Mountain refuge Refuge de Pré Clos

On this slope over Embrun , the coat fits well as a cut-off point when the schedule is extended, the meteor is complicated or the effort is sought to be shared on a ground of medium and high mountain. At 1,830 metres, the Refuge de Pré Clos It is in a transition strip where the forest leaves way to more open reliefs, with a reading of the terrain marked by loins, clear and rounded summits that rise above the sector. The reference of the route forestère des Fontaniers helps to place it on an accessible side from the Embrun environment, but already high enough to demand planning, especially if it is reached with backpack or with changing conditions. In this context, it is not appropriate to interpret it as a simple walk-in shelter: the altitude, the exposure to time and the mountain character of the access weigh more than the proximity relative to the valley.

Their practical interest is in supporting tours linking balconies on Serre-Ponçon with longer routes of the Ecrins including the GR 50 on the big lap of the park. It can also function as a basis for moving to nearby reliefs such as the Tête de Chante-Perdrix or the Tête de l'Hivernet, not as much as a platform for technical ascension alone, but as a point from which to gain height with margin if the day starts soon. There is a source pointed at about 400 meters, useful data but it does not eliminate the need for autonomy, because in mountain the actual availability of water may vary. To be well oriented it is appropriate to carry map or track and read the relief with attention: in this area local itineraries, crossing links and forest routes can be crossed, and that changes the perception of distance when fog, tiredness or storm enter.