We had on last major hurdle to overcome before Gavarnie –
the Hourquette d’Ossue, a 2,734 meter (9,100 feet) high pass just below the
VIgnemale . After our experience with the Col de la Fache, I was feeling some
trepidation about crossing this one since it is even higher and presumably with
even deeper snow. We had received varying intel on the situation from people we
talked to about it the two previous days as well as my guidebook’s description,
but still uncertainty about thedegree of snow cover and the steepness of the
approach to the pass.

Monday morning was a fairly bright windy morning. We gave
ourselves a late start since we he knew we had a rather short horizontal
distance to cover for the day to the next refuge where we booked. The 600 meter
(2,000 foot) vertical climb to the pass was mostly on a trail, and I
appreciated every step on firm ground or low-pitched snow covered surface we
covered.

And we crossed lots of snow! A French couple we talked to at
the refuge who had crossed two passes the previous day turned back because the
snow on the trail to the Hourquette was so deep Meanwhile, a group of young
Spanish men we met a few days earlier heading in the opposite direction warned
us the pass was dangerous to cross without crampons .

We continued higher and higher through the snowfields under
mostly blue skies with a few clouds, documenting our trek with tons of photos.
Then the pass finally came into view. The snow was thick but nowhere near as
harrowing and exhausting a climb as the passes we crossed two days ago. Or
maybe I’m just feeling stronger and stronger with each day on the trail!

We rested and took lots of photos at the top of the pass
with the stunning view of the Vignemale beside us. Even though it was only
shortly after noon, our destination for the night was only a few hundred
vertical feet and a ten-minute walk below us, relatively easy terrain despite
being covered in snow.

At 2,651 meters (8,700 feet) Refuge de Baysellance is the
highest refuge in the Pyrenees and the base for climbers on the Vignemale and
its glaciers as well as Randoneers likes ourselves. Our lunch was spaghetti
carbonara washed down with glasses of vin chaud (warmed wine), and Doug and I
decided not to continue on even though it was only 2:00 P .M. Gavarnie was probably too far to make in the
afternoon and the scenery and visibility from over the mountains from
Baysellance was excellent all afternoon despite a forecast for thunderstorms.
WE spent the afternoon and evening hanging out on the deck drinking wine and
enjoying the distant views of the Cirque du Gavarnie and Breche de Roland we’d
be walking towards the following day. Dinner consisted of Soup Provencal,
mystery meat stew over rice, cheese, and crème brulee.

Baysellance is an especially nice and modern hostel,
something I discovered to also have a negative aspect. We were sleeping in a
crowded dorm room with ten bunks and apparently well-sealed doors and windows.
It was almost like being on a submarine as the carbon dioxide concentration
from all of our breath apparently built up. I woke up gasping for breath.
Initially I thought I was having a panic attack but then realized it was
something real. I was able to open a window to let some fresh air in, but it
didn’t take long for someone else to slam it shut in a huff . What is it with so
many people being completely afraid of fresh air? Afraid to die of lack of
oxygen and not in the mood to get into a shouting match with my fresh air
phobic female roommate, I decided to use my hiking shirt from the previous day
to prop open the very heavy door to the room to at least allow some oxygen from
the hall to enter. Situations like this are one of the reasons I’ve developed a
strong dislike for shared accommodation.