Crête des Tourets et Cap de Gauch

A long overdue reunion with Michiel. We set off from the parking at Osque de Couret with the aim of walking the watershed of the Ruisseau des Pics - Calabasse , Cap de Gauch, etc which has a nice narrow ridge between these two main peaks.  We were so busy talking we passed the departure of our path from the second bend of the piste forestiere and continued to climb (in the wrong direction) for a good 20 minutes before we woke up and realised our mistake. We redescended and started afresh. The tiny path that climbs steeply through the pines is unmarked and gets slightly lost amid a myriad of other animal tracks, but we managed to stay on course having made only one small error.

Eventually the trees stop and the landscape suddenly changes at the Col de l'Herbe Soulette. The cows and sheep are still here in the estive.

Pic de Calabasse from the col

It was now very hot without a cloud in the sky nor a breath of wind. The onward route looked quite long and having already lost a good 40 minutes taking wrong turns, we decided to skip Calabasse and instead head for Col de Terme tp slightly shorten the route. We have climbed Calabasse several times before.

View of the ridge to follow - Cap de gauch on the right

Aftrer skirting Calabasse's West face and passing behind the rocky Pic des Agneres, we arrived at Col de Terme. There are fantastic views of the peaks of the Eastern Couserans and rest of the Western Pyrenees from Aneto to Monte Perdido.

The Maladetta massive with Aneto and its small remaining glacier dominate the view

The Westarn Couserans - Valier, Barlonguere, Mail de Bulard, Mauberme and Serre Haute dominating the view

The ridge to follow with Cap de Gauch on the right

The ridge is a lovely airy traverse at times a little exposed but never difficult. The amazing views and Vultures circling overhead were a constant distraction.

traversing Pic de Peyre Nere

The final section to Cap de Gauch

Griffon vulture

A second lunch on the sumit Cap de Gauch before passing a small heliported shepherd's hut and beginning the long descent of Pale de Rase crossing Pics de Pale de Rase Superieur and Inferieur.

retrospective view of Pale de Rase

At the Col de consires we began our steep descent into the pine forest once more - sometimes difficult to find the narrow path under the shoulder high bracken, but the rock outcrop of Côte de Roc provided a reference to guide us. Then at last some shade in the forest until we regained a piste forestiere and shortly afterwards the car.