I'm spending a lot of time in Barcelona in the new year, and am thinking of some short trips camping above the snowline in the Pyrenees. I'll be on my own and only really have long weekends. I'm disinclined, anyway, to join an organised snowshoeing group holiday. I'm looking for somewhere accessible by public transport, that's high but reasonably safe to go, ie areas where there are'nt significant avalanche risks and where there are nearby refuges/hits. I also don't want to walk too far with a winter pack.
One possibility is around Benasque, although it's a longish way from Barca. I could stay initially at the Camping Aneto, and walk up the Estos valley (towards the refuge) and/or take a taxi up the Esera valley to Hospital de Benasque (a nordic ski centre) and from there walk to La Beserta (below the Renclusa refuge) to camp in the Plan de Aiguallut or even higher into the Escaleta valley. It's reasonably flat (limited avalanche risk) and there are places to retreat to if I need to bale out. Has anyone done this in winter?
There may be other good locations eg in the Aigues Tortes park, around Canigou, the Cerdanya. Any ideas that I can look at? Thanks
Have a look at the Somport Pass area? There's a couple of ski resorts there - I've used Candanchu - and a Nordic skiing centre and a potentially good area for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. There's a small campsite just below Candanchu on the way to Canfranc but don't know whether it is open in winter. There's public transport between Candanchu and Canfranc and then down to Jaca
Hi Rob - I've had 2 snowshoeing trips to the Val D'Aran going hut to hut & it is superb. I went with Exodus 1st which involved 2 nights in huts but then went with Pyrenean Odysey for a full week of it & got snowed into Ventosa in a massive storm, which was exciting!
Are you around week commencing 7th March as Pyrenean Odysey are hoping to run a weeks hut to hut in this area but are struggling for Brits to make it viable. I'm signed up for it as 1 other person so they are almost there. Chechout their website for details
Thanks for letting me, and others, about the snowshoeing trip in March. I'm planning to run the Barcelona marathon the day before the trip begins, however, so unfortunately it won't fit. (I say planning but I got badly wacked by a French snowboarder a week ago and can't run at all at the moment.)
BTW, I did go for a short winter walk in January, starting from Benasque and camping in the Estos valley beyond the refuge. It was brilliant weather, cool, calm and sunny, with a near full moon, and 50cm of snow. I didn't hire snow shoes on the advice from the Benasque hire shop, which was a mistake, as the snow was too powerey under the hard crust to get as far as the Gistain pass following the line of the GR11. It was a great outing though, and there were not snowboarding prats about.
Avoid snowboarders at all costs. They've no respect and no idea. I ski a bit and I've had a couple of fights with snowboarders who just don't get it. Regarding the snowshoeing I'd avoid making any plans at the moment. Here in Cauterets there isn't much snow. It was 15° at 1500m yesterday and the snow is vanishing. There is probably even less on the Spanish side. However this probably means that as in other similar years there may be a huge dump in April.
