PYRENEES (eng)

 

 Mountain skiing with good mates



                Pyrenees is a range of mountains that extends from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean Sea. The highest peak rises to a height of 3404m (11,168 feet). Generally the best season for kayaking is when the snow is melting April-July, and the highest season for work is July-August. On the western part, in Euskal Herria, the mountains are smaller and rain is needed. Most kayaking rivers are in central Pyrenees, with the highest peaks. There are many low volume creek rivers, and still have to run more. Usually the roads are near the rivers, but going from valley to valley takes time, specially crossing the range.

Kayaking Adour de Lesponne river, and smiling.

                There are few river guidebooks that are like bibles for some: “White Water Pyrenees” from Patrick Santal, Gorka Ferro’s Aragonian rivers guidebook, etc.  You can check water levels in internet:

-For the south: www.saihebro.com (or http://195.55.247.237/saihebro/index.php?url=/datos/mapas/tipoestacion:A/mapa:H3),

-For the north: www.eauxvives.org 

-For the Leitzaran and Araotz rivers near Donostia: www4.gipuzkoa.net/oohh/web/eus/02.asp

Raft guiding “El Puño” rapid on the Ara River

                Since 2000 I’ve been many seasons on the Pyrenees kayaking, river guide working, climbing, canyoning, mountaineering, skiing, partying, driving, dancing, drumming, juggling, biking and partying again. 

Enjoying the scenery of Monte Perdido and other peaks.

                I river guided  on the Ara IV, Esera III+, Cinca and Gállego III(4). I based in Murillo de Gallego-Ayerbe area (Gallego river), Torla-Broto area (Ara river), Ainsa-Boltaña area (Ara&Cinca rivers), Campo (Esera river) and wherever I wanted in my old sky-blue Mercedes Benz 208 named “KUKI”, slow but tough warrior.

Kuki Banda. Welcome to my nomad house.

Upper Ara river, the slides of Bujaruelo.

The big slide of Bujaruelo section, the end of a long rapid.

Zinketa river, another creek jewel.

                   Descended River list

PYRENEES
RIVER	SECTION	DIFFICULTY
Leitzaran (Gipuzkoa)	. Klasikoa	IV (5)
Bidasoa (Gipuzkoa)	·Endarlatza-Hondarribi .LesaKA	II II-III
Oria (Gipuzkoa)	Tolosa	III
Araotz (Gipuzkoa)	Urtegitik-Oñati	IV
Artius+Basaburua (Nafarroa)	Aizarotz-Urritza	III FirstDescent
Beartzun (Nafarroa)	Urtegitik-Elizondora	IV
Ubagua (Nafarroa)	Riezu	II-III
Urederra (Nafarroa)	Zudaire-Eraul	III (4)
Urrobi (Nafarroa)	. Auritz-Arrieta . Arrieta-Itoitz	III-IV II-III
Irati (Nafarroa)	. Irabiatik Aribera . Aribetik Itoitzera . Foz de Lumbier	III III-IV II-III
Zaraitzu (Nafarroa)	Foz de Arbaiun	III+ (4+)
Larrau (Zuberoa)	2sekzioak	IV
StaGrazi-Uhatxa (Zuberoa)	Kakoueta Goikoa Kakoueta Behekoa	IV-V IV-V
Ezka (Nafarroa+Aragon)	Desde Burgui Desde Salvatierra	III-IV IV
Veral (Spain)	. Upper · Middle . Lower	IV-V III (4+) II-III
Aragon Subordan (Spain)	Alto Echo-Cruce Lizara	IV (5) II-III
Aragón (Spain)	Canfranc-Castiello	III+
Asabón (Spain)	Villalangua-aforo	III-IV
Pozas de Bergosal (Spain)	Poza del arbol-puente	IV
Gállego  (Spain)	· Clásica · Baja	III (4) II (3)
Ara   (Spain)	· Bujaruelo · Las Rampas · Pte los Navarros-Torla · Torla-Broto · Broto-Fiscal · Janovas-Boltaña	IV-V IV-V (6) IV (5) IV II-III (4) II-III
Chate (Spain)	. Puente-Ara	IV
Forcos (Spain)	. Bergua-Fiscal	III-IV (5)
Cinca (Spain)	Lafortunada-Ainsa	II-III (4)
Barrosa (Spain)	. Hidroelectrica-Bielsa	IV (5)
Zinketa (Spain)	· Alto · Cañon Rojo . Bajo, clasico	V V (6) IV+
Irues (Spain)	. Confluencia-Lafortunada	IV (5)
Esera (Spain)	Alto (BañosBenasque-Senarta) Seira-Campo Campo-Km 19	V III-IV III+
Noguera de Tor (Catalunya)	· Alto · Bajo	IV III-IV
Noguera Pallaresa (Catalunya)	· Alos d´Isil-Boren · Llavorsí-Sort · Sort-Geri	IV-V III-IV III-IV
Aspe (France)	Desde Fort du Portalet	III-IV (5)
Lescun (France)	3km	IV
Aydius (France)	4km	IV-V
Brousset (France)	Alto	IV
Cauterets (France)	. Clásica . Middle gorges . Lower gorges	V-V+ IV (5) IV-V
Gavarnie (France)	. Clásica, alto. . Gorges de Luz	IV (5) IV-IV+
Adour de Lesponne (France)	. Hidroelect.-Baudean	IV (5)

SPAIN
Sella (Asturias-Spain)	·Arriondas-Ribadesella	I-II
Porma (León-Spain)	· Embalse-Boñar	II-III
Esla (León-Spain)	· Embalse-km12	II-III
Piqueras (Rioja-Spain)	Alto desde embalse  Bajo	IV III (4)
Najerilla (Rioja-Spain)		II-III

LIFE PHASES (ENGLISH)

               

Eneko Yarza Arabolaza born the 3rd of Nov 1978 in Hondarribia, Atlantic coast town in Euskal Herria (=Basque Country), on the western corner of the Pyrenees Mountains.  He is not spanish nor french, but Euskaldun.

The Basques are the native people from the whole Pyrenees, European indigenous. We speak Euskara or basque language that it is not Indo-European family language like Latin-Romance, Germanic (German, English, etc), Sanskrit, Slavic, Celtic, Iranian, etc. It is from before Indo-European was born, more than 5000 years, and the oldest still spoken language in Europe.

 Eh, listen people from the world! We are still alive and we want to shine alive!

When I was 11 I started flat-water canoe and kayaking, giving it all because my father was sick at hospitals. I train and compete during 8 years, having like one of the best results the 2^nd place on the Sella International Downriver Race in C2.

In 1996 my life phase changed. My father died and I moved alone to Gasteiz city to study at the University. After this 6 years glorious hyperactive chapter I had 2 University careers (“School Teacher Degree” and “Physical Activity and Sport Science Licentiateship”), Massage Therapy degree, Kayak Instructor degree, etc.   I studied 4 months at “Cheltenham&Gloucester University” (England), by Erasmus.

When I was 20 I decided to become a River Guide and to don’t admit any money from no one, neither from family. So while I kept studying every weekend and holidays I hitchhike from university to Murillo de Gallego on the Pyrenees of Huesca to work on the river. I started plastic kayaking. My new career was started.

In 2002 my university life phase was finished, and one of the most important decisions was to be taken. Now what?  I took my kayak passion on the shoulders and with the river guide job like a tool I decided to travel the World. I became a River Nomad, going out and in from the Pyrenees.

It is almost 10 years since that, and worked in 14 countries and descended hundreds of rivers in 20 countries.

I worked like river guide (rafting, hydrospeed, canoe, safety kayak…), kayak instructor, photo kayak, video kayak (edition and presentations), etc. Time to time I worked like a teacher at the Basque School (primary and secondary, physical education specialty), but I missed the river, so lately I am mixing my 2 professional careers: education and river guide. I am Instructor 4/5 IRF (International Rafting Federation), educating, evaluating and certifying river guides around the globe.

Like 10 years ago, still the same passion moves me, descending world white water RIVERS.

Again with the kayak at the airport. Sounds like the beginning of a good chapter. Let´s go!

BIZITZA FASEAK (EUSKARAZ)

     Eneko Yarza Arabolaza 1978ko azaroaren 3an jaioa Hondarribian, Pirinioen mendebaldeko muturrean, Larun, Aiako Harriak eta Jaizkibel mendiek Kantauri itsasoari mugatzen dioten Txingudiko badian.

Larun mendia Txingudiko badian. Pirinioen euskal muturreko mendia.

      Nahiz eta umetatik urak eta igeriak beldurra ematen zidaten, 11urtetan Santiagotarrak Kirol Elkartean hasi nintzen piraguarekin entrenatzen eta lehiatzen, Kayak eta Canoan. Gure Aita luzaro zebilen gaixo hospitaletan, eta nire biziaren ardura hartu eta piragua aurkitu nuen ihesbide. 11 urtetatik 19 urtetara egon nintzen entrenatzen, sari ugari irabazi nituelarik; aipatzekoa Sella ibaiaren nazioarteko jaitsieran C2an lortutako 2 postua, eta espainiar estatuko maratoi kopa irabazi izana.


     17 urterekin nire bizia fase berri batean sartu zen. Gure Aita hil eta ni Gasteizera joan nintzen unibertsitatera. 6 urte iraungo zituen hiriko fase hiperaktibo gogoangarri honek titulu eta bizipen asko emango zizkidan: Magisteritzan Diplomatua Heziketa Fisikoko berezitasunean, Kirol eta Iharduera Fisikoetan Lizentziatua (SHEE-IVEF), Irrintzi masai eskolan “Quiromasajista Terapeutico Deportivo” titulua, 4 hilabete Ingalaterrako unibertsitatean ikasteko aukera Erasmus bekari esker, Piraguismoko monitore titulua, euskal izatearen borrokan burubelarri, hitzaldiak, bilerak, manifak, Gaztetxea, ostegunetako parrandak, etabar luze bat. Pistako piragua alde batera utzi eta beste kirol batzuk praktikatzen hasi nintzen, horietan gustukoena eskalada.


     20 urterekin erabaki berri bat hartu nuen, ibai bizietako gida bihurtzea. Honela, Gasteizen ikasten jarraitzen nuen bitartean, asteburu eta oporretan Murillo de Gallegora joaten hasi nintzen (Huescako Pirinioak), rafting, hidrospeed, kayak, canoa, canoraft, eta beste hainbat iharduera eginaz. Hemendik aurrera ez dut inorren dirurik onartuko, ezta Amarena ere, eta autostopean egiten nituen Gasteiz-Murillo arteko bidaiak.




     2002an 23 urterekin nire bizia fase berri batean sartuko da. Gasteizko ikasketak bukatu, eta orain zer? Banoa nomada moduan mundua ezagutzera, kayaka pasio eta ibai gida lan tresnatzat hartuaz. Lehen helmuga Mexiko (6 hilabete), ondoren Piriniotara itzuli beste 6 hilabetez, Patagonia 6 hilabete, Pirinioatara, ia 3 urte atzerrian munduari bira ematen, Pirinioak, etab. Honela ia 10 urte pasa dira, 14 herrialdetan lan egin eta 20 herrialdetan zehar ehundaka ibai jaitsi ditut.



     Lan moduak aldatzen joan dira: ibai gida, segurtasun kayaka, kayak instruktorea, argazki kayakaria, bideo kayakaria (ekoizpen eta guzti + aurkezpenak), etb. Tarteka-marteka Euskal Herriko eskolan Lehen Hezkuntza eta DBHko irakasle lanetan ere ibili naiz. Nire azken lan tresna nire bi arlo profesionalak nahastetik dator: Nazioarteko Rafting Federazioko (IRF) Instruktorea, munduan zehar rafting gidak hezitu, ebaluatu eta titulatuaz.


     Duela 10 urte bezala oraindik ere pasio berberak mugiarazten nau, kayakarekin ibai biziak jaistea.

Berriz ere txaluparekin aireportuan. Abenturaren energiaz beteta bidai kapitulu berria hastera. Goazen ba!