| OUTLINE
ITINERARY -
Pyrenees Ski Safari
DAY
1 - Fly to Pau Pyrenees
Arrival at Pau airport and transfer by minibus to the small
Pyrenean town of Luz St Sauveur. We meet up early evening
for a briefing and to collect any hire gear that people have
booked.
DAY 2
- Luz Ardiden to Cauterets
We spend the first day exploring the little known Luz Ardiden
ski area. After a short piste warm up ski we head to the top
of the lift system to access the long off piste itinerary
of the Bernazau. This is a great North East facing descent
down to a small hamlet of farms. Our minibus takes us back
up to Luz Ardiden where we use the lift once more to gain
height. Then we climb over a small ride and ski a series of
broad gulleys and open slopes towards the town of Cauterets.
Minibus transfer back to Luz.
DAY 3
- Bareges
We head up to the Bareges La Mongie ski area and use the lifts
to ski over to La Mongie and the Quatre Thermes... we make
the most of a variety of off-piste slopes as we go. Then after
a climb through a narrow gulley and a small natural tunnel
through the rocks we access the lovely Aygues Cluses valley
for the long ski back down to Bareges where we meet our minibus
and bags. We stay at the Hotel Central in Bareges.
DAY 4
- The Pic du Midi
We head off on a big day out that ends with a ski descent
from the highest ski lift in the Pyrenees - the Pic du Midi
2900metres. First we re-trace our steps to the Quatre Themes
lift system and cimb on foot to the Contade. From there we
traverse around a steep slope to access a secluded valley
and a long ski down into the village of La Mongie. From here
we catch the two stage cable car to the Pic du Midi - this
is only accessible with a mountain guide as the skiing is
steep and exclusively off-piste. We ski all the way back to
Bareges for a second night in the Hotel Central.
DAY 5
- St Lary Soulan
We need skins today as we haed off on a two day trip to St
Lary Soulan. Again we use the Quatre Thermes ski lift and
climb once more to the Contade. Then we ski dwon through the
protected Neouvielle Nature Resrve to the Lac d'Oule reservoir.
After a short climb on skins we catch the St Lary ski lifts
and ski on and off piste to the village of St Lary Soulan
where we meet our minibus and bags. We spend the night in
St Lary.
DAY 6
- Col des Bareges
We head back to Bareges today via the Col des Bareges. We
use the ski lifts in St Lary and then from the Lac d'Oule
we climb on skins for two hours to the Col des Bareges and
then ski over to the Col des Madamette before skiing back
down via the Escubae dam to Bareges. We meet our minibus and
head back to the Hotel Cimes in Luz St Sauver where we spend
the last two nights of the tour.
DAY 7
- Gavarnie
We use the minibus to get up to the lift system of Gavarnie
- high up on the Spanish border. We ski a few runs using the
lift system before climbing for an hour and a half to the
Peak St Andre - fantastic views of the Vignemale from here.
Then we ski on very secluded slopes to the Ossue valley inside
the Pyrenees National Park and back out to the Gavarnie road
to meet our minibus back to Luz - knackered no doubt after
a very full week of skiing !
DAY 8
- Transfer to Pau and back to UK
Transfer to Pau airport for return flights home.
Please
Note: This itinerary may need to be altered if snow
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
We recommend
that people joining these ski weeks are equipped with the
following:
Technical
equipment
Good Off-piste skis (with climbing adaptors) or Touring Skis
(email for advice if unsure)
Ski Poles
Avalanche Transceiver
Snow Shovel
Skins
Ski Crampons
Clothing
suggestions
Thermal underwear- 1 set as a base layer
Shorts Fleece
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof over trousers
Warm hat
Warm gloves
Warm walking socks
Sun hat or peaked cap
Sunglasses/Goggles
Other
useful items
40-50 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 / Camelback
Penknife
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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.)
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| .....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 two days during this week, and
although the climbs are no longer than two 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.
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| .....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.
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| .....more
details |
| Accommodation
Quick List
Day one: Hotel Templiers
Day two: Hotel Hotel Templiers
Day three: Hotel Central
Day four: Hotel Central
Day five: TBC St Lary
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
in mountain huts
-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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