La bi gouer (2175m) - over vi ew T hi s i ti ner a r y offer s two a l ter na ti ve wa l ks. T he fi r st i s a n a scent of the summi t on wel l ma r ked pa ths fol l owed by a descent by the sa me r oute. T he second descr i bes a n a l ter na ti ve descent a l ong the r i dges shown to the l eft of the pea k i n the photogr a ph. Whi l e nei ther a l ter na ti ve i nvol ves a ny techni ca l cha l l enge the r i dge descent i s consi der a bl y l onger . La i gouer (fur thest r i ght) seen fr om Lescun .
T he pa th to the pea k pa sses thr ough a r ea s wher e a va r i ety of bi r ds a nd a ni ma l s, i ncl udi ng ea gl es, vul tur es a nd i sa r ds, a r e fr equentl y seen. Vi ews fr om La bi gouer r evea l most of the pea ks i n the ci r que a nd, a l so, r a r e vi sta s of the Va l l ey D ’Aspe towa r ds Bedous. T he r i dge, however , pr ovi des a spa ce-wa l ki ng exper i ence wi th dr a ma ti c scener y devel opi ng a nd cha ngi ng on both si des of the tr a i l .
T he ma i n di sa dva nta ge of the l a tter opti on i s the 2km wa l k on ta r ma c fr om the vi l l a ge of Lher s ba ck to the ca r pa r k, ma de mor e pa l a ta bl e, though, i n summer , by the Gi te D ’Eta pe sel l i ng wel come r efr eshments.
T he summi t of La bi gouer wi th the Pi c D u M i di D ’Ossa u i n the ba ckgr ound
La bi gouer (2175m) – the r outes Star t
T iming
D enivelation
T er r ain
Season
Parking Aumet. Lhers
Summit: 2h 30m Descent: 2h Ridge descent: 3h
1037m Ridge descent : +100m
Mountain path
May October
• Waypoint 1 (N 42 53.480 W0 38.066; alt. 1138m) – Par k ing Aumet. Continue SSE on the obvious tr ack . As the r oute w inds up to the Cabane Caillau w atch out for shor t cuts, often mar k ed by yellow signs. At the last of the shot cuts head SSE tow ar ds a lar ge boulder w hich you pass on the left. • Waypoint 2 (N 42 52.419 W0 38.406; alt. 144m1) – Soon after passing the boulder the r oute cr osses an open gr assy ar ea. T he Cabane Caillau is 200m to the r ight and ther e is plenty of evidence of shepher ding. Continue SSE to another yellow sign indicating the path to the Col de Saoubathou and L abigouer . F ollow this for 20 minutes to …
•Waypoint 3 (N 42 52.197 W0 38.223; alt. 1596m) By now the summit w ill have come in to view to the N E. L eave the main path and head back N E, tr aver sing the hillside to ar r ive at a gr assy shoulder … • Waypoint 4 (N 42 52.452 W0 38.047; alt. 1678) F r om the shoulder zigzag EN E up the slopes below the Col de Souper r et on the obvious tr ail. (Gr oups of I zar d ar e commonly seen her e.) • Waypoint 5 (N 42 52.572 W0 37.505; alt. 1920m) – Col de Souper r et. (F r om her e, look ing East on a clear day, it is possible to see the snow s of Baliatous, one of the r ange’s 300m peak s and, closer , the unmistak able outline of the Pic D u M idi D ’Ossau.) F ollow the signposted r oute N . After a few minutes, w her e the path comes close to the steep slopes of the valley, and befor e it passes a pr ominent r ed r ock to the left, it meets the w ester n r idge of L abigouer at … • Waypoint 6 (N 42 52.855 W0 37.498; alt. 2038m) T his point is often mar k ed by small cair ns. Continue EN E on gr ass and r ed schist, tak ing the easiest r oute up the r idge to the summit r ock s. • Waypoint 7 (N 42 52.848 W0 37.222; alt. 2175m) – T he summit of L abigouer . F r om her e, either descend by the same r oute or follow the r idge descent.
T he r i dge decent • F r om the summit either descend N W to a cair ned depr ession that r uns N befor e meeting the r oute w hich contour s the hill to the Col de L abigouer , or follow the obvious r idge N N E to the same col. • Waypoint 8 (N 42 52.848 W0 37.222; alt.2168) – Col de L abigouer . A wa l ker begi ns the r i dge descent. Climb the small hill to thethe N Eslope and continue the gr assy top to pick up a stony tr ack that descends until over meeting another low er path. T ur n r ight her e and continue dow n steeply N E to the Col des Pises.
•Waypoint 9 (N 42 53.324 W0 36.859; alt. 1891m) – Col des Pises F r om her e continue N N E, then N E, along this stunning r idge. Whilst enjoying the scener y on both sides of the tr ail tak e a moment to r egister the lie of the land in the Cir que de L escun, for her e it is possible to study the r elative positions of each of the valleys leading off fr om the plateau.
T he Col des Pi ses a nd the r i dge beyond
T he end of the r idge is mar k ed by a cair n and the w ay veer s back N N W, still on the r idge, tow ar ds the Col Bar r ancq. • Waypoint 10 (N 42 54.260 W0 36.230; alt. 1601) – Col Bar r ancq. T he yellow signpost indicates the beginning of the w ooded descent to L her s. I n less than ten minutes the path meets a “piste” or tr ack . Continue dow n to the second bend w her e the tr ail, once again, enter s the for est. (Some r ed and w hite painted w aymar k s on tr ees.) T en minutes later the piste is met once again. F ollow it until it leaves the for est w hen a lar ge cair n on the left mar k s the beginning of a shor tcut to the village of L her s. About an hour after leaving the Col Bar r ancq the r oute ar r ives at the r oad. • Waypoint 11 (N 42 54.859 W0 36.956; alt. 1015) T ur n left and w alk back to the Par k ing Ahmet passing the Gite D ’Etape (R efr eshments and w ater ).