The Canigou from Els Masos, returning via Le Pinatell

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Canigou / Cortalets
Day 1: the approach

I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather for several days now, waiting for a window of good weather… right then, off I go! The final hairpin bends before Valmanya are typical of a mountain road: narrow and winding through a very dense forest. The babbling of a stream and the melodious birdsong greet us as soon as we step out of the car.
Here we go on the legendary GR 10…
The stony path climbs steeply right from the start for an hour and a half without a break. Despite having trained for two months, I’d overlooked one factor – and not the least of them… a rucksack packed to the brim with camping gear (dogs aren’t allowed in the refuge), weighing 12 kilos! That changes everything, and with every step it quickly gets heavier and heavier. Farewell to the mountain goat – here I am, transformed into a huge pachyderm! Fortunately, at times, as we round a circular bend, the Canigou appears before us, crowned with cotton, as if to say, ‘You want me… earn it!’
The steep path eventually joins a forest track lined with majestic, bright-green pines, which continues to climb, less steeply, up to the Cortalets refuge, which finally comes into view amidst a whitish veil that has been settling in for the past few dozen minutes.
Canigou is shrouded in thick fog, as if draped in dignity and refusing to reveal itself to just anyone. Never mind, we’ll save it for tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I pitch the tent amidst this verdant setting where silence reigns supreme… shhh, let’s respect it 🤫
To be continued tomorrow… 😉

The peak of Canigou – head in the clouds – feet on the summit of Olympus…

A night in the midst of absolute silence (not even the rustling of leaves), a bit chilly though – I had to sleep fully clothed… Woke up at 6 am at the first light of dawn, feeling fit and well-rested!
Breakfast at the refuge full of quick-release carbs (croissant, jam 😉) and set off at 7.30 am. Magnificent weather! The Canigou is right there, revealing itself in all its glory. The climb up to Joffre is steady, smooth and easy. (A shame it isn’t better signposted; after all, he was a Marshal of France born in Rivesaltes…).
The rest of the route is pleasant, winding through a multitude of small fir trees that grow increasingly sparse and dense copses.
Then, as we round a circular bend, the vegetation suddenly gives way to a world of rock stretching as far as the eye can see.
It stands before us like a mass of scree that seems monstrous and impassable! A multitude of ever-tighter hairpin bends gradually lifts us towards the summit, invisible to our eyes. But how can one describe the Pyrenean range surrounding us and the tiny valley far below? Words fail us, making us forget the increasingly intense effort.
And suddenly, the summit! The view is majestic, stretching 360 degrees, with a sea of clouds stretching all the way to the sea, which is hidden beneath this cottony veil. Not a breath of wind! A sense of joy and inner well-being overwhelms us.
(A thought crosses my mind for Phil … 😢)
There are five or six of us, no more, gazing for a few moments at this vast expanse; a few words are exchanged, and it’s time to head back down. The same route through the scree, a magnificent view of the Cortalets at the foot of a snowfield, the return of vegetation, pine trees and the refuge which welcomes us at midday for a well-deserved snack under the pleasant sunshine amidst birdsong.
It’s time to head back to civilisation: taking down the tent, packing up the rucksack… 12 kg and my legs are starting to feel the strain… the descent is going to be long… and it certainly was! 😰
A rather uninteresting forest track, but with a gentle, steady gradient through the woods.
Then a long break on the grass at Prat Cabrera… honestly exhausted just thinking about the descent to Los Masos! Two options: the same route as on the way up, with that steep climb through a dense forest, or a 2 km detour via Pinatell but with a gentler gradient… I choose the shorter one and, frankly… I’m fed up with it! I curse this rucksack that’s cutting into my shoulders and weighing down every step… this descent just goes on and on… I stop more and more often, wishing I’d stayed another night under the stars at Les Cortalets to recharge my batteries! Then I start to hear the gentle murmur of the stream, which gives me the courage to finish… completely knackered. 🥵
I take off my shoes, dip my feet in the freezing water for a quick wash (30 seconds 🥶).
And back home!

In conclusion… don’t overestimate your abilities! Never again a 12kg rucksack in the mountains! Especially once you’re over 50!
A very challenging route that can be done in a day if you’re young and fit; otherwise, don’t hesitate to stop off (or twice) at Les Cortalets to make it a bit easier on yourself!

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Thank you for your feedback.
It’s true that physically it’s tough; you finish these hikes exhausted (I do them every time I’m on holiday in the mountains, over similar distances and often with more elevation gain). What I’d like to see on this site is a technical rating rather than a physical one.
When I do 25 or 29 km... with between 1,800 and 2,300 metres of elevation gain, I know what to expect (I’m really struggling...). But I’d like to know more about whether the hike is difficult in terms of navigation and technical aspects.
Normally, a hiker who can manage this route is fit enough, and would prefer to know if they can get through everywhere, you see?
For example, this summer, I plan to hike the Roc Nègre from Valmanya, going via the Col de la Cirère, returning via the Puig Sec and the option 2 added here: this hike isn’t listed, but if it were, I’d like to know what certain sections are like (reportedly very difficult). And with just this rating, you can’t tell.

In conclusion, a dual rating system would be needed.
A hiking guidebook I’ve had for a long time defined four levels of experience (stroller, walker, hiker, experienced hiker), and suggested routes where the colour corresponds to the four levels.
Here, we would be in the colour corresponding to the hiker; after this distinction, it did not give a rating, but just comments.
A rating following this distinction (as the definition of each level provides information on the physical fitness and experience required) could therefore be AD or D on the physical scale, and easy on the technical scale (if returning via option 1, D and AD (descent of the chimney); if option 2: AD (- long) / AD, chimney descent + navigation).

For a casual walker, the hike would be almost impossible, and not recommended for a walker; but for a hiker, it is well within their capabilities, and for an experienced hiker, the ratings would be average for physical fitness and easy for technical ability).

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Hello JM62, thank you for your feedback. Thank you also for your suggestions for alternative routes.

You feel that this hike shouldn’t be rated ‘Difficult’... This hike is rated ‘Very Difficult’ and I can assure you that this rating is justified:

• Horizontal distance = 26.8 km: on flat ground alone, this already justifies a Very Difficult rating.
• Elevation gain = 1,860 m: this also justifies a Very Difficult rating.

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Date of your route : Aug 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is very well marked, though I wouldn’t classify this hike as difficult; it is certainly very long and requires a good level of fitness, but apart from the significant elevation gain, there are no navigational or technical difficulties.

Otherwise, for those who are interested, from the Canigou you can return via two different routes.
First, head down towards the Porteille de Valmanya: the initial descent requires caution to avoid falling, to pass each other safely and also to avoid dislodging rocks below; the path then descends gently (take a look at the view from the Brèche Durier) for about 25 minutes.

At the Porteille de Valmanya (2,594 m), there are two options:
- option 1 (no difficulty, but adds 120m of elevation gain; note that this is not insignificant on such a long route): climb up to the Barbet ridge via a well-marked path, then descend to the GR10-GR36 (in this case, you might prefer to take the alternative route up to Les Cortalets in the morning, and return to Ras del Prat Cabrera via the GR10-GR36 in the afternoon). This return route via the ridge offers splendid views as you walk.

- Option 2: take a path (shown on the IGN map, not always very clearly marked, but signposted by more or less regular blue dots and small cairns), heading east-southeast; initially descending slightly, then the slope becomes steeper before crossing and following the streams flowing down from Roc Nègre. As you approach the trees, the path is sometimes harder to follow; try to keep your bearings (towards the NE or ENE), and you’ll emerge onto the Canigou balcony (GR 10), 2 km from the Pinateil refuge.
This valley is magnificent, very wild, and allows you to shorten the return journey considerably.

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Date of your route : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great route! But you're right, it's quite a workout over the course of a day.

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