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Monte Perdido & Cirque De Gavarnie Europe | 3,355M Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie Europe | 3,355m www.360-expeditions.com Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie | Europe | 3,355m The magnificent UNESCO World Heritage de Gavarnie. Approaching the mountain from Pyrenees National Park and the Ordesa this direction allows us to stand in awe of the wilderness area is dominated by the “Lost park’s best known features, the stupendous Mountain”, Monte Perdido. This grandiose vertical walls of the Cirque itself, the Gran mountain massif, standing at 3,335 metres, is Cascade (Europe’s highest waterfall) and the the highest limestone mountain in Europe and Brèche de Roland, a striking gap in the jagged third highest peak in the mighty Pyrenees. skyline ridge which forms the border between France and Spain and is the entrance to the From this enormous mountain plunging spectacular Perdido National Park. canyons and vast glacial cirques, some several thousand metres deep, emanate in every direction of the compass. An ascent of this remarkable mountain rewards you with a birds eye view of one of the most beautiful and unique wilderness areas in Europe. Although the focus for this magnificent 3-day ascent will be to climb Monte Perdido, we also get the opportunity to explore France’s impressive world heritage designated Cirque [email protected] CLICK TO: 0207 1834 360 www.360-expeditions.com BOOK NOW Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie Europe | 3,355m Physical - P2 Technical - T2 Prolonged walking over varied terrain. There Consider this a trek, although there may be may be uphills and downhills, so a good solid occasion to use hands for short sections of easy fitness is required. Expect to be able to do a 6 to scrambling. No previous climbing or trekking 8 hour walk over undulating terrain with a few experience is necessary. punchy uphill climbs carrying a pack up to 6kg in weight. Please note that the grading system used is a rough guide only. [email protected] CLICK TO: 0207 1834 360 www.360-expeditions.com BOOK NOW Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie | Europe | 3,355m [email protected] CLICK TO: 0207 1834 360 www.360-expeditions.com BOOK NOW Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie | Europe | 3,355m ITINERARY DAY 1 : Arrive France. Toulouse - Gavarnie DAY 2 : Col des Tentes (Gavarnie, France) - Refuge Goriz (Ordesa, Spain) You will be met at Toulouse airport by your 360 guide, who will be leading you on the Monte Perdido ascent, and We start our trek at the Col des Tentes at 2,200m, a short be taken by minibus to the French mountain village of distance west of the Gavernie. Starting off by heading for Gavarnie, which sits below the enormous glacial cirque the obvious symmetrical notch in the ridge known as the that shares its name. We’ll stay at a small local hotel in Brèche de Roland, we cross a river below a thundering the village and, after settling in, we’ll get to know our waterfall and soon reach the large French mountain team with a walk in to the heart of this massive refuge named after the Brèche. From here, we have amphitheatre. Then, after a hearty traditional supper, incredible views down into the Cirque de Gavarnie with its turn in for a good night’s sleep. 1,400m high wall of cliffs. Given its perfect symmetry, it’s not hard to imagine a giant carving out this unique (D) feature with a huge ice-cream scoop! Immediately noticeable to the far end of the Cirque is the “Grande Cascade”, Europe’s biggest waterfall which plunges spectacularly from the top edge of the cliffs. A steep climb brings us to the remains of the Glacier de la Brèche de Roland where we cross the border into Spain. The untamed wilderness of the Ordessa Perdido National Park becomes immediately tangible as we descend. Here, paths are few, and wildlife such as marmots and herds of the Pyrenean chamoix or Izard can be spotted. Occasionally the world’s largest bird of prey, the Lammergier, will glide effortlessly overhead. Following an old smugglers’ path over limestone scree and over a small saddle we descend to the high Alpine meadows that rim both the Ordesa and Anisclo Canyons. The trail here meanders through a unique and otherworldly karst landscape of dramatic rock formations and wide fissures into which surface streams disappear. Towards late afternoon we reach the spectacularly situated Goriz Refuge, our home for the next two nights, and we can relax, soak up the sunset and enjoy a tasty Spanish dinner. Trekking:7-8 hours (BLD) [email protected] CLICK TO: 0207 1834 360 www.360-expeditions.com BOOK NOW Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie | Europe | 3,355m ITINERARY DAY 3 : Climb Monte Perdido DAY 4 : Breche de Roland to Col de Tentes & Bagneres de Luchon (France) Leaving the refuge before sunrise, we climb steadily up a clearly marked trail in a southerly direction up a wide We’ll get an early start and are sure to encounter dozens slope, before turning into the steep sided glacier valley of playful marmots, herds of Izard and hopefully spot separating the spectacular summits of Cilindro de golden eagle or the lammergier. Today our trek reverses Marbore (3,328m) and our target, Monte Perdido. As we our route from the Goriz Refuge and we climb back to the climb, the sun will begin to light up the wide chasm of Brèche de Roland and cross back into France. Our ascent Europe’s biggest canyon, the Ordesa Gorge. Crossing to the Brèche might vary on conditions and how we feel through the “city of rocks” we might encounter our first after our big climb the day before, and can be made a snow, wide drifts which we can easily cross without little less arduous by remaining in the alpine pastures crampons, and after 3 to 4 hours we reach the small before crossing a low col and then beginning our steady mountain lake of Laguna Helado, nestled below the 300 metre climb to the Brèche on a different path. Once imposing walls of Cilindro and a broad col separating in France, we stop at the refuge for a coffee before these incredible mountains. descending another hour to the vehicle at Col de Tentes. From here, the mountain assumes a very different Once back at the vehicle we transfer 2-3 hours to the appearance to that we saw from the refuge, and at last French mountain town of Bagneres de Luchon. Here, we’ll admits superiority over the surrounding peaks as the check into a comfortable, central hotel and celebrate our terrain steepens and becomes more alpine in nature. remarkable weekend getaway with tasty French cuisine, From the lake we scramble up steeping slopes which, and no doubt a drop of fine French wine or beer! early in the season, might still be covered in snow and gain a broad gully which steepens near its top before Trekking time: 5-6 hours. reaching a saddle and the final summit ridge. The views from the summit of this incredible mountain are immense: (BL) falling below us is the summit of our closest neighbour, the incredibly precipitous Cilindro; to the south the steep DAY 5 : Depart to UK bluffs of the Sum de Ramond Canyon plunge deeply into the beautiful Valle de Pineta, while far off we can see the massive mountains of the Poset range and the highest Depending on the flight departure times, we may have a mountain in the French Pyrenees, the Vignemale. Below morning free to enjoy this beautiful mountain town. us, looking west we see the deep and mysterious Anisclo Numerous cafés and French bakeries line the main street Canyon carving deep into the earth and the vast for a leisurely start to the day, or you might want to limestone plateau empty abruptly into the mighty regain the birds eye perspective and take a paraglide Ordessa Canyon. Looking north we see the edge of the flight over the Luchon Pyrenees. Cirque de Gavernie and beyond this the impressive 3,000 metre mountains of the Spanish Pyrenees. We’ll stay on We’ll transfer to Toulouse Blagnac airport, which will take the summit for a while to soak up the grandeur of this around 2 hours, in preparation for our flights back to our immense wilderness area, before descending the same home countries. route back down to the refuge for a well-deserved supper and good night’s sleep. (B) Trekking: 7.4 km, 8-10 hours (Altitude gain: + 1,155m / -1,155m) (BLD) [email protected] CLICK TO: 0207 1834 360 www.360-expeditions.com BOOK NOW Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie | Europe | 3,355m [email protected] CLICK TO: 0207 1834 360 www.360-expeditions.com BOOK NOW Monte Perdido & Cirque de Gavarnie | Europe | 3,355m KIT LIST Bags & Packs Headwear Daysack Warm headgear 40-60L rucksack that is well worn in and with a This can be a warm hat, beanie, balaclava, good waist belt. A waterproof cover is advisable anything to reduce the heat loss from your head (remember that these covers are not 100% waterproof but act as a barrier) Whilst on the Wide brimmed hat mountain you will need to carry all of the kit that you are not wearing. Keeps the sun off exposed areas like ears and the nape of the neck Dry stuffsacks Sunglasses Pack some fresh clothing into bags to keep them dry in the event of a total downpour that seeps Category 4 wrap around style is highly into your kitbag.
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