Black and White Contrast: Pic Negre d'Envalira with snow

First taste of snow for the season! We swapped the warm colors of autumn for a quick getaway to Pas de la Casa, with the clear intention of bagging a new Andorran 100 Peaks summit. The choice of itinerary was not the most optimal at first: we tried to skirt the slopes on the left, but scrambling over snow-covered rocks is not at all advisable, so we eventually joined the ski slopes.

The ascent began skirting the picturesque Estany de les Abelletes (Abelletes Lake). As we gained altitude towards the Coll dels Isards (Isards Pass), the snow depth was considerable, turning the ascent into a fun day. We had to use crampons from the start, which made the experience very rewarding. It is also worth noting that the marked path to climb the pass is below the via ferrata, which made the ascent slightly more complicated for us.

Once past the pass, the full silhouette of the Pic Negre d'Envalira was revealed. From the summit, which stands out for its dark color thanks to the ferruginous slates contrasting with the white snow, we enjoyed spectacular panoramic views. The view stretched from the Haute Cerdagne to the entire majestic Serra del Cadí (Cadí Range), including the Pedrons we had already done. A day of constant contrast between the hot sun and the intense cold of the shade, ideal for officially kicking off the winter routes.