Copyright © Victor Warth 2004-2009 All rights reserved. www.costablancamountainfriends.com
“Climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities
should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement” British Mountain Council
CBMF News
July 2008. The urge to experience more Vías Ferratas routes took us to Catalunya for 5 days.
There are more than 20 Vías Ferratas in the Catalunya region but due to the long distances involved it was only possible to tackle a handful of them and recce the others for year 2009.
The routes of Regina de Peramola and Montserrat Teresina were spectacular and no doubt
equal some of the best in the Dolomites. More Vías Ferratas in Catalunya are definitely on our calendar for July 2009. The party limit will be 4. See photos at www.mountainpixels.com
Vías Ferratas routes can be seen at Routes.
July 2008. Last year we had a successful mission in the Pyrenees where we ascended Pico Aneto 3404 metres. This year we topped our record by ascending Pico Mulhacén the highest mountain in mainland Spain at 3479 metres. The total ascent was more than 2000 metres and the going was hard. However we set a cracking pace and reached the summit in 5.5 hours.
Total circuit time was 9.5 hours. See photos at www.mountainpixels.com
April-May 2009. Our Danish member, Charlotte Jensen, achieved her long time ambition to hike the Camino de Santiago de Compostela....the way of St. James.
Not content with completing the mammoth 800 km hike she continued on to Finisterre and Muxia.
For anyone contemplating the Camino de Santiago hike Charlotte is prepared to share details of her adventure and give advice.
Email me through our general Contact page and I will pass your message directly to her.
A full introduction to the Camino de Santiago can be viewed on the following web site.
http://www.santiago-compostela.net/
July 2009. This years expedition to the Spanish Pyrenees encountered more glaciers and hotter weather than 2007. Based in Castiello de Jaca the team comprising of Edward, Gareth and Vic accessed the peaks from Candanchu, Jaca, Refugio de Lizara and El Riguelo.
Most were located within the Sierra de Aísa and included the following.
Penya Oroel 1769m
Bisaurin 2668m
Pico Llena del Bozo 2566m
Pico Llena de la Garganta 2599m
Pico de Aspe 2645m
Mallos Lecherin 2452m
Pico de la Garganta de Borau 2566m
El Sombero 2562m
Pico de la Garganta de Aísa 2502m
Our planned 3rd expedition to the Spanish Pyrenees was cancelled due to an accident.
Our expedition leader fractured his L3 vertebrae in June 2010.
The accident occurred while horse riding not mountaineering!
The Pyrenees expedition will proceed for 2011 and will include some of the highest peaks including the daunting 2884m Pic du Midi d’ Ossau in the French Pyrenees.
Our July 2010 our mountain club summer party was held at Vic and Helen’s villa in Javea.
We celebrated two wedding anniversaries and danced to live music by Jim G. Stewart.
A fabulous giant paella was cooked by Ross and Diane.
Good weather, good food and great friends.
Snow shoe walking in the Aigües Tortes, Spanish Pyrenees February 2011.
Here’s a report from Ellen our member from Holland.
If you are no good at skiing the alternative is snowshoe walking.
In my video I show images of my visit in February 2011 at the Aigües Tortes
region
in the Spanish Pyrenees. We walked from Arties to the Restanca hut, then to the Ventosa
hut, after that to the Colomers hut.
We could not cross to the Amitges hut because of the avalanche danger, for that reason
we
descended to Trédos and finished with a day walk through the beautiful Redu valley.
My
slides will give another insight into our adventure.
She’s off again!
Not content with having hiked the Camino de Santiago in 2009 our Charlotte departs for another epic pilgrimage in April 2011 along the Via de La Plata.
This route starts in Seville and passes through Caceres, Salamanca, Zamora, Ourense and then finally Santiago de Compostela.
The total distance is 1000 km and the route normally takes 6 weeks to complete.
Charlotte’s travelling log can be viewed on our Camino de Santiago de Compostela page.
Philippe receives his club badge after waiting 4 years!
Although Philippe has been climbing with our club for 4 years, every time we prepare to give him his badge he disappears and starts another DIY project on his villa!
This time on June 11th 2011 near the Barranc del Infierno in the Val de Laguar Vic was able to present Philippe with his long overdue club badge.
Assisting Vic was Maxine, Jill, Caroline, Chrissie, Denise, Jackie and Alfred.
Philippe and friends keeping cool on the Rigidalstock Engelberg via ferrata in the Swiss Alps June 2011.