Do you ever take a GPS when you hike in the Pyrenees? Would you recommend one for the HRP

Hi guys,

My plan is to start the HRP on July 1st from Hendaye, with a 23 day schedule.
http://hrp2011.blogspot.com/

I'm hoping to get my pack weight down to just under 10kg, and won't be carrying a stove this time. But I'll definitely take my Camp Corsa iceaxe, and probably Kahtoola Microspikes.

Chris

Edited by chrisupson on 05/10/2011 07:05:36 MDT.

Chris, I'll see you in mid-July then. By the way, what is the source of the Google map with the HRP route on your blog page?

In Europe I use a MSR Superfly as it takes both the screw on and Gaz pop fit canisters. This seems to be important as you are crossing from France to Spain and back. I found on the GR5 (full North Sea to Med trip) a few years ago that you could usually get one or the other canister type but rarely both in the same place.

I have modded the Superfly by removing the MSR burner head which is huge and unwieldy for packing due to the design of the pot supports. I replaced it with a Monatauk Gnat burner head. The threads are compatible. The Superfly is 132g but with the Gnat burner this reduces to 85g. I add a foil windscreen to complete the setup.

Rick, I'll probably see you around halfway if you're hiking East to West. Happy to exchange cell no. if you want to liaise a meeting point. The Google maps on my blog were drawn by hand using the 1:50,000 French Rando maps. I'm guessing I'll need to chop down the 10 maps needed for the HRP, since it'll be too bulky to take the full maps.

(repeat post)

Edited by Legkohod on 05/11/2011 02:37:24 MDT.

Chris, I'm actually not carrying a cell phone. I'll have an iPod only. Thanks for the maps. I recognized their fairly good accuracy by comparing them to the Joostens guide. If you would like I can send you the 86 screenshots I made of your map for my iPod. It will be a good complement to the Joostens guide.

I've got your email address and can send you some messages along the way to say where I am, but that will probably be the only way of trying to arrange a meeting. Chances are probably 95% that we'll meet, so I'll see you on the trail!

Rick, I agree there's a 95% chance we'll bump into each en route, if we are both on the Joostens route. I will attempt to put a schedule together and post on my HRP blog during the next few days. However my experience from the GR11 was that it was quite tricky to predict how far I'd hike each day. Overall I'm planning to double stage the route, but it will not be exact double staging. It will be a far more flexible approach than that. My main planning will be to figure out the places to re-stock with food, and how much food to carry. I'm assuming that a fair few of meals will need to be purchased from refugios, which could work out quite expensive. On the GR11 last year, I never had any chance of checking email or blogging en route. My days were all too long for that!

Jim and I hiked the HRP last year and posted a pretty thorough trip report that offers one opinion about many of the things that have come up on this thread. In case any of you haven't seen those two posts:

Part 1 HRP Trip Report

Part 2 HRP Trip Report

And about MAPS... Alan Dixon and I have researched using the iPhone/iTouch/iPad as a GPS/map device. There are a few things you all should know. It can be a GREAT solution for the HRP, and I wish I'd had it. (We just used an iPhone for a six week hike in Turkey, so we've had field experience). In advance of publication of the article, here are some tips...

1. Three two apps you should look at: Gaia GPS - Offline Topo Maps; and iPhiGeNie Maps of France. Each of those three apps offer different things, so you probably want to use all three (they are dang cheap). All of them allow you to pre-download all the maps, so you don't need a WIFI or cell connection while on the trail. Gaia gives you OpenCycleMaps, Galileo gives you satellite images (more complicated and less important than the other two apps), and iPhiGeNie gives you government published IGN maps. Fantastic stuff - honestly.

2. Read the "Battery Life" section of my earlier post. I found a few more things that are covered in the not-yet-published article, but this will get you started.

Send me a PM if you have questions about the iThings maps and apps, or about the HRP.

Amy

Edited by drongobird on 07/07/2011 07:11:41 MDT.

I am back now after hiking the HRP in 24 days, starting on 1st July.
hrp2011.blogspot.com

It was a tremendous experience with fantastic scenery, and good to bump into Rick DeLong on Day 15 above Salardu, who was hiking in the opposite direction.

In general the weather was OK, but I did need one enforced rest day at Hospital de Benasque due to low cloud and pouring rain all day.

Edited by chrisupson on 07/29/2011 01:11:55 MDT.

Hello all,

Great to have found the site. Will be trekking across the Pyrenees from Hendaye to Banyules this summer, with my Boxer. Does anyone have any info on which parts of the HRP are not accessible to large dogs. Thanks a bunch.

Patrick

Hi there,

I read your post from last year. How was it? I'm planning to do the Gr10 this summer with my dog; any advice and info would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Patrick

Hi, I am leaving for HRP on the 17th of July. I am planning on trying to complete coast to coast from Hendaye to Banyuls till 30th of August. I was planning on doing it solo due to lack of willing participants. To those having done it is it too risky? Or to those that haven't done it is anyone willing to join me?

Konstantin,

I'm hoping to do that trek sometime in the next few years, and I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences. If you write a trip report or post photos, please post a link to this thread so that I'll be sure to notice it (I may be out on a multiple-week trip when you post and I could miss it, but I watch this thread).

Have a great trip!

I am not quiet sure if I will walk the whole stretch or walk till Salardu and finish the rest next year, since I found a walking companion that is a bit reluctant to go further. I would be very glad though to pass on any photos and information acquired. I appreciate the farewell wishes :-)