UKC

Hello all UKC users;

Looking for suggestions please,

Myself, and a friend plan to be somewhere in the pyrenees between the dates of 2/3/2015 - 8/3/2015. Exact location yet to be decided. Both of us have ample experience in scottish winter, both climbing and walking but neither of us have ever done any alpine routes as such. To be honest this is just an open ask for suggestions of what we could get up too. It'd be great to get some summits in over the days we are there but not having been in the Pyrenees over march before I don't know what may be suitable.

If you've any suggestions please drop us a post below. It'd be great to hear what others have been up to in the region.

In reply to Jeromecooper:

At that time of year ski-touring is the most likely activity in the mountains and very nice it is too!

In reply to Jeromecooper:

As already said, ski touring/mountaineering is the best at that time of year, although if you can't ski, snow shoeing would also be an option. You could climb but will still need skis or snowshoes

In reply to Doug:

Although I ski and have a touring set up my partner doesn't.
Unfortunately this rules out the possibility of skiing.
Are there any single day summits that can be achieved without skis that anyone might know of? Or just an area of interest that a high hut to hut route using snow shoes could be accomplished. Without skiing I'm lost for ideas.
Also, It doesn't have to be the Pyrenees..... Its just easily accessible for us both, one coming from the uk and one from Germany. I'd love to go to the Jura.

In reply to Jeromecooper:

Years ago had a couple of weeks in Gavarnie in march. Did Monte Perdido and the traverse of the top of the cirque from the Sarradets Hut, plus the Taillon and nearby tops. Also the traverse of the Vignemale from a bivvy. All these were superb. Then a big storm dumped loads of new snow and put things out of commission for a couple of days. Finished by wading up to a bivvy hut above Gedre and doing the Maou and Lentilla Aretes and Pic de Campbieil. All PD/AD, so lots of Scottish I/II, with a few bits that might be III (top of the Maou Arete for a start, scary loose wall). Sometimes hard work approaching the routes in deep snow, but good neve high up and about thirty 3000m summits over the 2 weeks. Brilliant trip. (and there's always the big ice routes, of course, and the Couloir de Gaube on the Vignemale).
Have fun wherever you go,

Iain

In reply to Jeromecooper:

Hut to hut on snowshoes in the Aigüestortes National Park is popular and recommended. Great scenery, spiky granite rock rising out of snow-filled valleys.

In reply to Jeromecooper:

Just wondering whether you need any more info/advice on the Pyrenees in early March? We live in the central Pyrenees and I'd highly recommend basing yourselves in the Luchon area which is surrounded by more 3000m peaks than anywhere else in the Chain. They are all very accessible, especially if you have snowshoes which you really do need if you aren't skiing. You can doss down in an un-manned refuge which can be your base from which to knock off the peaks. If you need accommodation down in Luchon I've got several contacts in that area. Let me know if I can be of help.

In reply to Jeromecooper:

The Carlit area is good for some low-key mountaineering/winter hillwalking, as per this article from the UKHillwalking archives: http://www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/page.php?id=3566

Doubtless excellent for ski touring too, conditions depending

In reply to Jeromecooper:

Ask Mike at www.Pyrenean-trails.com - hopefully he'll see this thread as well.

In reply to Toerag:

Hi Jerome, we live in Les Angles in the Capcir in the Eastern Pyrenees near to the Carlit and many other peaks up to 2700/2900m. Most of them are accessible on snow shoes and some using a bit of ski uplift. Great mountaineering routes too.
Send me a mail and i will be please to help with routes etc and we do have accommodation as well if needed. If your mate does ski then this is also a great area to learn to ski tour.
Regards Mike www.pyrenean-trails.com.
Looking forward to hosting the Guernsey Mountaineering Club here again in May.

In reply to Removed UserMike Rhodes:

http://www.camptocamp.org/

This website is a good starting point. It covers routes in the Alps and Pyrenees. If you search Vignamale for example it gives all the rock, mixed and ice routes. It is very extensive. It takes a while to find exactly what you want but i am sure you will find it useful. I agree with the above Gavarnie excellent lots of good ice in the Ariege, Bielsa (Spain) has good ice ( not been) aslo the val de Boi in Spain.

In reply to Jeromecooper:
A bit more info !!

A great place to keep up dated on the conditions and recent ascents is the www.camptocamp.org website where you can search routes using the guide book / map tab and then the map tool to access pictures of recent and historical assents. www.camptocamp.org/outings/518181/fr/roc-dels-isards-couloir-avalon

Les Pyrenees Topo d’ascensions (ISBN 9782952356619) by Thomas Dulac and Pascal Testas which was published in 2008 is also a good book to search out.

In reply to dinkypen:
I wouldn't personally recommend this area if the OP hasn't a fairly good winter alpine experience (which he might very well have). The accesses to the peaks around the lac d'Oo and the lac d'Espingo are very very avalanche prone. The lesser ridges are safer and give a good view on the 3000ers but can be spoiled by the noise coming from the busy ski stations.

Generally speaking, quite a few 3000ers that are fairly accessible in summer are pretty tough in winter.