Pic de Marterat

A big day in the mountains today. The usual 8 hours but 2100m (6900ft) of ascent. The plan was to climb Pic de Materat. I've always thought that this was the peak that dominates the Port de Materat (a pass into Spain) to its East.

Une grande journée aux montagnes aujourd'hui. Comme d'habitude une rando de huit heures duration mais 2100m de denivilée. le plan etait de faire l'ascension de le Pic de Materat et moi, je pensais toujours que il soit le pic qui dominée vers la gauche, Le Port de Marterat.

Point 2460m...apparently NOT Pic de Marterat

I set out from Ossese (900m) at 9.00 and apart from a shepherd above the Cascade de Lastien, I saw only one other person all day. The climb upto the Port de Materat (2217m) seemed a bit tough today, but when I arrived and crossed the border into Spain (and the first sunshine of the day as the French valley was in shadow) I realised that it had only taken 2hr 30 mins...I'd been rushing.

J'ai commencé de Ossese (900m) à 9.00 et sauf un berger au dessus La Cascade de Lastien j'ai rencontré seulement une personne tout la journée. L'ascension du Port de Materat sembais rude aujourd'hui, mais lorsque je suis arrivé en Espagne (et le premier soliel de la journée) j'ai realisé que il soit seulement 2 heures 30 depuis je suis parti de Ossese...j'etais pressé!

The Cabane de Marterat just below the Port de Materat on the French side

From here I climbed the Spanish side of the peak making a steep rising traverse to find a short couloir requiring the use of hands. Here I was joined by a French climber who'd arrived from the East. After the couloir we joined the bald ridge and finally made the tiny summit on a short narrow ridge.

Delà je suis monté le versant Espagnol et fait une raide trace de trouver un court couloir qui a besoin les mains. Ici un Francais m'a joindre. Ensemble nous avons atteindu la crête et le petit sommet.

He asked me about some of the neighbouring peaks - their names, best routes of ascent, etc. But one neighbouring peak I couldn't name. I looked at the map and this peak - above the Col d'Aliot about a km away and a little higher than our summit was called Pic de la Core de l'Aliot or Pic de Marterat!! According to the French map we had climbed an unnamed peak (2460m) not Pic de Marterat though we were both convinced that our peak was indeed Pic de Marterat. I'm sure Pic de Marterat and Pic de la Core d'Aliot are different peaks and the map has it wrong!

Il m'a demandé des questionnes - mes ascensions dans le Couserans et les noms des pics voisines. Mais il y a un Pic que je n'a pas su - nous avons consulté la carte IGN et au dessus Col d'Aliot à peu près un kilometer de nous et un peu plus haut que notre Pic le sommet etait Le Pic de la Core d'Aliot ou Le Pic de Materat! Nous avons fait l'ascension de pointe 2460m pas Le Pic de Materat.

Having come all this way to climb Pic de Marterat, I descended almost all the way to the Port de Materat (as the onward ridge was a loose, gendarmed, knife-edge) then reascended this other higher peak...a long slog (1hr 30 mins and another 400m of ascent) in the hot sun. The views from both tops were stunning in the crystal clear atmosphere.

Le francais a décidé de descendre, et moi j'ai continué. Un descent et puis plus d'ascension (400m) au soliel. 1hr 30 plus tard et j'ai gagné le sommet enfin. Belles vues dégagées de les deux sommets.

The view from Pic de Materat to the Port de Materat (the deep notch in

shadow on the left) and Point 2460m to it's right which I climbed

View across the Spanish side of the chain towards Mont Rouch

Even though there was some snow and ice around I wore t-shirt and shorts all day - it was fantastically hot. From the second peak I descended into Spain, to avoid a steep rock face, then had to re-ascend to the Col d'Aliot (2552m) a killer as the legs were getting tired and the sun ever hotter.

Bien que il y avait de la neige et glace j'ai porté un Tee-shirt et pantalons court toute la journée - il fait chaud! De la deuxieme pic je suis descendu en Espagne encore, afin eviter un falaise, puis j'ai du faire plus d'ascension à Le Col d'Aliot (2552m) - mes jambes se plaindre!

Definitely not a route of descent!

The return from here is trackless but I've done it once before in dense mist, so this time it was easier and nice to see where I was going/had been. A long but satisfying day.

Le retour de là etait hors sentier et la derniere fois je l'ai fait il y avait de la brume, cette fois etait plus facile et bien de regarder la route. Un journée longue mais qui vaut la peine.

The amazing granite spires above the Cabane de Bonrepos on the return home