Monks Peak: the viewpoint of the Midi d'Ossau
The ski resorts in summer mourn the absence of snow. Its landscape is equally beautiful, but without the white winter the ski lifts, tows and artificial snowmaking cannons are grotesque, as resigned to the lethargy of the summer months. But, for the mountaineer, siempre las stations are a starting point to walk towards them Cumbres nearby. And Astún, him in the Pyrenees Huesca with a beautiful France, challenged al sun one morning in July to al dirigirnos Monks Peak (Pic Des Moines), ya en el neighbor, aunque a few meters of the border.
From Pony, llege is in just 25 al minutes Puerto de Somport and, before reaching it Puesto border, you take a detour to the derecha toward Astún. A kilometer after, lo mejor are turning to divert, this time to the Left, by one road that desire height rod he parking them in the apartment station, where he dejamos car. Saved the river that flows into a ravine at the end of the parking, to the left of the chairlift Trout (Summer is running), that rises to ibón (mountain lake) the same name or Astún, is a path that goes up the ravine Scalar by Left Bank.
Without the white winter the ski lifts, tows and artificial snowmaking cannons are grotesque, as resigned to the lethargy of the summer months
Initially, the climb is very steep and very fast gains altitude (must be saved 650 vertical meters from the station to the summit of the peak). It dose to warm the muscles. Bran initial arreón, the road becomes smoother and runs tended to the zig-zags of the end of the ravine, dotted with snowfields unusually considering that we are facing August. Snow always in the Pyrenees, but I at least never seen so summer and this year. We went at a good pace and 35 minutes we arrived at ibón Scale (or of the Frogs), above and the 2.000 meters, in whose waters reflect white blurs the snowfields that surround.
The ibón, of cold waters that discourage the bathroom (although there are always some brave willing to take a dip), is surrounded by the right, by a well-marked path that passes under the track leading to the Truchas ibón. Now, turn up again to reach the hill of the Monks, border between Spain and France. The final part is full of snow, but no need crampons as it is soft and easy to open footprint (not forgetting, yes, that under our feet thaw flows the stream that feeds water to ibón). Without reaching the hill, we turn to the left to connect with the road to Peak to Monks after overcoming a steep grassy brava, and punished by the midday sun.
The cold waters of Scale ibón discourage the bathroom, although there are always some brave willing to take a dip
From here, start offset views effort, especially when we find before us the mass of rock Midi d'Ossau (2.884 meters), The Giant of the French department of Pyrenees-Atlantiques. The valleys on either side of the border are opening around us as we move toward the summit, a rock inadvisable for people with vertigo (you would do better to stay in the small hill located on the top).
The trail is marked, even with a cairn another, but disappears when you try to climb the rocks. Avoid the temptation to swerve right, because the cut is considerable and the possibilities of enriscarse, evident. After saving a couple of steps rather air, in which some prudence enough to overcome a stumble, got to the top of the Peak of the Monks (2.349 meters) when the Angelus (one and a quarter from the parking Astún).
After saving a couple of steps rather air, in which some prudent enough to avoid a stumble, got to the top
The 360 ° panorama, watching us with Midi, is spectacular. Three French forces at the summit replenished, we do the same thing for three quarters of an hour drive away tensions and release routines. Below us spread hundreds of snowfields and several mountain lakes, including those of Ayous and Baques. Easily be distinguished many peaks of the Pyrenees, as Castillo de Acher, in Oza, or the imposing south face of the Hell, and the surrounding Black Garmo and Argualas, all above three thousand. Cheese and salami, ham and nuts, passed from hand to hand in a privileged lunch where even no time to hang some pictures on Twitter.
Return, more complicated steps are simple now, in view of the gap, and soon we reached the hill and, minutes later, Climbing to ibón, busier now (only a dozen hikers, to be exact). After descending the zig-zag, and when we arrived at the height of the river bed, you can choose to cross and return to the station on the right bank. We prefer to follow the same path that we have promoted, that at its end forced to work a few minutes knees.
An hour after leaving the summit we reached the second goal of the day: a mug of beer on a terrace
Finally, an hour after leaving the summit we reached the second goal of the day: a mug of beer on the terrace of a restaurant Astún, inevitable climax to any physical effort on the mountain. It starts to rain when we say goodbye to the winter landscape bare of snow and skiers, while a paella pan Pyrenean air scatters the unmistakable aroma rice beach snack bar.
