A Guide to Climbing Mulhacen
Mulhacen is the highest mountain in
mainland Spain (3479m or 3482m depending on which map you are using!). It is
not a “technical” mountain in good summer conditions. There are paths ascending the mountain from three sides: south,
east and west that allow Mulhacen to be climbed in a day. From the north it is not really
possible to climb Mulhacen without a night out wild camping. The north face is the domain of
climbers and scramblers. This guide is about the non technical ways up the
mountain for walkers.
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| Mulhacen from Carihuela |
The effects of altitude, wind, sun and
dehydration are the most likely hazards you’ll face in summer conditions. That said, like any high mountain area,
the Sierra Nevada is likely to attract low cloud with the possibility of
electric storms, especially in the afternoons.
This brief guide will outline ways up
Mulhacen that are possible in a day including:
1 From
the south – Hoya del Portillo via Capileira.
2 From
the West – Hoya de la Mora (Granada side).
3 A
Circuit from the Poqueira Refuge.
4 From
the east – Trevelez.
5. A
Circuit to The Poqueira Refuge from Hoya del Portillo.
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| On the summit of Mulhacen |
1. From
the South
Most people visiting the area for a walking
holiday choose to stay in the Alpujarra where there are villages full of
character and an abundance of documented walks. The village of Capileira (1400m
asl) has a National Park Information Centre and from here it is possible to
book a bus in summer months up to Mirador Trevelez (2700m asl) where a lot of people
start their ascent of Mulhacen’s South Ridge. It is possible to reach the
summit this way in under 2 hours from leaving the bus. It is important to book
the bus in advance. This can be
done either by calling into the information centre or by telephoning them.
Details of the information centre and how to book are on the Sierra Nevada Guides website.
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| Paths on Mulhacen, Mirador de Trevelez is at the bottom of this map. |
Personally we prefer a little more exercise
than this and drive up the road above Capileira, initially on tarmac that
degenerates to “potholes” before becoming a smooth dirt track through the
forest to Hoya del Portillo at 2100m. From here a path leads up through the
forest to “Puerto Molino” with its interpretation boards and fine glimpses of
the mountains. From Puerto Molino there is a path leading up onto a ridge,
which you can follow to rejoin the dirt track followed by the bus about 1Km
before Mirador Trevelez. To ascend Mulhacen this way takes around 4 hours and
you earn your beer!
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| Mulhacen's West Ridge from the Caldera Refuge |
Although it is possible to descend the same
way, if you allow time it is good to make a circuit. Descending the West Ridge
to the Caldera Refuge (40 minutes) allows you to get a good glimpse of the North
Face. From the Caldera Refuge the old road leads back Mirador Trevelez. Another
possibility from the Caldera Refuge (and you’ll need 4 hours) is to take the
path down to the Poqueira Refuge where you can buy a beer before taking the
path (initially up hill) back to Hoya del Portillo.
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| The route from Hoya del Portillo to Mirador Trevelez. |
We sometimes get a single ticket and ride up on the bus
from Hoya del Portillo to Mirador Trevelez then complete a circuit back to Hoya
via the Poqueira Refuge. The best circuit on the mountain.
2. Mulhacen
from the west (Granada)
Useful if you are staying in Granada or its
suburbs. It is possible to drive on tarmac up to Hoya de la Mora, 2500m asl.
Here there is another National Park information centre in the University
Albergue. The National Park operate a bus service from here in the summer
months up to Posiciones del Veleta 3100m. From here it is a 3 hour walk along
the old road to the Caldera Refuge then a further hour up to the summit of
Mulhacen. This is usually a linear, there and back option though if you have been
“dropped off” at Hoya de la Mora you might be able to arrange a pick up at
Capileira or Trevelez. If making the descent to Trevelez (5 hours), visit Siete
Lagunas if you have time, especially in late June or early July when the alpine
flowers there will be at their best.
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| The paths to Mulhacen from Hoya da Mora and Los Posiciones del Veleta. |
It is quite normal for late snow to obscure
the track just east of the Carihuela Refuge until mid July. This will involve crossing a short
steep section of snow.
It is important to book the bus in
advance. This can be done either
by calling into the information centre or by telephoning them. Details of the
information centre and how to book are on the Sierra Nevada Guides website.
3. Mulhacen
from The Poqueira Refuge
The best circuit on Mulhacen from the
Poqueira Refuge is to ascend the Rio Mulhacen up to the Caldera Refuge;
Mulhacen’s West Ridge with views over the North Face and then return via
Mulhacen’s South Ridge. 6 to 7 hours allowing plenty of time for stops.
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| A Circuit of Mulhacen from The Poqueira Refuge. |
The Poqueira Refuge accommodates around 80
people in dormitories of varying sizes on “alpine” bunks. It provides bed,
breakfast, evening meal and packed lunches.
It has a small shop and serves drinks including alcohol too.
It is essential to book in advance. Contact details for the hut can be found on
the
Sierra Nevada Guides website
The route is fairly obvious and marked with
cairns though there are possible variations in the Rio Mulhacen and late snow
may obscure some of the paths.
From the hut a path heads initially west
and descends down to the Rio Mulhacen.
After a short distance ascending on the
east bank I normally cross to the west bank and follow paths that lead to the
Caldera Refuge. (It is possible to
keep more or less to the river and take a path up Mulhacen’s west flank before
reaching the Caldera. By taking this option you’ll miss the opportunity to view
across the north face.)
From the Caldera head up paths that lead to
the col on the west ridge overlooking the north face before taking a line back
to join the other path. It takes
around an hour to reach the summit from the Caldera.
In descent there is an obvious path heading
south to the lower summit of Mulhacen II. Here leave the line of the old road
and take smaller more direct paths down the south ridge to eventually reach the
old road from Capileira to Caldera.
Just before you reach this point you’ll notice a Red and Yellow stripped
pole, which indicates the position of an emergency shelter.
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| The Emergency Shelter, an old military look out post |
Down at the old dirt track road near Alto
del Chorrillo there is a signpost down a track heading north west to The
Poqueira Refuge. Although it is possible to follow the track all the way, at
the first bend there is a small path that leads more directly via an obvious
large cairn. A great day out.
4. Mulhacen
from the East (Trevelez)
Trevelez, 1476m asl may be the highest
village in Spain but unlike the other options there is no transport to gain
height. There are two options that allow for making this a circuit. Ascending
Mulhacen via Siete Lagunas and the East Ridge, then descending Mulhacen’s South
Ridge to Mirador Trevelez and back to Trevelez. This is a long hard day and in
the heat of summer it is advisable to set out early as the lower sections get
very hot. 7 hours and a
climb 2000m in ascent. Allow 5
hours for the descent.
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| A circuit of Mulhacen from Trevelez |
5. A
Circuit to the Poqueira Refuge from Hoya del Portillo.
To reach the road head at Hoya del
Portillo, follow the road through Capileira and continue without deviation
until you can go no further. This
is initially a tarmac surface, which becomes dirt track, but is generally
passable throughout the year for most vehicles. Alternately book a place on the National Park Interpretation
Service bus from Capileira, which runs most weekends between April and October,
and mid-week during the summer months.
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| Puerto Molino |
The road head is ‘guarded’ by the National
Park who have a hut on the edge of the car park. At the side of the hut is a path which takes you uphill
through the pine trees to a fire-break.
Follow this emerging after approximately 30 minutes (as the forest
thins, don’t be tempted onto the fire break too soon, as this is much harder
walking). Where the path emerges
you will see a sign to the Refugio Poqueira – 2 hours and Puerto Molina. Puerto Molina is the outcrop of rocks
which can be seen at the top of the firebreak; amongst these are a National
Park interpretation boards and a viewpoint detailing the various mountains in
the National Park and even beyond to Africa, which can be seen from here on a
clear day.
Our way on is to follow the signs to the
refuge; cross the firebreak and descend slightly towards more trees. At the edge of the trees, follow the
track rightwards and enjoy the views on to both the refuge and mountains
beyond. The route is marked by
occasional wooden signs.
At a junction of tracks, bear right uphill,
soon leaving the broader track to follow a path rising gradually leftwards.
Eventually the Poqueira Refuge can be seen
in the distance beneath. A track
comes into view leading to a farm and the hut. Another obvious and waymarked path forks left, and leads
downhill to join the track. This
is the way on to the refuge.
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| The Poqueira Refuge |
If for any reason you want to cut the walk
short, stay on the level path which shortly leads to a higher point on the
track. Turn right here and head
uphill steeply for a short distance to a junction. Turn right here and follow the dirt track road back to
Puerto Molina (1 hour) then descend to the path through the forest re-tracing
your steps back to the car park
(3.5 hours in total).
Following the track to the Poqueira Refuge,
we cross a stream and start an uphill section towards the farm. Fork right just before the farm and a
short pull over a col leads to the refuge.
The
return journey
Standing on the steps at the front of the Refuge,
our way leads downhill. A faint
path passes the hut’s septic tank, from where a better path and large cairn can
now be seen. This is our route. We descend following many zig zags,
down towards the Cortijo de Las Tomas.
The Cotijo can be seen for quite a distance before it is reached.
200m befoe the Cortijo, we reach the
acequia Alta. Here turn left and
follow the water channel for just over 5 km. If the acequia is dry, then walking is quite straight
forward, as you can either walk in the bed of the acequia alternatively follow
the more exposed path alongside the water. This is particularly enjoyable in spring and early summer,
when the water is flowing and flowers cover the ground around the watercourse,
but at other times the views down the rio Poqueira more than make up for the
lack of water.
If the water is flowing, and you are a bit
uncertain about the sometimes exposed path along it’s bank, it is possible to
proceed to the Cortijo de Las Tomas and take the undulating path leftwards, signed
‘sendero acequias’ as far as the Cortijo Corrales de Pitres, where the path
almost meets the acequia.
Just about 3km along the acequia, a track
crosses and the acequia goes through some pipes. After this it passes the Cortijo Corrales de Pitres (see
above). A futher 2 km on along the
acequia, another track crosses, and the water is piped again.
From the cortijo, continue along the
path. After approximately 10
minutes there is a short stiff climb up to cross a ridge. After crossing the ridge, it is
necessary to ascend the easiest line back to the acequia. Follow the acequia to where it is piped
under a track. Continue along the
line of the acequia until it crosses the dirt track road from Capileira to Hoya
del Portillo. Turn left and Hoya
is reached in about 1Km.
