Back to the Pyrenees

[Miguel Arboleda]

Hello Everyone,

It has been quite a long while since I visited these forums and talked to a lot of you. How are you, those who remember me?

Back in 2012 I walked the Pyrenees, but had to give up a considerable portion due to getting heat exhaustion. This year I will go back, this time with my partner, to do a smaller section (between Lescun and Gavarnie, or possibly just around the Gavarnie/ Ordesa area). Most of the planning is already set, including all of our gear, but I’m having the hardest time finding all the maps that I need, especially the #24 1:50,000 IGN map of the Gavarnie/ Ordesa area. It seems it is no longer in print, and the new IGN series from 2016 doesn’t seem to have put one out yet. I’ve checked about 10 online shops, including Amazon France, Amazon Britain, and The Map Shop in Britain, but no one is selling it.

Would anyone have any advice on what up-to-date maps are available now, and where I can order them rom overseas? Thanks so much for your help.

Miguel

[Miguel Arboleda]

Also, would anyone have any information on snow conditions in the Pyrenees this year (2017)? Was it a heavy snow year? Would crampons and ice axe be necessary in some of the more difficult sections?

[David Thomas]

Can’t help on the maps, but I’ll chime in that I remember your posts from 5-ish years ago and appreciated them.

If someone had that map, could you perhaps use high-resolution photos of it to print out your own on water-proof paper?

-David

[Mole J]

Hi Miguel

For Ordesa, I’d get the Editorial Alpina map .  (which includes Gavarnie and it’s southern surrounds too)

http://www.editorialalpina.com/en/producto/ordesa-y-monte-perdido-4/

We have done 2 fortnight trips in the area over the last couple of years.  To explore the area, it’s worth mixing up the trails IMO rather than just staying on one in particular. Here is a sample post from our trip from Lescun to Gavarnie (looping into Spain too) in 2015  from my partners blog:  http://broadviewfromasmallfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/a-pyrenean-perigrination-part-three.html?m=1

This is a useful source of info and for discussion – lots of recent experiences and links to info about current snow levels on passes:

http://www.trek-lite.com/index.php?threads/pyrenees-2017-gr10-gr11-the-hrp.2842/

We are heading that way again ourselves in late August for another fortnights backpacking into the Poset/Aneto range

 

 

 

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Miguel

Welcome back. We had some success checking in the local shops when we were there. But you are taking a bit of a risk that way of course.
Enjoy: we love the Pyrenees.

Cheers

[Miguel Arboleda]

Thanks everyone.

David, good to see you again. A French friend whom I met on my last Pyrenees walk, and who lives in the area, uses online maps to do all his walks. He can probably give me some great local tips.

Mole, your links are very useful, even the photographs in the blog. I’ll check the Editorial Alpina maps out.

I’m stumped as to why no maps of the Gavarnie area are being printed by IGN. It doesn’t make sense.

Roger, great to see you again. Your past advice on the Pyrenees was invaluable. Will have to go back to all the old notes and brush up on whatever was said back then.

[Kattt]

Welcome back Miguel!! It’s been too long.

[Mark Fowler]

For snow conditions try http://www.meteofrance.com/previsions-meteo-montagne/bulletin-avalanches . Select the area you want. It shows snow levels on both N and S slopes.

A few years ago I used some free gps maps called topo-pirineos which I found useful. It is now up to version 8.  The site is in Spanish but Google translate fixes that. http://topopirineos.blogspot.com.au/2016/06/topo-pirineos-80.html

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