Pic de Madamète (2657m)
Néouvielle Nature Reserve, Hautes Pyrenées, France
9 September 2004
During my time as a leader for HF Holidays I led two holidays in the French Pyrenées. On this particular day I took the group to the top of this 2657m summit.
From the parking place at the road end at Lac d’Aubert in the Néouvielle Nature Reserve we ascended on a good clear path to Hourquette d’Aubert. We then descended past Lacs Estagnol and Nère to Lac Blanc: the path was clear, but rough and rocky. We ascended NE then SE up a stream on a vague path to Lac de Tracens then continued to ascend SE with a spur on right, turning E almost to the Col de Tracens. Then we headed SE up a wide, shallow stony gully leading to the last rocky part of the N ridge of the Pic de Madamète (2657m). There was a path of sorts all the way, stony, rocky and rough, and not always clear, although there were some small occasional cairns.
After the summit we descended E to the Col de Madamète on a clear steep path and followed the GR10 past the lake Gourg de Rabas down to our starting point.
880m of ascent and descent.