Author: Mountains of Life

The Pyrenees Retreat ’17 – Day 4

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I had a very good sleep – pretty comfy bed and warmth made all the difference. Four bunk beds and only one me – what a waste 🙂

I bring plenty of water from the stream to wash my hair – who knows, I might see another human being today as I’m so close to Gavarnie 🙂 In fact, I’ve just seen someone walking down in the valley. Very bizarre because that’s not a path from the cabana. Another mystery… I guess I’m getting used to that now.

When I have breakfast I can hear someone on the other side of the hut. Did he sleep in the hut or walk up from Gavarnie this morning? I’ll never find out because he doesn’t speak a word of English but at least he takes a picture of me. I show him that I leave my stuff in one of the lockers and go up to Piméné. He is surprised that I go on my own but gets on with his work and I’m ready to go.

After maybe a couple of minutes I can hear a strange noise. I first think that it might be something like a quad – the path down to Gavarnie seems suitable for vehicles like that. It would make sense because they have to bring stuff to the hut somehow and it looks like they are going to open it very soon.

I don’t have to wait long to see the source of that noise. Just look at this!

He came back perhaps eight times with different things. Even though he is disturbing the silence in this beautiful place, all this is just fascinating to watch. Right, I need to move on! I keep going while some of my yesterday’s photos are uploading (I have a tiny bit of signal up here). I keep looking around  – this place is so peaceful again. I get to the path from Hourquette d’Alans but this time I turn left towards Piméné. I notice that there is someone following me. I’ve been walking really slowly but not because I’m tired. I’ve been breathing in everything around me. The girl behind me eventually catches up with me on Petit Piméné. I spend a while here studying yesterday’s route and trying to find out where I missed the path to Brêche de Tuquerouye. The truth is that the path is covered with snow and that I didn’t have much chance to see it. I could perhaps just go across just keeping azimuth on the pass. Would it have been wise? I’m not sure.

When I get to the top of Piméné the views are breathtaking. I try my action camera – will see what happens. I have no idea about taking videos.

I have a chat with Celine – that girl who caught up with me on the path. We take a few photos of each other and I tell her my plans for today and the rest of my trip. She shows me Vignemale and shows me on the map which way I can go from Gavarnie.

We start walking down. I could just stay here all day and watch these beautiful mountains…

When we get back to des Espuguettes, she goes to have a chat with the guards and finds out about de Bayssellance. They say it’s open and there won’t be any problem to get a bed there. In the meantime, I pack everything I left here this morning. Suddenly my backpack gets very heavy but I get used it again very soon. The path to Gavarnie is not difficult but after having already walked to Piméné and back my knees really don’t like walking down. I slow down so much that Celine offers to take my backpack for a while. I don’t think that it will make any difference. There are times when walking down is just awful and you cannot do anything about it. It’s like coming back to reality after a mountain top experience. Yes, I guess that this is just another truth that mountains show you very clearly. Climbing up is often tough but walking down can sometimes be a hundred times worse.

I make it to Gavarnie eventually and I’m so relieved to be able to go on flat for a while.

Celine insists that we have a drink before she goes back to Lourdes. I have a glass of lovely cold fresh orange juice, say goodbye to Celine and after getting some food I set off to Cabane de Ossoue where I’m going to sleep tonight. I had a mad idea to try to walk to de Bayssellance today but by now I’ve put my mind back on the right track (it sounds a bit like another oxymoron to me, I must say…). It’s already after six o’clock and I still have a fair walk ahead of me. Though, I have another stop before I go. I stop to buy a few postcards which are completely different from those available in every single souvenir shop. I’ll have them for Aga’s and Ania’s birthdays. They are two people to whom I still send postcards from all my holidays. Knowing the joy when they find them in the letterbox is priceless.

Celine told me not to go on the road but on the path on the left side of the stream. Avoiding the road seems to be a great idea. When I get on the path the first thing I see is this:

It immediately gives me a shot of new energy. Signposts for Santiago make me feel better wherever I am.
The path gets narrow and dark almost straight away, and it’s rather not flat. Perhaps, after about 10 hours of walking, I should have taken an easy route or even the offer of a lift to the dam from Celine.

I have a few climbs on the way before I get to the bridge and cross the stream. Now I’m on the road. I don’t think straight anymore. I walk about 200 m and I turn around to see the valley behind me.  There is a car right by the bridge and a bloke standing next to it. I keep walking and turning around from time to time as I’m not sure what he’s doing. I would rather see him going back to Gavarnie which he does eventually… I wasn’t too comfortable, I have to say. It’s getting dark and there’s no one else around.

I get to the Cabane de Milhas but I decide to walk another 2 km to the Cabane de Ossoue by the dam. The only reason for is that I want to have less to walk tomorrow, so I can leave things at de Bayssellance and climb Vignemale. It turns out to be the second bad idea this evening. On my last legs, I get to the cabana. It is open and it’s clean but that’s about all good about this place. The window is broken and there is absolutely nothing there – just bare floor. Like I say the good thing is that it’s clean in here – no rubbish, no bugs… If I have ever been close to rough sleeping, it’s tonight. I again thank God for that huge black bag which I got from Cabane de Estaube. May He abundantly bless those good souls who brought and left them there.
I put the bag on the floor, take out the sleeping bag and put on absolutely all the warm clothes that I have with me. In fact, all the clothes that I have. I boil some water and have a hot tea before I go to sleep. It’s been a long day and the night is going to be even longer… I can hear the water flowing through the dam and in these circumstances, it’s not a calming sound. It’s cold, ‘noisy’ and I’m aware that there is a van parked in the carpark by the dam. I’m almost sure the owner is not there. I’m not an overly fearful creature but you can imagine what’s going through my mind…

The Pyrenees Retreat ’17 – Day 3

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I wake up just after 7 a.m. but decide to have a little lie-in. I jump out of the bed when I hear someone in the kitchen. I open the door and look outside. It’s dry – I mean it isn’t raining – but I can’t see anyone. I walk to the other side of the hut but no-one is there and no-one is in the kitchen either. It’s weird but I go back to the bedroom and start to tidy things up and prepare breakfast. When I pack my sleeping bag I realise that a tea light which I had lit last night and which was placed in an old jar on the mattress next to me was taken out and moved to the other side of the bed (we are talking of the width of the double mattress which was next to mine). I’m absolutely certain that I had it in the jar within the arm’s reach as I extinguished it after studying the guidebook and praying last night and definitely did not put it away. While I can imagine that I slept so deeply that I didn’t hear that someone came in and slept on the top bank (not very likely but possible), it isn’t possible to go out the hut and leave the door ‘locked’ from inside!!! Even a very clever person cannot tie a piece of string inside while they are outside! The window is big enough to get out easily but what would be the point of that. It will be the mystery of this trip. I cannot find an explanation or at least not a logical one. It must have been my guardian angel…

I leave the hut in the morning mist and start walking towards Hourquette d’Alans (2430m) and then to Brêche de Tuquerouye, where I’m planning to sleep tonight. In fact, I’m really looking forward to staying in that refuge.

The marmots keep me company this morning. What lovely creatures they are…

The walk through the valley is easy and very enjoyable, and the views are stunning.

As I get higher I start looking out for the path to Brèche de Tuquerouye. There is nothing clearly visible and I don’t think that there is anything like winter way-markers in these mountains if there are any at all. I get to Hourquette d’Alans eventually and keep looking around. Still no path… I take the backpack off and do a bit of rock climbing looking for one but with no joy. I am not happy about it. I planned to climb Monte Perdido tomorrow (the weather should be the best for that) and I won’t do it if I sleep somewhere else. I should have had a closer look at the map on my phone – it’s much more detailed than the printed one – but I didn’t.

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The path that need to take is covered in snow. It’s not very deep and I could possibly just walk up to in a straight line, but even in my madness, I doubt the wisdom of this idea. 

I can see Brèche de Roland from here and it is all covered in snow. It’s hard to think of conditions on the Spanish side. For a moment I contemplate about staying in Brèche de Roland refuge but soon I remember that it’s closed all this year. I don’t have much choice and decide to walk down and stay overnight in Refuge des Espuguettes (2027m).

As soon as I start walking the rain comes. It suddenly gets cold and unpleasant. I put my jacket and hat on, and cover the backpack. That black bag is invaluable. I have a couple of big patches of snow to cross and it’s not nice either. Of course, my disappointment makes all these conditions worse than they are… It’s not that bad after all.

Luckily, the rain is only a quick shower and a bit of a blue sky is above me again. 

The refuge is clearly visible all the time I walk down. Though, I must admit that I’m not happy with the change of the plan. I’m pretty spontaneous, generally speaking, but I don’t like changing ambitious plans… At the end of the day, Monte Perdido (3455m) is the third highest peak in Spain!!! You can hear my ego speaking here, can’t you? This is the life in the mountains – sometimes they force you to let go of your ambition. Sometimes or maybe often… Didn’t I mention somewhere here that the mountains teach me about God… If my ambition is unhealthy (are there any healthy ambitions or is it just an oxymoron???) He always does something or uses my weakness to change the direction. Of course, if I listen to Him at least a little bit. Anyhow, my fear (or His voice in my fear) was stronger than my ambition on this occasion, so I’m going to spend this evening planning an alternative route.

While I’m walking down I prepare myself for high prices in the refuge. They are very expensive, especially on the French side. It turns out that no-one is there. The main entrance is open and one of the dormitories, too – a warm bed for tonight. Looks like I can stay there for free 😀.

All the electricity is turned off, so I can’t use the tap outside. Well, it’s not a big thing – just another trip to the stream – only 2 minutes walk. I cook dinner and study the guidebook and the map. I’ve still been thinking of going to the Spanish side from Gavarnie via La Brèche de Roland but I eventually let it go (it really is not easy! I wrote a whole post about a few months ago). Tomorrow is going to be the best weather, so I decide to leave the big backpack in the refuge and climb up Piméné. I read in many different sources that if you have clear weather, the views from the top are spectacular. Then I can come back to des Espuguettes, take the backpack, walk down to Gavarnie, and from there to one of the cabanas on the way to Refuge de Bayssellance (2651m) or maybe even to de Bayssellance itself. It would give me a chance to climb Vignemale (yes, I know a three-thousender…) and eventually walk down to Cauterets which would solve the problem with transport to Lourdes. I’m pretty pleased with my ideas and I go for an evening walk. …Right – ‘my ideas…’ as soon as I hear my own thoughts, I’m almost certain that there will be some change of the plan again…

It gets very dark for a moment and I can feel a few drops of rain on my face but it’s nice warm rain. There is a rainbow, too.

The sunset is amazing. Look at these colours! Judging by that orange it will be hot tomorrow.

Hourquette d’Alans is looking much more friendly than when I left it in the afternoon.

The Pyrenees Retreat ’17 – Day 2

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I get up at about 7 a.m. and it is a beautiful morning. I have a quick breakfast, pack things away and set off. I have to chat with St Christopher and St Medard and just pray for another good day. The Cirque de Troumouse looks very pretty in the soft morning sunlight.

It doesn’t take long to get to Lacs des Aires.

I soon get to Cabane de Virgin. 

I leave my backpack here for a while and walk up to see a whole panorama of the cirque from a little top. 

I don’t enjoy the way down. I either need to go on a road or on a steep and full of loose rocks path. Luckily, it doesn’t take very long. I have a bite when I get to the Auberge de Maillet (still closed this time a year) and find a path that will take me to the Barrage des Gloriettes. It is very warm at that stage, so I put sun cream on to protect my already painful arms.
Just before I get to the dam it starts raining. Initially, it’s not too bad. I had to walk on those loose rocks again as the path disappears somewhere.

 

When I reach the dam – a very civilised thing in the wilderness… – the rain is pretty heavy. I walk for another hour before I get to Cabane d’Esataube and I’m pretty wet. This cabana has two rooms and is quite well equipped. I put some dry clothes on and set the fire in the ‘kitchen’ to dry my backpack and everything that got wet. 

In the meantime, I find huge black bags in the kitchen cupboard and I’m very happy about it. It will keep my backpack dry for the rest of this trip.
It is raining all evening but it doesn’t surprise me. It’s Tuesday and when I checked the forecast for Monte Perdido it was going to be the worst day with snowfall and a possible thunderstorm, so the rain in the valley is quite expected. It should clear up by the morning.