Indeed, in addition to its sleek good looks, our Gneiss canine offers walls over 1000 m high, where climbers have been indulging their passion for climbing since the turn of the century. The ascent is short, but the slope can be steep.
Access: At Ax les Thermes, take the D 613 towards Quillan, then after 3 km turn right onto the D 25, passing Ascou and Goulours. At Lavail, turn right between the buildings and the Ascou La Forge campsite. The small road skirts the lake and at the first crossroads goes left up to the roundabout known as "la poêle à frire".
- Guidebook with maps/step-by-step(D/A) Parking de la Jasse de Cabane Longue. The yellow-marked trail heads east, crossing a stream. It quickly climbs through an attractive forest of beech and then birch. Head south-east.
0:20 - Exit the forest. The path leaves the forest at Sarrat de la Llau, where the view opens up on both sides. The direction becomes more southerly. You can clearly see the north face of the Dent where, to the right of a large slab, you can make out the path leading to the summit.
1h20 - Col de Brasseil. You reach the small Col de Brasseil, where the signs point to the Col de l'Egue to the south-east and the Dent to the south-south-west. You can't go wrong: the north face of the Dent is straight ahead. All that's left to do is climb! Despite the lack of signposting, the route is obvious. The slope is very steep amid rhododendrons and blueberries. From time to time, you'll need to use your hands to pull yourself up onto the large stones, which form uneven but mostly stable steps. Watch out for the occasional wet, slippery section. Shortly before the summit, turn left onto a rocky, stony slope. You reach the milestone (2222m) at the summit of the Dent d'Orlu.
2h00 - Dent d'Orlu. Be careful on the descent of the Dent. From time to time, you'll need to get into a de-escalation position. The return is similar to the outward route to the parking lot.
Services
Services
Car park
Free car park
Pets welcome
Pets allowed on leash only.