Baysselance Refuge via Oulettes de Gaube and Hourquette d'Ossoue

Park at the Plateau des Pountas car park (1,459m), very close to the Pont d’Espagne. This is right in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park, so cars have not been allowed to go any higher since the late 1990s.
Depending on the time of year, the car park may or may not be subject to a charge. Check with the Cauterets Tourist Office.
Depending on the snow depth, put on your snowshoes here or further up.
This hike is also suitable for ski touring.

(S/E) The hike begins after passing under the Pountas cable car building.
Take the path to the right of the road and follow the signs for the footbridge trail. At the main footbridge spanning the Gave de Gaube, admire the magnificent stone “Pont d’Espagne”, which also crosses the same river.
The path then runs along the rock face for a few dozen metres to reach the open area in front of the guesthouse. This is where the path joins the^GR®51coming from the Lutour Waterfall and Cauterets.
Then cross the Pont d’Espagne and take the road leading back down to the car park.
Alternative route: do not take the footbridge path; instead, continue along the winding tarmac road after the cable car building.

(1) On the right, you will soon come across signposts indicating Lac de Gaube, accompanied by the traditional red and white^GR® markings.
The^GR®10then climbs through the pine and fir forest on the right bank of the Gave, with a 200m ascent, and crosses several streams that flow into the Gave.
The path is wide and well-graveled. You’ll reach a meadow area at 1,660m.

(2) Continue along the^GR®10whilst catching a glimpse of the small Lac des Huats below on the right.
Shortly before reaching Lac de Gaube, the path climbs briefly again.
About an hour after setting off, you’ll emerge from the woods and reach the lake’s shores at 1,730m.

(3) Walk around the lake’s left bank to reach its southern end, following the GR^®. Cross snow-covered scree slopes and surface snowfields flowing down into the lake.
Caution: In one or two places (depending on the season), proper snow couloirs descending from the Counillères ridges down very steep slopes mean you must descend to the lake to avoid navigating through treacherous ice blocks.
Follow the Gave des Oulettes de Gaube, passing the Esplumouse and Darré Splumouse waterfalls to reach the Petites Oulettes, a long valley with a gentle gradient leading to the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube.
In the background, the Vignemale Massif offers a dazzling spectacle of its north face, with remarkable slopes that have delighted mountaineers since the late 19th century. Everything here is majestic!

(4) At Les Petites Oulettes, at around 2,050m, at a footbridge, take the winter snowshoe trail on the left. Leave the^GR®10. Follow roughly the blue dotted line on the map (Nordic route) which runs more or less alongside the river on the right bank. As the route is quite popular in winter, it is rare not to find some tracks ahead of you.
Reach the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube (2,151m).

(5) Take a short break here, having a coffee with the warden or wardens. Take the opportunity to ask about the latest groups of snowshoers or skiers who have set off towards the Hourquette d’Ossoue.
From the refuge, the route leaves the^GR®10(too many hairpin bends and surface snowdrifts via the Lacs d’Arraillé route) to head due south into the Oulettes, at the foot of the Grand Vignemale.

NB: At this stage, there is no ‘standard route’. The destination is the Hourquette d’Ossoue, which only comes into view halfway from the refuge. The route suggested here does indeed lead to the destination! It is one option among many. Snowshoe hikers should follow their mountain instincts to climb the sometimes very steep slopes, whilst ensuring their own safety and that of their group. In bad weather, follow the GPS track closely to avoid unnecessary elevation gain (as unexpected depressions can sometimes lie hidden behind ridges that appear close to the destination). From 2,300m, this route involves a steep ascent to reach a fairly long north-west/south-east-facing ledge, then follows a short ridge, descends into a small valley, and finally climbs again up a very steep slope towards the Hourquette.

On the final ascent, make sure to stay on the right-hand side of the climb, to the south of the Hourquette.
Reach the Hourquette, marked by a large cairn indicating the exact route of^{the GR®10}, to the left as you ascend, completely opposite to where this trail ends.

(6) Continue the route towards the refuge, keeping to the right, below the Petit Vignemale ridge, before heading down into the valley to reach the Refuge Baysselance (2,651m).

(7) A night at the Baysselance Refuge is the icing on the cake of this exceptional route!
The next day, begin the return journey, which follows roughly the same route except:

(6) At the Hourquette, head for the cairn and follow the slope.
Via gentle descents towards the south-west, rejoin the previous day’s route much further down and continue past it.
On the descent, keep well to the left, skirting the foot of the Petit Vignemale Glacier (at the edge of snow slides and rockfalls, if any). Don’t hesitate to sledge on your backside on the steep sections where possible!
Then descend properly into Les Oulettes, before rejoining the route taken on the way up.
NB: this route, which is further south than the ascent, seemed easier to us to descend than retracing the outward route. It could probably have been taken on the way up.

The rest of the route is the same all the way to the car park (S/E).

Note: in winter, some people do not hesitate to cross the frozen Lac de Gaube. This is not recommended without excellent local knowledge and is only possible in the depths of winter. It is particularly recommended when there is a high risk of avalanches around the lake.
This description covers a hike undertaken in spring (May 2016), with no snow at the start from the Pont d’Espagne, snowshoes fitted at 2,000 m with 20 to 30 cm of soft snow, and up to 200 cm of snow at the Hourquette. Obviously, no trail is visible! Most of the route will follow either tracks left by previous skiers or snowshoers, or this GPS track.

Check the weather forecast, particularly the Météo-France snow and avalanche report for the Haute-Bigorre massif in the Hautes-Pyrénées. Contacting the Haute-Montagne Gendarmerie unit, the wardens of the two refuges, and consulting specialist websites may also put your mind at rest.

This hike can be undertaken in summer, following roughly the same route but staying on the paths, which are clearly visible throughout (see here Pont d’Espagne–Refouge des Oulettes de Gaube: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-lac-de-gaube-et-refuge-des-oulettes-de-g/).

Estimated time
I completed this out-bound route on snowshoes in just under 7 hours, including breaks. This is a slightly generous estimate; it can be done in 6½ hours. In summer, you can expect to save between 1½ and 2 hours.
Generally speaking, the winter snowshoe times are: Lac de Gaube, 1 hour; Refuge des Oulettes, 3½–4 hours; Hourquette d’Ossoue, 6–7 hours (compared to 4½–5 hours in summer).
Allow at least 4½ hours for the return journey.

Difficulty
I have rated this as "Very difficult" (winter) due to the numerous overhanging sections, the off-trail sections, and the sections outside the marked route. It is a challenging route where you need to keep your cool.
It is reserved for hikers in good physical condition who are experienced in the mountains.
(Warning! Certain very steep sections should be avoided in the event of a high avalanche risk (check for updates) on (specialist websites, at guide offices or in the resort)).
In summer, the difficulty level is "Difficult".

Water sources
In winter when there is snow, there are no water sources other than the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube (and the streams).
In summer, the springs shown on the map, but with no guarantee of potability due to grazing livestock.

Shelters
The Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube and the Refuge Baysselance are open all year round. In winter, there are periods when they are staffed and unstaffed, but sleeping accommodation and kitchen and dining areas are always available.
See the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube website and the Refuge Baysselance website.

Equipment
In summer, bring standard high-mountain hiking gear (hiking boots, suitable clothing, rainwear, water, food, survival blanket, knife, compass, map, whistle, etc.).
In winter when there is snow, you must bring snowshoes, a pair of poles, gaiters, sun cream, lip balm, a GPS or the Visorando app on your smartphone, gloves, suitable warm clothing (the 3-layer principle), a flask with a hot drink, a hat, sunglasses suitable for glare on snow, .... Some will also add an avalanche transceiver (ARVA or DVA), a shovel and a probe.

Traffic
In winter when there is snow, you can see several tracks of ski tourers up to the Hourquette and the Petit Vignemale, and you may come across several skiers (generally; fewer snowshoers), even on weekdays outside school holidays.
At the mountain huts, you can expect to find people; visitor numbers vary greatly.
But sometimes there is no one there at all – total solitude, wide open spaces all to yourself! Don’t forget to let your friends and family know your route!
In summer, the route is very busy, in all its variations.

A few tips for descending in snowy conditions and on steep slopes: descending on snow:
Descending a slope facing the gradient is often a real challenge. The technique involves planting your ice axe quite low in front of you, lowering your centre of gravity and planting your heels firmly in the snow. This will require a great deal of effort from your thighs, so never hesitate to take a break every three or four steps.

Memories of the place
Recommended reading: Souvenir d’un montagnard, Count Henry Russell, 1st edition Imprimerie Vignancour, 1878, or the centenary edition 1909–2009, Editions des Régionalismes, 20 Dec. 2013,
or the author’s Wikipedia page,
or the website http://www.korpa.fr/russell/

(5) From the refuge, a magnificent view of the north face of the Vignemale and all the notable peaks and routes: the Petit Vignemale (3,032m), the Voie des Séracs, the Gaube couloir, the Pique Longue (3,298m), the Clot de la Hount (3,290m).
(6) From up there, you can see the dizzying slope you have just climbed (and which you will descend on the way back!), but above all the beauty of the surrounding mountains: the Petit Vignemale so close to the right, the ridge bearing the Baysselance Refuge in the centre, with the descent gully into the Ossoue Valley, to the east in the background, amongst others, the Pic de Labas (2,946m) and the Pouey Mourou (2,848m), and on the far right, the Petit Vignemale ridge descending towards the Ossoue Valley, which still obscures the peaks of the Cirque de Gavarnie.
(7) From the refuge, the view towards the Cirque de Gavarnie is now unobstructed, revealing from left to right (east to west): the Pic du Marboré (3,250m), the 3 Pics de la Cascade (3,163m), the Epaule du Marboré (3,073m), the Tour and the Casque du Marboré, and the Brèche de Roland (2,807m).

All along the route
There are numerous vantage points for taking photos of the surrounding wonders.

Nearby
- If you are a confident snowshoer, you can tackle the “easy” 3,000-metre peak known as the Petit Vignemale. The ascent from Baysselance takes about 1½ hours and the descent about 1 hour. Please note that the slope is particularly steep. This route is not recommended for beginners.
- The village of Cauterets and its unique blend of spa town and winter sports resort,
See theCauterets Tourist Office website.
- The Cirque de Gavarnie, at least as far as the Grande Cascade, including in winter.
See theGavarnie Tourist Office website.