The Pyrenean Haute Route
This is a very personal project for me, but I want to share it with you anyway. Especially how I approached it and why. Leave me a comment at the end or follow me on mastodon… See you in August⛰️
23. June 2026
Start Date
~6 weeks/44 stages
Project Runtime
763km
Total Distance
42.510Hm
Total Elevation Gain
Finished
Status
Birk
Author
Live Updates from the Trail
Read all updates
- Loading Birk's updates…
You can follow our account on Mastodon for more small updates about the COC.
Motivation: Why just why?
Last year, I asked myself, “What’s still holding me back from starting a farm with Jessy right now and turning the HAFH plan into reality?” This mind-wandering eventually led me to ask whether there were things I still wanted to do before committing myself long-term to a project in a fixed location — one that would absorb a large part of my time and energy and in which I would bear responsibility for animals, land, and people. One of these things was to spend a winter in a remote mountain hut. Another is a long-standing desire that took shape during a low point in my life and, while it has evolved ever since, has remained consistent in its essence: a solo thru-hike. It’s no coincidence that both projects involve elements of solitude and an exploration of my own capabilities. I’ve always been a very insecure person, with very pronounced strengths that help me mask that insecurity. I don’t trust anything or anyone just like that, and I find it hard to lose control. Living this way can be very exhausting in the long run. Trust comes from experience, and so does trust in yourself. Discovering that I can go further than I think I can, that I can survive situations where I have no control, and that I can develop a sense of security even without the people I trust — these realizations motivate me to undertake these projects.
What’s this Project about?
Preparation: Gettin’ ready
Physical & mental preparation
My physical and mental preparation began already in December 25. The decision to undertake the HRP came a little later, in February 26. It quickly became clear that the optimal timeframe would be between late June and mid-August 26. That way, most of the snow in the high mountains should have melted by the time I arrive there, and at the same time, I’ll avoid the first rains of early fall. Traveling from west to east supports this strategy, as it means I’ll reach the high mountains a bit later. During my time at the Jenatsch, I intensified and structured my training. Extended skitouring with significant elevation gain at low intensity on the one hand and high-intensity sessions on cross-country skis in the valley on the other — a polarized training model, for those who are interested. I also incorporated strength training and yoga. I was also able to make excellent use of the time to gain experience with solo ascents in alpine terrain and to explore the risks and mental challenges involved. After the season, I wanted to capitalize on the benefits of altitude acclimatization and train with high volume at the end of April. It started off well, but then I suffered a knee injury in mid-May during my first cycling session. Even after weeks, it wasn’t getting any better, so I had to seek help here in Southern France. An osteopath then told me that knee pain often occurs when we’re afraid of not making it. Are you kidding me? But honestly, the treatment really helped. Just before the start of the tour, my knee feels stable again. Although I wasn’t able to prepare as planned over the last month, it has helped me in another way: to lower my expectations and start the tour with a more relaxed mindset. I’ll take it day by day, see what I can do, and enjoy every moment — even knowing in the back of my mind that I might not get very far.
Food & Nutrition
Anyone who’s ever eaten trekking food knows that “It’s edible” isn’t a compliment — except in some parts of Germany. But honestly, there’s a lot about it that’s unsatisfying: the taste, the ingredients, the waste, the small portion size and low energy density, and the price. I’ve been considering making my own food for my adventures for quite some time now. And the HRP is the perfect opportunity for that: I need to consume enough energy and nutrients over an extended period, stay healthy, and not lose my appetite. So I set myself the challenge of preparing varied meals for 44 days—100% BIO, vegan only for preservation reasons, and with a high calorie and nutrient density. I’ll probably end up with a daily calorie requirement of between 3,500 and 4,000 kcal. My goal is to cover 3,500 kcal with three meals a day; the rest will have to come from reserves 🙂 And to keep the weight I’m carrying manageable, everything I bring along should have more than 4 kcal per gram. That way, no more than 875 g of food will accumulate in my backpack each day.
For breakfast, I’ll have one of six porridge variations with nuts and fruit. For a midday snack, I’ll have a coffee and a mix of salted nuts, students’ mix, and date energy balls. And as the highlight of the day, there’s a selection of nine dinner options as a reward: coconut curry, chili sin carne, lentil dal, ramen, lemon pasta, lentil bolognese, couscous, mushroom pasta, or a polenta pan. The ingredients are all pre-cooked and then dehydrated, so all I have to do on the go is boil some water, stir in my dish, and let it sit. That saves gas, and nothing can burn. Sure, the prep took a good week. But when you consider that I won’t have to cook for the next 6 weeks, it’s actually pretty efficient 🙂
To make sure I always have enough water for drinking and cooking, I use two 2-liter drinking bags. I also use a filter to keep the water clean. We tested each of the meals beforehand, and they turned out really well. I mean, I’m looking forward to every single one of them, and that’s worth a lot already.
Gear & Testing
On a solo thru-hike, you have to balance comfort and safety against weight. After all, it’s pointless if you can no longer enjoy carrying your own pack. That’s why the ultralight approach has become so widespread in the thru-hiking community — sometimes involving very specialized and, indeed, very lightweight gear; there’s nothing you can’t find. But I’m not a fan of the excessive consumption in the outdoor industry — especially when you rarely use the gear. So is there another way? I set myself the challenge of putting together everything from my existing gear, plus items I’d borrowed or bought secondhand. And it actually worked: aside from my trail shoes and a sleeping pad, I didn’t have to buy anything new. Sure, a lot of my gear — and the minimalism of my packing list — lean toward ultralight. However, neither my 5.5 kg base weight nor the fact that I’m carrying up to 7 kg of food and another 4 kg of water in my pack really makes it “ultralight.” So in the end, I’m looking at a total weight of 16.7 kg, including all the clothes I’m wearing. We’ll see if it’s enough in the end. Over the past few months, I’ve tested all my gear in various scenarios, readjusted it, tested it again, repacked it, and tested it once more. I’m pretty happy with how it is now, but I guess I won’t know if the weight will be a problem with my frameless pack until I’m actually on the trail…
Every five to seven days, a package should arrive for me at one of the resupply points along the way. It will contain new maps, food, coffee, and gas, as well as special gear like an ice axe and crampons, which I’ll need for the next section of the route. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for sending the packages♥️
9 responses to “Pyrenean Haute Route”
-
Lieber Birk, ich wünsche dir eine gute Zeit und freue mich auf deine Erzählungen. Hab dich lieb Mama
-
Hallo Birk, ich habe gerade mit Faszination deine/eure Berichte gelesen. Ich wünsche dir für deine Wanderung alles Gute, Erfolg, Glück und immer das richtige Bauchgefühl.Pass’ auf dich auf und ich hoffe auf ein gesundes Wiedersehen, irgendwann mal wieder im Odenwald. Ich drücke dir die Daumen für deine Wanderung und dir und Jessy alles Gute für eure gemeinsamen Pläne. Désirée
-
-
Hallo Birk,
ich bin begeistert von deinem Projekt und deinem Einfallsreichtum was die Planung angeht!
Grüße, Christian -
Hallo Birk,
Ich hoffe, dass du gleich zu Beginn (mit dem Hitzschlag) das Schlimmste erlebt hast und dass du die ganzen Etappen gut hinter dich bringst!
Wir verfolgen deine Berichte ganz gespannt und freuen uns schon dich gesund und munter in der Schweiz wiederzusehen 😘
Blanche, Schniggy und Ellie -
Lieber Birk, ich bewundere deinen Mut und dein Durchhaltevermögen. Ich freue mich auf jedes Update und weiß es sehr zu schätzen, dass du uns an dieser besonderen Reise so persönlich teilhaben lässt. Pass gut auf dich auf, komm gesund zurück und bis ganz bald! ❤️
-
Hallo Birk,
Wir hoffen, dass du dein verschollenes Paket gefunden hast und deine Verpflegung gesichert ist😋
Wir drücken dir die Daumen, dass dein Knie nach und nach besser wird und du, wenn möglich ohne Schmerzen, den HRP weiterlaufen kannst!
Wir sind SEHR stolz auf dich 😘
Blanche und Schniggy -
Léiwe Birk,
Wir freuen uns keine (negativen) Neuigkeiten dein Knie betreffend zu lesen und hoffen, dass du jetzt deinen Rhythmus gefunden hast!
Weiterhin viel Spaß und tolle Erlebnisse 😘
Blanche + Schniggy -
Hallo Birk,
Du kannst dir nicht vorstellen wie glücklich wir sind, dass du den HRP (einigermaßen) gut überstanden hast und wir hoffen dass du dich in den nächsten Tagen gut erholen kannst bevor‘s wieder zur Hütte hoch geht!
Wir freuen uns euch bald wiederzusehen 😘
Blanche, Schniggy und Ellie -
Lieber Birk, heute habe ich mir alles von dir über dein HRP Abenteuer durchgelesen. Zeit hätte ich in den letzten Wochen auch gehabt aber mein Mama Herz wollte nicht so richtig deinen Weg live verfolgen. Mit zeitlichem Abstand, kann ich dir meine Bewunderung schreiben.
Ich freue mich für dich, dass du diese Wanderung geschafft und viele Eindrücke und Lebenserfahrung gewonnen hast. Ich bin dankbar, dass du deine Erfahrung mit mir geteilt hast. Habe dich sehr lieb Mama.
Leave a Reply