Winter Skills Training in Spain’s Sierra Nevada

Winter Skills Training in Spain’s Sierra Nevada with Sierra Nevada Guides

Winter Skills Course - Mulhacen Summit, 3482m

The Sierra Nevada has the highest mountain in mainland Spain, Mulhacen 3482m. Although it is Europe’s most southerly major mountain chain, it usually has a good covering of snow from December through to March with winter mountaineering  and skiing possible from late November until early May.

This year Sierra Nevada Guides are running a week of winter mountain skills training from 31^st January until 7^th February. 3 nights spent in a hotel and 4 at the Refugio Poqueira at 2500m. The week is being led by Andy Say, Executive Secretary (Chief Officer) of Mountain Training England, assisted by Sierra Nevada Guides.

Winter Skills Course - Descending Steep Ground

Although weather dependent, the proposed itinerary is as follows:

Saturday 31st

Arrive at Malaga Airport

Depart for Lanjaron, optional lunch at Salobrenea (beach bar 10 Euro’s).

Arrive Hotel Alcadima, tour of Lanjaron.

Evening session: Safety and Equipment.

Sunday 1st

Depart hotel around 9am.

Puento Palo for introduction to walking with crampons, snow shoes and ice axe breaking techniques.

Back to hotel for debrief and session discussion re: ascending to Refugio Poqueira.

Winter Skills Course - Learning the ropes!

Monday 2nd

Depart hotel with gear and clothes for 4 nights, 9am.

Walk from Capileira to Refugio Poqueira.

Evening session: Navigation and Route Planning.

Tuesday 3rd

Navigation Practice,  Use of Avalanch Tranceivers,  Building Snow Shelters.

Evening session: Mountain Weather

Wednesday 4th

Putting it into Practice 1 – Rio Seco / Rio Mulhacen

Winter Skills Course - Near Mulhacen's summit

Thursday 5th

Putting it into Practice 2 – A winter ascent of Mulhacen 3482m.

Friday 6^th

Walk out from Refugio to Capileira.  Hotel

Saturday 7^th

Depart for Malaga Airport and Home.

The Cost £825 includes full board accommodation, airport pick up and drop off and tuition throughout the week. You will need your own ice axe and crampons (we have some spares) and winter clothing. We will provide helmets, ropes, snowshoes and tranceivers.  Oh yes, you will also need some beer money!

Full details of the course are on the Sierra Nevada Guides website.

Sierra Nevada Guides are a company of International Mountain Leaders based in Spain's Sierra Nevada.

Walking the acequias of the Alpujarra

Many of us who live in the countryside areas around the Sierra Nevada rely upon the acequia system to bring us much needed water. For those not in the know, acequias are man-made water channels which run throughout the area bringing water to lower agricultural land They are often essential, allowing us to grow fruit and veg., fill swimming pools (perhaps illegally) shower or even wash the car.

Thought to have been fully developed by the Moors when they ruled the area, the system probably reaches further back into history. It seems obvious that digging channels to route water to where it was most needed must have gone on for millennia in order to make the most of what is a precious resource. The system has spread across the whole of the region with hundreds of channels creating a massive irrigation system that feeds the whole of the area. On my hillside alone there are four major acequias channels. The Acequia Alta which ultimately feeds my cortijo, runs directly from the Rio Lanjaron at about 1,400m and traverses the hillside before it finishes above the Tablate gorge about whole 10km from its start. En route, sluices allow the water to be managed and fed down a network of smaller and smaller channels before ultimately watering my lettuce.

When walking in the region most of us will have come across acequias. Often with a path alongside, they can provide relatively easy walking routes along steep hillsides and river valleys reaching into the mountain ranges of the area. Whilst providing easy graded walks, they sometimes have short steep sections where the channel itself will be sent down rock outcrops in order to change the level at which it runs. Sometimes however they give much more dramatic walking as they pass through rather than down an outcrop. If you do come across these sections it seems incredible that the original builders had the skill to create these parts of the system. I must admit I actually seek out some of the more dramatic bits and have found many during my exploration of the area.

Some of the best are actually on the Acequia Alta where about 2km from the river the acequia clings to high cliffs above a vertical drop of about 50m. These sections are unfenced and if crossed when the water is flowing are breathtaking. Another dramatic section is found in the Rio Chillar gorge near Nerja. Here the acequia cuts through cliffs high on the east side of the valley. The ‘’path’’ is about a foot wide and runs around the cliffs as the water channel itself runs through on a narrow tunnel. Even though these sections are fenced they still need a good head for heights.
Perhaps one the most used routes is that through the Monachil Gorge. Here though, you may not know it, the channel is covered for most of its length and the acequia takes you through dramatic natural rock scenery.

The High Sierra road.

One of the more remarkable features of the Sierra Nevada range is the road that traverses the main ridge at around 3,000m. The road, an un surfaced dirt track, is now closed to all traffic, in summer however it is a clear route across the range and is popular with walkers, mountain bikers and occasionally horse riders. The history of the road dates back to 1916 when it was thought that it would be possible to create a link from Granada to the Alpujarra across the mountains. Construction began from the west side of the range and in 1932 a section of the road reached 3,100m on the side of Veleta, the peak high above Granada. This section of road, now surfaced in parts, is still on the ground and is used to service the ski tows and chair lifts on the mountainside. This particular section is also mentioned by Wikipedia as the highest surfaced road in Europe. During the civil war construction stopped and it wasn’t until the mid sixties when the link between Veleta and the south ridge of Mulhacen was opened. Once finished the route was open to all who wanted to venture across what would have been a very dramatic route which could be followed all the way from Granada to Capileira. This high sierra route was popular with drivers and remained open until the late nineties when the Parque Nacional was created and public access stopped. Remarkable as it was in its own right, as well as the road, it was also envisaged that a tunnel would be constructed below Veleta which would be used as a part of the route. Work on the tunnel was started from both sides of the St Juan ridge on the north side of the mountain. The work however was stopped by the onset of the civil war and never restarted after. The eastern entrance to the tunnel is still open and lies in the Coral de Veleta below the path known as the Verdon Superior. The ‘’tunnel’’ is about 50m deep and is often used as a bivouac site by mountaineers. When I first started walking in the Sierra Nevada I bought a copy of what was then the only English guide book to the area. That first edition of ‘’Walking in the Sierra Nevada’’ has a number of routes from the road and describes one route up Mulhacen which involved parking your car at 3,000m and walking the last 400m up the west ridge. It even describes a branch of the road that ran to a parking area on the south ridge itself which would require any intrepid “mountaineer” to walk a kilometre and ascend 75m before reaching the top!

Day walks from Granada

As well as offering a great city break Granada is also ideally based for walking in the Sierra Nevada range. The mountains lie just east of the city and are designated as a Parque Nacional because of their important habitat and landscapes. Walking in the Granada area great at any time of the year and couldn’t be easier to access from the city. Day walks can be arranged to suit a wide range of abilities and interests from rugged 3,000m peaks to low level cool gorge walks. Examples of the walks include Monachil Gorge , a stunning medium grade walk in the magnificent rock gorge of the Rio Monachil. The path clings to the rock face of the gorge, passes through natural rock tunnels and crosses the river on a number of suspension bridges . This is a great adventure for families groups or individuals and can be undertaken at any time of the year. Verada de Estrella. Following the route of an old mine access track we walk into the north side of the Sierra Nevada range. The high mountain scenery of this route is breathtaking with views of the north faces of the three main peaks of the range , Alcazaba , Veleta and Mulhacen. Veleta. High above Granada at 3396m this is the second highest peak in the range yet can be scaled via a non technical walking route from Hoya de Mora just 45 minutes drive from Granada centre. This is a challenging days walking achievable by those with a reasonable level of fitnes. For more information see

The Three Peaks

The Three Peaks

A lot is made in the U.K. of the “3 Peaks” though this means different things to different people.  There is the Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge whereby you have to complete a round of Ingleborough, Great Whernside and Pen-y-Gent in under 12 hours and the National 3 Peaks Challenge which is an ascent of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, usually in under 24 hours.

Mulhacen's West Ridge seen from The Caldera Refuge

However here in the Sierra Nevada we have our own 3 Peaks Challenge, an ascent of Mulhacen 3482m, Veleta 3394 and Alcazaba 3371m. Some seriously high mountains compared to their U.K. counterparts.

Summit of Mulhacen 3482m

Mulhacen3482m the highest mountain in mainland Spain is named after Mully Hassan the penultimate Arab ruler of this part of Spain.

Veleta 3394m is the 2^nd highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada and 3^rd highest in  mainland Spain (after Aneto 3404m in the Pyrenees). Veleta translates from the old Arabic as The Weather Vane and is clearly seen from The Alhambra Palace in Granada where the Arab Kings resided.

Alcazaba 3371m is the 3^rd highest in the Sierra and joint 4^th / 5^th in height in mainland Spain (Equal with Pico Posets also 3371m). Alcazaba translates as The fortress, aptly named as its most commonly viewed from the North revealing its awesome North Face.

Although it is possible to complete all 3 peaks in a day as a challenge, this would really spoil the enjoyment of a truly great mountain walking experience. We would highly recommend allowing for 3 days in the mountains spending 2 nights at the Refugio Poqueira as the best option for 

completing the Sierra Nevada 3 Peaks.

Near the Summit of Veleta 3394m

Day 1, Alcazaba and to the Refugio Poqueira.

Day 2 Veleta from the Refugio Poqueira.

Day 3 A circuit on Mulhacen returning to the valley.

Sierra Nevada Guides would be happy to facilitate your 3 peaks expedition or include it as part of a weeks walking taking in some of the other great mountains the Sierra Nevada has to offer.

Sierra Nevada Guides are the only qualified British Guides (International Mountain Leaders) living and working in the Sierra Nevada. Details about the guides and their qualifications are listed on the Sierra Nevada Guides website.

Alcazaba 3371m - A very impressive mountain!

If you are planning a visit to the Sierra Nevada, there is much useful information on the Sierra Nevada Guides website and we are always happy to advise on routes and conditions.

Autumn Walking in the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada

Autumn Walking in the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada

We have spent the summer months leading walks in the high mountains where the air is cooler. With the end of August looming the temperatures in Southern Spain start to fall and walking in the Alpujarra will become a comfortable experience again.  We are looking forward to getting re-acquainted with some “old favourites” classic walks in the Alpujarra, walks we have done many times before so good that you never tire of them!

Dramatic gorge in The TaHa

One such route is a circuit in The TaHa de Pitres following medieval packhorse trails and improbable looking paths through cliffs and rocky buttresses, crossing a Roman bridge and passing through impressive scenery more reminiscent of The Inca Trail than Southern Spain.

Walking in the high mountains is still possible too. Although any rain may fall as snow it usually does not lie for long until November when it starts to build up. (the ski resort usually opens the last weekend of November). Last year, the National Park bus from Capileira up to 2700m for an ascent of Mulhacen continued until the end of October. However caution 

Walking The TaHa in Autumn

should be exercised on the high routes and always check the weather forecast and go equipped with the right clothing.

Another Old favourite, the mountain Trevenque 2080m which is too low and therefore hot becomes an option again in the autumn. Trevenque is a shapely mountain, sometimes described as the Matterhorn of the Sierra Nevada and has a short scramble to reach the summit. Well worth the effort, especially if you make a circuit.

There are too many good walks to list in a blog but there are detais of 10 walks that can be downloaded from the Sierra Nevada Guides website.

Trevenque

At Sierra Nevada Guides we are keen to ensure that your visit to the area is as safe and enjoyable as possible.  We are happy to answer your questions whether you hire a guide from us or not!

Mike, Jane and Martin from Sierra Nevada Guides are all qualified International Mountain Leaders. Detais about us and of our qualifications are listed on the Sierra Nevada Guides website.

Galayos de Dilar

The ridge line that runs along the south side of the Rio Dilar has been on my tick list for many years. I’ve often viewed it during ascents of Travenque when the ridge line takes on a rugged and mountainous appearance, hence the nick name of the ‘’Cullin of the Sierra Nevada’’. We used 4X4 to access tracks on the south side of the ridge and then ascended an open gully before heading up a narrow sandy ridge onto the main ridge itself . We reached the ridge just east of the rocky summit of Carazon de Sandia where there is a fantastic view north through a cleft in the ridge line toward Travenque. The path along the ridge itself runs some way below the crest and whilst it was sometimes a bit vague on the ground provided an easy enough line traversing the eastwards below El Castillejo to reach easier ground at Collado del Pino. To the south the short rocky ridge line of Los Gallos looked inviting and was added to the long list of routes to be done at some point in the future. From the collado it was an easy enough though hot return along sandy tracks to the car.