Lane de Formente to Pic Montaud

First big stomp in a while and a re-visit to the ridge between Lane de Formente and Pic Montaud (2496m).  This time in the reverse direction to last time (Lane de Formente first). Breezy wanted to try to find the long traversing path from Cabane de Pouil which goes to south of Serre de Bougnos before climbing to Lane de Formente. We missed the left fork (or it didn't exist) and we ended up passing the pylons, when we realised our mistake. We scrambled very steeply up the next drainage line and with the path not really evident, we clawed our way up steep gispet in full sun to reach the summit of Serre de Bougnos and then follow the ridge northwards over point 1946m to the summit of Lane de Formente. A hot tiring slog of an ascent.

The last part of the slog upto Serre de Bougnos

Serre de Bourgnos

Susie was struggling with heat so we took a long lunch just before Escale de Saint Girons. The views from the ridge are superb in all directs and it's airy without ever being difficult. The rest of the walk was a joy and the only people we saw all day were 2 parapentistes overhead who flew from Mont Valier and the berger at Cabane Pouil.

1500m of height gain and 16km in a liesurely 9 hours.

Escale de St girons and point 2460m

Encantats and the Aigues Tortes

Al sporting some of the vulture feathers found on the ridge

Last part of the ridge to Pic Montaud

Pic Montaud summit

The descent to the Port de Salau then back to Al and Breezy's above Salau