An overnight hiking trip in a foreign country is always an adventure; Tyler and Grace’s was doubly so because they brought their 16-month-old baby along as well!

We had the chance to chat with Tyler and Grace Hallenbeck of Williamstown, Massachusetts after their recent hiking trip to the Spanish Pyrenees. Working with the couple last spring to plan a baby-friendly hiking trip was a ton of fun, so we were eager to hear how their trip went, and how baby Lucy enjoyed her time in Spain!

Set Forth Adventures: Hey Tyler and Grace, great to hear from you now that you’re back from your 9 days in Spain! I’d actually like to start before your trip began – what were you looking for from a trip, and what were you hoping to achieve when you reached out to Set Forth?

Tyler Hallenbeck: We were looking for an adventure that would be challenging for Grace and I, but would work with a baby as well. We knew we wanted to explore the mountains of Europe, but that’s about all we knew. So, we came to Set Forth with that general idea and then kind of let Set Forth take it from there, from brainstorming different options that might fit the bill to nailing down our exact itinerary once we settled on the destination.

SFA: I will say, the element of planning a hiking trip for a couple with a young baby was a bit intimidating! When you think about the trip that we ended up putting together – was there anything in particular that made it baby-friendly?

TH: The mileage was perfect to accommodate having a baby. We needed enough time each day to let her play and be out and about; we didn’t want her spending the whole day in the baby carrier. Also, having some baby-specific considerations, like staying at a hotel on night #2 of the “backpacking” part of the trip, ensured that Lucy had a good experience as well as Grace and I having a good experience. It felt like each day had the right volume of “stuff to do” in it, while maintaining enough flexibility in the daily schedule to be good for Lucy.

SFA: So, as you said previously, the very first goal you all had at the start of the planning process was “exploring the mountains of Europe”. With that in mind, can you share any highlights and/or surprises of the mountains of Europe?

TH: The Pyrenees were the perfect mix of accessible but also challenging. We were able to handle hiking over big passes, like the Cuello del Infierno at 9,000 feet, without too much trouble. Our route was built right to a level that challenged us, but not to such an extent that anything went south. Set Forth did a really good job helping us find that limit, so that the challenge would match our collective ability as a family. That made it a really fulfilling experience.

The Pyrenees are a little bit like the White Mountains and a little bit like the Rockies, two ranges we have explored before, but also totally unique. They are just stunning, and they mix so many environments so quickly. We would go from hiking alongside a rushing river to navigating mars-like alpine terrain above 9,000 feet, in just a few hours.

Grace Hallenbeck: Set Forth also did a great job setting realistic expectations for our trip and our hike, and being really honest. I really appreciated this part of the planning process given we were carrying an almost 16-month-old on our hike!

SFA: Oh man guys, that’s all so awesome to hear. So, before I started taking notes in this interview, we were talking a little about how Lucy did on the trip. Can you tell me more about that, and any highlights of Lucy’s experience on the trip?

TH: Going into a trip like this, knowing your own kid is key and knowing what they will need during the trip is important. Lucy loves people, so having the experience of staying at alpine refugios was huge for her – she loved the intimacy and the vibrancy of having so many people living in a communal style. Lucy left Spain with a lot of extra abuelas and abuelos! The people in Spain are very kid-friendly, and everyone was super welcoming and accommodating of us having a kid with us – they were just excited that we had her there! That made it positive for us, and for her as well.

GH: I know Barcelona is struggling with the volume of tourists that come to the city. I suggest travelers plan to go with a baby, it really seems to soften up the locals 😉

SFA: Ha, got it! I’ll recommend that to people in the future. So, when I chat with folks about adventures, I often come back to a central belief of mine: for a trip to become an “adventure”, rather than an “experience”, I think there needs to be an element of uncertainty and/or a curveball along the way. With that prompt as a starting point, does anything in particular come to mind about what made your trip an adventure?

TH: The big uncertainty that was on our mind going into the trip was handling the hike over Cuello del Infierno, and Cuello de Tebarray right after it, with one of us carrying a big pack and one of us carrying Lucy. The adrenaline was definitely pumping that morning, but it worked well! And, the stunning, rolling descent down to Refugio Respomuso for the next few hours after those two high passes was amazing. The moment we finished the technical part of the descent from Tebarray we could see Respumuso in the distance, even though it was a few hours away. The entire walk from there was just mesmerizingly beautiful, and made the hard part of the hike so rewarding.

GH: I couldn’t agree more with Tyler – very well summarized! It felt like every challenge on our trip was coupled with the perfect timing of a great view, the surprise of seeing some cattle or sheep and a shepherd, a waterfall, or downhill trail that you could jog (yes, even with a baby on your back!).

SFA: I know exactly the area you’re talking about and I totally agree – the terrain right above Respomuso is amazing! So, to start wrapping up here, I’d love to return to the topic of our work together in the planning phase of your trip. When we planned this trip, Set Forth was still pretty new, and it was also your first time hiring someone to collaborate on planning a trip for your family. Now that you’ve wrapped up your travels, what are your thoughts about the experience of planning a trip with Set Forth?

TH: Collaborating with Set Forth gave us confidence that we could head into the backcountry of a new country, and gave us a higher level of certainty than we would have had otherwise. The personal experience you have in this area, and the level of detail that Set Forth provided, gave us confidence that we could go out there and accomplish this adventure. That was invaluable because, on our own, we just wouldn’t have been confident we could do this and, honestly, we might have been right in that case – we probably couldn’t have accomplished this without Set Forth! That confidence was doubly important to us as a young family because you can’t take as many risks with a baby. If a hiking day gets screwed up and goes long with a baby it is way different than a day going long with two adults. When you’re bringing a baby along for an adventure that extra level of preparation is absolutely essential.

SFA: Glad to hear you guys were happy with the collaborative planning! To close us out: What is one tip you’d like to share with someone who is getting ready to explore the Pyrenees for their first time?

TH: The mountain refugios are amazing and every one is different, so every one is worth visiting! They are an incredible mix of Spanish culture and mountain culture… just beautiful places where people gather together. So, go to as many refugios as possible!

SFA: Well, that’s great to hear and we are, of course, excited to work with you again on your next adventure!