Etang de Soulcem - Etang Fourcat

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Without snow and in good weather, the climb is physically demanding. Especially the scree and chaos at the end.
There are no real technical sections (again, in good weather).

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Date of your route : Aug 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Starting from Marc, initially following the GR10 and climbing from Mounicou, I didn't encounter any technical or difficult sections in terms of orientation until I reached the Fourcat refuge. Quite the contrary. Apart from the 1,729m climb, there is no reason not to choose this route via the Picos lakes. Even with a bivouac rucksack. I don't understand the 'very difficult' rating here. Perhaps the climb via Lake Soulcem is so different? It's quite possible that the favourable conditions at the end of August (no snow) made my walk easier.
Those following the HRP have no reason to avoid this route.
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Date of your route : Jul 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb, challenging hike (the Ariège valleys are deep and their slopes steep) combined with the circular route around the Soucarane, Roumazet and Gardelles lakes, completed over two and a half days (connecting via Col de l'Albeille, Arcalis and Port du Rat). The succession of lakes and magnificent landscapes make the effort well worth it.

Detailed description. Thanks to JJ Trouvé.

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Date of your route : Aug 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very enjoyable hike. It's a long, steep climb, with scree slopes to cross and a beautiful descent that gets the adrenaline pumping. In short, it's a very well-balanced hike, but it may be daunting for beginners, and carrying a heavy rucksack can make it physically and technically challenging.

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Date of your route : Aug 13, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Some sections, particularly between the last Picot lake and the snowfield to be crossed, require climbing with your hands. There is a handrail, but it is a thick iron cable that is not at all practical. This can be difficult for people who are not used to climbing and are carrying a large bivouac bag.

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When it comes to difficulty levels, everyone has their own way of assessing them: the author has his, and hikers have theirs. Nevertheless, when downloading, the elevation gain, the hike diagram and the route are displayed, and it is on the basis of these elements that one must assess and correlate one's physical abilities and understanding of these elements. A hike - especially in the mountains - requires preparation.
Then, carrying your gear is one of the factors to take into account when hiking in stages.
In the end, what remains is the pleasure and joy of hiking, but in your case, it seems to me that significant and unnecessary risks were taken. Inexperience, poor judgement, poor preparation... cannot detract from the quality of this hike.

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Date of your route : Aug 13, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very difficult hike, much more so than the descriptions suggested... We are two 21-year-old men, and we had planned to do the Soulcem Pond route.
Right from the start, the climb with the sun in our faces wore us out (as it did other hikers we met), and so did carrying our camping equipment for two days on our backs. As a result, we had to take many breaks during the climb, which was sometimes quite dangerous and always very steep. As a bonus, we witnessed a woman being airlifted by helicopter 100 metres away from us, which was impressive.
After a lot of effort (nearly three hours of climbing with a 1,000-metre elevation gain), we reached the first lake, where the view was magnificent. For two hours, the paths were flat and pleasant, and it was quite cool. However, the ordeal began again very quickly. We climbed to the first pass: rocks had replaced the earth, and the climb began again. We have to climb over rocks, with a sheer drop beside us, carrying our heavy rucksacks, and on a slope so steep that cables are attached to the rock to help us climb. This part of the path is really very difficult, and unfortunately we encounter this type of climb again before crossing the second pass. (The site really needs to change the difficulty level of the walk). After many scares, we finally reach the top of the second pass after about four hours... We can see the mountain refuge from the top of the mountain, and it is truly magnificent. Upon our arrival, we are warmly welcomed, and we talk to other experienced foreign hikers who also found the hike very challenging.
This hike is really very difficult, very steep and dangerous. Perhaps it would have been less so if we had had lighter rucksacks and walking sticks, but even so, it does not deserve a "medium" difficulty rating.
Nevertheless, it will remain a very good memory of adventure (really, we were climbing cliffs at times!) and the landscapes are truly breathtaking. We camped next to the lake, near the refuge, and the wake-up call was truly unforgettable and the subject of magical photos.

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