Climbing the Pic des Posets (Pyrenees)

Description

This trek takes you to the summit of Pic des Posets, the second-highest peak in the Pyrenees at 3375 meters, just 30 m lower than its big brother Aneto (3404 m). Both are on the Spanish side, but the hike starts on the French side.

Both nights are spent at the Viados refuge, with its breathtaking views of the Posets. The climb up the north face is demanding, but doesn't require any great technique. It's not mountaineering, but you do need to be very fit. The days are long and the kilometers numerous, enough to satisfy those who seek to surpass themselves.

The scenery is very wild, and most of the time you won't meet many people on the trails. A loop is planned to return to the starting point.

If you're interested in other treks in the Pyrenees, you can follow me on an original trek in the Néouvielle reserve or the Añisclo canyon trekking.
I also offer training courses for autonomy, such as a 3-day course for trekking preparation in the Aure valley, or a 2-day introduction to bivouacking in the Pyrenees.

Program

D1: Trek starts at the Rioumajou hospice.
The trek begins at the Rioumajou hospice (1570m) in a valley steeped in history, long recognized as a crossing point between France and Spain. Wild in winter as it's inaccessible by road, it's more crowded in summer as visitors come to admire its beauty.
For our part, we leave the crowds behind very quickly, as we have to make our first ascent to reach the border pass at an altitude of 2530 meters. Once in Spain, a long descent through hooked pines with a view of the Posets, the second highest peak in the Pyrenees, takes us to the Viados hut at 1760 meters altitude.
Once there, we enjoy a well-deserved aperitif in front of the next day's objective, the summit of the Pic des Posets.
Positive altitude difference: 1200 meters, negative altitude difference: 1000 meters, 7 to 8 hours of walking.

D2: Pic des Posets ascent.
We start our hike very early. After breakfast at the hut, we pick up our Spanish-style picnics for a marathon day. It's via the north face, the wildest but also the toughest, that we reach the summit at an altitude of 3375 meters!
At the start, the route gives us time to warm up, and it's from the forest onwards that the slope becomes steep, alternating with grassy slopes and scree, with no real technical difficulties, but requiring a high level of fitness.
Once we've climbed to the summit, we descend via the normal route before climbing back up to the Col d'Eriste at 2800 meters and beginning the 1000 downhill meters back to the Viados hut.
D+ and D-: 1800m, 10 to 11 hours of walking.

D3: Return hike on the French side.
After the feat of the day before, your legs will tired. But you still have to return to France. Today's itinerary is different from the first day, and several successive climbs enable us to reach the border pass at an altitude of 2600 meters. Wild and tranquil, the landscape will motivate you to climb. You'll then follow up with an equally beautiful descent, punctuated by waterfalls, to return to the Rioumajou hospice.
D+: 1100m, D-: 200m, 5 to 6 hours of walking.

Altitude differences and walking times are estimates and may vary according to conditions, participants' pace, etc.

I reserve the right to modify this program for various reasons, such as the weather or the physical condition of participants.

The price includes

• Supervision by the mountain leader.
• Full board in mountain huts, from dinner on D1 to picnic lunch on D3.
• Transport by minibus from Arreau to the start of the trek.

The price does not include

• Transport to and from Arreau, one hour drive from Tarbes or Saint-Gaudens.
• Cancellation insurance (optional).
• Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".

Accommodation

In hut.

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