Ibónes del Pirineo: 13-19 September 2015

by Christopher Loy

Ibónes is a Spanish Pyrenean word that refers to mountain lakes of glacial origin and also to high-altitude reservoirs. Both of these were very much a feature of our five-day trek, which started and finished in the beautiful village of Sallent de Gállego, north of Zaragoza in the Aragón region.

The trip was planned and organised by Josè Navarro, an AAC(UK) member and international mountain guide, who grew up in the area. He was unable to take part due to unforeseen circumstances, but fortunately the six people who did attend were all capable of fending for themselves in the mountain environment. This allowed for a degree of autonomy and meant everyone could walk at his or her own pace, with no one feeling left out. We were a diverse group (ages from 31 to 78), and had not met each other until the day before the trek when we convened in Sallent for a drink and evening meal.

Chris, Fiona and Charis on the way to Respomuso

Our route took us to one of the highest parts of the Pyrenees, staying in huts affiliated to the Alpenverein. These were somewhat different from those we'd encountered in Austria and Switzerland, each having its individual character. The first was the Refugio de Respomuso, situated in an elevated position above a reservoir and surrounded by spectacular peaks and ridges, including the Cresta del Diablo. The hut is subject to continual repair with workmen on site and a helicopter plying backwards and forwards with building materials. The facilities were on the basic side, with squat toilets, despite the fact that the hut was only built in 1996. However we received a warm welcome and the food was very good. A large British group was staying that night but otherwise we met only two other people from the UK on our five-day trek.

Our favourite hut was the Refugio de Los Ibónes de Bachimana, built in 2012. It had the friendliest staff and the best food and drink, including proper English tea at breakfast and free wine with the evening meal. The Refuge Wallon, on the French side of the border, was almost the complete opposite. Although in an idyllic setting by a river, and pretty from the outside, the building was rather grim, not having been properly maintained for many years. Still it had a quirky charm with its youthful staff and resident horse and donkey. There was also a lively atmosphere in the evening when 50 people, including a large group of French high school students, sat down to dinner.

Chris at Ibon de Ariel Banip

The scenery throughout the trek was stunning, resembling the Alps in many ways but with a wilder and less frequented feel - 'a cross between the Alps and Scotland' as one of our group put it. Josè's route took us over a number of passes above 2,500m, but members of the group also climbed various summits en route, including Pico de Tebarray (2,916m) and Gran Facha which, at 3,005m, is the highest peak in the area.

During the trek we encountered a rich variety of fauna, including chamois, griffon vulture, Alpine chough, red squirrel, black redstart and marmots galore. There were also quite a few late summer flowers, such as scabious, and we also enjoyed tasting the last of the wild raspberries and bilberries.

Punta Zurra from Gran Facca
Photos by Christopher Loy

Everything went according to plan until the Wednesday morning, when we were due to go over the 2,578m Puerto de Marcadau pass into France. High winds were forecast to persist throughout the day and any remaining hopes we may have had of reaching the Refuge Wallon that day were dispelled when a local mountain guide advised us that it would be far too risky to cross the pass. Fortunately we were in the Refugio de Los Ibónes de Bachimana, which was a nice place to be stranded.

On the other days we were blessed with good walking weather, although somewhat cooler than expected. There were even a few snow flurries on the second day as we crossed the 2,782m Cuello de Tebarray, and later in the week there were patches of snow and ice on the ridge leading up to the Gran Facha.

The last day of the trek was long and arduous, as we combined the last two stages to make up for the delay at Bachimana. Fortunately there was continuous sunshine, which made it seem that summer had returned. This was also the highlight of the week in terms of scenery, as we passed the Gran Facha and many other spectacular peaks and mountain lakes, making for a memorable and rewarding finale to the trip.

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