Pyrenees, Spain
8 June 2018
With Wen
Finally we enjoyed a warm, sunny day with blue skies in the Pyrenees! It was about time – almost all of our previous hikes had involved rain or clouds… or even hail (on La Tosa).
Puigmal, also called Puigmal d’Err, is one of the more popular mountains in Catalonia. It’s super easy to climb, pretty high (over 2900 m is considered high in the Pyrenees), and offers superb views over a sea of peaks in three countries. The summit marks the border between France and Spain, and Andorra is just around the corner. Because the trails are excellent and the grade is fairly gentle, lots of people seem to come here for trail running. Three hours for the whole loop that took us six seems to be pretty standard.
There are two main routes on the Spanish side. The more popular one starts in the small ski resort of Nuria, which is not accessible by car. While you also could hike up from Queralbs, the closest village that can be reached by car, the vast majority of visitors take the rack railway that departs from either Queralbs or the town of Ribes de Freser (about 22-25 Euros return). We didn’t like being tied to the timetable with the last train back at 6 pm, so we opted to drive the small, winding gravel road to a place called Fontalba, high up at 2070 m elevation above Queralbs. There is nothing but a small parking lot up here surrounded by lush, green pastures and plenty of cows. We were the only ones when we arrived the evening before. What better spot to camp than up here right at the trailhead, with magnificent views over the cloud-filled valley below!
After a delicious breakfast of yoghurt, cereals, Nutella bread and hot coffee, we were on our way at 7 am the next morning. The trail from Fontalba to the summit couldn’t be easier: it’s a simple hike straight up a bare, gently rounded ridge to the top, no scrambling necessary. While it was still a bit chilly in the morning, we soon got sweating as we got into our rhythm with the rising sun to our right, clear skies overhead. After two hours we were standing atop the broad summit and had the wonderful mountainscape all to ourselves. There was still a ton of snow on the mountains at this elevation, very unusual for this time of the year considering we are technically in southern Europe.
Snow also covered the upper NE slopes of Puigmal where the trail goes down to the valley at Nuria. I was so glad we had decided to do this loop in a clockwise direction, because the funnest part of the day was to bum-slide and plunge-step down the snow in perfect conditions. Not too hard, not too soft, the snow was just right and the angle gentle enough to allow us to do this safely without the need for an ice axe. This isn’t for everyone, of course, and conditions and local terrain have to be carefully evaluated to see if this is possible. Always better to be safe than sorry!
Once past the upper snow slopes and back on the trail we met dozens of people coming up from Nuria. The valley is absolutely beautiful here as the sun made the landscape shine, from the lush green grass and sparkling white creek water to the clean, deep blue of the sky. The valley is encircled by a series of other peaks of similar height that all looked like they are probably no more than hikes or easy scrambles.
Just before entering Nuria, we turned right and took the trail that contours around the eastern slopes of the mountain to loop back to Fontalba. Nuria is not much to look at; there’s a large building housing a hotel and restaurant, plus the train station and a couple of other houses, that’s it. We observed dozens of day trippers getting off several trains as we were taking our lunch break at a mirador overlooking Nuria. It’s a busy place when the weather is nice! After a lazy hour, we continued along the now less-frequented trail mostly through forest back to our car. The small parking lot at Fontalba was almost full when we got back around 1 pm.
This is a fantastic loop that’s definitely worth the effort of getting to the trailhead. Spending the night high up above the clouds at Fontalba was simply unforgettable!
DISCLAIMER: Use at your own risk for general guidance only! Do not follow this GPX track blindly but use your own judgement in assessing terrain and choosing the safest route.
The perfect spot to camp: at the Fontalba trailhead, elevation 2070 m.
It’s a spectacle of dancing clouds the evening before the hike.
The town of Ribes de Freser lies far down the valley to the south.
What a view to wake up to! The true summit of Puigmal is hidden behind the highest bump.
Looking back down at Fontalba and the tiny parking lot where the road ends.
Easy hiking on a good trail.
The shiny rock plates here are made up of schist, a type of metamorphic rock.
It’s a perfect day for this hike 🙂
We’ve left the clouds far below us. The flat-topped mountain on the horizon is probably part of the Montseny Massif.
Nearing the summit.
The ridge is completely treeless.
A large, supportive snow patch just before the summit.
At the summit. There’s plenty of space here to hang around and enjoy the beautiful panorama.
Admiring the views to the southwest.
This is looking north into France. Puig Peric is the tall peak just right of centre, flanked by Petit Peric on the right.
Pedraforca (top right), Gallina Pelada (left) and La Tosa (on the right just below Pedraforca).
A solo runner making his way up the SE slopes, the first person we meet all day.
Shorts and t-shirt weather!
Time to enjoy a quick slide down the snow slopes…
Perfect conditions: the snow is supportive enough for sliding, but soft enough to allow us to slow down easily. And of course there’s no avalanche danger!
Plunge-stepping down the gentle slopes – a relief for the knees.
Pic del Segre also sits on the French-Spanish border and can be reached from Puigmal.
A path has formed in this snow-filled gully. Puigmal is very popular year round.
Hikers coming up from the valley at Nuria.
Nuria
A small dam for generating power at Nuria.
Back at the Fontalba parking lot. Ten cars and it’s almost full!