Stage 4

From the refuge Pinet to the Vallferrera by the Pica d'Estats 3.143m

Unevenness: +1.100, -1.400 m.
Distance: 13,3 kms.
Time: 7h 15min. Without doing the Pica d'Estats peak, 5.45 hours.
Dificulty: *** The main difficulty can be the weather due to the cold or the fog, as well as a small glacier that we must cross. In case of bad weather we can avoid climbing to the summit.
GPS: Wikiloc

This stage will leads us to the highest peak of Catalonia through an itinerary not much frequented by the catalan hikers, even though is more and more knowed overcoat during the winter season by the mountain skiers.
The landscape is always very craggy and a lot of part of the route carries out on stony ground, but given that we do the ascent by this side, the unevenness of the climb is smaller than from Catalonia and is one of the days more rested of the route.
In the circuit we only have the ascension to the highest point of the Pica d'Estats, think that we still have a very long descent. But some also climb the Montcalm or Punta Verdaguer, the other summits such as the Sotllo Peak or other tips, would greatly lengthen the stage.

1.-From the refuge of Pinet we go over the river and into the lake of Montcalm we turn to the W to follow rocky areas with a continuous slope to the neck of Riufred..

2.-Turn left and follow the path that is well-traced to Pica d'Estats. Let's go down if we want more straight lines to flank east and go back to Port de Sotllo.

3.-From the Port de Sotllo we go down a quite uncomfortable and right stretch in zigzag, passing the emergency station to the pond.

4.-We cross the river and later return to the same ridge passing the Sotllo lake and different wetlands to the Socauba

5.-We cross the wooden bridge and enter flanking that goes long until we go back down to the Vallferrera refuge.