Extreme caution is being urged after two hikers died in separate incidents on the same Pyrenean trail on New Year's Day. The news comes less than a month after we reported on two deaths that occurred in the same region, following a deadly summer in the Pyrenees.
According to reporting by French newspaper The Connexion, both hikers were women in small groups that were walking on a trail between the Col de Menté and the summit of the Cagire mountain, a 6,273ft peak in the French Pyrenees. According to AllTrails, the seven-mile trail is rated as hard and involves an elevation gain of 2,660 feet.
Though there were no treacherous weather conditions in the area on Wednesday, the first group was hiking in the morning when it encountered snow on a section of the trail that follows a narrow ridge. A woman slipped and fell more than 980 feet down the mountainside. That afternoon, the second woman fell in the same section.
The same mountain rescue unit, the CRS Pyrenees, was called to both incidents where they found the hikers dead on arrival. One woman is reported to have been a local to the area, and the other was a visitor.
Access to hiking paths around the Cagire mountain has been temporarily restricted, while CRS Pyrenees wrote on Facebook that medium-altitude trails are currently experiencing heavy levels of hard, icy snow. Teams urge caution to anyone planning to hike in the area this winter, suggesting everyone come equipped with crampons and an ice axe.
Winter hiking safety
Hiking in any season carries with it inherent risk, but winter conditions bring their own unique hazards, especially at higher altitudes. Before setting off this winter, always observe the following:
- Check the mountain weather forecast
- Know how to read an avalanche forecast and carry avalanche gear for steeper slopes, including an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe
- Dress in winter hiking layers
- Carry traction devices
- Leave extra time for slower speeds
- Be prepared for reduced visibility and have additional navigation devices such as a map and compass
- Pack an emergency blanket, fire starter, first aid kit, headlamp or flashlight
- Consider investing in a satellite communicator for hiking, such as a Garmin InReach device
You can learn more in our article on winter hiking safety.
- The best winter hiking boots: for unbeatable performance in the cold
