Pic de Pièle de Mil F/PE-109
First proper winter hike of the season. The weather has been amazing in the last days. The alternance of positive temperature in the day and negative at night in the lower altitude pics is creating a very icy crust. A lot of deadly accidents are happeing at the moment in the region.
The Journey Begins
We are well equiped, crampons and axes, for this intermediate hike (easy one in summer). Alone on the parking of Labach (Melles) the journey begins. No visible traces in the snow. After about an hour of hiking, we emerged from the forest. At this point, crampons became essential as the snowy terrain demanded caution. We navigated through treacherous avalanches of compacted ice balls. These formations are a stark reminder of how unforgiving the mountains can be. Best not to linger when they decide to roll!
Reaching the Pastures of Uls
Soon, we arrived at the summer pastures of Uls, offering breathtaking snowy landscapes. The summit appeared almost snow-free, likely a result of the strong winds in recent weeks.
The Summit
Upon reaching the summit, we were greeted by conditions more reminiscent of April than December. From here, on the west side, we could spot a few barns and houses above Melles, tucked away in the forest below. The Pic du Midi de Biorgore loomed in the background. On the east side, the Pic de Maubermé and Pic de Crabère. A small yellow plane buzzed by, seemingly practicing snow landings.
SOTA Activation
With the summit set up, I quickly deployed my gear, a 5m long whip with 10 radials of 2.5m, for a short but productive activation. In just 15 minutes, I managed a solid pileup, logging 28 QSOs, mostly on 20m.
