At the summit of Mount Uishèra…, with the permission of the guard dog

A cup with a little milk coffee left rests on the table of the Uishèra cabin, early on Saturday, July 4. We imagine that the shepherd has recently gone out to check the flocks, although we see no one on the mountain. We also do not see goats or sheep, nor their guard dogs. In case a protective dog appears, Manu has a plan B, to climb the neighboring Montlude to avoid potential problems. But it is not necessary to put it into practice.

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The meeting point is Vilamòs, at 1,255 meters high, and, according to reports, the oldest village in the Val d’Aran. The streets emerge on the southern slope of the Uishèra mountain, although the summit is in the municipality of Arres. Manu Sánchez, a mosso d’Esquadra of the Mountain Intervention Unit (UIM) in Vielha, knows the corners of the Pyrenees very well after twelve years in this group that covers the Val d’Aran, Alta Ribagorça, Pallars Jussà, Pallars Sobirà, and Noguera.

We drive an off-road vehicle along a forest track to the Uishèra cabin. In total about ten kilometers on a road, sometimes paved, sometimes dirt, which also leads to the Bassa d’Arres recreational area, where the Victoria mines can be visited in summer. The Val d’Aran treasures a mining past; at the beginning of the 20th century, the exploitation of sphalerite, from which zinc was extracted, mainly in Arres and Bossòst, began.

Today’s outing is a comfortable walk, the easiest ascent of this series, which can be complemented by visiting other attractions in the area such as the mentioned mines. It is a highly recommended summit because with very little effort we enjoy excellent views of the Maladeta massif dominated by Aneto.

With Manu and his partner, Marta Llordés, very accustomed to these peaks as they live in Vilamòs, we go up and down in two hours and 22 minutes, including stops to chat and take photos. It is only 376 meters of positive elevation and just over three kilometers. A perfect excursion to train and do before breakfast or at sunset. Those who want more action have the option to extend the route by also ascending Montlude (2,518 meters). Both peaks are part of the challenge of the 100 Cims of the Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes de Catalunya (FEEC).

Before reaching the shepherd’s cabin, a sign with drawings warns, in French, how to act in case we encounter any of the dogs that protect the livestock grazing on the mountain since late May. The advice and common sense indicate that the essential thing is to remain calm; panicking is the worst. No sudden movements should be made, nor should one run as the dog will interpret it as a threat. It is important not to stare into the eyes or shout, walk slowly, and move away from the animals by taking a detour. The mayor of Vilamòs, Oriol Salas, responds by phone that in total eight transhumant flocks, seven from Baish Aran and one from France, totaling about 1,300 sheep and goats, will roam these mountains until the end of October. Once again, the grouping of sheep and goat livestock has been carried out to pool resources and avoid, as much as possible, attacks by bears and other carnivores. Salas adds that the presence of mastiffs and the work during these five months of a shepherd, in this case coming from France, is essential.

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We sense that this is the shepherd who left his milk coffee half finished in the comfortable Uishèra hut, also open to neighbors, as stated on a sign.

There is no trail but the route is very clear up to the pass through an alpine meadow dotted with a few pines. We leave the views of the Maladeta behind us and frequently turn around to enjoy the panorama when the clouds allow it. Manu warns that anyone wanting to climb this peak in summer should first make sure that the flocks are grazing on other slopes. During the peaceful ascent, he says that his work as a mountain mosso consists of accessing those environments where a patrol cannot reach to proceed with the lifting of bodies, as well as carrying out the inspection and the pertinent technical report of the incident. “In June, the Vielha unit acted in four mountain deaths, the last was in Àreu, on the Baborte peak, where after the disappearance alert given by the family, we found the body of a man. Fortunately, there have been no deaths in July. The annual average in the area of our competence is twelve to fifteen fatalities,” he details.

The usual tasks of this Mossos unit are to go to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park to verify that regulations are not violated, check climbing routes, visit refuges, inspect ravines, in addition to office work, among other duties.

Once at the pass, we quickly head towards the solitary summit, at 2,339 meters, from where we also enjoy the peaks on the French side, Montlude, Artiga de Lin, Montcobison… We retrace our steps without hurry, look to both sides, and upon returning to the shepherd’s cabin, we check that no protective dog is in sight.

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