire guided services although it is not essential as the trails are well marked.
Route: circular
Distance: 60 kilometres.
Elevation gain: 3,100 metres.
Tips: as it is a journey of several days it is advisable to reduce weight as much as possible, dried fruit, dehydrated fruit and energy bars or gels are very useful. You can download the track here.
Difficulty: high, without technical difficulty. Depending on the peaks you include Balandrau, Bastiments, Gra de Fajol, Gallinàs, Torreneules or Puigmal, you can accumulate up to 6,000 metres of vertical drop.
Signposting: good.
Whoever makes use of this track and its additional information, in whole or in part, assumes full responsibility for the risks inherent in the practice of the activity, this information is for guidance only.
- Log in to post comments
