St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles

[George Plaxton]

I wrote the following message last June in response to a specific
request. It deals with the same subject raised by Robin in a message
dated December 13. Hope this is of interest.

                I left Saint Jean PP, France at 7:30 AM on April 7 last.
After about an hour into the trek, the ground fog had burned off and it
became a glorious, sunny day. However, along the Route Napoleon,
impassable snow drifts were reported and the Route was declared closed.
Pilgrims who attempted that route were directed to take the Valcarlos
route through the Ibaneta pass where the snow was spotty and the little
that remained was melting quickly. I arrived in Roncesvalles, at about
4:30 PM. There I met a retired lawyer in his early 60's from New Zealand
who had much experience trekking in the mountains of the N.Z. South
Island. He was unaware of the closure of Route Napoleon and had
attempted that route before units of the Guardia Civil had established
road blocks. He became lost and disoriented in the snow covered tracks
and had to turn back and take the Valcarlos route. He said he was lucky
to have found his way back at all. He was dressed in shorts and was
badly scratched about the shins.
                I found the Valcarlos route to be the most gruelling day's stage of
the entire Camino. I was lost briefly when the track exited onto the
highway to Roncesvalles. I spent some time before I was directed by a
local Spaniard to the point where the track continued away from the
highway.It was poorly marked. The trek into O Cebriero was the second
most difficult day's journey but was far less demanding and
significantly easier to complete.
                The St. Jean PP to Roncesvalles trek led me to rethink
my priorities. I mailed two weighty boxes of "excess" items of clothing
and equipment to Santiago; one from Puenta La Reina and the other from
Logrono. I contemplated a third shipment but did not get around to doing
it. My pack was down to about 20 lbs without food and water. I believe I
could have reduced it further by about 3 lbs. more. I should explain
that I turned 69 at the end of May and would describe myself as being
reasonably fit for my age. However, I would not do the trek from St.
Jean again unless I started from a point in France at least 3 days
distant from St. Jean so as to overcome any lingering jet-lag and work
myself up to the challenge. I would also lighten my pack before leaving
home. As it was, I had arrived in Spain late on the second day before
the day I left St. Jean, having flown Toronto-Frankfurt and
Frankfurt-Bilbao. Following my arrival in Spain, I bused to Pamplona
and stayed there overnight and hitch-hiked to St. Jean where I stayed
overnight and departed the next morning. I hope this is helpful to those
senior citizens proposing to start from St. Jean PP.

                 George