Brand Ambassador Gear List: Erin "Wired" Saver

By: Erin "Wired" Saver

The Pyrenees mountain range, which creates a natural border between Spain and France, runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. There are multiple routes that can be traveled along the length of the Pyrenees, but I wanted the one that would stay higher and not dive down to villages as often. The Haute Route Pyrenees (HRP) is about a 500-mile route that traverses the Pyrenees while trying to stay high and closer to the crest as much as possible. After having done some other high routes in the U.S., this one caught my eye. Since there can be a great range in weather at anytime in the Pyrenees, I wanted gear that could handle all that I might encounter.

My gear evolves slightly each year, with most of the main items rarely changing. I have used the Gossamer Gear Mariposa since 2013, and it's become like a security blanket. I feel unlucky without it. I know I could carry the smaller and lighter Gossamer Gear Gorilla, but I like the flexibility of having more space to pack in more if I want.

I tend to pack conservatively, so packing for a wide range of weather really wasn't much of a change from the gear I would bring on the long trails I've hiked in the U.S. The key was to be aware of the weather. The Pyrenees is mostly above treeline, so I knew I needed to be in low locations if fronts came through.

In recent years, I've migrated towards always carrying a slightly heavier rain jacket (now the Montbell Torrent Flier) and the Liteflex Hiking (Chrome) umbrella. I know I can get cold quickly in rain, so I also carry rain paints that some would consider overkill. They also work well for general warmth on cold nights.

An unexpected challenge in the Pyrenees was the strength of the wind at times. I likened it to hiking with a jet engine with the force and noise it could make. I often used my buff over my ears more for silence than warmth.

My major gear change for this year was ditching the camera and using my smartphone instead. As a blogger, this was a big step. I never used the camera to its full ability, so found this to be an easy transition. It gave me one less thing to carry, was more time efficient, and even saved me enough weight to reason upgrading my external battery. This gave me even more flexibility in the length of time I could be out between charges.

With the chances of high winds and precipitation at night, I was very aware of where I pitched my tent. I did have a surprise thunderstorm one night when I camped up high, and a brief hail storm where I had to find shelter one day, but other than that, I did well with getting low or being in a village when storms came through. I usually don't use a ground cloth under my tent, but I brought one for the Pyrenees, and was glad I did. Camping, rather than using refuges, is less popular out there, so the camp spots were often on rough ground and had a lot of sheep droppings. Beautiful locations though!

The Pyrenees have to be one of the most scenic places to hike in the world. The view to mile ratio is the best I've had on any route or trail, but it isn't without hard work. The route is rarely level, and the elevation changes are quite steep with long stretches on rocky terrain. The path is generally well marked, so navigation is not very difficult. Due to how strenuous the route can be and the weather's unpredictability, there is a fair amount of solitude along the HRP. That adds to the magic of it all, and I highly recommend this route for anyone looking for a rewarding challenge in the mountains.

You can find a detailed daily blog of my thru-hike of the Haute Route Pyrenees from July 2nd to August 5th on my website. You can also find my upcoming list of presentations to learn more about my recent travels here: http://walkingwithwired.com/2017/10/presentation-season-has-arrived.html

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Erin "Wired" Saver is a Gossamer Gear Brand Ambassador and long distance thru-hiker. Learn more about her adventures on her website.