Three Amigos Attack Andorra

by Doug Meadows

A Welshman, a Scot and a Coloradoan walk into a bar where they meet each other the night before a trekking adventure in the Andorran Pyrenees.

Not so fast. While trek leader, Gareth Grimes, had written in the trip planning notes, "Trek planning would be flexible" . . . it turned out this was an understatement Unusually heavy winter and late spring snow had left the passes between hub still blocked in June.

Our Plans B and C ended up as a combination of overnights in typical refugios alternating with day hikes based out of the delightful mountain hotel "La Planada", which Gareth had frequented for years.

The un-staffed refugios were minimal and rather challenging during the unusually cold weather we endured during the first part of ow adventure. However, the price was right (free!) and the locations and views were terrific (priceless!). Since we were visiting early in the season we were the first and only overnight guests at the one staffed refugio we visited. Hot dinner was served to us in a cold 2.8 degree dining room.

Besides trekking and day hikes, Gareth organized some good map-GPS training which was much appreciated since trail signage was not the same standard as typical alpine routes - especially, strangely enough, at the trail starts!

Andorra's Mother Nature dealt us some unexpected obstacles. These were offset by hiking camaraderie, great picturesque scenery, a delightful mountain hotel base and the opportunity for the Three Amigos to share some nice 15-year-old Scotch for only 25 Euros a bottle.

Rigugio de Coma Pedrosa (2260m)
Photo by Doug Meadows

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