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Hello Felipe, Sorry to hear about the cold wave.
Here's a nice warm and friendly wave to cheer everyone up a bitView attachment 16195
A cold wave arrived in Spain, the first in the latest three years, and will remain up to Sunday, or even Tuesday. The note (sorry, in Spanish) and a video here .
Spain's Tele5 webpage presents a video report on the conditions of Camino. It is dated yesterday; I suppose the actual images could be from previous days. It shows Alto do Poio, Liñares, Alto de San Roque, Acebo. Sorry, it is in Spanish, but the images are worthwhile to see. The path is completely buried by snow, and even the paved road is sometimes not walkable. Pilgrims report that visibility is limited, and signposts difficult to see. Guarda Civil has stopped them in Acebo. Interviewed walkers seem, anyway, quite motivated and cheerful.
See http://www.telecinco.es/informativo...go-frio-temporal-peregrinos_2_1937280090.html
"The Navarra government has imposed a pretty hefty rescue fee"
Mikel, I wholeheartedly agree with your reply, with one exception.In Spain usually the people that practicing mountain sports have a mountain licence covering all contingencies. the problem is of pilgrims who don't know the mountain, and ignore the instructions of the authorities on the weather forecast. It isn't the same as having an accident in Palencia (20 € taxi) to have it in the Pyrenees, here a helicopter is needed, several vehicles rescue, dogs trained in search, many people, health, Police, Firefighters etc.
The best is to have a good travel insurance.
Luck y Buen Camino.
Around 40 people die per year trying to climb the Mont Blanc.
The amount of mountaineers is 30.000 in 3 months (summer).
Mountains have always some risk and therefore the more people involved the more accidents will happen.
And your point is? My son's best friend and the world's best extreme skiers (Doug Coombs) died in an "accident" in La Grave several years ago, they were not taking chances in bad weather. It just happened these two expert skiers chose a couloir that turned out to be a 200 meter cliff.Around 40 people die per year trying to climb the Mont Blanc.
The amount of mountaineers is 30.000 in 3 months (summer).
Mountains have always some risk and therefore the more people involved the more accidents will happen.
Every accident has, in the final analysis, a reason it happened.And your point is? My son's best friend and the world's best extreme skiers (Doug Coombs) died in an "accident" in La Grave several years ago, they were not taking chances in bad weather. It just happened these two expert skiers chose a couloir that turned out to be a 200 meter cliff.
When I saw this article, http://www.diariodenavarra.es/notic..._aleman_otra_coreana_ibaneta_197033_2061.html
I thought it was the same rescue described in Mikel's post. But it's another one. It describes two pilgrims rescued near Ibaneta, luckily one had a cell phone. They are fine.
Thomas, I understand what you're saying, but what's going on is that people are heading up into the pass against the advice of everyone down below. Or maybe they're just starting out without getting anyone's advice, but in either case, I that shows some serious misjudgment. There was 60 cm of snow up there. I don't think anyone is saying that all people who need to be rescued are stupid.
The Navarra government has imposed a pretty hefty rescue fee, so at least the people who choose to ignore the advice and then live to regret it will have to reimburse the government that keeps sending rescue teams up to bring them down. Buen camino, Laurie
No way would I attempt that in snow! Tough enough anyway.Poladura and Puerto Pajares,
Weather forecasts are just that previsional views of what the day might have in store. High winds are a serious problem when crossing the Pyrenees and they should be heeded just like a snow warning. I walked from Orisson to Roncevalles last year in early June on a very warm, sunny day and by noon the wind created by the mountains thermals was enough to leave many people flat on their a$$es.Thanks for your reply Laurie.
To who pilgrims need to go for a good advice? My experience is that there is not such a thing as 'the advice'. As far as I know there is no authority anywhere who officialy decides if it is save or not on the camino. While any mountainpass for cars wille be blocked when there is too much snow, there is no such a thing on the camino, nor barriers which will be closed down.
Two years ago I asked advice in the pilgrims office in SJPdP after I walked there from le Puy, it was in july. I was there together with my wife who walked to Roncevalles already 3 times. The advice in the office was that you HAD to leave before 8 in the morning. To leave later was absolutely irresponsible. I feel gratefull for the system of pilgrims offices and the people who work there, but I was in shock because of this absolute advice. It was a standard advice which I had to interprete what it meant for me.
I followed the advice of my experienced wife...the next morning we left at 12, had all the road for ourselves, met bored people in Orisson waiting already for hours for the next day, and arrived in Roncevalles around 19.00 after a wonderful walk. Who was where irresponsible?
Different locals will also give different advice. Although by now I did quit some camino's, I still don't know who is where 'the authority'. I also wouldn't trust on the judgment of any random policeman I meet in the street. To some people, everything is very dangerous, even starting any camino.
Thanks for your reply Laurie.
To who pilgrims need to go for a good advice? My experience is that there is not such a thing as 'the advice'. As far as I know there is no authority anywhere who officialy decides if it is save or not on the camino. While any mountainpass for cars wille be blocked when there is too much snow, there is no such a thing on the camino, nor barriers which will be closed down.
Two years ago I asked advice in the pilgrims office in SJPdP after I walked there from le Puy, it was in july. I was there together with my wife who walked to Roncevalles already 3 times. The advice in the office was that you HAD to leave before 8 in the morning. To leave later was absolutely irresponsible. I feel gratefull for the system of pilgrims offices and the people who work there, but I was in shock because of this absolute advice. It was a standard advice which I had to interprete what it meant for me.
I followed the advice of my experienced wife...the next morning we left at 12, had all the road for ourselves, met bored people in Orisson waiting already for hours for the next day, and arrived in Roncevalles around 19.00 after a wonderful walk. Who was where irresponsible?
Different locals will also give different advice. Although by now I did quit some camino's, I still don't know who is where 'the authority'. I also wouldn't trust on the judgment of any random policeman I meet in the street. To some people, everything is very dangerous, even starting any camino.
... After this thread I think my main point probably is that I would like French and Spanish authorities to take responsability too. (with 'too' emphasized) While there are more at some days hundreds of people leaving SJPdP of going up to Fonsegrada, from which we all know that many people don't speak any word of spanish or are hardly prepared. Do we really expect just everyone to be able to judge?
It just sounds too easy for me too to let all responsability to pilgrims and let them pay the rescue. It isn't fair. It's not that difficult too make clear barriers and clear signs just outside SJPdP or any other place where needed when the risks are too high....
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