GR20 // day 4 // Haut Asco

It's gray and heavy weather outside, not much lighter as the weather forecast predicted. Despite of the conditions I've decided to start hiking up towards Monte Cinto, with a small hope that the weather will be better. Mike and Zoe have decided to move on and do the Cirque de la Solitude in the rain. After saying goodbye I start walking into the fog.

Heavy clouds drift between the trees above Haut Asco.

The grey weather lies menacing over the valley, peaks emerges from the fog high above. There are no signs of any kind that the weather will lighten up. Deer are scuttling away just above me. I cross the bridge over Ruisseau de Tighjettu. Then the path goes steep upwards and I have to do some scrambling to get further. The wet stones make the surface slippery. I admire the towering spires that lean above me, only the peaks can be seen.

A grey landscape on the way up towards Monte Cinto in the valley along Ruisseau de Tighjettu.

After scrambling a little bit upwards it starts to rain. From here I can't even see Monte Cinto. I probably won't see anything from the top and I reckon that going down again could prove to be quite demanding. I decide to turn back. A little way down I meet two boys from the Czech Republic that also wanted to have a go at the summit. They keep on walking upwards, I continue down again. It rains even more now. Then I meet a couple who has planned to go up to the summit and then on to the Refuge de Tighjettu. They keep on walking upwards, I continue down again. I know I'm going to be mad and envy them if they do get up and gets a view above the clouds.

Deer in the mountains around Haut Asco and Monte Cinto.

I spend the rest of the day at Haut Asco, waiting. To keep me occupied I put my tent up for drying, goes for a walk to a little summit above the ski station, drinks Pietra, eat dinner and reads in my book. Later on I meet the two Czech boys and the couple, they'd all turned back almost at the same spot that I turned back. I go to bed with the rumor of nice weather the next day.

Dark spires emerge from the clouds above Ruisseau de Tighjettu.

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