Snow and Somport

[Ian Holdsworth]

Can anyone tell me when in the spring the Samport Pass is clear of snow and safe to walk.
I have read that there is a great problem of muddy paths. Information please.
Does the melt make the path useless until later in the year?
Also numbers of walkers on this route April/May ?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The road is a good alternative when there is mud or snow. Also, you can take a bus to Canfranc Estacion through the tunnel in bad weather. Somport is passable to hikers almost all the time even when the roads are closed to vehicles. "Be Prepared" for survival in inclement weather. October and November had very few pilgrims. I suspect that early spring is equally quiet. Many albergues are closed. Only one was open in Canfranc Estacion in November and opened only in the late afternoon. The Canfranc tourist office is very helpful, but keeps the usual Spanish hours.

 

[Alan Pearce]

Hi Ian,

I walked to Somport on 7th April last year. I kept to the road on the way up as I was short of time. and there was only one other pilgrim in the private hostal where I stayed. There were lots of skiers staying there also.

There was snow for about 1 km of the track leaving Somport the next morning, and a bit of ice on rocks for a little after that. My diary does not mention mud but makes note that the walk from Somport to Jaca was difficult because of the steep and rocky paths. I didn't see any other pilgrims until after Canfranc, and the albergue at Jaca was only sparsely occupied

Buen camino.

Alan.

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[Senyor Pirotecnic]

I found the above useful as I am hoping to walk Somport-Puente la Reina 6-12 April and am wondering (a) what the weather will be like and (b) how busy it will be. I guess closer the time I will have a better idea about the weather and as I am already in Spain I can abandon the whole idea if necessary. I imagine it will be busier than when Alan did it because of the Holy Year and the Easter holidays but I can't see it being overrun at this time of the year. Any comments on walking the CA in early April most welcome ...

 

[rolf]

Hi Senyor Pirotechnic,

I wish I could forecast the weather for April, it would make planning the camino so much easier... :?
I walked from Somport last year, end of March, and I had a really nice sunny day all the way to Jaca. The path was more or less dry, no mud, but I walked the first few km along the road as the camino was still covered with knee-deep snow. The next day from Jaca it was raining heavily, so I guess I was lucky.
I had the albergue in Jaca all for my own, then in Arres I met two other pilgrims, once again all alone in Ruesta, one other pilgrim in Sanguesa, and eight (!) other pilgrims in Monreal (and then of course hundreds in Puenta la Reina...).

So, in conclusion, the weather forecast for April will have sun and rain, maybe some snow. And there will be other pilgrims, though I doubt you will have problems finding accommodation.

Rolf

 

[Rebekah Scott]

you could always check the ski report for conditions at Somport. They´d tell you if there was fresh powder on the ground!

I think April is pretty safe. You might get wet, you might get muddy, but no one´s died up there in recent memory.

Just do it.
Reb.