Day 10: Refugio de Lizara to Candanchú
17km, 1100m elevation gain.
A cracking day with the best views yet! Got going quickly after an early brekky, and climbed up out of the valley along a ridge that just seemed to keep getting higher and higher. Around the side it joined a boulder field on a saddle which was problematic from a navigation point of view - my GPS doesn’t have this fairly recent GR11 alternative marked on it, and the trail is very faint with only a few markers, hard to spot amongst the undulating terrain especially with the sun in your eyes! I roughly knew the direction over the saddle to take, but hit the wrong descent and ended up at a cliff so had to backtrack. Found the right way eventually and dropped down into a sort of cauldron - dramatic mountains all around and a sort of basin that had lush grass and more boulders, and a few herds of chamois, and my first marmot. The track descended sharply into the basin and then rose out the other side, up to a high pass and then descended via switchbacks along a series of ridges down to a ski field and then down to the ski resort town of Candanchú, which is fairly quiet prior to school holidays and off season. I have a hotel booked here which is basic but nice and I have managed to wash my clothes in the tub, shower, shave and repack my pack, as well as organise some food for tomorrow. The tricky section to sort coming up is the famous Odessa canyon and Refugio de Goriz which is booked out 6 months in advance. You can book a tent spot outside the refuge also but these are also limited and there is no free camping anywhere in the national park. I was on hold to the Refugio for about an hour before I gave up and have sent an email. Hopefully I can make something work. I had thought about staying 2 nights there and summiting Mount Perdido also but I think this might be a stretch. Maybe save it for another trip to Spain! This Pyrenees hiking is absolutely stunning, and being at a higher altitude has meant cooler temps and breeze but no trees for shade. I am applying sunscreen liberally and regularly but lost the Legionnaire to my Legionnaire's cap. Hopefully I can buy a replacement in the next town tomorrow that I think has an outdoor gear shop.
