Tuc de la Cigalera, 2502m March, 10th 2013

I started from the side of a piste in the Bonaigua area. To get the summit,  I just had 500m ahead. This was the fastest option included in the guide. As I said before, storms didnt appear as fast as forecast said so I could have made a longer one. Anyways, no regrets, I was on the verge of not coming...

That seemed the summit, but it wasnt. Just a point at 2300m.

This is the summit: no wind, no cold... I shared it with other two skiers. Good view of the Gerber valley big summit such as Colomers, Ratera...

The descent was on firm snow.

The last slope would take me to the piste I started from. 

As the day before, I could have spent more hours up there splitboarding, but on the other hand I have known these 2 peaks that in other conditions wouldnt have been on the list to go.

If I am a bit lucky I may have another weekend in the mountains...

Serrat de Pomarola, 2098m March, 9th 2013

According to the weather forescast, it was unadvisable to be in the mountains after midday due to possible storms and showers. In my opinion, the chances of storms were low. Anyways, I followed the forecast and went to an easy peak that was on the list.

I left the car at 1300, a couple of km down the road from the tunnel. The first half n hour I had to walk. Then I could start skinning up through a shitty forest with plenty of banches on the way due to the load of snow of last weeks.

Fortunately, the forest opens from 1550m on.

As the guided says, easy peak with one and long slope til the summit. 

A cabin buried. The summit is right there.

And here I am. It turned out to be a good panoramic point . The scenary was gorgeous.

It was 13pm and there werent even lots of clouds...I think I ve been too prudent. The slope runs from the summit till the the forest. Pretty long slope...

..together with far good snow..

Close to 600m of descent. Thats all. Its over. Once I entered the forest I could just slide down the best way posible and then walk for 20min to the car.

It was good, but I was keeping this peak for a day with poor visibility or high avalanches s risk. I ended up crossing out yesterday. If I had known weather was going to be that way, I would have gone to higher and further summit. On Sunday happened the same....ja-ja.

Cap dera Pala deth Port, 2557m March, 3rd 2013

After enjoying powder snow in the north face of the Pyrinees the day before I decided It was high time I went to find good corn snow. The guide of Val d´Aran I bought described a excellent peak in the south side of the tunnel which offered 1000m -direct and fast- descent. In addition I had a view of the main slopes from the Tuc Montanhero which seemed to be in  perfect conditions.

I didnt take any picture from the first part: slope + forest (1600-1900m). This is what can be seen once the baby forest is over: a small traverse gives way to a wide tube.

The tube ended at 2200. There were just a small flat and the last slope to reach the summit. 

The rocky summit in the foreground is the Tuc Montanhero. Its amazing how different the snowpack is between places that are so close to each other. Whereas yesterday I still enjoyed pure powder, the snow here has been transformed a few days ago...

The descent can be separated in threemain parts. The first one is the big and fair steep slope that runs from the summit to the flat.

The second part strechts from the flat to the forest line. This 300m of the tube was pretty enjoyable. Its true that powder is the snow we all are loonking for, but to be hones,t the good corn snow can be as good as powder..just different feelings.

The third and last part would take me to the car. The first 100m, between 1900m and 1800m is an open forest.

Then a big gap dividing the forest due to avalanches gives the opportunuty to skiing down a second open slope as long as the previous tube and with good corn snow as well.

Here, it can be seen better the last slope and the small forest at the left-hand side.

Best choice I could have done for that day. As the guide described correctly, perfect peak with good slopes to snowboard down and especially interesting with corn snow.

Tuc de Montanhèro, 2581m March, 2nd 2013

Eventually, there was a sunny weekend. I was on the verge of going to Andorra since there are a couple of pretty good summits to skiing that I d like to do this year. For some reason val d´Aran attracted me again. On Saturday I actually went to the same place as Wednesday (still powder for sure), but this time I went higher (low risk of avalanche) to one of the famous peaks here.

This piece of piste took me and the bunch of people going up that day from 1300m to Cabana deth Pontet. Well, there are so much snow that the piste got lost and at some point we simply went through the forest.

There, the cabin is. 

First time I saw people Heliskiing. Those guys were fortunate! I was hoping the helicopter didnt drop them off  where I was going..

From the cabin to 1800 there wasnt forest. Upper 1800m there were some pines scattered. 

This was the most dangerous part in terms of avalanche risk. Anyway, I didnt feel it unsafe and there were people going up before me.

After that part, the "valley" opens and the coll is much closer. 

Once in the coll there are two options: either Tuc de Montanhero (2581) or Tuc deth Port de Vielha (2604). I chose the first one, because the last slope untill the summit of the second one was very rocky due to the strong winds of the previous days. 

As you see in the pic, it looked much better....

What I didnt know was that this peak had a last surprise. To get the summit hands are needed. Easy climb thanks to the lack of ice, otherwise I would have needed a rope.

After that "adrenalin climb" - it reminded me of Picos de Europe, where you usually need to climb at least the last meters of the summits there - , I got this good view of the Aneto massif.

Then I descended and got ready for the descent. First on the ledge...

Then I got the coll again and kept snowboarding down from it with pretty good snow.

Afterwards, I got the pines again. It appears to be that snow remains better in the woods. This was Utah powder again....

Riding down this tube was a complete pleasure...

Although It was delightful enough, there was still 200m left through the forest as skiable as Wednesday...

I overnighed in Vielha. The following day I would go to a peak which offers steep slopes to enjoy with corn snow (on the south side of the tunnel). Tomorrow´s conditions fit the bill to give it a shot and try that corn snow!