UKC

Hello All,

Does anyone know of a website or guidebook giving info on Alpine and rock climbing in the Pyrenees?

I've had a look at the Cicerone guides and whilst useful, I reckon a local, more specifically Alpine guide might be more appropriate for what I'd like to be doing.

I'm also happy to take route and area recommendations.

Thanks,

Rob.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

I had an April trip about 15 years ago and there was a *lot* of deep, wet snow - the guardian of the Vignemale / Gaube hut had just died in an avalanche, and we had a pretty sketchy week of fun which, in hindsight, we were lucky to walk away from unscathed in our youthful exuberance.

Wonderful area but late spring can be very late and snowy, not sure what it is like this year but there are some Pyreneean regulars who could help on here.

b

In reply to Robert Lavin:
The camptocamp website has loads of info on long alpine style routes, and includes info from recent ascents, so you will get an idea which routes are accessible. Pic de Espade and routes around Vignamale look good see link to a recent forum I posted.

The following book covers summer and winter routes in the Ariege(ish ) region.
Les Pyrenees Topo d’ascensions (ISBN 9782952356619) by Thomas Dulac and Pascal Testas which was published in 2008.
Also for that area the Dent de Orlu, multi pitch granite, is in the new Ariege rock fax, (full local guide available from TIC in Ax Les Thermes, Tarasconne or failing that the Decathlon in Foix) definitely in condition at this time of the year.
On the Spanish side I have climbed at this time of the year in the Aiguestortes National Park and the conditions were great. ( Some pics on my UKC area).
Hope some of this is useful !

In reply to ben b:

Apologies, I meant "early June".

I would appear to have missed early May.

Rob.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

I'm going out that way for the last week or so of August, would be interested to know what you have found out, if you manage to find some information, Rob.

In reply to Robert Lavin: Although mostly in Spanish theres few to choose from on here..
http://int.barrabes.com/rock-climbing-gear/books-guidebooks/d-2389-a?pag=1
Also
http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Books-Maps-DVDs/Foreign-Climbing-Guid...

In reply to L.A.:
Forgot to link to these ones
http://int.barrabes.com/mountaineering-gear/books-guide-books/d-2278-a

In reply to Robert Lavin:

The excellent guides produced by Robert Olivier have been re-edited and are widely available : http://www.editions-cairn.fr/vmchk/guide-ollivier.html

A more recent guide by Remi Thivel "Passages Pyrénéens" offers a selection of climbs from the Olivier series and some new stuff in the same format and style, with photographs- recommended but probably difficult to obtain: http://www.editionspinacrochets.com/livre.php?ind=10

Patrick de Bellefon's "Les Cent Plus Belles Courses" has also recently been re-edited. In the same series as Rébuffat's "Chamonix". The book has a selection of climbs from easy to extremely difficult ( Pillier Embaradere / Pic Midi d'Ossau): http://www.amazon.fr/Pyrénées-plus-belles-courses-randonnées/dp/84982904...

In reply to Robert Lavin:

Thanks very much one and all. I shall check them out.

Now, given that the Pyrenees is a very long mountain range, does anyone have a recommendations for a good valley / village base?

To account for my rusty state, I'm looking for easy Alpine, multi-day walks and some fairly gentle multi-pitch.

Preference is probably in that order.

Rob.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

try the book,trekking in the pyrenees by douglas streatfield-lames
published by trailblazer-guides.
its endorsed by high magazine

In reply to dollydog:

Its mostly (all ?) about walking, the books recommended by Pyreneemec are better for climbing. As a general introduction, Pyrenees by Kev Reynolds is good but you'll need a climbing guide as well

In reply to Robert Lavin:

http://www.benoblog.com/2009/07/14/traversee-petit-grand-vignemale/

This is a good route, from the Gavernie valley you could easily do a multi day walk into Spain & back ticking some peaks. We used the Kev Reynolds book although sometimes a bit vague!

In reply to Jasonic:

Like the sartorial vanguard of Europe there, à cheval in 'das blue jeans'...

b

In reply to ben b:
If you do track down "Passage Pyrenees" please could you let me know as I have been trying in vain to get one for a while.

In reply to tintinandpip:

Quite impossible to find in my experience, and I have been trying to source one locally for a good few years now...

In reply to Robert Lavin:

If you are around the Ossau valley, "la Vallée d'Ossau" by Alfonso and Buxo is a fantastic guidebook in Spanish and French

I don't really recommend the guides Ollivier, they don't give a lot of information about the routes. Good for people who know the area but a bit hard otherwise

In reply to drolex:

>


They were written at a time when protection was a piton or a sling , here and there. Falling wasn't an option ! Many modern climbers aren't happy unless they have protection every couple of metres and then wonder what they're doing wrong when they get benighted on a long AD ridge-route !

The Ollivier guides are a must for any true Pyreneiste. The route-descriptions are often the notes written by the first ascentionists, accompanied by a sketch done at the same time. They have immense historical value and complimentary information can easily be gleaned on the 'net on a site like "camptocamp".

In reply to Pyreneenemec:

Oh they certainly have an historical value, and I am happy with them in the regions I know well. But if I don't know an area, they are not my first choice.

Note that most of (if not all) the drawings by Ollivier have been made from memory, not on the spot. Quite impressive, too (as they are precise).

In reply to Robert Lavin:

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I'd suggest the Gavarnie valley as an ideal first taste of the Pyrénées. If you are camping, there is a lovely site, the "Pain de Sucre" between Gedre and Gavarnie : http://www.camping-gavarnie.com/
There is no end of classic scrambles and easy Alpine climbs. I highly recommend the "Cirque de Troumouse Traverse", where you bag half a dozen 3000m peaks or the Petit- Grand Vignemale ridge-route; both around AD.
The "Mur du Cirque" has some fantastic 300m routes, ideal for those days when storms are forecast. There are multi-pitch sport-routes on the Pic de Sarradets, only minutes from the refuge of the same name; itself only 1h 15 from the road.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

Thanks one and all. We're off at the end of the week so I'll be following up all of your leads over the next couple of days.

Rob.

In reply to Robert Lavin:

Try this:

http://montagne.glenatlivres.com/livre/pyrenees-les-plus-belles-courses-978...

Pic de Neouville is a stunning mountain, and the Arete de Trois Conseillers is worth doing.

In reply to KA:

Thanks, I have that guidebook & had been wondering about that one...