One day, while looking at Xavier Mas’s Instagram, from Guies Roc Blanc, we saw that he was offering a snowshoeing outing around the source of the River Ter, at Vallter. The proposal was attractive enough in itself, but it had an ingredient that made it even more special: doing it at night, under a full moon, taking advantage of those dates when the moon is at its most spectacular.
We thought the idea was very interesting. We got in touch with Xavier, whom we already knew from other activities, and started preparing a new Yourlocalguides Experience together.
Our first attempt could not go ahead. The weather that day was far from favourable: there were severe high-mountain blizzard conditions and, as any good guide should, Xavier put the group’s safety first and cancelled the activity a couple of days beforehand. The mountain will always be there, and knowing when to say no when conditions are not right is part of the job.
A month later, with another full moon on the calendar, we joined the outing again.
Xavier Mas, from Guies Roc Blanc, explaining the circular route we are about to take.
A few days before the outing, Xavier got in touch with us to explain everything we needed to know: what equipment to bring, what was included and what recommendations we should bear in mind. This makes things much easier, especially for those who do not have their own equipment. In this case, the snowshoes and poles were provided, but we needed to bring warm clothing, something to eat, a head torch and everything else essential for moving comfortably and safely in the mountains.
On the day of the activity, we headed towards the Camprodon and Setcases area until we reached Vallter 2000, specifically car park number 1, which was the group’s meeting point. Vallter is a ski resort in the heart of Ripollès, Girona, within the municipality of Setcases, ranging from 2,000 metres at the base to 2,535 metres at its highest point. It is also the easternmost ski resort in the Catalan Pyrenees, a detail that helps explain why, on clear days, you can see as far as the Mediterranean and part of the Empordà from its upper slopes.
By eight in the evening we were all there. There was still daylight.
The group gathered for instructions on how to use the snowshoes.
The first thing we did was introduce ourselves. It may seem like a small detail, but it helps bring the group together and makes the experience more enjoyable from the very beginning. Xavier then explained how to put the snowshoes on correctly, how to adjust the poles and how to set everything up so that the activity would be comfortable and safe for everyone.
And once we were ready, without delay, upwards we went. 🙂 🙂
At dusk we begin the ascent on a gentle uphill section.
La ruta era circular. Començava a peu de pistes i ens havia de portar fins a la part alta de l’estació, a tocar de l’entorn del circ d’Ulldeter. Aquest és un espai molt característic del Pirineu oriental, envoltat de cims que superen els 2.800 metres, com el Bastiments, el Gra de Fajol o el Pic de la Dona, i amb passos tan coneguts pels excursionistes com el coll de la Marrana.
The route was circular. It started at the foot of the ski slopes and was to take us to the upper part of the resort, close to the Ulldeter cirque. This is a very characteristic area of the eastern Pyrenees, surrounded by peaks rising above 2,800 metres, such as Bastiments, Gra de Fajol and Pic de la Dona, and with well-known mountain passes such as the Coll de la Marrana.
When the slope steepens, the snowshoe heel lifts are a great help.
La veritat és que encara hi havia molta neu per ser primavera, i això va permetre desenvolupar l’activitat perfectament. Era una neu tova, molt amable per caminar amb raquetes. Vàrem anar pujant cadascú al seu ritme, amb tranquil·litat i sense presses. Aquest és un dels punts forts d’anar amb un guia com en Xavier: sap llegir el grup, adaptar el ritme i tenir en compte els diferents nivells de forma física i experiència.
At night, of course, the way you perceive the landscape changes completely. The silhouettes of the mountains cannot be seen in the same detail as on a daytime outing, but their presence is there all the time. You can make out the ridgelines, the shape of the valleys and that very special feeling of walking through a vast, open and silent landscape.
When we reached the upper part, we sheltered from the wind for a while in one of the ski resort facilities. There, everyone took the opportunity to eat what they had brought. It was also time for a few little surprises.
Xavier Mas has a surprise ready for the group. Brilliant! 🙂 🙂
One of the most special moments was spotting a fox. The light from the floodlights caught its eyes, making it easy to see where it was and how it was moving. We also saw the Starlink satellites passing overhead, forming a very curious and spectacular line of lights across the night sky.
And there were still a couple more surprises… but we will not tell you about those. We would rather you discover them yourselves if you decide to do this activity with Xavier Mas.
After the break, we put our snowshoes back on, picked up our poles as Xavier had shown us and began the descent. We went down through another part of the resort: we had climbed up one valley and would descend through another, heading towards the old Vallter refuge.
The moonlight accompanies us, and there is no need to use the head torches.
Changing valleys made the route even more interesting. It was not simply a matter of going up and down the same way, but of making a circuit and continuing to discover new things. Around us, even though it was night, were some of the area’s great landmarks: Gra de Fajol directly ahead, the Coll de la Marrana to the right and Ulldeter just a few metres away, one of the classic areas of Catalan mountaineering.
We stop to learn about the history of the old Vallter refuge.
The old Vallter refuge, now in ruins, has a fascinating history. Xavier explained it to us in detail, providing context and information about what was happening in this valley at the beginning of the 20th century. It is one of those moments that add real value to an activity: you are not simply walking through the mountains, you are also gaining a better understanding of the landscape beneath your feet. In fact, the Ulldeter area is closely linked to the history of Catalan mountaineering and to the first refuges in the southern Pyrenees.
The outing lasted around three and a half to four hours and was done at a very relaxed pace. It is an activity suitable for anyone who wants to discover this area, provided they are keen to walk on snowshoes and have a basic willingness to move around in a mountain environment.
It looks like daytime, but it isn’t. It doesn’t look steep, but it is a little…
The full moon accompanied us for almost the entire night. At first there were some clouds, but the sky gradually cleared and the moonlight was so bright that, at many points, there was practically no need to use the head torches to light the way.
Snowshoeing is already something different: the sound of the snow beneath your feet, the unhurried pace, the feeling of moving across soft, white terrain… But doing it at night, with the landscape lit by the moon, turns a mountain outing into an almost magical experience.
At the end, as always, came the laughter, the anecdotes and the comments about everything we had experienced. And also that moment that is so typical of a really good experience: starting to think about the next one. 🙂 🙂
The Moon, co-star of the circular snowshoeing route. Beautiful!
Going into the mountains with a professional guide brings peace of mind, safety and knowledge of the terrain. It allows you to enjoy the activity with the right equipment, a well-planned route and the confidence that an experienced person knows how to make the right decisions at every moment. Going alone can involve risks, especially in high-mountain environments and at night; going with someone like Xavier Mas makes the experience much more complete.
With Guies Roc Blanc, everything was simply fantastic. The group was great, we laughed, met new people and enjoyed a night of snow, full moon and mountains that will be hard to forget.
Thank you very much, Xavier, for this experience. 🙂 🙂
We look forward to the next Yourlocalguides Experience! Whether it is in the mountains, by the sea or in a city steeped in history, we will tell you all about it.
Here’s to more activities with professional guides! 😉
