Balaitous, Pirineos Españoles, Ascenso Guiado

I had the BEST experience on this guided climb with David! As an avid hiker but someone completely new to mountaineering, I wasn’t sure what to expect—physically or mentally—but the whole day blew me away. I’ve never climbed a mountain in my life (sorry, David!), but I’ve been wanting to venture into mountaineering for a long time. From the very beginning, everything was handled so well: communication beforehand, making sure I had the correct gear, setting the schedule, and walking me through what the day would look like. David even picked me up in the morning with extra rental equipment I couldn’t fit in my suitcase, and from there the adventure began. I really appreciated that he set a comfortable, steady pace, pointing out sights along the way and sharing stories about the surrounding peaks and landscape. He’s such a genuinely kind person, and we had a great time chatting during the ascent. It must be an incredible job, and I have so much respect for people who train and do this regularly. Since I had never used crampons or done any kind of ice climbing/hiking before, David made sure I was always clipped in and safe. He was incredibly patient any time I needed a moment to slow down or adjust. We also got unbelievably lucky with the weather—forecast said it would be terrible, but it turned into one of the most beautiful days I’ve ever seen. And because bad weather had been predicted, no one else was on the mountain. It was surreal. David said Aneto is normally packed during the season, with people lined up waiting to reach the summit, but we had the entire place to ourselves aside from a couple of hikers who arrived later. You could literally hear a pin drop. It felt like a dream. I also kept asking to stop for photos (sorry again, David!) because the scenery was ridiculously stunning, and he was always happy to pause while I grabbed a shot. At the summit, he even shared some super good strawberry gummies with me to celebrate—such a small thing, but it made the moment even more awesome. Overall, this was genuinely one of the best experiences of my life. As a woman traveling alone, I felt completely safe, comfortable, and supported the entire time. I can’t recommend this climb—or these guides—enough. If you’re thinking about climbing Aneto in the Pyrenees, do it. Seriously. It was unforgettable.

Slightly changed plans, but I had a great trip to the Via Ferrata in Canfranc Estacion. Jorge delivered highly skilled guiding and was also a very pleasant hiking buddy!

Juan Carlos was an exceptional guide and quite a great help at different points throughout the trip. When my primary guide couldn’t make it, Juan Carlos stepped up. He helped me get a more-fitting set of crampons for the trip, he helped along the route, and he accommodated when I asked to break, move faster, or divert. Many guides I’ve had in the passed did what they wanted. He respected my experience and my asks. This was a great trip, we pushed through the questionable weather, and made it to the summit.

I succesfully climbed Vignemale with David even if i had vertigo. David is very experienced and was able to bring me to the summit and back without a scratch. Thank you , amazing experience I highly recommend.