Guidebook with maps/step-by-step
(D/A) - Parking de l'Artigue. Head south-east and follow the signposted path to Refuge du Pinet. Leave the path leading to the Port de l'Artigue on your right, then cross the torrent on a footbridge and turn left at the next junction. About 800m further on, leave the Orris de Pujol path on your left. The path slowly emerges from the forest onto a mountain pasture with an extraordinary view of the Bassiès massif to the north. -
1h30 - Fork to Sourd pond. At the junction, leave the path leading directly to the Refuge du Pinet on your right and turn left towards the Étang Sourd.
2h00 - Etang Sourd. Once you've reached the pond, walk along it on the right until you reach the hut, from which the path leads to Le Pinet, and continue to the refuge.
3h00 - Refuge and Etang du Pinet. Once at the Refuge du Pinet, head south and follow the path to the left towards the Étang d'Estats (2420m): you can bivouac on grassy pitches.
4h00 - Etang d'Estats. Continue to Étang du Montcalm. Follow the well-marked path over several rocky bars. You'll gradually gain height! At the path junction, turn left to reach the Col du Montcalm (2970m). From this pass, turn right onto the well-marked path that leads to the ridge and a small pass below Pique d'Estats (3100m).
5h30 - Pique d'Estats. Turn left to reach the Pique d'Estats. There's still around 40m of ascent where you'll need to put your hands down, but none of it is very aerial. On the narrow ridge are a number of crosses and plaques symbolizing Catalonia. The panorama takes in all the surrounding massifs of Ariège (Bassiès, Fourcat, Valier...), Spain and Andorra! Return to the small pass.
5:45 - Pic de Verdaguer. Once at the col, continue along the ridge opposite to reach the Pic de Verdaguer (3129m) in 5 minutes.
6h00 - Pic du Montcalm. Continue along the ridge to reach the summit of Montcalm (3077m). Here you can admire the magnificent view of L'Estats opposite.
You can now return along the same path to the Artigue parking lot.
1h30 - Fork to Sourd pond. At the junction, leave the path leading directly to the Refuge du Pinet on your right and turn left towards the Étang Sourd.
2h00 - Etang Sourd. Once you've reached the pond, walk along it on the right until you reach the hut, from which the path leads to Le Pinet, and continue to the refuge.
3h00 - Refuge and Etang du Pinet. Once at the Refuge du Pinet, head south and follow the path to the left towards the Étang d'Estats (2420m): you can bivouac on grassy pitches.
4h00 - Etang d'Estats. Continue to Étang du Montcalm. Follow the well-marked path over several rocky bars. You'll gradually gain height! At the path junction, turn left to reach the Col du Montcalm (2970m). From this pass, turn right onto the well-marked path that leads to the ridge and a small pass below Pique d'Estats (3100m).
5h30 - Pique d'Estats. Turn left to reach the Pique d'Estats. There's still around 40m of ascent where you'll need to put your hands down, but none of it is very aerial. On the narrow ridge are a number of crosses and plaques symbolizing Catalonia. The panorama takes in all the surrounding massifs of Ariège (Bassiès, Fourcat, Valier...), Spain and Andorra! Return to the small pass.
5:45 - Pic de Verdaguer. Once at the col, continue along the ridge opposite to reach the Pic de Verdaguer (3129m) in 5 minutes.
6h00 - Pic du Montcalm. Continue along the ridge to reach the summit of Montcalm (3077m). Here you can admire the magnificent view of L'Estats opposite.
You can now return along the same path to the Artigue parking lot.
