Hidden doorway

With another week of poor weather on the cards and my building permissions finally approved for the house at Pont de la taule, I made a start on the structural works today. Hiding behind a wardrobe in what will be the living room, is a blocked up opening.

Externally there is no sign of it as the whole house is rendered. After some careful dismantling, it turns out that most of the door frame is still in place, sandwiched between the stone and the render.

Alas the oak lintels are rotten, so tomorrow I need to prop the wall and replace them. Fortunately I have some off cuts of oak left over from the barn.

Pic de Géu

Alun and Breezy admire the view to Mont Rouch

There was a break today in the damp weather we've been having recently, so I met up with Alun and Breezy who took a rest day from there barn conversion works above Salau to head up to the Port Salau with me. Weather was beautiful today and although Mont Valier spent much of the day under cloud, most of the peaks from the Port d'Aula to Mont Rouch remained clear. We reached the port at 2087m in couple of hours (where it was decidedly cooler) and I tempted Alun and Breezy upto Pic de la Péguille 2282m with promises of views down to their barn far below.

Alun on Pic de la Péguille looking for his barn

I pressed on alone continuing along the ridge across steep snow and narrow ridges over an intervening top at 2401m where I was caught up by a french fellrunner who was following my steps across the steeper snow sections. We'd seen him earlier in the day and transpires he's a tree sugeon called Eric who lives a stones through from me near Cominac. We finally reached Pic de Géu 2499m together.

Pointe 2401 is behind Breezy and Pic de Géu is the peak beyond that

The onward route all the way to Mont Rouch looks a grand outing for a long day with settled weather. We retraced our steps more or less back to the Port and thence Salau - meeting up with Alun and Breezy back at their place. A much needed beer for all four of us at Les Myrtilles in Salau rounded off a grand day.

The onward route over another 8 peaks to Mont Rouch

Clathrus Archeri

Found one of the Ariege's weirdest and newest fungi in field no 2. Clathrus Archeri arrived here from south east Asia about 40 years ago. It looks like a squid or starfish - but is very delicate and smells of rotting meat - not one for my supper.

Enlargable images

I have finally worked out how to edit the HTLM code so that all my posted images (not just the first one) will open full size when you click on it. Check out the last post to try it out - please let me know if you have any problems.

Pointe de Rabassere

Drove upto Gerac above Guzet ski station - where they were load testing the chairlift to Freychet (which hasn't opened for two seasons) with huge barrels of water on every chair on the 'up' side. After the short via ferrata section I continued towards the cabane Turguilla but soon crossed the stream below the first lake and headed up towards a shapely pyramid called Pointe de la Rabassere (2568m). It looks a great peak and is defended by a long gendarmed granite arete. After gaining the crest there were great views down to the Etang de la Hillette on one side of the ridge and the Etang d'Astoue on the other (this still had some huge ice sheets floating in it).

Higher up the Etang de Reglisse is still solid ice. Sometimes these aretes look awesome but when you get there they prove to be relatively easy - not this one. I picked my way along it for 25 mins but it's one for a rope, plenty of slings and a small rack. For another day.

I reached a high point of about 2280m before the cloud came down and sat at about 2000m, but by this time I was long gone and it proved to be a relatively short day.

Pigs in Space...!

Well one sheep in St Girons actually. Una's leg was looking decidedly manky last night and I decided a trip to the vet was necessary (or the abbatoir!). After hurredly making an animal transporter out of my trailer and an old chicken run last night, I loaded the sheep this morning and gave her the guided tour of St Girons. The vet (female) was very sweet and quickly inspected the wound. Nothing broken, perhaps a tendon 'nicked', too late to stitch, but the wound in her view healing OK. Some antibiotic injections for me to give the sheep and some antiseptic spray for regular wound cleaning and all should be OK.

After some dreary weather for the past week, things are brightening up now and today has been lovely - tomorrow a (long over due) day in the mountains.

Finished!

Window building

After a trip to St G, I got to work finishing the internal linings to the new window opening which took until about 2.00pm. After some contemplation last night, I decided that the new window didn't need to open and therefore I might as well make it myself. It was fun to do this from a single piece of oak. First quartering it, then planing a face and square edge on each quarter, before gauging it to required size and planing it down. Each piece was then rebated, cut to length, jointed and finally glued and pinned together. The finished frame was then installed and tonight the glass is temporarily sprigged in place - tomorrow I'll putty it in permanently.

Last window

Sorting out the oak yesterday reminded me that I hadn't installed the second (lower) gable window. So this morning I made the oak frame - cutting and planing up some old oak and pieces left over from the barn last year and in the afternoon I hammered out the window opening and installed it. It's a crappy job bashing out the foot thick concrete blocks but it was easier and cleaner than last time, as I could do the job from the outside in and set the scaffolding at a sensible height. Another day of finishing the internal linings and mortaring around the opening - then I just have to wait for the window to be made.

Clean and tidy

I collected the walnut from the sawmill which had been planked for air drying. Stacking it next to the workshop was a good excuse for a tidy up. All the 'junk' piled next to the workshop was relocated or binned. The pile of old asbestos roof sheets has been cunningly camoflaged under a green tarpaulin. All the oak offcuts are going to Pont de la Taule for imminent works there. Next the ruin was tidied - ready for putting in the last gable window and rendering the blockwork. All the earth, rocks and rubbish in front of the ruin were excavated and removed and internally all the rubbish and vegetation has been flattened and the scaffolding erected. The last hazel thinnings were sawn added to the wood pile and finally everywhere has had the grass cut. Everything looks clean and tidy.

A couple of days ago Una (who has already snapped off one of her horns) managed to run into a pitch fork and rip here ankle open just above the hoof. No blood but a very deep gash - difficult to see if the damage was more than flesh e.g bone, tendon. I gave it a wash, smoothered it in antiseptic and bandaged it to prevent infection. Although the bandage has remained on she is still walking three legged. I'll have to have another look at it tomorrow and decide what to do. To call out the vet is more than the cost of a new lamb so it's a difficult decision.

Found it!

Found my watch - but not saying where.

Where has the time gone?

Chicken of the Woods

Last night a fantastic meal at Donna's with Ivan, Justin and Emily. We ate a huge piece of pork which came from one of J and E's pigs which Ivan bought, plus loads of tasty vegetables and several deserts. Champagne, wine and finally whiskies from Donna's childhood home Islay - made for a banging hangover this morning - never mix the grape and the grain.

I have lost my altimeter/watch - I think somewhere in field 2 whilst scything a few days ago - but trying to find it is like looking for a needle in a haystack (fortunately I have a spare watch). If it it doesn't turn up in the next few weeks then that's my birthday present sorted mum.

Found a lovely 'Chicken of the Woods' fungus today which will make tea tonight and there's enough still on the tree for some more meals during the week.

Hummmm

Yesterday I was at Pont de la Taule paint stripping, repainting and hedge trimming. After a poor nights sleep - there's a strange barely audible very low pitch hum here which is driving me insane, obviously something a long way away but I have yet to discover what - I spent most the morning digging docks out of field 2. Then some scything (of course), before more spade work levelling sections of the ancient chemin (track). A thunderstorm in the afternoon brought a temporary halt to proceedings. More mushrooms for tea and hopefully some mountaineering/climbing at the weekend.

Walnuts and St George

More scything (never ends in the spring / early summer) then some guitar - the new piece is progressing well. In the afternoon I took the two pieces of walnut trunk to the local sawmill at Biert to get them planked for drying. After an hour of faffing about with blocks, ropes and levers to try and get the two trunks in the trailer, I ended up using brute force and just picked the things up - powerlifting can be fun. Reckon they're knocking on 200kgs each. After 4-5 years of air drying the wood will make some nice chairs.


This evening I found some St Georges mushrooms (Calocybe Gambosa) in the woods which made a nice omelette for tea. Wild flowers aplenty at the moment especially orchids which are prolific here.

Sheep moves

A trip to St G market early this morning for Tomato and Pimento plants, which are now safely planted up. Then after a spot of guitar (sheet music for some of Pierre Bensusan's pieces arrived) I spent the afternoon making about 40 fence posts to rig up a temporary fenced route to field 4. All worked well and the sheep are now there munching away - though they haven't tried out the new house yet.

Today felt really hot - humid, still and 35 degrees in the sun (about 27 in the shade). At 8.30 this evening it is still 21 degrees.

Auzat

A spot of climbing on the granite at Auzat today with Ian, Nina, Penny and Andy. A 4c, 5b and 5c lead. Beginning to remember how to do it.

Ski tour - not

Hatched a plan last night with Ian to go and ski up Pico Aneto (highest peak in the Pyrenees). It's a route I tried a few years ago with Paul Hadfield but we had dreadful weather then. The weather now seemed to be pretty good, so this morning I packed all the gear, put the skis on the roof rack and was about to leave to pick up Ian when I thought - perhaps I should ring the refuge to book 2 beds and an evening meal, it's mid week but we might arrive late. It was then that the guardian told me the refuge was fully booked - all 92 places! I'd forgotten it's the May holiday weekend. Doh!

The Baa Saloon

Field 4 looking grassy

So instead I spent the day finishing the sheep house I started yesterday in field 4. Getting the sheep there is not going to be easy. I tried putting them on a lead this evening and it turned into a four way tug of war - me and three blue in the face suffocating sheep!

Flowers

Despite my extensive cataloguing of flowers here last year, I still occasionally come across a new species like this Herb Paris.

I have started building a simple shelter for the sheep in field 4 as it's ready for its first animals. The grass which has germinated in field 1 is still far to young to survive grazing. I managed to drive down across the fields and through the woods with some of the old roof sheets from the house in the trailer to within 20m or so of field 4, which saved some legwork as the sheets weigh a tonne! Rain stopped play in the mid afternoon, but should have it finished tomorrow.

Stuff

Two more glorious days with the temperature in the shade in the high twenties. Philippe, Sophie, Pierre and Alice are staying at John and Sandrine's gite for a week. Yesterday morning Philippe and I finished clearing the stream all the way to the main brook (about another 200m). It was so blocked up lower down that the channel was completely dry for the last 20m - but not any more.


Scything continues with more fields this year but sheep to help me - though at the moment everything is growing so fast they can't manage to eat it quickly enough. The bracken is sprouting again and although there are same number as last year (alas), this year they are much, much smaller - which I take to be a good sign that I'm exhausting them. The grass seed in the new field has germinated which I hope will speed up the bramble eradication.


Sheep are now sporting leather collars and bells. I 'dagged' them this morning (cutting the wool around their backsides and on their tails). It stops the wool getting clogged with droppings which attracts blow flies who lay eggs is the wool - the maggots from which cause dreadful problems for the sheep frequently leading to death. I'll treat them against 'fly strike' with a pour on treatment (a replacement for old fashioned sheep dip) but the dagging is a good first defence. I think the blow flies don't exist in the high mountains so once my pasture is improved I may well put the sheep in the mountain 'estive' during the summer. Keeping the summer pasture for hay for the winter. It's amazing how thick and tough the wool is even though they're only lambs. They wont need shearing until next year when they've had their first winter coat.



This afternoon I went for a walk up the hills behind the Col de Sarraille which I can see from my house (1083m). There was no path, though fortunately the dead bracken from last year is still fairly well flattened from the winter snows. I nearly trod an a pair of adders near the summit. The views were interesting but not that dissimilar to those from just up the road.

Another full day

Another beautiful hot day and tomorrow is set to be better still. An early start saw me finishing the path clearance all the way to the stream and clearing out the culvert. A final finishing cut with the brush cutter and it all looks pretty neat. There are two big trees which lay across the path still to clear but at the moment they're easy to step over. I spliced some rope to make a hand rail which goes around the big oak to ease this tricky passage.

Before lunch I planted the cabbage and cauliflower seeds in some seed trays - I'll transplant once they've germinated.

In the afternoon - I went to Pomt de la Taule, rehung the shutters which are now painted and scythed the land around the house.

Then in the evening back to the stream where I started to clear it of all the branches, leaves and other blockages which have reduced it to near stagnancy. It became quite addictive and by 9.00pm (to the sound of crickets and still in shorts and T-Shirt) I'd cleared it to where it drops steeply to the main brook and it was flowing like - well like a stream ought to.

Warm again

A lovely hot day which brought out the grasshoppers for the first time this year. In the morning some scything, then planting out the haricot beans, mangetout, fenouil, onions and leaks.

At lunchtime I moved a couple of lengths of the trunk of the neighbours felled walnut tree which they said I could have - I'll take it to the sawmill to be planked for air drying (perhaps I'll make some new dining chairs with it eventually).

In the afternoon I descended to field no 4. Just before it on the left are two ruined barns and a few days ago I discovered an ancient path which descends from them to the stream - contouring the hillside between wood and meadow.

It was completely overgrown with holly and small trees and many trees had fallen across it. Nonetheless it was once a major route and is beautifully cut into the hillside and when it reaches the stream, the water is culverted under the path. So today I cleared it to within 15m of the stream (perhaps a 100m stretch). At one point a huge oak tree almost completely blocks the path and its a squeeze to get past.

Despite the warm temperatures theres still plenty of snow and with clear skies at night ski touring and climbing are possibilities with an early start. Hope to get out in the coming days.

Rain

Yesterday was the Diner de Paques in Aleu - Easter may be long gone but it's the 'Easter holidays' for the school children - not that there were many at the dinner. It was useful to meet some more new people who have homes (mostly second) in the village. The lunch was a 3 1/2 hr alfresco affair with l'apero, mussels, salad, saucisses, cheese and a dessert omelette plus plenty of wine! 'One for the road' at Pauls ensured that after the walk home I felt slightly hungover.

Today it has rained heavily nearly all day. I scythed field no 4 early this morning then stripped, sanded and painted the first floor shutters from Pont de la Taule later in the day. The rest of the day I've been 'cabin' bound. I baked a walnut and cinnamon cake in the afternoon, it was a new recipe and is a bit too sweet even for me.

The new hen has at last been accepted by the cockerell but the other hens still chase her away. It's been two weeks now. I think I may have to cram them all into a tiny cage for a day and let them fight it out - at the moment, without all the birds keeping close together, letting them out is a liabilty.

Windy

The Sheep now have names:

Una (with one horn), Jeanie (ear tag number 501, like the levi jeans) and Tara (as they're Tarasconnaise sheep).

Q for Quelebu

A lovely spring day today, clear and sunny but with a cold wind in the morning turning warmer in the afternoon when the wind turned to the south. The leaves are out on the hawthorn, birches and fruit trees - the hazel, maple, chestnuts and oaks won't be far behind. This morning I worked on the septic tank plans for Pont de la Taule and this afternoon I planted my potatoes.

Overhead a passenger jet pilot (a blog reader?) drew a Q for Quelebu with his vapour trail.

Stormy weather

After a hot balmy day a storm is brewing and tonight/tomorrow there will probably be more snow. The wind turned to the WNW and bam! 60mph winds and in come the black clouds...Storms arrive here so fast its almost scary!

Save the best to last

Today Justin and I went skiing in Andorra. About 15 cm of snow fell yesterday on top of the nicely compacted 1 m 40 cm or so that is already there. The skiing and the weather were excellent and there was plenty of beautiful fluffy powder off piste which we made the most of. We started from Pas de la Casa and skied across to Grau Roig, Soldeu and El Tarter before heading back. The pistes were deserted. Probably the best skiing and conditions of the season - shame most resorts have already closed and Andorra closes tomorrow.

All the weather

Been a strange day today - warm most of the day (mid twenties), some sudden but short lived gale force southerly winds at lunchtime, brief rainstorms in the afternoon in between hot sunny spells, then tonight the wind is changing direction and by tomorrow we may well have snow.

My Three Sheep

Haven't decided on names yet.

New Animals

A busy day finishing off the hurdles, building a hay feeder from an old iron bedstead, tidying the barn and attending to fences. Then a trip to St G to collect the new chicken and some hay for the lambs. The introduction of a new chicken was pretty as brutal as the cockerell asserted his dominance, then the other hens established their pecking order. Hopefully tomorrow things will have calmed down and the new chicken will be accepted.



The sheep arrived at about 9.00 just as it was getting dark. We carried them down to the barn and put them into their pen - photos tomorrow. They're Tarasconnais - a local mountain breed, hardy, with long legs. Need to get them some bells but in the local agricultural co-op even the smallest ones are 38 euros each! Think I might have to take a hammer to some old tin cans and make my own.

Un Tour de Pays d'Aleu

The clouds were low and after the snowfall on the mountains last night, it was still cold this morning. I decided to go for walk. I descended to the stream crossed it and climbed up to the barns at Coumes.




A path then follows the wooded crest of Serre de Rapheu with (normally) spectacular views. At Pas de Sausech I began the descent to another stream before climbing steeply to the hamlets of Galas d'en bas and Galas d'en haut. A little higher I called in on Alban Sentenac - who I bought my pigs from. I ended up buying 3 lambs from him which will arrive tomorrow night! A little more uphill then just before La Bernadole I descended to Galassus and then the Moulin d'Aleu where I called on the Belgium couple who moved in about a year ago but whom I only met for the first time a few weeks ago. After a coffee I followed the stream until the final steep ascent through the woods to Quelebu. 14km and 800m of ascent in all.

As the lambs are still quite young they'll need to stay in the barn for a while, so I got to work in the afternoon making some hazel hurdles to make a pen for them and tomorrow I'll need to have a bit of general tidy up and get some hay.

Etang de Lers

The plan had been to cycle from my house to Massat, up to the Etang de Lers, over the Col d'Agnes, down to Aulus, over the Col de la Trappe, then back home via Pont de la Taule and Seix. I met Penny at Massat who is in training for a big race in the summer. The climb upto Etang de Lers was long and fairly steep, by the time I'd got there I'd climbed about 970m and the legs were complaining - I got the feeling Penny wasn't finding it quite so stiff but she's been training and this was only my second outing on a bike in about three years (not that I'd done much in the twenty years before that).

The weather was perfect but after the Etang the road was closed because of the snow (they don't clear it as they still think it's a Ski de Fond venue). Not one to give up easily, I decided to see if we couldn't press on through the snow for the last kilometer or so to the Col d'Agnes. Penny wasn't so enthusiastic. I tried to pursuade her that the cleats on her cycling shoes were in fact designed to double as crampons. I pushed on (literally) for a several hundred metres but the snow was upto the spindle on the wheel of the bike and my feet were getting wet so I had to admit defeat.

After a retreat a similar chain of events unfolded as I tried to reach the Port de Lers (the other col heading eventually to Tarascon). I'd read on another blog about a skier and two cyclists who'd gone through the Port de Lers a few days earlier and said it had been cleared of snow by the DDE. There was no sign of any snow clearance when we were there today but below is the photo on their blog of the pair at the Port de Lers....strange! Did someone shovel the deep wet snow back over the road yesterday night?


The descent back to Massat was easy and a beer eased the disappointment.

After rebuilding the headset on the bike which had been creaking all day , I thought I'd cook a cheese fondue but couldn't find my excellent recipe. Some improvisation produced a ball of fried cheese. I added some alcohol to try and break down the fat (I'm sure there was some schnapps in my recipe) it caught fire giving me a flambéed, fried cheese ball. Somehow I managed to smeared it onto my nicely prepared french bread cubes and boiled vegetables.

Update

Several bonfires burnt;
Field no 1 seeded (not sure how much will germinate if we don't get rain soon);
Drainage installed to barn to take away ground water after heavy rain (and put it in the pond);
Path to river from field 4 cleared (a bloody long way);
Replacement chicken on order - arrives Tuesday;
Land between field no 1 and woodshed cleared - cos I hate brambles;
First cuckoos arrived.

Planning drawings are now underway for the house at Pont de la Taule and I have all the necessary forms. For the barn I am thinking of building a dry/composting toilet, for the occasional visitor the expense and hassle of a sceptic tank just doesn't seem worth it.

Tomorrow a day out on the bike.

Sun again

Finally finished field no 1 clearance and fencing - just a big bonfire required to finish off and perhaps some grass seeding! A beautiful hot day today and crystal clear too revealing the mountains in full snowy raiment.

Summer migrants return

First nightingales have arrived and this afternoon I saw a Hoopoe for the first time ever at Quelebu. Snow has slowly turned to rain here today, though it continues to snow above 1200m or so. There is now nearly 2 metres of snow at 2000m.

Snow again

Spent the last couple of days finishing off the field no1 clearance and starting the fencing. Just one more bonfire and and the electric fence wires to add.

This morning there was a strong south wind, at about two this afternoon it was over 30 degrees in the sun, it's eight in the evening now and we have heavy snow falling! Gales forecast for tonight

Baqueira

With about a metre of fresh snow over the last week we were looking forward to the powder at Baqueira and today was forecast to be the first clear day. Justin, Jason and I were up at dawn with passports this time, but oh no, during the night it must have pissed down, so this morning there was no powder only mush (and about a metre of it). It was raining early in the morning but the sun came out later - long enough to give us all burnt faces. A good ski but not good snow and offpiste was 'off the cards' with high avalanche risk (a lot of avalanches visible today at the resort) and deep heavy snow.

Chicken update

The Chickens were very quiet today, no cock-a-doodle-do, in fact at 12.00 they still hadn't ventured out of the hen house. I forced them out so they could drink and feed, but they went straight back inside afterwards. I noticed the Sussex had had her tail feathers bitten off, so that rules out a bird of prey. At 3.00 the cockerell made a faint crow from inside the hen house. The old hen I ate last night was pretty tough. I cut up the remaining cooked meat and put it in a risotto tonight.

This morning dawned fairly clear and I cleared a path above the new field no 1 extension (for a fence) and got about halfway through clearing the terrace bank before the rain arrived at about 3.00. It's snowing above about 1100m and will probably turn to snow here tonight/tomorrow morning. Friday now looks best for skiing.

Chicken on the menu

It was warm, windy and wet last night and by the morning most of the snow at Quelebu had gone. After restocking with wood I let the chickens out as they had been in the run for the last 4 days because of the snow. When I went to put them away this afternoon there was no sign of them. I found the little brown hen hiding in the straw in the barn and obviously traumatised. Later I found the cockerell in much the same state. I put them both in henhouse and searched high and low for the other three chickens without success. Then I found one of them in the field, she'd been attacked and killed though only a small amount of one breast had been eaten and she'd been slightly disembowled. Whatever killed it had strong enough teeth or beak to bite through its ribs. At dusk thankfully the other two hens returned.

I doubt it was a fox or the carcass would have been taken and eaten, a martin or stout would have gone for the throat and she'd been grabbed by the rear. The most likely candidates are a dog (which instinctively chased and killed the hen but then didn't really know how to get the feathers off and eat it) or perhaps a bird of prey which was unable to carry the hen off because it was too heavy. As the most the carcass is intact it's tea tonight, Amazingly the hen had three or four fully formed yolks inside her and dozens of smaller developing yolks - a genuine egg production line.

More snow

Snowed for the second half of last night and all today...so there's plenty here. Possibly more to come tomorrow. Probably some skiing mid-week.

Took Paul back to the airport - there is no snow in Toulouse but it's bloody cold.

Cirque d'Anglade

With snow falling last night and continuing today, climbing in the high mountains wasn't on but we thought we'd go to try to find some ice or at least reconnoitre some possible cascades for another year/colder weather. With between 30 and 50cm of fresh snow at 1500m we donned snowshoes and headed up to the Cirque d'Anglade above Salau. A guy in another 4x4 arrived just as we were about to leave for the Cirque and asked us to 'be careful as a bear and its cub were currently in the area'. Given Paul's reputation as an 'incident' magnet, we thought twice about leaving the car!
It was a pleasant stroll up through the woods and the Cirque was much more impressive than I had supposed. Alas the cascade wasn't sufficiently frozen to make climbing possible but I think it would be an excellent climb when in condition - perhaps 4-5 pitches at 70 degrees.

A foreshortened view looking up the cascade

A spot of dry-tooling before heading back to the car - we've called the route "weekend at the beach house/drinks at the tennis club"

Another short video from Paul, up in the cirque heading for the cascade, the bottom of which just appears at the centre top of the opening shots.

Snow

A barn once in fields now in the forest near Cominac

The snow was falling last night, on and off throughout today and seems to be forecast for much of next week. Paul and I had a lowland walk today and depending upon conditions will probably go snowshoeing tomorrow in search of ice.

Couloir de Tartereau

Couloir Tartereau

Paul about halfway up just after the first 'narrows'

With the gale force winds due to arrive at noon and the big snow storm (which will last until Monday) forecast for the late afternoon, today could have been a write-off. But Paul and I were determined to get out to do something, so we were up at 5.30 and by 7.00 were on the 2 hr approach walk to the Couloir Tartereau (AD-) on Pic Mauberme. Its a long (800m, 2500ft) couloir that gradually steepens from 30 to 60 degrees with a couple of ice falls at the top. By 9.00 we were roped up and in the couloir. It had a lot of avalanche debris in it but that was to be expected given the temperatures recently (most of it had entered from the numerous side gullies). The snow was soft at first but soon improved and was quite pleasant to climb. About halfway up we were doused by some squalls of spindrift. As the slopes steepened some of the avalanche debris (mostly consisting of grapefruit sized ice balls) was pretty unstable and we had to climb close to the edges of the gully to make safe progress. The first ice fall was completely buried beneath the snow in the couloir and we ascended it almost unaware. The second (which ends at the top of the couloir) was also covered except for the last 10m or so. I was leading and just approaching the lowest piece of ice and thinking of placing an ice screw. The snow was very deep and soft when I heard a 'crack' closely followed by a cry of 'Shit!' from Paul below me. The snow had fractured about 2m above me, debonding from the ice below it and the whole bed of the couloir with us on it was avalanching! It was strange how the snow suddenly changed from solid terra firma to become like a liquid. In a split second I was bounding to my right across the snow which was sliding down the slope with us and dived onto my axe in self arrest in the firmer snow at the edge of the couloir. All my weight was on the axe and I waited for the jerk when Pauls weight would come on to the rope - but it never came. I looked down and he had instinctively done exactly the same thing. He told me he was waiting for my weight to come on the rope thinking I would be swept down past him (he had also reassured himself in those few split seconds that as I only weigh 10 stone he could hold my fall). It didn't seem like I had slid very far, perhaps a few metres - it all happened very fast - but later we worked out that we had been climbing about 15-20m apart when the avalanche started and we ended up about 4m apart and Paul was aware that he had been sliding too, so I must have gone 20m or more! We could have had another go to reach the last 10m of (easy) ice but as we were at the top anyway and in view of the approaching storm we decided to reverse the route as this was the quickest way down, down climbing the 2500ft. It was reassuring that both our actions were fast and absolutely instinctive (and that we carry good ice tools not whippets Jon).

The gale force winds arrive in the afternoon following our climb and dump more spindrift into the couloir

Below Paul videos my account of the incident when we were safely at the bottom of the couloir.

The Hadfield Pyrenees Weather Curse

Paul is coming tomorrow and we were planning to climb the Couloir Faustin on Mont Valier but forecast is now for a snow storm for the whole of Pauls visit and fantastic high pressure the day he leaves. I've been thinking of all the times Paul has been to the Pyrenees and I think he has a weather curse.

Feb 2004 ski touring Troumouse - snow storm
April 2004 ski touring Aneto - snow storm
Oct 2004 climbing Aneto - snow storm
Feb 2006 skiing/ice climbing - white out
Feb 2007 visiting with Tracey and Luke - torrential rain

The good news is we always manage to get something done in spite of the weather - so looks like it'll be a 'scottish conditions' weekend.

Birthday

Yesterday was my 40th. I hadn't really got around to planning anything grand, but Nina and Ian said they'd pop over with a curry and bottle of wine. Unbeknown to me, together with Penny they'd organised a surprise 'soiree'. So when I opened the door there was Ian, Nina, Penny, Andy, Sandrine, John, Pat, Kev, Emily and (a little later) Justin! They brought homemade curries, naans, rice, two desserts and of course wine, It was a great surprise and a lovely evening - thanks everyone.

Pic Soubirou

As it wasn't cold enough last night to freeze the soft snow, a couloir climb was out of the question, so instead David, Ian, Nina and I traversed the ridge to Pic Soubirou. It's a favourite as the views are spectacular, with mountains wrapping around on all sides, the ridge is reasonably narrow at the end but never difficult.