Geu to Saint-Béat (The Double Winter Traverse of the Pyrenees - 2021)
Day 1 (January 20, 2021) : Geu to Gazost. Highest point = Pic du Hautacam (1746 m). 16 km, 1450 m positive height gain. Conditions = dry, strong southerly wind (Balaguère), good visibility, snow from 1100 m.
Day 2 (21st January, 2021): Gazost to the Hourc Valley. Highest point = Pic de l'Oussouet (1873 m). 15 km, 1350 m positive height gain. Conditions = wind, dry until 2pm then rain showers. Snow from 1200 m.
Day 3 (22nd January, 2021): Hourc Valley to Sainte-Marie-de-Campan. Highest point = point at 1800 m going up to the Liset de Hount Blanc (DIFFICULT DECISION - I had to give up going to the summit as the winds of the storm "Hortense" were throwing me to the ground, impossible / dangerous to continue along the ridge, so I improvised another way round to Sainte-Marie-de-Campan). 21 km, 1100 m positive height gain. Conditions = Thunderstorm / lightning / rain in the morning specially for taking down the tent, then very strong winds (storm "Hortense") with horizontal rain / snow and quite poor visibility.
Day 4 (23rd January, 2021): Sainte-Marie-de-Campan to Cabane d'Artigueluz. Highest point = Signal de Bassia (1921 m). 17 km, 1400 m positive height gain. Conditions = A little wind and snow, but good visibility
Day 5 (January 24th, 2021): Cabane d'Artigueluz to Arreau. Highest point = Cabane d'Artigueluz (1396 m). Summit of the day = Plat de la Peyre (1093 m). 16 km, 250 m positive height gain. Conditions: night with lots of rain and wind, sprinkling of snow in the morning, then warm with some rain showers in the afternoon.
Day 6 (January 25th 2021) : Arreau to Cabane d'Artigues-Longues. Highest point = point 2027 on the ridge heading to Mount Né (2147 m) - DIFFICULT DECISION: I decided to turn back after the summit of Montagne du Pin (2001 m) because of zero visibility (in the "white room′′) and large cornices on the ridge, managed to reach the cabin via the forest tracks that hug the base of the mountain. Summit of the day = Montagne du Pin (2001 m). 20 km, 1600 m positive height gain. Conditions = rain / snow light and non stop (rain / snow limit at 1200 m) without wind. Mist. Zero visibility (′′white out′′) on the ridges
Day 7 (January 26th, 2021): Cabane d'Artigues-Longues to Bagnères-de-Luchon. Highest point = Lion's Peak (2102 m). 22 km, 1000 m positive height gain. Conditions = Sun, very humid snow (1300 m)
Day 8 (January 27th, 2021) : Bagnères-de-Luchon to Cabane de Peyrehitte. Highest point : Cabane de Peyrehitte (1930 m). 10 km, 1300 m positive height gain. Conditions: very mild weather with rain all the time and lots of wind later on. Pretty thick fog.
Day 9 (January 28th, 2021): Cabane de Peyrehitte to Saint Beat. Highest point = Pic de Bacanère (2193 m). 16 km, 1000 m positive height gain. Conditions = Sunny, hot.
2021 summary: Geu to Saint Beat - 9 days. Highest point = Pic de Bacanère (2193 m). 153 km, 10450 m positive height gain. Conditions = 3 days of bad weather, 4 days of mixed weather, 2 days of good weather. In 2022 : Saint Béat to Montségur. Now I'm going to write a more interesting version of my journey.....
