Tuc de Beret, 2590m February, 23th 2013

 Friends came last weekend. As it could not be other way, that weekend was the greatest one in all winter with stellar sunny days to enjoy the snowpack. I missed it!  Anyways...

Despite the "alarm situation" that media hasnt stopped talking about I knew weather in the Pyriness would not be that bad except for the sharp drop in temperatures. I wanted to go the best place with the information given .Yesterday night there was a change to better in eastern pyrinees forecast but where I really wanted to go was: Aran. Most weather forecast gave Sun too. It appeared to be that in Aran weather goes on its own.

I got Viella snowing. I didnt make the same mistakes that 2 weekends ago so I waited some time and then I saw how sky started to clear up in some parts. Finally, Aran was giving me a whirl although I had to change the mountain.

There was -13ºC when I left my car with my skies on as I am getting used to. I am going to a peak which is quite close to Beret. Actually the first 300m are in the ski area.

Its possible to avoid easily to have to skin up on the pistes. The terrain is very open so I stayed away from the pistes.

It was cloudy and foggy sometimes.

There it is. I am alone although I saw a man descencing while I was going up. He told me he declined going any higher from here because of the fog. I think I was lucky.

I kept going. 

And summit. It was foggy right when I took the pic. As you can see, the day was extremely cool. My eyebrows, eyelash and woolen hat are frozen. I estimate that temperature up there was between -18ºC and -20ºC based on the -13ºC at 1800m. Not counting the moderate wind sometimes blew...Guess the wind chill!!

And God weather gave me the best time to go down. I think he knows I loved this too much so....he was kind!

Shame I dont have a GoPro...It was one of those descents in which each turn raises a "cloud" of snow in front of oneself and you pass through it....

Happiness!!!

                                                      I wasnt deep but fast and light...

I am not the only mad...Another guy tracking up alone. We crossed a couple of words....Too cold to talk!!

The lonely pair of pine trees.

At 2200 I reached the ski area but I went down searching for the scattered forest I went up through.

Well It was disappointing to see how it was sunny all day long in Puigmal area....but at least I ended up doing something here again with fabulous snow.