Puigmal, 2913m...my last trip to eastern Pyrenees April, 21st 2013

Second time I do both things in the same weekend! Its difficult to choose between good spring skiing days or partying in Bcn with the arrival of sun and heat!. This weekend I had party in Bcn but it also set as the last suitable weekend to "cross out" the Puigmal this season. Puigmal was important for me as its a major summit in eastern Pyrenees and the last one I still had on the list for this season in this part of the Pyrenees.

 Having barely slept 2hours, I left from Bcn at 8:30. I took the highway of Cadi, so I paid like 25e in tolls in exchange for a considerable reduction of the driving time. I went to the north face, so properly I was in France! So cool! Ja-ja 

Easy slopes but quite firm snow. What´s more I did it almost entirely on foot...

Let me say, that the place was quite awful in comparison with so many other places here...

And summit! This is by the way the highest peak in the province of Girona. Extraordinary bird-eye´s-view of the Cerdanya -both spanish and french-.

Sadly the snow kept firm by the time I was going down -even some skiers still carried their skis on their back-. On the other hand, the slopes werent difficult so I could enjoy it.

From there on, the snow had soften up!

A few hundred meters over the road to get back to the car.

Before I knew it, I had climbed the Puigmal (+1000m), snowboarded it down and got back to the car...It wasnt that hard, despite the sleepless night! There is nothing like no doubting things when you sensibly know you can do it!

Montmalús, 2782m...Essence of Andorra! April, 14th

Second day in Andorra. I decided to go to Montmalus, which is possibly the most well-known peak here in Andorra. I left the park at Gray Roig and had to cross the pistes.

Montmalus is the snowy peak at the background. It seemed quite far away actually.

Many people were there that day. The conditions were bright for spring.

Still far away!

Now, I am getting to the coll.

Everybody left things here at the coll so I did the same and I faced the last meters on foot.

Here I am! This is quite likely to be the last summit in Andorra I´ll be reaching this season. 

That´s why people left skis in the coll.

After somewhat difficult part to get to the main slope from the coll, the descent was very easy and enjoyable with perfect corn snow.

Especially in the forest....hot breeze caressing my face while skiing through the pine forest, such a good feeling just possible in April or May! 

All good things come to an end...This weekend Ill be going to Bcn but I hope I am active enough to get the last summit of april done on Sunday. After that, if I manage to go 4 or 5 times in both May and June (a pair of 3000) would have been a very profitable and balanced season.

Pic Font Blanca, 2904m ...Discovering Andorra! April, 13th

Finally, all turned out well! On Wednesday, I suddenly suffered from the worst sore throat I ve ever had. My body temperature went up to 39.5ºC!! That day I had already given up for lost the weekend. The thing was that the fever was gone on Thursday and the sorethroat was under control with antibiotics so I was totally ready to a complete weekend in Andorra as it was in my things-to-do list.

There are, obviously, plenty of mountains in Andorra that can be skied. A handful of them are "classical" and among all of them I chose these two: pic Font Blanca and Montmalus. which in my opinion were the most suitable for snowboard, the snowpack and other reasons.

As you can see, many people though same way. I got there aroun 10:30, not late considering I was leaving from Mediterranean at 8am...

First part trough a pine forest as usual. Then a big "flat" with first (the last on ein the descent) steep slope at the background.

Once I had it, a second "flat". There were skiers going down already....what time do people start?? I seriously dont know why to be in such a hurry....Iam not going to the evident coll at the right. The track actualy went to the left with a second steep slope....guess what is after that steep slope?!

...yes a "flat" followed by another steep slope to get the coll.  I thougt the white point was the summit, but I was totally wrong, I was just at around 2600m by then.

Once I got that coll I could clearle see the summit. The white point I refered before was just the upper part of the coll.

What a beatiful summit! The fourth and last good slope to reach the snowy summit.

Yes! Summit! Its one of the few peaks that reach the 2900m height in Andorra. The view is gorgeous, but as usual I keep it to me...so no panoramic! There are just numberless snowy peak westwards!! 

I have no picture from the first slope from the summit to the coll, but its the big slope a couple of pics before. Great corn snow into a majestic scenary!

This is from the second good slope. That point in the right had was what I thought was the summit.

Still plenty of descent left!. The car is at 1850m and I am still at 2600m.

This pic with pines is from the first steep slope while I was going up. Luckily, the descent is steep enough for this kind of snow -somewhat heavy now on-.

Before I entered the forest I took this picture. It was taken at 2150m and the snowpack reachs the 2m. Definetely has been a wonderful winter.

Great choice. Perfect combination of different terrains, high peak and a long descent -around 1150m-with funny slopes. I also discovered that this part of Andorra - Ordino range- is quite different from the rest of Andorra. I the reason, at least when it comes to talking about the weather is that is "north side".

Pic de Bastiments, 2881m April, 7th 2013

After two weekends in Barcelona and Port Aventura and 5 days vacation in the Alps I am back here again!! Well the trip to the Alps was a complete failure. I was pretty disappointed after all the drive I made and it definetely was a waste of money. 

I went to Barcelona for partying on Saturday´s night but I was certain to do some skiing in the Pyrinees on Sunday too. This is easy to combine if you dont drink too much and are willing to sleep around 3 hours and start the climb at 13 pm....jajaj. Good for me, I am that kind of people so I left from la Barceloneta at 10:30.

Pic de Bastiments is the last summit towards the east that reach the 2800m height. Its "massiff" is also the last one with many summis of remarkable height. Its a must in the catalan Pyrinees and probably that day was for me the most suitable (quite close to barna and had snowed the previous days).

I left the car at 1950 in Vallter 2000.

After a somewhat "narrow" part through a tube, the track clearly goes onto Marrana coll.

From Marrana coll I had already overcome more than half of the altitude differente. Its at 2550m. There were plenty of people. Actually, many people was going up at the same time (would have all of them gone out? jaja).

Thats the reason! There werent just skiers up there....a special military unit were performing manoeuvres! You see I had to come to the Pyrinees to come across people doing heliskiing and now the Spanish Army! What´s next?!

A kind skier took me a picture in the summit. This is probably the further east I would probably be in the Pyrinees. Bear in mind that Mediterranean sea is seen from the summit. There is hardly 60km between it and the Mediterranean...

The descent was direct. The main slope from the summit to the coll was fast in its first 200m then became almost flat but steep enough to slide down. It was full of snow and is south face!! Gra de Fajol is opposite us showing its snowy north face.

From the coll it was time for long and easy turns...

The final tube with Mediterranean pines. 

Quite fast summit. It took me just hour and a half to complete the 850m and 8km. Today is a day to give example of why: always having to wake up early to go to the mountains, is in my opinion, stupid!