UKC

I'm planning a trip to the Northern end of the Spanish Pyrenees this August but not yet decided on exact venue - can the combined wisdom of UKC help?

Looking for suggestions for a venues for good multipitch rock (up to E1ish) and/or ADish alpine routes.

Ordesa Canyon sounds potentially interesting (seen the UKC article on canyoning there - is there any climbing?) as does Riglos. Vignemale looks OK for alpine - does that combine well with anything?

Any thoughts?

In reply to Different Steve: Odesa has masses of climbing although I've only looked, Vignemale is in France

I'd try looking on Desnivel's site for guides, there's very little in English although Kev Reynold's 'The Pyrenees' is a good general guide

In reply to Different Steve: I'm also heading out there this summer, with similar objectives. Again, I'm struggling to find useful info, but this page might help:

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF...

In reply to KA: Oh, and this might be worth a purchase:
http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/39/title/rock-climbs-in-t...

In reply to KA: It covers very few areas and is some 20 years old. Look for the book by Reynold's
http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail.cfm/book/420/title/the-pyrenees

as a general introduction, then buy the French or Spanish guide to your chosen area. If its still available Passages Pyrénéens - Le topo des Pyrénees Occidentales by R. Munsch, C. Ravier & R. Thivel is good. One of the authors has a website
http://www.remi-thivel.com/index.html

which might give you some ideas

In reply to Different Steve:

There was a UK guidebook by Derek Walker I've used. A bit dated but good. Pic de Midi should be near the top of your list.

In reply to Different Steve:

I've climbed out there quite a lot with a mate who lives in northern Spain. Those British guides are seriously out of date, and the crag choice is often just where the authors happen to have been. We've used Spanish guides but they are often not great either (just better). So anything is better than nothing.

In reply to Offwidth: the Derek Walker is one mentioned by Ken & described by me as 'dated'. It also covers only a few areas & is selective even for those

In reply to Different Steve: If you get a chance to go to Benasque on the way, there is a shop - Barrabes - with a very good selection of guide books to the Pyrenees. THey have a web site too.

In reply to Different Steve: Quite a few topos here:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=e...

In reply to Doug: I completely agree about the datedness of Derek Walker's guidebook. I'm surprised that it's still in print.

I spent a week or so out there last year, as a good friend runs a trekking business out there, and even the local guides weren't fantastic. That, and my level of Spanish is very poor!

There's a reasonable local guide to the 50 best routes in the Valle De Tena, but again, it's in Spanish, and only has drawn (some badly) topos.

I've looked hard on-line for Passages Pyreneens, with no joy, and haven't seen a copy in any of the local shops in Spain.

In reply to Different Steve:

Pic Midi d'Ossau has some good routes. Start from a hut near the walls. Big feel to routes.

In reply to Different Steve: Northern Pyrenees, it's 400 kilometers large.
Have a look at Cavallers for sport et trad climbing.
Pic du midi d'Ossau is great but don't foget you'll be in montain...

Cavallers is just stunning. Sport trad bouldering mountain anything you want on gorgeous granite. The guide is fantastic. Roca caliente en los pirineos Vol 2.isbn: 84-607-6679-9. From Desnivel, very good mail order.

The uk guides to pyrenees are dire. Imagine small selected guide to whole of britain, written 20 years ago. They are also often plain wrong, to the point that you seriously doubt they did the route. In particular Pic du midi d'Osseau.

Odessa polished busy with tourists. Passage pyreneeos or something like that is the best general book. The pyrenees is a huge area.