From Lac du Peyreguet to Refuge d’ Arrémoulit

^22-07-06

Woke up around 5:30 from distant thunders, turned around and slept some more. Woke from my alarm at 7, and now it’s raining and the thunderstorm is nearer – can even see some lightning. But I feel pretty safe with some higher rocks and hills just next to my tent and the storm doesn’t seem to come nearer than about 3km (judging by counting the elephants between lightning and thunder). So I just take it slow and bend the bivouacing rule, that only permits it until 9am.

Around 10 it’s clearing up a bit, so I decide to pack up and leave.

Just as I do the rain and distant thunder starts up again… but what can you do? Judging by the wind direction the dark clouds are moving away, so I take the risk and head up across two small cols towards Refuge de Pombie. By the time I arrive there, it has stopped raining again, so I just enjoy the ‘Alpenrosen’, have a look around and then head on down to make use of the dry spell.

I meet another big flock of calves and sheep with their herders and more mules. And soon I’m low enough to get emerged in a beautiful thick forest.

After crossing the river and a road (D934) at the valley bottom (about 1350m asl), I climb up steeply in a similar forest – now with more fog and occational rain again.

I have a lunch break sheltered by a huge rock by the private hut Québe d’ Arriou.

And the hike on over Col d’ Arriou at 2259m.

I decide not to take the «vertigous and difficult» Passage d’ Orteig (in light that it’s propably wet and slippery, and there’s no view anyway due to the fog), but rather opt for descending 200m and then climbing again, to reach Lac d’ Arrémoulit (2270m asl).

In the Refuge d’ Arrémoulit I not only get advice on a camp spot (just behind the hut is the only reasonably flat and dry spot of grass), info on the route (no snow left on tomorow’s col – yeah!) and the weather (sun, sun, sun from tomorrow morning), but also a lovely local bio-beer: Sarriat.

After having put up my tent I get invited by my tent neighbours (that I already met and spoke to earlier down the trail) to their mushroom soup (that they could’t finish) – mmh, free calories 😉

approx. 6,5h incl. breaks;

16,4km, 1315m ascent, 1130m descent

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