Morels!!

 It's that time of year again....yummy

After a bout of COVID/flu, food poisoning and increased signs I may have rheumatoid arthritis attacking my Cartlidge and ligaments, my 55th year hasn't got off to great start....oh well things can only get better!

Garden mulched for another year - leaf litter and straw

First morels on their way...another 2-3 weeks and they'll be ready.

Frogs

Rain and warm temperatures (22 in the shade today) have stripped the snow on the mountains and ended the ski touring, probably for the year. The frogs in the pond are loving it. Susie and I are starting on the garden preparations.

 

Latest weave off the loom.

Susie has also been busy with her knitted creations

 

Ski practise

After watching some footage of my skiing on the last ski tour, I realised too much ski touring and no practise has lead to an awfully large decay in my technique....I ski like an old armchair! So today I spent 3000m of vertical descent at Guzet ski station practising and remembering how to ski. Time well spent.

Another project on the loom, which promises to be very three dimensional. A combination of pleats and origami if everything works. The mix of linen, silk and stainless steel, cotton and high twist wool could be problematic.

Ski tour Mont Ceint

Snow over the last couple of days hatched a plan for ski up Mont Ceint/Pic de Girantes. Only Paula was available at short notice so just the two of us headed up from the Etang de Lers. Low cloud and cold temperatures forced a retreat from the col at 1830m. The snow was so good we skinned back up for a second descent before heading for home. 

and now snowy

Snow overnight which quickly melted from the trees in the morning sunshine.

Coumarba

cascading droplets

Snow crystal balanced on a leaf

hiding cat

 

Sunny

Typical February weather with highs in the sun of 28 or more and night time temperatures below zero.

Everywhere is very dry but there is snow forecast next weekend.

Hazy horizons from Joubac

A wander up above the col de Pause yesterday afternoon - the barrier which blocks the road seems to get lower every year! Snowshoes only necessary from the col and the track to the Cabane d'Areau very hard ice névé until the cattlegrid. Summer dress and snowshoes were the ideal combo in these conditions!

one way winter... 

the other summer....well almost

Rest in Peace Debbie

Susie's sister passed away a few weeks ago. She was diagnosed only 9 months ago with MND/FLD.

Ski tour Tuc des Hemmes

A quickly hatched plan to make the most of the meagre snow cover. Head for the Val d'Aran (Spain) and snatch Pic de Port Viehla, a peak I'd skied in 2004 with Paul Hadfield. It's a couple of hours or more in the car, so Paula and Andy decided to travel the day before, stay in a hotel and get up at a reasonable time. When they got there I got a worried call about the lack of snow!

I decided it would probably be OK so joined them early the following morning. -5 degrees in the valley and we set off through the forest on an icy hard frozen (but snowy) track.

Eventually we left the forest behind and made it onto the mountainside. the snow was variable - sometimes powdery, often hard and sometimes with a breakable crust. I hoped it would improve. When Paul and I did the peak we climbed on the other side of the river too early and ended up on some sketchy terrain. This time we attempted to follow the classic route but still missed the lake. As the snow cover was very poor on the side of the valley leading to our objective we looked for another.

To our left was the rock pyramid of Tuc des Hemmes and on it's right was a steep snow slope that looked inviting! Constantly in shade we hoped the snow would be still powdery.

Tuc des Hemmes - the obvious rock pyramid

Our new objective the ramp leading up to the col on the right of the Tuc

Looking back to the Port de Viehla and the Peak which takes it's name on the right

Lunch spot

After lunch Paula and I skinned up the slope which was steeper than it first looked - but the snow had stayed fluffy and the ski down was magnificent!

The descent was a very mixed bag, nice from our lunch spot but getting progressively worse as we descended. Old tracks were frozen hard, snow in the sun had breakable crust but pockets of powder could be found. Lower down the snow was just too thin.....rocks and bushes to try and avoid.

A day of mixed snow, but worth the effort.

Cap de Bouirex (ski tour)

With the first day when the temperatures would creep above zero for a couple of weeks, and a clearing of the fog and clouds, Andy and I decided to head out for another little ski tour. Cap de Bouirex is close by, not a long day and always a good bet when we're still finding our ski legs. It was also a good opportunity to try out my ebay purchase of a marmot goretex expedition suit! From the styling probably late eighties but unused and only £50. With some sewing its become a pair of salopettes!

A chilly start and the snow had a hard frozen crust overlaying the fluff below - not the best conditions for the ski down. In the shade of the woods the snow was still soft and deep enough to cover the fallen branches.

Out of the trees the snow was worse with a tough but breakable crust, then on the ridge icy frozen sastrugi from the driving winds that had deposited it.

We headed up to the summit cone which we have skied down many times before, but in todays conditions we didn't fancy it, so we had lunch below the rocks before skiing down.

Challenging even skiing in a straight line until we reached the transmitter. There the snow had start transforming a little and we skied down the open slope until diving into the trees which delivered enjoyable skiing all the way to the car.

 

Cheeky ski tour - Tuc de la Coume

With the continuing very cold and snowy conditions (sub zero for at least a week) and Susie's Wednesday afternoon dance classes, it was a chance to drop her off at Oust, do a quick tour, then pick her up on the way back. Andy was up for it, so off we went to Tuc de la Coume. The approach piste from Cominac was very snowy but the Vitara in 4 wheel drive with snow tyres made it to the the parking just short of the Col de la Vieille Mort. 

We climbed through the forest and emerged into the usual glorious view.

The summit looked clear, a few ancient ski tracks and a recent snowshoe ascent. The snow was good low down and a bit hardened by the driving winds higher up, with accumulations on the leeward side of the ridge. As we climbed the freezing clouds began to climb with us. About 50m from the summit I realised we would soon be engulfed and signalled to Andy it was time to descend.

Too late. the cloud engulfed us and our descent was destroyed. The visibility was about 10m at most and we descended cautiously a few turns at a time so that we didn't loose each other. Miraculously we found the exit of the path of ascent from the forest. The usual descent via fields and barns in this visibility seemed far too risky to find, so we opted to descend by out path of ascent. 

The snow was rapidly forming a frozen crust and the descent was scrappy and unpleasant until we reached the good piste that returned to the car. We'd made good progress despite the conditions and were only 10 mins late to pick Susie up. A tad over 2 hours for the round trip.