There Is No Such Thing As Bad Weather

John Ruskin once said “Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”

The first time I visited the summit of the Pic de la Coum D'Or in winter it was grey and overcast. The peaks in Andorra were covered in cloud and the route I had taken partly obscured. I was not even able to make out the Lanoux resevoir at the foot of the summit - the largest expanse of water in the French Pyrenees. The time on the summit however was almost windless and remarkably peaceful.

Summit view from Pic de la Coum d'Or looking towards Andorra

 On a recent revisit this winter, I had  blue sky and sunshine and the views  were clear.

My snowshoe tracks towards the Pic de la Coum d'Or

The partially frozen Lanoux resevoir and the dam were visible this time and in the distance Pic Carlit - the highest peak in the Catalan Pyrenees Regional Nature Park. This is a favourite mountain area of mine and the area where I prefer to lead  Pyrenees Mountain Adventure walks and treks.

Partially frozen Lanoux Resevoir and in the distance Pic Carlit

However the  wind was much stronger and the summit less of a pleasant experience, the windchill  hastening my descent.

The cold made me think of the herd of 8 or so Isard I had seen on my ascent. I had chosen to approach the peak not by the normal valley route, which I had done before, but via the ridge above the valley. This required more effort but I was able to escape from the normal approach and well trodden path and into a wilder, less visited area and that is where the wildlife can be found. 

The Isard were seen from this spot but out of shot to the right and below me.

It is always exhilarating to see the larger Pyrenean wildlife up close(r) but in winter especially, there is the always the concern that in disturbing the animals I am putting them at risk. Food is much scarcer in the winter and the animals rely on fat reserves built up over the summer to survive. Disturbing them and making them flee, while impressive to watch in terms of their speed, agility, strength and stamina, expends valuable energy which they do not have a great surplus of and therefore makes them more vulnerable to the harshness of the winter. 

Winter Survival

Isard (Pyrenean Chamois)

The animals that live in the high mountains, like the Isard, have a hard time during the winter. As well as the freezing temperatures, snow, strong winds and avalanches, the animals have to contend with food being scarcer and harder to find. A tough life! The animals build up fat reserves during the summer to help them make it through the harsh winter months but not all make it.

A film from Salamandre Films called 'Survive' looks at the dangers the mountain animals face during the harsh winter months. The footage was shot in the Alps but the story the film tells could be applied to any mountain region in winter.

The trailer for the film is here.

Althoug the film was shot in the Alps, all the animals in the trailer can also be seen in the Pyrenees - except for the Ibex (the animal with the very long horns) which became extinct in the Pyrenees in the late 1990's. No Ibex here unfortunately but there is the brown bear which cannot be found in the Alps. Not much chance of seing all these animals on the prepared ski resort slopes however. You have a much better chance with a Pyrenees Mountain Adventure snowshoeing week.

Snow Hare Tracks

Actual sightings of animals are rare but you will be able to see that you are surrounded by  wildlife  from the huge number of prints and tracks in the snow. During a Pyrenees Mountain Adventure snowshoeing week your guide can help you to start to identify which prints and tracks are made by which animal.

Bear End?

After 15 years of positively encouraging the survival of the brown bear in the Pyrenees, the French government appears to have taken a step backwards. In early June it announced that there would not be a new release in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques as planned. Pro bear campaigners felt that it was imperative that a female bear was reintroduced in Bearn in the Aspe or OssauIt valleys to replace Franska (herself a reintroduction from Slovenia) killed when she was hit by a car on a busy road in August 2007. Two male bears survive in the area but cannot breed. There are only about 20 brown bears left in the Pyrenees. They do not exist anywhere else in France. Franska introduced to the Pyrenees from Slovenia (April 2006), killed in a road accident (Aug. 2007.) Picture from http://www.buvettedesalpages.be/ In the past, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the state secretary for ecology in the Sarkozy government, has made clear her determination 'to restore the population of bears in the Pyrenees in accordance with France's international obligations for biodiversity.' However, earlier this month, she refused to authorise the release of new bear from Slovenia, citing the problems that mountain farmers were facing due to persistant dry weather. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet's  decision goes against that made by her predecessor in July 2010 and appears to be at odds with the Governmen'ts National Strategy For Biodiversity that she herself introduced in May 2011. The French National Strategy for Biodiversity Logo (May 2011) includes Bear Prints   WWF France announced that the Governments decision was 'disgusting and would have huge consequences for biodiversity.' It added that perhaps with a strong hunting and farming lobby in France, President Sarkozy has one eye on the 2012 Presidential Election. Mountain farmers were pleased with the decision. They argue that the reintroduction of Slovenian brown bears to boost the population in the Pyrenees and increase the long term viability of the animal, would add to the already considerable difficulties they face. Bears attack and kill their animals. Cartoon from http://www.buvettedesalpages.be/

The Merens – Black Prince of the Ariege.

The Merens or Merenguais is a small, black horse, originally found in the Ariège valley, in the Eastern Pyrenees. It is the Ariege village of Merens-les-Vals, that gives the horse its name. It is an ancient breed, and closely resembles the horses painted on the walls of the Niaux cave, near Tarascon-sur-Ariège,13 000 years ago.

 

Given the mountainous terrain of its native land, it is no surprise that the Merens is surefooted and hardy with good endurance and agility. The Merens horse has long been a companion to the "Montagnol" (mountain farmer), the horse being comfortable working on steep slopes. It was also used in mining, forestry and the army. In the Middle Ages, the famous Count of Foix, Gaston Phoebus, had Merens horses in his army, and later Napoleon made use of them during the Russian campaign.

Originally the Merens would have spent all year in the mountains. Now, in June, the herds move up from the lower valleys to spend 5 months in the high summer pastures, roaming in a semi-wild state.

While Merens horses are increasingly bred in other regions of France and even other countries, an authentic Merens is one who has run free in the high Pyrenees like his ancestors thousands of years ago.

Each 3rd week in August at Bouan in the Ariege, there is the National Merens Day with over 200 Merens horses on show.

Lovely Lichen

As summer turns to autumn there are less and less flowers in bloom but still plants of interest to find in the mountains. In the forest, various lichens can be found. Lichen is pronounced LIE-ken and is from the Latin word lichen, a kind of plant.

A lichen is a plant composed of an algea and a fungus in a symbiotic relationship. This means a relationship where both parts are reliant on each other. The function of the algae in the relationship is to provide the food for the lichen. This is done through photosynthesis. The fungus, having no chlorophyll, cannot manufacture its own food, but can absorb food from the algae. The fungus is responsible for providing the structure to the lichen, enwraping the algea completely, providing protection from the sun and moisture. 

Lichens are a food source for animals and humans, can be used to make perfume and produce dyes, and provide a source of primitive antibiotics. Lichens are also used in flower displays and in model railway landscapes to represent trees and shrubs.

On a recent walk in the Planès valley, I found several lichens in the forest.

Pixie Cups (Cladonia fimbriata).

Pixie Cups (Cladonia fimbriata)

The cup is where the spore-like soredia reside. The lichen need the spore-like soredia to be scattered for the lichen to grow. The next generation of Pixie Cups will not grow until the soredia connect with the host algae, Pleurococcus on the ground near the site. When they enter the symbiotic relationship, the Pixie Cup will grow again in the new location.The soredia are dispersed by raindrops landing in the cup or by the action of the wind blowing in the cup and creating a vortex. 

It is said that Pixie Cups were valued by the Eskimos who used them as wicks in their blubber oil lamps. The lichens would be floated in the oil and then lit. 

Old Man's Beard (Usnea filipendula)

Old Man's Beard (Usnea filipendula)

Old Man's Beard is sensitive to air pollution especially sulphur dioxide. It contains Usnic acid which is a potent antibiotic. This combined with the hairlike structure resulted in the use of this lichen to treat surface wounds. It is also high in Vitamin C. The lichen does not feed on the tree and causes no harm. The tree is just a host.


Tree Moss (Pseudevernia furfuracea)

Tree Moss (Pseudevernia furfuracea)

Tree Moss grows on the bark of furs and pines. It is used in the perfume industry and has been found inside Egyption mummies. The lichen does not feed on the tree and causes no harm. The tree is just a host.

For more information about lichen, see the British Lichen Society or British Lichens.

'The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness'

John Muir