Route Climbed: Normal route via the Corredor del Lago Helado Date Climbed: 13 September 1997
I climbed this mountain as a member of 'Pyrenean Ram', a 15 man British Army Expedition hiking in France and Spain. The weather was foul, with visibility down to less than twenty feet. We summited, then attemped a descent down to the town of Bielsa, in Spain. Due to a team member injury, we took longer than expected, ran out of daylight, and had to camp on the side of the mountain. Woke up the next morning and made the descent down to Bielsa. The weather had cleared up, so we got a spectacular view of the mountain. Great hike, just pity about the weather.
Route Climbed: Northface via Collado de Marboré Date Climbed: 23 September 2004
We took off in beautiful weather (though with quite a lot of wind) from the surroundings of Lago de Marboré. The path is quite easy and there's only a few parts where you need to climb a little. On the glacier we decided to take the route via Collado de Marboré from where we had a splendid view over the Ordesa Valley. On our way down to the Lago Helado the weather suddenly changed dramatically and for the last hour we climbed in clouds through storm and rain. It was a great climb, but the view from the summit of Monte Perdido(approx. 1,5 meters:) was not as good as we had hoped for.
Route Climbed: SW via Góriz Hut & Lago Helado Date Climbed: 17 September 2001
I climbed Monte Perdido the first time with a good friend during a six-day Ordesa hike. Started off from our camp, a few hundred meters above the Góriz hut in stormy miserable weather. Not a difficult route but the weather made it pretty tough. We were lucky to climb out of the clouds close to the summit so that we still had a nice view from there. People before us had been so nice to build a windshield out of rocks so that we managed to make us some coffee on the top. We hurried down to Pradera de Ordesa in the afternoon, picking up the tent underway, to take the bus to Torla, where we celebrated our first ascent of a 'summit of name'.
Route Climbed: Escaleras (Southwest ridge) Date Climbed: 4th september 2004
Great mountain and great route in a day with clouds but it did not rain finally (great luck). The route of the Escaleras is less frequented (only our team of 6 persons in this route and more than 100 in the normal) and harder with slope more pronounced. Only two chimneys of grade II, no problem for mountaineers. The descend is for the normal (rope advisable if descent by the Escaleras). In addition there is reached the top of another peak of 3000 meters, the Pico de las Escaleras (3027m). I hope write the route and put the pictures soon.
Because of the bad climatological conditions and the possible announced storms we realize the ascension in the day (6 hours up to the top from the Pradera de Ordesa) and we avoid to take the tents to sleep in Góriz's zone. It is a great effort to realize it in only one day (11-12h) but the remuneration deserves it.
Route Climbed: Back of the cirque de Gavarnie, las tres sores Date Climbed: 31 july and 1st August 2003
We started at the 'Col des Tentes", climbed to the Breche de Roland, followed the back of the cirque de Gavarnie, pas et col des isards, col de la cascade and finally skirting around the Cylindre du Marboré. Slept at 'L'etang glacé' small pool of icy water. Started off early next day, arrived at the summit around 8H15 am.
Came back down, had a break and packed up bivouac. Climbed up to col du cylindre, then down the north side of the Monte perdido's glacier. There is a little wall to finish the climb down.
walked to Lac glacé, up to breche de tuquerouye and finally down into the cirque d'Estaubé towards our final destination Lac des Gloriettes. Picked up there by the family. The best way to climb that mountain, you truly get a sense of the immense surroundings.
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: 26 August 2003
At the end of August there was no snow or need to cross any glacier.
BUT, the final slope is so badly affected by erosion that I don't think I could have done it without my walking sticks. Still, I saw a few people without them, so maybe it could be done! On the other hand, I consider the erosion worse than the Spanish side of La Brecha de Roland on which a friend of mine slipped, twisted his ankle and got a chopper lift to hospital!
About the route, on the way up, the second section, crossing the big boulders, watch out for the cairns. It is easy to lose them. If you do, just remember you should keep on the left side of them!
Route Climbed: Corredor del Lago Helado - Normal Route Date Climbed: 31 July 2003
Two cousins and me left Refugio de Góriz (2.160 m / 7,087 ft), where we had camped, at 11 AM. At 2.380 m / 7,808 ft Diego, my cousin, felt sick and vomited. He had slept out of the tent that windy and cool (minimum of 11 ºC / 52 F) in the tent) night. When he recovered we restart the ascent. Fernando and me decided to take the backpack in turns so at 1:45 PM we were at the Lago Helado shore having lunch. We rested til 3:00 PM, where we followed along the right moraine, then climbed a rock and pushed forward in "La Escupidera", a steep stony slope that leads to the final snow patch until the summit. The emotions at the top were big, the scenery was magnificient because of the lack of clouds and the wind guts were strong (80 Km/h / 50 Mi/h). The temperature was 10 ºC / 50 F so we took our clothes on. We met a French called Jerome that have been working in Spain as engineer so we descended with him after resting, eating something and taking some pics (5:30 PM). We showed the N glaciers until descending "La Escupidera". We slithered down the snow patch in order to avoid the rocky mound of the ascent. So at 6:30 PM we were at Lago Helado again. Until reaching the hut (8 PM) we did another break (15 min) at 2.475 m / 8,120 ft (7:15 PM). Despite all the problems at the beginning it was a nice climb and could see some marmots and a far skyline.
Route Climbed: ´Ruta de las Escaleras´ or ´Stairs Route´ Date Climbed: June 2000
I left early and took this route to avoid the crowds. My dog could not go up the first rock-scramble section and waited for my return. The last rocky section was ice-covered and was a little tricky to downclimb on my way back from the summit.
Route Climbed: Normal route Date Climbed: July 1980
The most violent storm I ever had in mountain during the night before the ascent. We had 15 cm water inside the tent as far as I remember (seems like a century ago though)
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: June 2001
Lots of snow for this time of year. The Lago Helado could only be guessed under the snow. I was affraid La Escupidera would be difficult but it only requires some caution.
Route Climbed: Normal route from Goriz Ref. Date Climbed: August 30 1999
We climbed it by the normal route, there was no snow all over the track, so we made it in about 2 hours. It is very recommended to climb "El Cilindro" because you will have a beatiful view of the North Face!
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: September 1999
A beautiful climb, though the weather was not really the best. Low clouds and fresh wind did not allow us to stop a long time in the final corridor. Nevertheless it was my second three-thousander. A day to remember
Route Climbed: Corredor del Lago Helado - Normal Route Date Climbed: July 1987
Me and my family didn't reach the summit because a hail storm stopped us until Lago Helado. We wore shorts and raincoat. Took shelter in little mouth of a rock covered by a life-saving blanket. The temperature came down, soon we left the shelter and descended. The sun appeared when we were arriving to the hut where we had camped.
Route Climbed: Corredor del Lago Helado - Normal Route Date Climbed: July 1989
After having attempted Monte Perdido some years ago we (my father, one brother and some friends of mine) reached the summit in 1989. It was my highest mountain climbed ever. After having passed the night before in a tent near the hut, we climbed the peak on a sunny day. I remember the big scree after Lago Helado towars the summit and the big snow patch surrounding it. There was a sea of clouds below.
Greg Garrard - Nov 14, 2005 2:06 pm
Route Climbed: Normal route via the Corredor del Lago Helado Date Climbed: 13 September 1997I climbed this mountain as a member of 'Pyrenean Ram', a 15 man British Army Expedition hiking in France and Spain. The weather was foul, with visibility down to less than twenty feet. We summited, then attemped a descent down to the town of Bielsa, in Spain. Due to a team member injury, we took longer than expected, ran out of daylight, and had to camp on the side of the mountain. Woke up the next morning and made the descent down to Bielsa. The weather had cleared up, so we got a spectacular view of the mountain. Great hike, just pity about the weather.
Krisis - Jun 20, 2005 9:00 am
Route Climbed: Northface via Collado de Marboré Date Climbed: 23 September 2004We took off in beautiful weather (though with quite a lot of wind) from the surroundings of Lago de Marboré. The path is quite easy and there's only a few parts where you need to climb a little. On the glacier we decided to take the route via Collado de Marboré from where we had a splendid view over the Ordesa Valley. On our way down to the Lago Helado the weather suddenly changed dramatically and for the last hour we climbed in clouds through storm and rain. It was a great climb, but the view from the summit of Monte Perdido(approx. 1,5 meters:) was not as good as we had hoped for.
Krisis - Jun 10, 2005 11:06 am
Route Climbed: SW via Góriz Hut & Lago Helado Date Climbed: 17 September 2001I climbed Monte Perdido the first time with a good friend during a six-day Ordesa hike. Started off from our camp, a few hundred meters above the Góriz hut in stormy miserable weather. Not a difficult route but the weather made it pretty tough. We were lucky to climb out of the clouds close to the summit so that we still had a nice view from there. People before us had been so nice to build a windshield out of rocks so that we managed to make us some coffee on the top. We hurried down to Pradera de Ordesa in the afternoon, picking up the tent underway, to take the bus to Torla, where we celebrated our first ascent of a 'summit of name'.
Thomas Gurviez - Feb 7, 2005 4:00 am
Date Climbed: 17 july 2003Perdido climbed by crossing the north face through the glaciers, some huge crevasses seen
Nobody met, while the normal route was crowded
Rafa Bartolome - Sep 5, 2004 5:55 am
Route Climbed: Escaleras (Southwest ridge) Date Climbed: 4th september 2004Great mountain and great route in a day with clouds but it did not rain finally (great luck). The route of the Escaleras is less frequented (only our team of 6 persons in this route and more than 100 in the normal) and harder with slope more pronounced. Only two chimneys of grade II, no problem for mountaineers. The descend is for the normal (rope advisable if descent by the Escaleras). In addition there is reached the top of another peak of 3000 meters, the Pico de las Escaleras (3027m). I hope write the route and put the pictures soon.
Because of the bad climatological conditions and the possible announced storms we realize the ascension in the day (6 hours up to the top from the Pradera de Ordesa) and we avoid to take the tents to sleep in Góriz's zone. It is a great effort to realize it in only one day (11-12h) but the remuneration deserves it.
OBIJUANKENOBI71 - Jul 19, 2004 7:27 am
Route Climbed: From Goriz Date Climbed: 18-06-2004For the normal route of the valley of Ordesa, for the refuge of Goriz.
Dan Bailey - Feb 10, 2004 11:25 am
Route Climbed: easiest one Date Climbed: summer 1995lovely
waspee - Dec 7, 2003 10:29 am
Route Climbed: Back of the cirque de Gavarnie, las tres sores Date Climbed: 31 july and 1st August 2003We started at the 'Col des Tentes", climbed to the Breche de Roland, followed the back of the cirque de Gavarnie, pas et col des isards, col de la cascade and finally skirting around the Cylindre du Marboré. Slept at 'L'etang glacé' small pool of icy water. Started off early next day, arrived at the summit around 8H15 am.
Came back down, had a break and packed up bivouac. Climbed up to col du cylindre, then down the north side of the Monte perdido's glacier. There is a little wall to finish the climb down.
walked to Lac glacé, up to breche de tuquerouye and finally down into the cirque d'Estaubé towards our final destination Lac des Gloriettes. Picked up there by the family. The best way to climb that mountain, you truly get a sense of the immense surroundings.
altpope - Sep 11, 2003 10:28 am
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: 26 August 2003At the end of August there was no snow or need to cross any glacier.
BUT, the final slope is so badly affected by erosion that I don't think I could have done it without my walking sticks. Still, I saw a few people without them, so maybe it could be done! On the other hand, I consider the erosion worse than the Spanish side of La Brecha de Roland on which a friend of mine slipped, twisted his ankle and got a chopper lift to hospital!
About the route, on the way up, the second section, crossing the big boulders, watch out for the cairns. It is easy to lose them. If you do, just remember you should keep on the left side of them!
Diego Sahagún - Aug 15, 2003 2:46 am
Route Climbed: Corredor del Lago Helado - Normal Route Date Climbed: 31 July 2003Two cousins and me left Refugio de Góriz (2.160 m / 7,087 ft), where we had camped, at 11 AM. At 2.380 m / 7,808 ft Diego, my cousin, felt sick and vomited. He had slept out of the tent that windy and cool (minimum of 11 ºC / 52 F) in the tent) night. When he recovered we restart the ascent. Fernando and me decided to take the backpack in turns so at 1:45 PM we were at the Lago Helado shore having lunch. We rested til 3:00 PM, where we followed along the right moraine, then climbed a rock and pushed forward in "La Escupidera", a steep stony slope that leads to the final snow patch until the summit. The emotions at the top were big, the scenery was magnificient because of the lack of clouds and the wind guts were strong (80 Km/h / 50 Mi/h). The temperature was 10 ºC / 50 F so we took our clothes on. We met a French called Jerome that have been working in Spain as engineer so we descended with him after resting, eating something and taking some pics (5:30 PM). We showed the N glaciers until descending "La Escupidera". We slithered down the snow patch in order to avoid the rocky mound of the ascent. So at 6:30 PM we were at Lago Helado again. Until reaching the hut (8 PM) we did another break (15 min) at 2.475 m / 8,120 ft (7:15 PM). Despite all the problems at the beginning it was a nice climb and could see some marmots and a far skyline.
TodoVertical - Feb 2, 2003 4:25 pm
Route Climbed: ´Ruta de las Escaleras´ or ´Stairs Route´ Date Climbed: June 2000I left early and took this route to avoid the crowds. My dog could not go up the first rock-scramble section and waited for my return. The last rocky section was ice-covered and was a little tricky to downclimb on my way back from the summit.
bruno.carbonne - Aug 12, 2002 10:26 am
Route Climbed: Normal route Date Climbed: July 1980The most violent storm I ever had in mountain during the night before the ascent. We had 15 cm water inside the tent as far as I remember (seems like a century ago though)
LuisCandeias - Jul 17, 2002 3:59 am
Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: June 2001Lots of snow for this time of year. The Lago Helado could only be guessed under the snow. I was affraid La Escupidera would be difficult but it only requires some caution.
Wonderful views of the Ordesa canyon.
lisu - Jun 19, 2002 1:37 pm
Route Climbed: Normal route from Goriz Ref. Date Climbed: August 30 1999We climbed it by the normal route, there was no snow all over the track, so we made it in about 2 hours. It is very recommended to climb "El Cilindro" because you will have a beatiful view of the North Face!
eza - May 21, 2002 5:26 am
Route Climbed: Normal Route Date Climbed: September 1999A beautiful climb, though the weather was not really the best. Low clouds and fresh wind did not allow us to stop a long time in the final corridor. Nevertheless it was my second three-thousander. A day to remember
Diego Sahagún - Apr 15, 2002 6:18 pm
Route Climbed: Corredor del Lago Helado - Normal Route Date Climbed: July 1987Me and my family didn't reach the summit because a hail storm stopped us until Lago Helado. We wore shorts and raincoat. Took shelter in little mouth of a rock covered by a life-saving blanket. The temperature came down, soon we left the shelter and descended. The sun appeared when we were arriving to the hut where we had camped.
Diego Sahagún - Apr 15, 2002 4:59 pm
Route Climbed: Corredor del Lago Helado - Normal Route Date Climbed: July 1989After having attempted Monte Perdido some years ago we (my father, one brother and some friends of mine) reached the summit in 1989. It was my highest mountain climbed ever. After having passed the night before in a tent near the hut, we climbed the peak on a sunny day. I remember the big scree after Lago Helado towars the summit and the big snow patch surrounding it. There was a sea of clouds below.