It is a well-preserved natural area with great biodiversity . It will be easy to see many chamois , mouflon , marmots or mythical bearded . Walk these isolated areas will be a gift for our senses. Isolated in these places are remote shelters Ulldeter , Ras du Carança and Coma de Vaca , linked together by the wonderful Three Refuges Crossing.
The Three Refuges Crossing is a fantastic idea for discovering on foot unforgettable views of the eastern Pyrenees . Enjoy the abundance of wildlife , beautiful flowers , spectacular gorges , lonely lakes , lush forests and mighty rivers . At the end of each stage will live the experience of living in refuges where they regain strength for the next day . During the journey, up and down over 3000 meters of altitude . Those who have more strength, you can complete the days climbing the peaks representing the area: Balandrau , Bastiments , Gra de Fajol , Gallinas , Torreneules Puigmal , accumulating a total of 6000 meters of altitude .
Rules
At the shelter of Coma de Vaca you can collect your free pass, which once sealed by the three shelters, will allow you to receive the gift t-shirt of the crossing. The crossing can be done from the beginning of June until mid September, when the shelters are open. Registration for the crossing is free. Just book in each of the three shelters.
The journey
The Three Refuges crossing is circular route linking the valleys of Freser Bacivers , Carançà and Coma de Vaca . Part of the route passes through France and the other Catalan territory .
The total distance of the crossing is 52.5 km with a difference in altitude of +3054 m . Those options can tops most representative , has more than 6000 vertical meters .
Three Refuges crossinh has difficulty affordable for most hikers .
The route is marked with different types of marks (GR red and white targets , red dots , yellow lines , unmarked sections ) .
It is advisable to make the crossing counterclockwise , starting in the village of Queralbs well connected by public transport.
Depending on the days that you have and your physical condition , you can follow the journey combinations . These would be some of the most interesting combinations:
The Crossing on 6 stages
To make the journey quietly
Stage 1 (3h), Queralbs- Coma de Vaca Shelter through the Freser gorges.
Stage 2 (3h), Coma de Vaca Shelter- Ulldeter Shelter through coll de la Marrana.
Stage 3 (3h), Ulldeter Shelter- Ras de Carançà Shelter through vall de Bacivers.
Stage 4 (6h), Ras de Carançà shelter- Coma de Vaca Shelter thrrough the lakes and Carançà valley.
Stage 5 (3h 30 min), Coma de Vaca Shelter- Núria through engineers road.
Stage 6 (2h), Núria- Queralbs through Nuria Gorges.
The crossing on 4 stages
Four stages , 6 hours everyone
Stage 1 (6h), Queralbs- Coma de Vaca shelter through the Freser gorges.- Ulldeter shelter through coll de la Marrana.
Stage 2 (6h), Ulldeter shelter - Ras de Carançà shelter through vall de Bacivers and climbing to Gallinàs Peak or Rodó Peak.
Stage 3 (6h), Ras de Carançà shelter - Coma de Vaca Shelter through the lakes and Carançà valley.
Stage 4 (6h), Coma de Vaca Shelter - Núria through engineers road and descending to Queralbs through Núria gorges.
There is a variant version of the journey in four stages that Oriol has hung up and leaves no summit to reach, saying that a harder variant with 72 km and 6000 meters difference in altitude..
http://ca.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=5033201
The crossing on 5 stages
Making the crossing and ascending the main summits
Stage 1 (5h 30 min), Queralbs - Coma de Vaca shelter through Freser Gorges and climb Balandrau Peak.
Stage 2 ( 4h 30 min), Coma de Vaca shelter - Ulldeter shelter through coll de la Marrana, taking the opportunity to climb the Bastiments and Gra de Fajol peaks.
Stage 3 (6h), Ulldeter shelter- Ras de Carançà shelter through vall de Bacivers and climbing to the Gallinàs or Rodó peak.
Stage 4 (8h), Ras de Carançà shelter - Coma de Vaca shelter through Carançà lakes and ascending the Torreneules summit.
Stage 5 (8h), Coma de Vaca shelter- Núria through engineers road, ascending the Puigmal summit through la coma de l’embut. Descending a Queralbs with the rack railway or add two hours more at the stage.