| OUTLINE
ITINERARY
DAY
1 - Fly to Pau Pyrenees
The best way to get to the Pyrenees is
on a Ryanair schedule to Pau. We pick you up from there in
our minibus and drive you to the Hotel Templiers in Luz St
Sauveur. You collect your hired gear and meet up with your
guide in the evening for a drink and a briefing.
DAY
2 - Pic du Midi d'Ossoue
The week starts off with some gentle skiing around the Bareges
La Mongie ski area where there are some good off piste itineraries
to warm up on. After that we take the cable car to the Pic
du Midi (2900metres) and ski the long off piste route from
there back to either Superbareges or Artigues depending on
conditions.
DAY
3 - Pen det Pouri (2587m)
A low, but challenging peak to start the real peak bagging
off. The Pen det Pouri is hidden at the head of a small valley
behind the little village of Sers. We've never met anybody
else skiing here - it is well and truly off-the-beaten-track.
It's a stiff climb of a 1000 metres and needs and early start.
Views from the summit look out over the plains of southern
France towards Toulouse. Great ski back down to the road head.
DAY
4 - Taillon and Breche de Roland
(3050m)
A big day out and a 3050m
peak. We set off to catch the first chair lift out of Gavarnie
ski area up to the top of the resort. Then we traverse to
the Spanish border and head east below the North face of the
Taillon. 2.5 hours and we reach the famous Breche de Roland
and the natural gateway to Spain. Once through the Breche
we head West along a crest to the summit of the Taillon. We
ski back down to the Breche de Roland and then down steep
slopes to the Pouey Aspe valley and on past the Cirque of
Gavarnie to Gavarnie village and our pick up point. A really
classic Pyrenean day.
DAY
5 - Pic de Chanchou (2949m)
Off the beaten track again. A tough day out but really worthwhile.
We set off from the Luz Ardiden ski area with a short descent
in the Bernazou valley. Skins on to head up first to the Ardiden
lakes and then to the small Pourtete de la Homme. A very short
ski down and then skins back on for the final climb to the
Chanchou. This really is in the middle of nowhere. We ski
down wide East facing slopes to the end of the snow line and
then hike out through small forest tracks to our road head
by the GR10 and a lift back to Luz. Hard work, but fantastic
skiing. We've only ever skied here once before in 13 years.
DAY
6 - Petite Vignemale
We spend the last two days
of the tour getting to the summit of the Petite Vignemale
and the Vignemale using the Baysallance refuge as a base.
We set out from Cauterets via the Lac de Gaube to pass under
the North face of the Vigenamle before climbing to the Horquette
d'Ossue. From there the Petite Vignemale is a steep 50 minute
climb. We ski from the summit to the Baysallance refuge where
we spend the night.
DAY
7 - Grand Vignemale
After and early start we make a short ski descent before the
long climb up over the Ossue glacier (small by Alpine standards,
but the largest in the Pyrenees) to the pinnacle summit of
the Vignemale. This is the highest place in the French Pyrenees.
We ski back down the glaciers and then out through remote
valleys to a road head above Gavarnie for our pick up point
and return to Luz.
DAY
8 - Fly back to London
You are transferred back to Pau Airport or Lourdes SNCF to
connect with transport back home.
Please
Note: This itinerary may be altered if conditions, weather
forecasts or the overall fitness of the group are judged to
put the safety of the group at risk. Pyrenean Mountain Tour
Guides reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary
without notice. These changes will be explained to the group
as and when they occur.
EQUIPMENT
AND CLOTHING NEEDED FOR THIS TREK
We
recommend that people joining this trek are equipped with
the following:
Technical
equipment
Alpine camber telemark skis with cable bindings
Ski Poles
Skins (with good glue!)
Ski Crampons
Crampons
(please note: you do not need to carry an ice axe on this
trip)
Ski Strap (for tying top of the skis together when carrying
on rucksack)
Clothing
suggestions
Thermal underwear- 1 set as a base layer
Fleece
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof over trousers
Warm hat
Warm gloves
Warm walking socks
Sun hat or peaked cap
Sunglasses/Goggles
Other
items
40-60 litre rucksack (needs side straps so that you can carry
skis)
Sun block for face and lips
Personal First Aid kit (plasters,compede, paracetamol)
Water bottle or Platypus
Penknife
Sleeping bag
Optional
items
Change of clothing to include: underwear,tracksuit bottoms/
long-johns,dry shirt, spare socks.
Camera and film
Paperback novel
Maps
Snack bars/dried fruit/chocolate
Ski
Equipment Hire
Pyrenean Mountain Tours offer
a full equipment hire pack. You can hire everything you need
for this tour or individual items at the costs shown in the
table below. We are unable to provide equipment "last
minute" so you need to book what you need well in advance.
| Items |
Description |
Costs |
| Telemark
Ski Pack |
includes:
skis, skins, ski crampons, poles, ski touring boots |
£110 |
| With
Own Boots |
includes:
all of the above but no boots |
£80 |
| Avalanche
Transceiver |
|
£30 |
| Snow
Shovel |
|
£15 |
| Climbing
Harness |
not
required for this tour |
|
| Boot
Crampons |
to fit ski boots |
£22 |
| Ice
Axe |
not
needed for this tour |
|
Please
remember to carry as little gear as possible. A heavy rucksack
will make the trip hard work and less fun.
|
Ski trips and more throughout Europe and beyond
Don’t let our name fool you: as well as Pyrenees
trips, we can take you to the Alps, South Tyrol, Dolomites,
Tatra Mountains and even further. In France, Spain,
Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Poland, Slovenia…even
Mongolia.
Downhill skiing, alpine skiing, off piste, telemark
skiing, ski tours, ski touring snowshoeing, trekking,
mountaineering, expedition training, motorcycle tours,
expedition training, walking, activity holidays, canyoning,
mountain biking, white water rafting, road touring,
cultural tours and study – chances are we have
just what you’re looking for. We can also arrange
all accommodation, from a hotel or B&B to a self-catering
apartment or gite.
Can’t see what you’re after? We’d
be happy to arrange a bespoke trip for you.
Pyrenean
Mountain Tours
2 Rectory
Cottages, Rectory Lane, Wolverton,Hants,
RG26 5RS, UK
tel and fax: (0044)(0)1635 297209, web: www.pyrenees.co.uk
(Pyrenean
Mountain Tours is a trading name of European Mountain
Holidays Ltd.)
|
|
| .....background
preparation |
| Maps
and Guidebooks
Your guide will carry all the maps
that the group needs but you may want to plan
or record your journey on your own copy. The best
map is:
Sheet
Number 24 - Pyrenees, Gavarnie - Ordessa
(1:50,000), published by Rando Editions.
Alternatively
you could carry two 1/25,000 maps;
IGN Sheet number 1748 OT , "Gavarnie".
IGN Sheet number 1647 OT , "Vignemale".
The
best general guidebook for this area of the Pyrenees,
even though it doesn't cover ski touring is:
Walking in the Pyrenees, by Kev Reynolds,
(published the Cicerone Press)
You
can order maps and books online at: www.mapsworldwide.co.uk,
www.amazon.com,
or buy them at Stanford books in London.
Fitness and Skiing Standard
This week is aimed at good skiers.
We use skins on most days during this week, and
although the climbs are no longer than four hours
you will need to be fit to do this comfortably.
Ski descents are steep in places so good technique
and control are needed
Questions
about this tour ? Email Simon
for help.
Mountain
Guides and Leaders
Your tour will be led by one of our
qualified UIAGM guides and a BASI telemark ski
instructor. Our guides are experienced leaders
with several years knowledge of the Pyrenees.
They are experts on local Flora and Fauna as well
as mountain craft and leadership.
|
|
| .....travel
details & costs |
| Departure
Dates & Flight Details
We recommend
that you use the following flights:
Depart
23rd February, 2008
Sat 23rd February, FR2356, at 13.15 from London
Stansted to Pau Pyrenees; returning, FR2357, at
16.35 from Pau Pyrenees to London Stansted.
Ryan
air flights are generally cheaper the further
in advance that you book and can be purchased
for as little as £50.00 return.
Go
to www.ryanair.com to book your flights.
What
your Holiday will Cost
£750
per person
£80 single supplement (payable
if you want a single room)
Is
this your first ski tour ?
This year we are trailing
a new discount scheme for people trying ski touring
for the first time. If you book an Introduction
to Ski Touring course and a ski tour in the
same year we will reduce your overall bill by
£100.
Toured
with us Before ?
If
you have been ski touring with us twice or more
before you are entitled to a £40
discount. Please
remind us when you book!
The Diary Discount
We
know that lots of you keep diaries of your ski
tours and we want to publish some of them ! Our
aim is to have a link on each of our ski touring
itinerary pages to a previous years diary of the
trip. If we publish yours we'll pay you £15
(in the form of a discount on a PMT trip of course)
for your trouble.
Transfer
Arrangements
We
collect you in our minibus free of charge if you
arrive on the flights we have recommended
above. If you choose a different flight you will
be responsible for your own transfer to the start
and from the end of the tour, but we will pick
you up free of charge at Lourdes SNCF station.
|
|
| .....more
details |
| Accommodation
Quick List
Day one: Hotel Templiers
Day two: Hotel Templiers
Day three: Hotel Templiers
Day four: Refuge Russell
Day five: Hotel
Templiers
Day six: Hotel Templiers
Day seven: Hotel Templiers
Please note: accommodation changes may have to
be made if weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances
make it necessary. We try to ensure that hotel rooms
are twin bedded with en suite facilities but this is
not always possible. If you pay a single supplement
but do not receive a single room , then your money will
be refunded on your return to the UK.
Included
in the Price
-7 nights half board
at hotel
accommodation
and in onemountain hut
-mountain guiding fees and expenses
Not
Included in the Price
-International air
travel
-Hiring of equipment from the equipment list specified
for this trip
- Drinks and snacks at huts and hotels
- packed lunch or mountain cafe lunches.
- daily ski passes as required
Spending
Money
Please
bring all money in local currency (Euros), as there
will be no opportunity to go to a bank en route. There
is little opportunity to spend much on this trip other
than on a few beers at the huts. |
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