Hiking the Haute Route Pyrenees, East to West, in Early June.

I had to smile when you mentioned Savage camping :-)

Frankly, I think you might need snow shoes at that time of the year, especially around the middle.

The Refuges do not open until the middle of June, and they seem to know what they are doing. In some cases, they just can’t get up there any earlier.

I remember we got there a bit too early one year, took one look at the mountains, and turned away and did something else instead. To be sure, the snow was melting, but that just meant it was flooded and tricky.

My 2c
cheers

We assume that you have seen our trip report on the HRP (http://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/37414/).  If you go in early June, to the best of our knowledge you will likely have snow, and maybe a lot of it, throughout the long central section of the route.  Crossing some of the higher passes on Joosten’s version of the HRP will almost certainly require an ax and crampons and the skills to use them.  A few of the passes are steep enough that you should feel comfortable in performing a self arrest while carrying a backpack.  The snowfields on those passes are steep and can be very icy.  Depending on snow conditions, carrying snowshoes or skis might make travel a lot easier.

You should also consider that you may have to camp in the snow at high altitudes in exposed areas.  We experienced several night-time storms with ferocious winds; you might think about how you will anchor your tent in the snow should you have similar experiences.

Have a great trip,

James (for Amy)

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have read your trip report Amy, and found it very useful.

Based on what roger and Amy have said, I am going to push my hike back to sometime in the first two weeks of July. And will be hiking from west to east (I was going to wwoof in the Netherlands after the hike. Now I will be hiking after my wwoof stay in the Netherlands) instead of east to west.

Sounds good to me.

Cheers

are there enough areas to set up a hammock and camp throughout the entire hrp? or for most of it, and ground camping/hut for a few nights when there is no spot to set up?

You could maybe hammock at low altitudes in the forested areas, but not up at altitude – which is what the Pyrenees is really all about. It’s just not a good hammocking place imho. Open huts – a few, but not many.

Cheers

To add to Roger’s post.  Below are images of three campsites we had on the HRP; many more were similar in nature with specatular views and no trees.  Hammocks are not the way to go on this route.

James and Amy