Refugio de Viados to Refuge de la Soula

Clear morning skies

I checked weather again this morning using my inReach. 10 to 20% rain with light winds over the next few days. And it was clear this morning to make the decision even easier. We are going for it! HRP here we come. There are still some escape routes if needed.
Today was another pretty easy day with an early finish (2pm). They are all easy once you stop. The extreme ones start tomorrow. 
We had a 1000 meter climb which lasted 3 hours. At times it was pretty steep but not too bad. 

Interesting bridge

Always lots of rocks on the trail

Almost to the top

At the top, Port d’Aygues Tortes (2683 meters) it was nice. We took a great break with Richard and Patsy.  

Patsy at the col

Then it was down down to Refuge de la Soula. Awesome views disappeared into the fog. 

We ate lunch at the nicest cabane I’ve seen. I think I could sleep in this one. 
Jim spotted a fire salamander. 

As soon as we got to the refuge we took hot showers and then ate an omelette. I’m really getting used to Euro hiking. I sent my inReach track point and went back inside. Then the refuge guardian brought me his phone and said I had a call. It was Wired! And Paul who is hosting Wired now and will be hosting us in a couple days. They called to give us thumbs up for not wimping out. Plus they had a few hot tips for some of the days ahead. 
It was foggy and damp cold outside as we sat inside all afternoon. Refuge Soula is old and rundown but very clean and friendly. There aren’t very many people here and lots of the rooms have just 2 beds. No fights over open/closed windows!

We had the best refuge dinner yet. Awesome soup followed by duck confit and pasta. I dove into the duck so fast that I forgot to take a photo. It was delicious. 

It’s raining….. what will tomorrow bring?