Mont Valier (6)

I was a bit late getting up this morning and by the time I arrived at the Col de Pause it was already 9.45. I wasn't sure of my fitness, as with the all the building and travelling I haven't had any big mountain days this year. Still, I decided to head off at a good pace and see how far I got.

I made Spain at the Port d'Aula in 1 hour 10 mins and after another 1 hour 30 mins I was back in France beneath Pic de la Pale de la Clauere, I was flying along! After a quick stop for food I made the summit just 3 hours 30 mins after leaving the Col de Pause - a personal record.

Etang Rond and Etang Long from below the summit

The last haul of zig-zags to the top

Glacier Arcouzan far below the summit

The summit

On the descent to the Col de Faustin I passed a young couple, the only people I saw all day outside of the Col de Pause. Vultures, Isard and Marmots were in abundance.

Two baby marmots quite oblivious of me, mum was long gone!

Isards

I decided to return by a different route and descended via the Couloir de Peyre Blanc to the Cabane d'Aula. 1200m (just short of 4000 feet) of knee jarring steep descent after which there's a cruel sting in the tail of another 400m (1300 feet) of ascent and descent to reach the Col de Pause once more.

Mont Valier on the right and Petit Valier to it's left. The final part of my ascent

followed the skyline left to right. My descent dropped steeply from the low

point left of Petit Valier all the way to the Cabane d'Aula visible bottom left.

It was a tough day and strangely a repeat of the first mountain trip I made when I first arrived at Quelebu. Then I thought I was pretty fit and it took 8 hours, this time 6 1/2 hours!! Not bad for over 2000m (6600 feet) of ascent - I'm tired but pleased.