Castalegns (3021 m) - halfway in the fog

Castalegns (3021 m) is a peak just northwest of Piz d'Err. It is accessible from Alp Flix via Tellers Dafora and the SW flank leading up to P.2968, and then across the SE ridge to the summit.

Start of the hike at 07:15 in the morning (after a two hour drive to first get to Alp Flix...). I had indeed planned an early start, since the weather forecast predicted possible thunderstorms in the afternoon. At the start of the hike, the mountain tops were mostly hidden in low clouds and fog. Fortunately it started clearing out more and more during my ascent.

At elevation 2680 m, I mounted my crampons and tried to stay on the remaining snowfields. The snow was quite hard in the morning, and even a bit icy on the surface. It is also quite steep (~30° for 200 m elevation gain). Shortly before the ridge (P.2968), the snow came to an end, and I left the crampons behind. But then, walking up in the scree was more like two steps forward and one step backwards. Much better with the crampons on the snow!

At the summit of Castalegns, the view was limited due the low clouds and fog. But it was a spectacular atmosphere, especially when I got a glimpse of the mighty Piz d'Err.

During the descent, I kept using the crampons for the steepest snowfields, even if the snow had meanwhile become softer.

The weather ended up being more stable than predicted, and therefore I extended my tour to cover Falotta P.2502 and P.2455 as well.

Equipment:
- Crampons
- Gaiters
- Hiking sticks
- Ice axe (not used)

Remark: On this hike, I did not meet anybody except in the Alp Flix area.