Seil de la Baque, Glacier in Oô, France
Seil de la Baque is a high mountain ridge in the French Pyrenees, in the commune of Oô, running from the Cap du Seil de la Baque to the Pic du Portillon d'Oô over nearly 2 kilometers. The crest sits above 3,100 meters (about 10,170 feet) and alternates between narrow rocky sections, short cliff crossings, and a few loose terrain passages.
The high pastures around the Seil de la Baque were used by shepherds from the valley villages long before mountaineers began exploring the ridges in the 19th century. The current routes partly follow old transhumance paths that linked the upland grazing areas across the mountain.
The name "Seil de la Baque" comes from Occitan and roughly translates to "back of the cow," referring to the shape of the ridge. Walkers on the crest are guided by cairns left by previous climbers, a quiet tradition that continues today.
The approach starts from the village of Oô and passes through the Granges d'Astau before reaching the Refuge du Portillon, where many climbers spend the night to get an early start. Outside of summer, crampons and an ice axe are needed to safely cross the snowier sections near the cap.
The trickiest section of the traverse is a steep vertical corner called a dièdre, found on the descent from the Pic du Portillon. Fixed anchors are in place for those who prefer to rappel rather than climb down this corner, which is rated around grade IV.
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