Aside from Rafa and Diego, is there anyone else who wants to post? Don't be shy...please...

~Swifty

Swifty,

I've e-mailed back to you but I won't be back home til next weekend, it's time for holidays

Swifty wrote:Aside from Rafa and Diego, is there anyone else who wants to post? Don't be shy...please...

Swifty,

I find this guide quite useful:

"El Pirineo Central a través del IV grado"

written by Alberto Urtasun Uriz (in Spanish).
Colección Guías de Escalada - Editorial Desnivel
ISBN nr.: 8496192113
13 euros

good luck

Gracias John Climber, I will check that book out most definitly...and by the way, in your profile page, I like some of your photos. I represent cinematographers for a living and I can say with authority, you have talent. Also, I like the quote of dialogue between you and your mum. Inspiring.

~Swifty

Swifty wrote:Gracias John Climber, I will check that book out most definitly...and by the way, in your profile page, I like some of your photos. I represent cinematographers for a living and I can say with authority, you have talent. Also, I like the quote of dialogue between you and your mum. Inspiring.

~Swifty

Swifty, I am, indeed, photographing for living. Photography is a passion for me. Nevertheless, climbing is a passion too, and so far I have not found the way to combine both. When I go climbing I am so much into it that I don't focus on photographing. When I am photographing I am not climbing....

Just a pitty. Anyway, thanks for your kind compliments.
Greetings

John Climber,

Sounds like you need and agent or manager to help you balance your artistic skills, and give you guidance & direction to find an audience for your endeavors...for example, check out Stefano Zardini's work. He photographs to Dolomites like no one else. His work is stunning and inspiring. Check out his website: www.dolomitiphoto.com

Back to climbing in the Pyrenees and a few questions for you and all the other SPAINISH climbing brothers & sisters:

1) We fly from LA to Barelona and have 2 weeks to climb in the PYRENEES. We want to know if ANDORRA climbing is worth it, or should we cut to the chase and make a beeline for VIGNEMALE. What do you think?

2) What's the coolest city in the Pyrenees to use as a base for access to a lot of diffrent climbing destinations?

3) What's the best local wine and beer in the Pyrenees (this question should get a 1000 replys!!!)?

~Swifty

When I went to the Pyrenees back in April I used the town Benasque as our entry point. This gives you good access both to Aneto and Posets (and their satellites). It meant a 5 hour bus journey from Barcelona, with a change over at Barbastro, but was well worth it. Zaragoza is closer though.

As for the wine, what is your definition of best? Mine = cheapest, therefore you cant go wrong with a carton or two of Don Simon.

Enjoy your trip.

Igneouscarl - gracias for the beta. I like your profile page and some of your photos.

~Swifty

charles wrote:well at least here is a guide book

http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detai ... e-pyrenees

Charles

Charles, I just got the book in the mail and it's ok at best. FYI, the haven't updated it in over 10 years. Oh well...

~Swifty

Swifty,

as Igneouscarl suggested Benasque is the 'Chamonix' of the Pyrenees...it's the place to be (from the spanish point of view at least): access to Posets, Maladeta and Aneto.

Another interesting area is the one of Torla (west of Benasque) for climbing at Monte Perdido (from Valle de Ordesa), another classic top. To climb Monte Perdido you can also try it from Valle de Pineta. In this case you'll start at Bielsa.

Gavarnie, in France, is the french 'Benasque'. A suitable startpoint for Vignemale...

Another interesting area that I like very much is the area of Vielha, a valley hidden between Aneto, Maladeta massif to the SE, the mountains bordering with France to the north and the beautiful Parque Nacional de Aigüestortes y Estany de St. Maurici to the SE. Therefore, you have many possibilities from this point as well.

Still Benasque is the best place.

Over Andorra, I cannot help yoy.

Gracias John Climber,

Your beta is very helpful....I've only crossed one glacier while downclimbing Marmalada in the Dolomites, and the SP postings for the POSEST, MALADETA and ANETO doesn't give a whole lot of info on how much ice is on the mountains during August....will I need crampons and ice ax for the ridge climbs in the 5.6 to 5.7 range?

~Swifty

Swifty,

I'm not the expert on Pyrenees here. That person is Rafa Bartolome...

Anyway, over the hardware you'll need for your purpose.

On the ridges (for example, from Petit Vignemale to Grand Vignemale) you won't need crampons nor piolet. But for descending routes and approach routes it is very recommended to carry, at least, a pair of crampons. The weather can be tricky in august, with low temperatures that can make the small glaciers icy..and in the glaciers of vignemale are some crevasses (not deep but yes 5 or 10 mtrs fall). You could find soft snow and a very weared track...but you could find slippery ice too if the weather is less fine.

This is also valid for Aneto (from Collado Coronas to summit there is a 40 grades snow slope of 300 mtrs aprox.) and for some chimmeneys around Posets. The area of Monte Perdido known as La Escupidera might not have snow anymore...but that's not known till you are there.

I would definitely bring crampons with me (those light aluminium ones are very useful for this kind of situations. Not very hard and resistant but just enough for this situations).

Good luck with your project.

John Climber