Soum des Salettes, 2976m ...a "classique" in a disappointing day... April, 12nd 14

I closely followed the weather forecasts during the week. There were chances that a whole sunny weekend was thrown down the drain due to the storms...Finally it wasnt that bad, and just on Saturday there was some probability of cloudy weather but not storms in any case.

I decided to get to know this central area of the Pyrenees in the french region of Hautes Pyrenees. My idea was to go as far as Gavarnie, but I prefered to leave it for when I ll go to Vignemale first. So Soum des Salettes posed the best ascent for April around Saint Lary and still close to Spain.

This summit is all a classic in this part of the Pyrenees. Its almost a 3000, has good slopes for the descent and the access by car is easy thanks to the ski resort. Despite it let me say that the place is quite awful and the ascent pretty boring.

The summit at the background can be seen from the parking.

After having gone over the valley I turned right to reach the coll of Campbiel. It was pretty hot and this was the hardest part especially with the Sun working on your back...Good I was determinant to come here (and was easy to skin up :P). But my surprise came next...

Yes....there is no snow from the coll to the summit....and we are talking of more than 300m. How is this possible? And more important, what did it happen when I came here?? ja-ja 

Well, let´s adapt to the new situation and get opened the trekking season! So, from 2550m to the top a handful of skier and I did the rest on foot.

Come on...the last thing I needed was not to enjoy the views from up there...

Definetely this wasnt my day! ...jaja At least, yes I "was" there...

The descent wasnt bad up to the place I turned right. From that point is when you said, you wont be splitboarding again. A combination of quite flat terrain, together with shitty snow and skin´s adhesive sticked to my board led to a very bad "descent".

Back to the car after 1200m of altitude difference that is not that much and was already tough! jaja

I left France with unknown destination. There arent many options here, I went to Pineta valley, just because I liked the place. I had dinner, chill out and sleep in this spot at the side of the road. Maybe the only thing in the day that turned out being really good.

Some solitude by the river in this still quite wild place in the Pyrenees.

The following day I ended up going to one of the two summits that are usually skied in the north side of the Bielsa tunnel so I can give this zone as visited.