Back to the Pyrenees

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?

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

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

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

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.

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

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