Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business

One-hundred-fifty executives have been named the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business for 2011 by the San Francisco Business Times.

The list recognizes outstanding women professionals who make a difference in their companies, industries and communities.

The annual listing, which the newspaper has published for more than a decade, appears in a 56-page special publication in the Business Times April 29-May 5 issue, released Friday. The alphabetical list — from Barbara Adachi of Deloitte LLP to Rhonda Zygocki of Chevron Corp. — includes stories and information about each of the Influencial Women. It covers leaders based in five counties — San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin — and the city of Palo Alto.

To see the list, click the "Read More" link below. Copies of the complete publication can be purchased by contacting Business Times circulation representative Philip Pierce at ppierce@bizjournals.com or 415-288-4923.

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Defra no longer in charge of CAP reform

The NFU's policy director Martin Haworth thinks that UK policy on CAP reform is no longer being driven by DEFRA. Rather the Treasury and the Home Office is in charge. Their priority is seen as being to protect the British rebate rather than British agriculture. The NFU is fighting to ensure that any deal to protect the rebate does not come at the expense of agreeing to cuts in farm support.

The NFU has been forced to give up its opposition to any 'greening' of Pillar One support and has accepted that CAP reform is likely to impose further environmental conditions on subsidy payments. The emphasis now is on ensuring that any measures are fair and achievable.

The NFU clearly considers that its stance has been undermined by that of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) which has advocated ranking environmental mesures alongside food security in importance. NFU president Peter Kendall has described the CLA's stance as a 'noose around our neck' in the negotiations. It had made it easier for policy makers to argue that subsidy payments should be shifted from food production to the environment.Any source

Inflation Outbreak Not Likely

Of course, this is news to someone who drives a car, but the food and energy spikes of late are the consequence of either long term supply issues or short term disruptions. Both require more discussion than I care to go into right now. However, is there generalized inflation? No.

Case in point:

If you click on this graph of unit labor costs from the St. Louis Fed, you will see that we are in a very benign stage of labor cost growth. Benign is actually mild since we are only just now approaching the flat line on a year on year basis. Compare this to the 1970s or even the late 1960s. There is just about no resemblance.

Of course, the lack of wage inflation makes these energy and food price spikes just that much more damaging as those are coming right out of people's real incomes.Any source

Walnut Creek's Shadelands Business Park Showing its Age

It's a business park that is having trouble attracting business. 

The 240-acre Shadelands Business Park off Ygnacio Valley Road has 2.6 million square feet of mainly office space but a 20 percent vacancy rate. One of the first suburban business parks built in the Bay Area in the 1960s, city leaders are unsure if the park -- which still has major tenants such as Kaiser, Safeway and Del Monte Foods -- will ever again be able to attract enough businesses to fill its buildings. 

"I am concerned that we are waiting for it to come back and it can't," said Mayor Cindy Silva at an April 18 meeting. "There are inherent issues that make it not an ideal business park. Since we have no control over redevelopment ... the longer we wait, the harder it is to get it back on par."

City leaders are grappling with the park's future as they focus on economic development throughout Walnut Creek. And it seems they may see a future where Shadelands could become home to many uses -- think charter schools, a nursery, even a hotel. 

In a good economy, Shadelands does well. But when the economy isn't doing well, it struggles, said Rick Steffens, senior vice president with commercial real estate firm Grubb & Ellis, at the April 18 meeting. The park's challenges stem from it being a secondary market (that doesn't elicit high rents) that isn't adjacent to a freeway or mass transit and is older, he said. 

Steffens said. "You are always fighting that battle to compete with Concord and San Ramon."

Businesses usually choose Shadelands based on price. It rents for about $1.75 a square foot; other areas in Walnut Creek rent for $2.40 or $2.80, Steffens said. He suggests the city look at allowing other uses, such as residential and retail (including mixed use), especially since there are 23 acres of undeveloped land in the park.
"I am not sure that office space is necessarily the end-all for the Shadelands Business Park," Steffens said.
In the past, residential buildings in the business park have not seen much support, but council members now seem willing to look at anything. Silva said she could see senior housing as a good fit, because seniors would be near existing medical offices.
Other city staff members and council members listed ideas such as a winery, charter schools, more medical offices and a hotel. All of these would require land-use changes.
One highly visible undeveloped parcel, owned by Safeway, is at Oak Grove and Ygnacio Valley roads. City leaders suggested this could be an ideal location for retail, such as a nursery or a lumber store.
Safeway representatives were at the April 18 meeting but did not speak. Susan Houghton, a spokeswoman for Safeway, said in an email that the grocery giant is trying to understand the council's vision for the business park and that it was too soon to comment on specifics.
The office park is by no means crumbling. Major tenants have come to the park in recent years, including the Joint Genome Institute, which took over a remodeled Dow Chemical facility, and the Children's Hospital Oakland care center, which opened in 2009.
Council members said the Shadelands discussions are preliminary. Some wondered how surrounding communities would feel about Shadelands becoming less of a business park.
"At some point, we need to think really seriously about a Plan B as it relates to other uses," said Councilman Kish Rajan. "I am not in favor or against anything."
More discussion is certain. In the meantime, council members said they would consider pre-application projects for Shadelands on a case-by-case basis. This is similar to what the council recently did for a former co-op site on Geary Road; that land was designated for mixed-use, but the council changed it to retail so a grocery store could be built.
In the future, the city may create a precise development plan with built-in incentives for Shadelands, similar to what was done in the Mt. Diablo Boulevard-Locust Street specific plan.

Council members also stressed that they don't want to do anything to create an exodus from the park.

"Let's not bury this thing 6 feet under quite yet," said Councilman Gary Skrel. "There are a lot of people that we don't want to leave."

Bay Area News Group-East Bay is based in the Shadelands Business Park. 



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Interviewing Catwalk Guru Benjamin Toong

After interviewing Amber Chia, the Malaysia born international supermodel, this is the second episode. For those who missed the interview, please read "Interviewing International Supermodel Amber Chia" dated 11 April 2011. In conjunction with this, Finance Malaysia Blog continue to highlight some of those successful Malaysian. We strive to bring out the hidden success story of Malaysian, and we are proud to present to you Catwalk guru - Benjamin Toong.

Some profile of Benjamin Toong:

• Founder of Runway Productions
• Crowned as the catwalk guru of Malaysia in year 2010
• 3 years experience in runway training, fashion stylist and runway choreographers
• Fashion stylist for local and international fashion magazines
• Judge and Professional Runway Trainer for Ford model Supermodel of the world Malaysia 2009
• Official stylist of Jiayu Astro CH304
• Co-founder of AmberChia Academy

The Interview

1. In Malaysia, many people perceived that modelling is of western culture. Can you tell us HOW and WHY you ventured into modelling industry?
• First of all, I would not consider modelling as a western culture. Being a good model, you need to be very disciplined! Any model that want to be at the top in the industry need to be very discipline in ALL aspects (stressed Ben again).
• How? Well, it all started when I first helped out my designer friend to arrange for a big fashion show for ONE UTAMA fashion week many years ago and realized that models at that time are not really so well trained and that comes with the following question
• Why? Oh, first and foremost of course I love this industry, and my passion in modelling industry is indescribably and I wanted to see every model that call themselves professional models are doing a great job on the runway.
• 
  

• 

  Action: Catwalk guru on Runway

2. What is your advice to those aspirant future model who want to succeed? Are there any secret for them?
• If you really want it, GO FOR IT! To be at the top, nothing is better than to be a good disciplined model. If you think you are gorgeous, tall, great body, there are many out there much more better than you. But if you have a good attitude, then everyone will remember you and will happily keep on working with you! The secret is "to be discipline in everything you do"!

• 
  

3. Beside modelling, what's your hobby during your spare time?
• My hobby is exercising whenever I have the time as I need to keep in a good shape to tell others to stay healthy and stay in good shape. My other hobbies are listening to music and watching fashion shows as I need to keep myself updated with current fashion and music.

• 

  Benjamin with his high heels

4. On money matters, do you personally invest?
• I invest a lot on high heels. (laughing...) I am not good in investment, but I have a few houses, a car, and an academy.

Although Benjamin said that he is not good at investment, but judging from his asset (few houses), Finance Malaysia believes he must be joking. Hahaha. For sure, his investment into his own business is his best investment already.

Dear readers, seriously insert the golden word of Benjamin into your soul - "Discipline". As such, we thanks Benjamin Toong for his time spent. We wish him healthy and wealthy (can buy more 7-inch high heels?).

Any source

Wales firmly part of the British establishment, while Scotland continues to chart its own course

Yesterday’s Royal Wedding was accompanied by reams of analysis on TV and in the newspapers by Royal and Political experts as well as historians about what the marriage meant for the monarchy and Britain in the short, medium and long term, most of it was of the cut and paste variety that gets churned out for these events adding very little to our understanding, but there was a piece from Royal Historian David Starkey in the Times that didn’t fully conform and is worth a closer look.

In his article (behind a Times pay wall sadly) he stated there was a North/South divided in yesterday’s Wedding Celebrations that was caused by the changing nature of politics on these islands, mainly since devolution and if you looked at the map of street parties its add weight to his argument, lots in the South East and fewer the further North you went and in Scotland with Glasgow being the only city in the UK not to hold any street parties to celebrate the marriage of William and Kate.

He went on to talk about this separation forming two political entities that of Scotland and England, both alien and non compatible with the other. There was no mention of Wales until he stated that Wales, particularly South Wales was firmly on South side of this divide, that of British establishment and England politics in this new political order.

Given Welsh folklore his comments will be easily dismissed, but there were very few places in Wales where the Royal wedding wasn’t celebrated, symbols of Wales were on full display yesterday from Kate Welsh gold ring to Welsh Royal harpist and daffodils on the Wedding Cake as well as the many Welsh establishment figures who were present in Westminster Abbey for the big day.

It could all simply be dismissed as a rant if we we weren't in the middle of Election Campaigns to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly where this analysis rings true in the battles for control of the two legislatures, which couldn’t be more different.

Labour in Wales is firmly back in control and unchallenged for power (if it ever really lost control) while in Scotland the SNP and Labour are in a bitter battle for control of Holyrood, which many commentators including Gerry Hassan believe will define Scotland and the UK in the near future.

David Starkey’s thesis also challenges the notion of Wales as a socialist bastion holding out against English Tory rule, a narrative that dominates so much of Welsh political debate and has informed how we Welsh see ourselves and want to be seen by others over the years.

So it’s worth asking is Wales more tuned into the British establishment and English politics than anyone including our politicians are prepared to admit to or acknowledge?Any source

Dimanche 15 Mai 2011 orageux

Météo très orageuse pour ce Dimanche 15 Mai 2011 ?

Matin :
L'anticyclone règnerait toujours sur les îles britanniques ; en parallèle, les basses pressions seraient dominantes sur le territoire français.
La France se retrouverait alors au beau milieu d'un conflit de masses d'air en cette mi-Mai.
Du coup, le temps serait marqué par de forts orages sur la Gironde, les Landes et les Pyrénées Atlantique ; ailleurs, les précipitations seraient présentes mais avec peu ou pas de coups de tonnerre !

Les températures minimales oscilleraient entre 4°C à Grenoble et 18°C à Ajaccio passant par 7°C à Nancy et à Aurillac, 9°C à Paris et à Toulouse, 10°C à Rennes, 11°C à Brest, 12°C à La Rochelle et 15°C à Hyères (Var).

Après midi :
Sous l'effet du réchauffement climatique (pardon pour le jeu de mots), les nuages cumuliformes prendraient de l'ampleur au fil des heures.
Par conséquent, les orages devraient se faire beaucoup plus nombreux et généralisés à l'ensemble du territoire : l'activité électrique devrait se faire plus intense en allant vers la soirée.
Attention aux précipitations diluviennes et surtout aux rafales de vent (risque de tempête non négligeable !) !

Les températures maximales seraient globalement conformes par rapport aux normales de saison (à confirmer) : elles partiraient de 15°C à Cherbourg et à Perros Guirec pour aller à 19°C à Nantes, Tourcoing et Colmar, 20°C à Tours et en Ile de France, 21°C à Reims.
Au Sud, entre 16°C à Nice et 22°C à Lyon passant par 17°C à Limoges, 18°C à Biarritz, 19°C à Perpignan, 20°C à Bastia, et 21°C à Montélimar et à Bordeaux.Any source

Heroku Named #2 on its Annual List of 'Best Places to Work' in the Bay Area

The San Francisco Business Times has named Heroku #2 on its annual list of 'Best Places to Work' in the Bay Area. San Francisco-based Heroku provides the fastest growing and most widely used Ruby Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) available, letting web application developers concentrate on building, deploying and scaling Ruby applications without having to think about servers or system administration. The "Best Places to Work" list comprises a broad cross section of the region's employers across Bay Area counties and is a joint effort of the San Francisco Business Times and the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal.

 

Employees from almost 500 Bay Area companies participated in an independent, third-party survey that ranks companies based on their employees' ratings of work environment and corporate culture. Heroku was named #2 on the list for companies with 50 employees and under. Heroku received this honor based upon its employees' feedback for the company in a number of areas, including work culture, corporate philosophy, career opportunities, benefits and overall compensation.

Founded by James Lindenbaum, Adam Wiggins, and Orion Henry in 2007, Heroku now has more than 45 employees and has established itself as a leader in cloud PaaS.  In just a few short years, the company spawned from Y Combinator and grew to more than 100,000 customers. It was acquired in early 2011 and retains its own brand and division as a wholly owned subsidiary of San Francisco's salesforce.com. 

The complete results of the 2011 poll were published in the April 22, 2011 issue of the San Francisco Business Times.  To learn more about Heroku and sign up for a free account, visit: http://heroku.com/signup.

About Heroku

Heroku is the leading Ruby platform as a service (PaaS) focused on ease of use, automation, and reliability. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Heroku is a passionate and active supporter of Ruby technologies and cloud architecture. Heroku was recently named to the "Dow Jones FASTech 50 Start-ups to Watch" list, recognized as a Gartner 'Cool Vendor in Application Platforms as a Service' in April 2010, named to the Always OnDemand Top 100 Private Companies, and recognized as a 'Best Products of 2009' and 'Best Platform of 2010" by ReadWriteWeb. For more information, please visit http://heroku.com and http://blog.heroku.com or follow Heroku on Twitter at http://twitter.com/heroku.  Heroku is a wholly owned subsidiary of salesforce.com.

Heroku disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Heroku disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.  Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all.  Customers who purchase Heroku applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available.

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Foto Satelital de los Sistemas de Nubes de una "Onda Frontal" (Vie-29/4-2011)...

Foto Satelital obtenida por el Goes-13, a las 14.45 utc (11.45 hora Argentina) del Viernes 29-Abril.-2011.
La imagen corresponde al Filtro Visible.
Se visualizan los Sistemas de Nubes de una "Onda Frontal", brillando a la luz del Sol en el mediodía de Argentina.
--- Hemos trazado los Sistemas Frontales.
--- El Frente Frío (curva celeste con "dientes" del mismo color), sobre la Mesopotamia y norte Argentino.
Se mueve de Oeste a Este.
--- Frente Caliente (curva roja), sobre norte bonaerense y sur del Uruguay.
--- Frente Ocluído (curva y "rulo" color violeta) sobre norte de La Pampa y centro de Argentina.
--- El centro de la "Baja", lo hemos indicado con la letra "B" de color amarillo. Esta baja, en la Carta de Superficie, presentaba un valor mínimo de Presión de 1.010 milibares.
--- El conjunto formado por el Frente Frío, Frente Caliente, Frente Ocluído y centro de Baja Presión, se denomina "Onda Frontal". 
--- Los Sistemas de Nubes estaban produciendo Lluvias, Chaparrones y Lloviznas en diversos sectores.
--- Las precipitaciones de mayor intensidad, se verificaban en La Pampa, en el N.O. bonaerense y en diversas áreas del Centro de Argentina (con la presencia de algunas Tormentas Eléctricas)..

--- Fuente de la Foto: NOAA (USA).

---------------------

Any source

SEGUIMIENTO METEOROLOGICO 29/04/2011 DÍA TÍPICO DE PRIMAVERA

Hola a todos. Hoy el día ha sido típico de primavera en nuestra zona al igual que muchas zonas de la península. Momentos de sol, momentos de lluvia, momentos de las dos cosas, lo dicho tiempo típico 100% de primavera.

El día se levantaba con alguna lluvia en nuestra zona, que después ha desaparecido pero a media mañana han vuelto a aparecer en una gran franja de la costa central.

Altocúmulos, altoestratos y algún estratocúmulo compartían cielo durante el día.

La puesta de sol ha sido bastante fotogénica, lástima que no he podido captar el momento justo que el sol se escondía tras la montaña. Era precioso de ver.

Sobre el seguimiento de los radares, destacar que el día ha sido inseguro incluso en nuestra zona, con algunas lluvias durante la mañana, debido a esa franja que se ha formado justo en la costa central como podéis ver en las imágenes del radar.

A media mañana los chubascos se han repetido de forma irregular por todo el territorio, incluso en forma de tormenta.

En el mapa de rayos podéis ver la cantidad de actividad eléctrica que han llevado estas tormentas, no tan cuantiosos como el jueves pero tampoco está mal.

En el resto de la península, las precipitaciones más cuantiosas se han dado en el sur, además de otros sitios, muchas de ellas en forma de tormentas también, como podéis ver en las imagenes del radar y del mapa de rayos del AEMET

En las imagenes del satélite se puede observar como la borrasca ha ido afectando a diferentes zonas a medida que avanza hacia el este.

Aquí podéis ver como se veían las nubes que nos afectaban a primeras horas de la mañana.

Para el fin de semana, parece que el sábado la inestabilidad irá a menos, habiendo más momentos de sol, aunque el cielo no estará del todo limpio. Por la tarde las nubes de evolución volverían a aparecer pero sin más consecuencias por aquí, . El domingo en la zona de costa las protagonistas serán las nubes bajas, y en el interior el ambiente será más soleado.

Estos han sido los registros de hoy:

REGISTROS DE SANT BOI

Temperatura: Máx.18.8ºC Mín.12.1ºC
Humedad: Máx.89% Mín.67%
Viento: Máx.8 Km/h
Presión: Máx.1009 Hpa Mín.1002 Hpa
Precip.: 2.1 mm

REGISTROS DE CATALUNYA

Temperaturas máximas (ºC)
Observatorio Máx.
Balaguer - (Nord) (Lleida) 22,4
Salt - Barri Vell (Girona) 21,7
Olesa de Montserrat (Barcelona) 21,5
Medinyà (Girona) 21,0
Valls (Tarragona) 20,8
Calonge (Girona) 20,7
Artés [El Bages] (Barcelona) 20,4
Mora d'Ebre (Tarragona) 20,3
Figueres - La Cate (Girona) 19,9
Sant Martí de Canals (Lleida) 19,8

Temperaturas mínimas (ºC)
Observatorio Mín.
Refugi d'Amitges (2380m) (Lleida) -2,2
Refugi J.M. Blanc (2350m) (Lleida) -1,0
Refugi Ventosa (2220 m) (Lleida) -0,6
Sant Hilari Sacalm (Girona) 0,0
Bagergue (Lleida) 2,2
Queixans - La Cerdanya (Girona) 2,8
Farrera - Casa Llucio (Lleida) 3,4
Ribes de Freser-Càmping (Girona) 3,7
Sta Magdalena de Serinyà (Lleida) 4,0
Tregura-Vilallonga de ter (Girona) 4,0

Racha de viento (km/h)
Observatorio Máx.
L'Escala (Girona) 52
Prades - Tossal Baltasana (Tarragona) 48
Sta Magdalena de Serinyà (Lleida) 45
Alcanar (Tarragona) 44
Coll de Nargó (Lleida) 42
El Vendrell - Televisió (Tarragona) 42
Siurana - El Mirador (Tarragona) 40
Tortosa (Tarragona) 39
Banyoles (Girona) 39
Badalona - Llefià alt (Barcelona) 39

Precipitaciones (mm)
Observatorio Act.
Olot - Volcà Montsacopa (Girona) 18,0
Querol (poble) (Tarragona) 16,9
Querol Can Llenas (Tarragona) 8,7
Sant Quinti - La Boria (Barcelona) 7,6
Sant Quintí de Mediona (Barcelona) 7,2
La Granadella (Lleida) 7,0
Sant Pere de Riudebitlles (Barcelona) 6,6
Balaguer - (Nord) (Lleida) 6,2
Vendrell, El (Tarragona) 5,1
Piera (Barcelona) 5,0


REGISTROS DE ESPAÑA

Temperaturas máximas (ºC)
Observatorio Máx.
Goian - Tomiño (Pontevedra) 25,8
Abegondo (A Coruña) 24,8
Moita (Setúbal) 24,4
Paternain (Nafarroa) 24,0
Cáceres R66 (Cáceres) 23,8
Becerreá - Agüeira (Lugo) 23,8
Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura) 23,7
Maspalomas (Gran Canaria) 23,5
Miño (A Coruña) 23,4
Son Bugadellas-SantaPonsa (Mallorca) 23,3

Temperaturas mínimas (ºC)
Observatorio Mín.
Refugi d'Amitges (2380m) (Lleida) -2,2
Refugi J.M. Blanc (2350m) (Lleida) -1,0
Refugi Ventosa (2220 m) (Lleida) -0,6
Duruelo de la Sierra (Soria) -0,3
Sant Hilari Sacalm (Girona) 0,0
Puente Pumar -Polaciones- (Cantabria) 0,8
Bagergue (Lleida) 2,2
Viniegra de Abajo (La Rioja) 2,8
Queixans - La Cerdanya (Girona) 2,8
Farrera - Casa Llucio (Lleida) 3,4

Racha de viento (km/h)
Observatorio Máx.
Sant Salvador de Felanitx (Mallorca) 68
Valverde (El Hierro) 58
Eivissa (Eivissa) 56
El Rosario - Radazul (Tenerife) 56
Fontanars - Torrevellisca (Valencia) 56
Moita (Setúbal) 55
Moraleja - San Cristobal (Cáceres) 55
Luanco - Peroño (Asturies) 52
L'Escala (Girona) 52
Sant Joan - escola (Mallorca) 50

Precipitaciones (mm)
Observatorio Act.
Moita (Setúbal) 52,2
Calahonda / Mijas-Costa (Málaga) 30,5
Granada - Norte (Granada) 27,9
Alcalá La Real (Jaén) 26,8
Pozo Alcón (Jaén) 26,4
Martos (Jaén) 25,2
Lisboa (Lisboa) 24,9
El Boalo (Madrid) 24,6
Granada - Este (Granada) 24,5
Mijas - Pueblo (Málaga) 24,2


Aquí os dejo el corto fotoseguimiento de hoy. Espero que os guste.



Any source

Finalmente qualche goccia di pioggia

Ore 19 ecco la shelf cloud che ha portato una decina di millimetri di pioggia in questo mese avaro di precipitazioni, da segnalare grandine ma fortunatamente con chicchi inferiori al centimetro.
Vista verso sud







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Europa centrale nel mirino dei temporali

Anche oggi una serie impressionante di temporali sta coinvolgendo il centro Europa segnatamente sul nord della Francia e sul confine centrale tra Francia, Germania e Svizzera.
Dall'immagine delle fulminazioni si nota come una serie di temporali è in atto tra il nord della Francia passando per i Paesi Bassi fino ad arrivare nel centro della Germania e un'altra serie di temporali coinvolga il sudovest della Germania, il nord della Svizzera e l'est della Francia.
Dunque spiccata instabilità che ormai prosegue da più giorni complice lo sbilanciamento dell'alta pressione fin sulla Scandinavia che favorisce la discesa di aria più fresca sul bordo meridionale dell'anticiclone scandinavo ed attiva cellule temporalesche in contrasto con l'aria caldo-umida presente nei bassi strati.
Probabilmente si andrà avanti con questa situazione per tutto l'weekend.

Any source

Trilogía Mulleres-Salenques-Barrancs: Los miradores del Aneto, 27 abril

Julio y Budri subiendo por el Valle de la Escaleta. Al fondo la doble cima de la Forcanada

Trilogía Mulleres-Salenques-Barrancs: Los miradores del Aneto

Julio Benedé, Carlos Budria y Jorge García-Dihinx

Miércoles 27 abril 2011

De la mano de Julio y Budri trazamos una ruta de espectaculares panorámicas hacia el macizo del Aneto, viendo toda su vertiente norte desde estos tres picos. Salimos de la Besurta y andamos hacia el llano de Aigualluts. Cruzamos por la palanca a la dcha del río que baja del Valle de la Escaleta y pronto calzamos esquís para discurrir por ese suave valle de L'Escaleta. Seguimos el valle natural, de orientación norte, rumbo al sur hacia nuestra primera cima del día, el Pico Mulleres. El sutil flujo de norte nos cubre las vistas y pronto bajamos al sur para, tras comer un poco, subir al gran mirador que el el Pico de Salenques, con breve trepada final.

Desde allí suave descenso diagonal flanqueando por el norte para llegar deslizando a la base del Pico Barrancs, nuestra tercera y última cima del día. La roca afilada de la cima parece inexpugnable, pero super Carlos Budría (que escala igual de noche que de día) consigue, trepando con los botines, alcanzar una cima que parecía imposible (la secuancia de fotos de dicha escalada es bien larga. No la podré colgar en picasa hasta dentro de unas semanas).

Volvemos a los esquís en la base del pico y nos lanzamos por las palas sur hacia el valle de Barrancs. Deslizamos sin pieles sobre el ibón de Barrancs y seguimos bajanod por el valle natural de Barrancs de nuevo hasta Aigualluts.

Bella circular con vistas comparables a los Alpes, con todas las norte desde el Russel al Maldito cargadas de nieve.

Gracias Julio y Budri por enseñarme este singular lugar.

Jorge

Foto aérea sacada en diciembre, con el recorrido que trazamos este 27 de abril. En este caso tuvimos que portear el llano de Aigualluts y calzarnos esquis tras entrar en el valle de la Escaleta

Subiendo por el valle de la Escaleta

Bajamos del Mulleres para hacer la primera esquiada del día. Desde el valle subiremos luego al Salenques

Últimos metros con esquis al Pico Salenques

Julio Benedé en la cima de Pico Salenques

Bordeando suavemente la cara norte del Pico Salenques vamos rumbo al Pico de Barrancs, a la dcha en la foto

Llegamos a la base del Pico de Barrancs. Desde este colladito nos tiraremos luego hacia el sur, para volver por el valle de Barrancs

Iniciamos la subida al Pico Barrancs

Parece increíble cómo Budri consiguió llegar a la cima... (La secuencia de la escalada, en unos días en Picasa)

Carlos Budria bajando hacia el valle de Barrancs

Budri y Julio disfrutan de nieve primavera con el marco del Aneto al fondo

Vamos llegando al ibón de Barrancs

Sin tener que poner pieles, deslizamos sobre el ibón con la talonera suelta

El valle de Barrancs es una canal perfecta para bajar disfrutando de giros suaves

Apuramos hasta Aigualluts...

Volviendo a la Besurta.


De momento no he podido trabajar más fotos para poder colgar todas en un álbum en Picasa. Tendrán que esperar para dentro de varios días.
La meteo que viene se coge una semana de vacaciones. Hasta la vuelta!
JorgeAny source