TR- 5
ROUTE MATAGALLS TO MONTSERRAT
(Ruta Matagalls-Montserrat)

JAUME OLIVERAS i BROSSA (1877-1957)
(Priest - walker - climber)

Who was Jaume Oliveras
by Essa

Neither of the summaries of Mossèn Oliveras' life makes any reference to the walk from Matagalls to Montserrat that the priest did in 1904. This can be because this long walk was not reported until 25 years later in the magazine of a modest club that disappeared long ago (the Grup Excursionista Joventut Catalana). Mossèn Oliveras' biographers just point out Mossèn Oliveras as a pioneer of climbing in Catalonia. He climbed for the first time the Aneto by the Corones valley in 1906, as well as the descend of the north-western side of the Llosàs crest, where he opened the so-called "via dels descalços" (bare-footed track), that allows the walker to climb to the highest peak of the Pyrenees without stepping on snow. He also climbed for the very first time the Encantat Gran in 1911 and, next year, the Encantat Petit.

He went on by the Pyrenees until 1916 when, while crossing the Mahoma cross with Eduard Kroger, Josep Sayó and Adolf Blass, a lighting killed Sayó and Blass. Two years later, in order to accomplish a promise made because of this accident, Mossèn Oliveras moved to the Capuchin missions in Venezuela. When Mossèn Oliveras went back to Catalonia, in 1925, he continued walking all over the Pyrenees with the same energy than before.

In 1949, when Mossèn Oliveras was 72 years old, he climbed again the Aneto. According to Josep Iglésies, Mossèn Oliveras was the most representative figure of the pure mountaineering. He was not moved by any kind of scientific, artistic or literary speculation, just an elemental principle of love and admiration towards the Pyrenees. He did not become a model. He was the beginning and the end of a different mountain style, according to which the most important thing was not technique but intuition and courage.

Jaume Oliveras i Brossa was born in January 13th, 1877, in la Garriga. He was ordered priest in 1903 and died in Barcelona September 6th, 1957. He was the priest of the parish of Santa Tereseta, that he built in Barcelona, for more than 25 years.

This article wants to be a short but warm memory of this great walker who preceded us in the walking from Matagalls to Montserrat.

Article published in the magazine of the C.E. de Gràcia, "Mai Enrera", num. 424, September, 1988

From the Montseny to Montserrat in just one day
by Jaume Oliveras. Pvre

What can I say to my friends of the GE Joventut Catalana, who ask me to write an article for an extraordinary number of their magazine? Me, who never writes anything?
And, after thinking a lot, the front cover of the magazine brings back to my memory when I was still young and used to go to Montserrat by foot. This fact, to go to Montserrat by foot, is nothing especial, but to go there from the Montseny and just in one day is a record that I am not sure that our nowadays youth could be strong enough to break. August 14th, 25 years ago. About 8 pm, we arrived to the Creu de Matagalls and, near the peak, we found the tent prepared in order to spend the night there. We were so tired that we fell asleep soon. But, about 2 am, we woke up half frozen and, with a piece of moon breaking the Agudes and spreading his pale light, we said good bye to the Creu de Matagalls.

Far to the west there can be seen the mountain of Sant Llorenç del Munt, our next aim in the route and, far away, there can be guessed the silhouette of Montserrat, our final aim. It was 2.30 am when we started walking.

The path melted so quickly than the things passed by as a vision: the big farm house of Sant Andreu de la Castanya; the oakwood and big house of Collformic; the beechwood of La Castanya; the aspens, the heathers and the broom-bushes of the Pla de la Calma; everything went by really quickly until the old Romanesque church of La Mora. From there, we could observe the landscape: a shining halo surrounded the Creu de Matagalls and the nearby mountains; the shadows were scaping from Aiguafreda and Vic; and the sun was shining the mountains of Sant Llorenç and Montserrat.

From the edge of the Pla de la Calma, in half an hour we were in the Avençó. We left back the windmill, the ice wells and the hole of Bigues and about 7 am we were sitting in the table of L'Abella farm having a lovely breakfast that was booked the day before.

At about 8 am we were climbing the Cingles de Bertí, a conglomerate of fossils that tempted our geological fondness. But there is no time to loose, so we only stopped in the Tres Quarts fountain, nearby the peak, that offers us a free fresh drink that we accepted thankful.

We crossed the Pla de la Garga really rapidly by no path. The farmers who were working there stopped working and looked surprised at us. Women went out from their houses and shouted each other inviting themselves to contemplate the mysterious show of two priests who walked as quickly as if the devil went after them. We could not explain them that we wanted to go from the Montseny to Montserrat in just one day!

A little bit later on, we jumped into the road from Sant Feliu to Centelles, in the 10th kilometer. 24 minutes later, we are in the 7th, where there is a shortcut that leaded us near the bridge over the torrent of Sant Miquel del Fai, under the village of Sant Quirze Safaja, that can be seen up in a rock hill.

In that torrent, we took a feet bath and, after that, we go to the right by a path, according to the suggestions made by some farmers. Up that path, we found the road from Sant Feliu to Moià, near the Col de Poses, where we arrive soon afterwards. In that col, we found the Hostal del Coll, where we hired a boy who accompanied us to Gallifa by a wild shortcut. We arrived to Gallifa after 45 minutes.

In Gallifa there is another shortcut that arrives to the col. At about 3 pm, we leaded to the village of Sant Llorenç Savall and had lunch in an inn.

We were not hungry, but we were really tired. The innkeeper of Sant Llorenç, Mr. Ramon Olivé, told us that we would arrive to Montserrat in about 8 hours. In that moment, we became a little bit depressed. By night, in unknown paths, we were not really hopeful about gaining our aim. To leave our enterprise, take a light car (because, in those times, there were no cars) and to go to Barcelona was, for us, a kind of shameful failure. Wouldn't we find a guide for us? Mr. Ramon Olivé answered us that everybody who wanted to go to Montserrat, first went to Terrassa and, once there, they took the comfortable train. He had walked to Montserrat eight years before, but he found really difficult to remember the correct route.

From the Pla de la Barraca, there can be signed almost all the crests that are crossed during the route: Pla de la Calma, Bertí, Gallifa, Sant Llorenç del Munt... and Montserrat. (photograph by J.M. Jerez)

What had he said! We insisted so much, that, finally, he accepted to accompany us. At about 5 pm we started to go up to Sant Llorenç del Munt by a path towards the Obis fountain. It could have been a wonderful path it we did not have to march so quickly, in order to take profit of the light of the day. It was sunset when we arrived to the Cova del Drac. Even though we did not distracted ourselves in Can Bufi, and although we went down La Barata as quickly as possible, it was almost dark night when we arrived to the Sot.

La Barata, in that summertime, was full of people who were having fun there. Later on, we were told that all that fun disappeared suddenly and that everybody were talking about those ghosts who had gone down to Sant Llorenç and had gone up to the Coll de l'Alzina. Those who were not there accused the others to believe in witches and souls. The fact was that everybody were worried, and all the doors were consciously closed that night.
While we were going up to the Col de l'Alzina, and worried because we wanted to arrive there before dark night. Although we did arrive in dark night, we were able to see the silhouette of Montserrat, with a light that we could not distinguish if it was the monastery or the Hotel Marcet. This light marked us the direction. At about 9 pm we were in L'Obac; at about 10 pm, we were in Rellinars; and at 12 pm, we were in la Bauma. This route was full of fallings and similar small accidents.

The night guard of La Bauma, a helpful and kind man, arranged us a small dinner and welcomed our guide, who said goodbye and told us that this would be the first and last time that he would fall into such an error. We thanked him a lot and tried to reward him as well as we could. From here on, we began our last stage of our route.

This night excursion, that we first thought was so delicious, it was not so much beautiful at the end. We left La Bauma by the railway and, like engines, we went up to the monastery. We were not really conscious of what we were doing or where we were. It seemed like the strength of inertia made us walk. It should be at about 2 am when we arrived to the monastery of Montserrat. We were sleepy, sweated, and full of dust. We seated breathless under the holm oaks near the fountain. We were woken up by the uproar of the people. We went inside the monastery to thank the Virgin of Montserrat to let us finish this absurd achievement. It seemed us that the Virgin were looking at us half laughing half compassive, like she was telling us: "God bless you!"

Article extracted from the GE Joventut Catalana magazine, num. 22, May-June 1929, pages 87-90, and published in the CE Gràcia magazine, "Mai Enrera", num. 424, September 1988.

Mossèn Jaume Oliveras i Brossu (1877-1957). Drawing made from a photograph, made by J. Ribot i Culpe.

Walking from Matagalls (Col Formic) to Montserrat
18:40 h 83,181 km

It is a non-competitive resistance walking, that basically goes on by mountain paths. Its original aim was to go by foot from the Matagalls (1699 m), in the massif of the Montseny, to the sanctuary square of Montserrat in less than 24 hours.

This walking was established by the Club Excursionista de Gràcia in honour of Mossèn Jaume Oliveras (1877-1957), who was one of the climbing pioneers of Catalonia. His first climb was made in August 4th, 1904.

Route profile

The first time this walking took place was in 1972. It has been repeated every two years. From 1989, this walking took place every year. Nowadays, it is the mountain walking with a huge participation.

From 1998, the beginning has been moved to Col Formic (1145 m), by the foot of the Matagalls, in order to avoid damages in the soil of the mountain made by the big amount of people in such a small place.

The beginning	Edition 2002 (Photographs by J. M. Jerez) The Col Formic
The end

CLUB EXCURSIONISTA DE GRÀCIA
Pg. Mulet, 4.- 08006, Barcelona
Telefon: 932 378 659 Fax: 932 373 148
cegracia@cegracia.com
http://www.atletisme.com/matagalls
http://www.cegracia.cat

Web Pep-Lluís Molinet (experiece)
http://ropits.tripod.com/curses/matmont.htm#tip

Web Rafa Montoliu (experiene)
http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/track/1789/matagall.htm#

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