Cabane d'Arrech - ustou

The place

Sleeping places: 2. Places on mattresses: 2. Cabin occupied by a shepherd, very basic but sound. A single 6m² room with: - A fireplace (no wood nearby) - A captured spring flowing right in front of the door - A double mattress - Every bit of crockery you can imagine - No table or bench (too small, the mattress takes up all the room). The shepherd's equipment is kept there. From [->5630]: The simplest way is to go over the col where the [->5630] is and descend along the small valley. At 1860 m, before a ruin, leave it and climb left onto a shoulder at 1924 m. From there you can see the cabin below, and you can easily cross the ridge on a paved section at that point. Then trace a wide zigzag to the left: don't go straight down, because the cabin sits below a steep drop. The other route shown on maps is dangerous. From Ossèse: This little-used route is not technical or dangerous if you're in the right place, but the path is unmarked, so only attempt it in clear weather. Leave the trail going up to Marterat at 1371 m, at a large cairn against a tree on the right. Climb right following a poorly marked path (saw and machete marks left on the trees will help a lot throughout the forest section!). Skirt a ravine (and the stream) on the right and go back down to cross a ford with a faint cairn. The right spot to cross is at the junction of two treeless areas. On the other bank, you must very quickly find a good path on the steep slope, heading east. In a scree patch within the forest, climb it on the right. Follow the trail, now level, at 1400 m, on a ledge along a low wall. Climb gently, crossing small clearings from above, up to a stream at 1450 m. Cross it and follow its left bank up to 1640 m. Climb due east to 1711 m following the terrain — fairly easy. At 1711 m, make a hairpin turn and follow a poor path to the cabin. Pastoral cabin.