Weather at Roncesvalles

[Deleted member 3000]

After about 35 cm of snow, there will be winds up to 60 mph and temperatures down to -10 C!! It likely will be worse at higher elevations...

It is not a good day to be leaving SJPdP.

 

[trecile]

After about 35 cm of snow, there will be winds up to 60 mph and temperatures down to -10 C!! It likely will be worse at higher elevations...

It is not a good day to be leaving SJPdP.

As these South Korean pilgrims discovered!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

As these South Korean pilgrims discovered!

This summer sign will have said closed, and the pilgrims chose to ignore it.

 

[Bradypus]

This summer sign will have said closed, and the pilgrims chose to ignore it.

The newspaper article says that members of the group were picked up by vehicle on the Valcarlos route. I don't think they were trying to cross the Route Napoleon and if so would not have seen and ignored that sign.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I don't think they were trying to cross the Route Napoleon and if so would not have seen and ignored that sign.

I think the pilgrims on the Valcarlos route alerted officials to the missing cohorts.

"Also the Civil Guard of Traffic was forced to collect in the top of Ibañeta two of them, who presented / displayed leg ailments and symptoms of hypothermia. In the middle of the afternoon, they were taken to the Roncesvalles shelter, where they could rest and recuperate. Indeed, the South Korean Hyeonje was one of the two pilgrims who gave the notice from Roncesvalles that two of his companions had not yet reached their destination."

The sign is at the intersection of the two routes, so the entire group saw it. Part went Valcarlos, part decided on Ibaneta.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I thought Ibeneta was after Valcarlos.

"Rappelons que la première étape du camino francés offre deux options au départ de Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port : la variante ouest (ou voie basse, NDLR), passe par Luzaide-Valcarlos et le col d’Ibañeta (1000 mètres d’altitude), tandis que la variante est (ou voie haute, NDLR), monte par Huntto et Orisson (où il est possible de dormir), puis le col de Lepoeder (1432 mètres d’altitude). "

There are 2 options out of SJPP: the western, or lower route, goes by Luzaide-Valcarlos and the Ibaneta pass, whereas the easter, or higher route, goes up by Huntto and Orisson and then the Lepoeder pass.

 

[Bradypus]

The sign is at the intersection of the two routes, so the entire group saw it. Part went Valcarlos, part decided on Ibaneta.

The Valcarlos route passes through Ibaneta. I walked it myself in September. It is not a choice between walking Valcarlos or Ibaneta. I've re-read the article and can see nothing in it to suggest that the parties took different routes. The most that I can draw from it is that they were going at different rates and found in different places.

 

[DanielH]

I think the pilgrims on the Valcarlos route alerted officials to the missing cohorts.

"Also the Civil Guard of Traffic was forced to collect in the top of Ibañeta two of them, who presented / displayed leg ailments and symptoms of hypothermia. In the middle of the afternoon, they were taken to the Roncesvalles shelter, where they could rest and recuperate. Indeed, the South Korean Hyeonje was one of the two pilgrims who gave the notice from Roncesvalles that two of his companions had not yet reached their destination."

The sign is at the intersection of the two routes, so the entire group saw it. Part went Valcarlos, part decided on Ibaneta.

The assumption is that each of them saw it. You can place all the signage in the world and people still miss them or don't read them.

 

[Bradypus]

The assumption is that each of them saw it. You can place all the signage in the world and people still miss them or don't read them.

I don't think that the issue in this particular case is the signage. Nothing in the news story suggests that the rescued walkers missed or ignored a "closed" sign and attempted to walk the Route Napoleon. The delayed walkers were found at Ibaneta which is on the Valcarlos route. They have had an unfortunate experience and they may not have been fully prepared for the conditions they encountered: it seems unfair to imply that they were being reckless by walking a closed path when nothing in the news report supports that conclusion.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The assumption is that each of them saw it.

They can see the red and white balises, the map showing the two routes, and the sign for the refuge at Orisson, but they can miss the warning sign? Possible.

 

[jirit]

what does the sign look like when the route is closed?

 

[jirit]

Found a couple of images. There is room for some improvement in terms of signage

 

[kay lee]

As these South Korean pilgrims discovered!

What is the date of article?

 

[ChloeRose]

That's nuts! Makes me want to try a winter Camino though. If properly prepared it would be a a very cool trip!