LOS TRES MILES. AN ATTEMPT AT A TRAVERSE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA

 

This was my third visit to the Sierra Nevada mountains in southern Spain and my second attempt at crossing the crest of the 3000 metre peaks of the range. My previous visits had each been in the month of February and I had experienced fairly adverse winter conditions. On my first trip in 2017 I had intended on following the GR 7. This is a low level marked route that goes from village to village. Immediate issues with following the route meant that I went high into the mountains instead. A heavy dump of snow made accessing the summits impossible and I ended up going from village to village anyway along the GR 240. A higher trail that wasn't marked on my map.

 https://howlingmist.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-winter-week-in-sierra-nevada.html

My second visit was in February 2018. That time I intended to cross the summits but once again adverse weather made the high mountains an inhospitable place and I had to retreat to lower levels. I did manage to summit Mulhacen on that occasion but clouds obscured the views.

https://howlingmist.blogspot.com/2018/03/the-sierra-nevada-and-alpujarra.html

This time I decided that a visit a little later in the year might make all the difference to my chances of doing the summits. I was right.

Day 1 March 29th 2023.

An evening flight saw me reach Malaga at midnight on Tuesday March 28th and a taxi ride meant I was in my hotel at 1am. I was up again at 6am to refresh and ready myself for the bus journey to Granada which went well and I alighted in the lovely city at 08.46 under a warm Spanish sun. It is about 1.5 kilometres walk  to a large Decathlon store where I was able to pick up some gas for the hike. I walked back to near the bus station where I caught a tram to the city centre and as is usually the way with me, I just missed my bus connection to Guejar Sierra. The mountain village where I planned to begin the walk. I wasn't too worried however as there was another bus an hour later so I settled in to wait. Not before I searched for somewhere to buy a map of the Sierra Nevada range. I was surprised that they didn't have any maps in Decathlon and the couple of newsagents nearby the bus stop didn't have any either. I hoped that once I reached the village, the tourist office would be able to supply me with one. I caught the 11am bus and after a scenic ride I was walking into the village at 11.40. Alas my hopes of buying a map were soon dashed and I was forced to rely on an online app (Mapy.cz) for navigation, which was less than ideal.

Leaving Guejar Sierra

Ahead and along the spur on the left

Once up on the spur the main ridge looks wonderful

Soon I was leaving the village behind and rising up a steep tarred road that contoured the mountainside. This soon became a dirt road and eventually a hiking trail. Wow, it felt warm. As someone who was just emerging from the an Irish winter, the warm Spanish sun was something of a shock to the system, but a delight also. It meant that I was soon lathered in sweat as I hauled the heavy bag up the slopes. One of the problems with trying to do a hike like this at this time of year is that you have to cover all bases. I had to be prepared to dress for winter and summer weather and an ice axe and crampons were also needed. That, coupled with enough food for five days meant the bag was heavier than normal. I had once again been fighting an infection in the weeks prior to the trip, so my fitness was less than it should have been. It all meant that it wasn't too long before I was struggling a fair bit. The trail was very pleasant and never very steep as it headed for Collado de la Gitana at 1718 metres. It took me about 90 minutes to reach here and I had gained over 600 metres by now. I was struggling but  still enjoying myself mightily. After a wet and rather miserable winter in Ireland, here I was in warm sunshine, walking up through ever wilder mountainsides and looking across at snow clad 3000 metre peaks.  I decided that I would consider stopping at Fuenta de los Amigos where I camped on my last visit, but that was still over six kilometres away and several hundred metres higher up. There was more to do.

Generally easy going now

The going is actually a bit easier from here and over the next few kilometres height is gained fairly gradually as you pass just under Cerro del Tamboril at 1929 metres. The ridge is wide and the tops are rounded. The ground was very dry and the foliage was mainly a mixture of gorse and juniper. Anywhere there was a water source (which were few and far between) there was some grass to be found. I followed a crest as I approached Collado del Alguacil 1891 metres where there was some stone remains of long abandoned shepherds structures, At the col, a road crosses over and several cars were parked there. I crossed and headed for Fuentes ds los Amigos which was still nearly four kilometres away. Height is gained very gradually but when I did finally reach Fuentas I was up over 2100 metres. I was really feeling rough by now and I was eager to drop the bag and call it a day. Alas there were lots of cattle about and it soon became obvious that I couldn't stay there. There was nothing for it but to continue. I could see, what looked like a nice flat grassy area, ahead at the next pass. Even though it was a further four kilometres to reach it, I hoped that the green grass was the indicator of a water source, so I headed for it. The going was mostly flat, although a couple of hundred metres are gained and lost but I eventually reached my home some 5 hours forty minutes after starting out. I was shattered. It was such a relief to drop the bag. Unfortunately it was pretty clear that there was no water source nearby, so after setting up the tent, I had to head along the pass towards some gullies that were coming down from Cerro del Mirador Alto where I hoped that water could be found. Everything was dry until I had dropped about 100 metres below the pass. It meant that it was a round trip of nearly three kilometres with another 150 metres climbing before I was back at the tent and able to cook dinner. While cooking there was a near catastrophe. When my pasta was just about cooked I watched in horror as the pot started to tilt and it fell off the burner. I reached to stop it but was too late. However by some miracle the entire contents of the pot fell into a plastic bowl sitting on the ground. My dinner was saved and more importantly, I was spared a second trip to get some water. A long and peaceful night followed.

18 kilometres...1300 metres ascent....5 hours 30 minutes.

Camping heaven...If there was a water source nearby.

Day 2 March 30th 2023;

I had expected it to get cold last night but when I emerged from my tent at first light it felt quite mild and there was no sign of frost. It was a lovely weather morning and the forecast was quite good for the next few days. The only worry was that the winds were to become strong up high in a couple of days time, and after my experiences the last time I was here I hoped that they wouldn't be too severe. Today however promised sunshine and light winds. After struggling so much yesterday I feared that I would find today even worse. Today the plan was to reach the summit of Cerro Pelado at 3182 metres and follow the crest of the main ridge before dropping down to a lake under Puntal de las Calderetas. As well as struggling with the wind and cold last time, I seemed to struggle with altitude once I neared 3000 metres. I was prepared for a tough day.

Things started off pretty easily as I crossed the wide col and made for the slopes of Cerro del Mirador Alto where the real climbing began. I was determined to take it easy and to ease myself into the day but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had recovered a lot from yesterday. Once I started up the slopes of the mountain I was able to keep up a slow but steady pace and I gained height steadily enough. When I was last here these slopes were mostly covered in snow but today they were entirely snow free. It wasn't until I reached the upper crest of the ridge near the 3000 metre mark that some snow covered the eastern slopes. Once there I filled the water bottles with slush and that supplied ample water for the remainder of the day. In contrast to last time, it was a delight to reach the broad slopes of Picon de Jerez 3088 metres. Today it was sunshine and a light breeze that greeted me and I was able to relax and enjoy the glorious views. This section of the Sierra Nevada is a wide serpentine ridge that reminded me of the Cairngorm plateau. The views are expansive and wonderful. To the east the range stretched for another 40 kilometres, gradually declining in height. To the south the Mediterranean could easily be seen and to the north rugged, arid rocky and mountainous land stretched into the haze. Then there was the west. The broad crest of the range was a stony, undulating series of tops that offered gentle, stress free walking. There was some snow on the ridge but not much. Up here more extensive snow fields revealed themselves and the vista became much more alpine. Today, with such good weather, I was really looking forward to the remainder of the day.

Beautiful morning

Gradual slopes and blue sky.

The range continues to the east.

After crossing over Puntal de Juntillas 3143 metres I headed for the outlying Cerro Pelado, which at 3182 metres would be the highest point of the day. As this was an out and back section I dropped the bag at the wide col and easily bagged the summit. Once back at the bag I rested awhile and enjoyed a bite to eat. I had covered about nine kilometres and climbed 1000 metres, so the bulk of the ascent was done for the day. I met three day hikers at the pass and they seemed fascinated by what I intended to do. They were the only people I saw all day. Once on the move again I headed for the next top called Puntal de los Cuartos at 3148 metres. Here the ridge became more defined and it swung around in a southerly direction. Once there I could see the ridge that came up from below Guejar Sierra. I had been tempted to do that one and it offers an alternative to the one I took. It joined the main ridge at this top and it also has a refuge on it at the 2400 metre mark. Next up came Pico de la Justicia at 3141 metres. There wasn't a lot of height lost or gained but the ridge gradually became more defined, and this coupled with some snow and bouldery ground slowed progress a little. After this top there was a more substantial drop to the next pass but the going was straightforward and soon I was down at Collado de la Buitrera and just below 3000 metres. 

Reaching the crest of the main ridge

The route follows the skyline

Easy but entertaining.

I was getting fatigued again and I was on the lookout for somewhere to camp. In the valley to the left of the pass there looked like a possible place lower down where several watercourses merged. I decided that I would try there. First though I decided to climb the next top on the ridge called Pico del Cuervo at 3147 metres. That meant I had over 150 metres of a steepish climb ahead so I dropped the bag once again and made my way to the rocky, quite defined summit. The views over the chasm to Alcazaba and Mulhacen were wonderful and alpine. I was looking forward to visiting them tomorrow. Once back at the col I dropped easily to the broad shoulder and joined a faint track heading down. I crossed the shallow valley and joined the ridge to my right where I could see into both sides and immediately I spotted a likely place near a small lake below Laguna de Vacares. I reached it and wasted no time in setting up my home for the night. It was a pretty idyllic spot with a gurgling stream alongside and snowy alpine mountains above. Even though I was at 2700 metres the temperatures were very pleasant and I whiled away a lovely afternoon and enjoyed my surroundings. When the sun disappeared behind the mountain things got pretty chilly after that and I retreated into my tent. It was lovely to see several Ibex play fighting just a couple of hundred metres from the tent. I slept very well. 

17 kilometres...1400 metres ascent...7 hours 30 minutes.

Hopefully reach there tomorrow

Now this was camping heaven.

Day 3 March 31st;

I was looking forward to today. It was clear that I would need to use my crampons and ice axe early on today, as it was necessary to climb a large snow field so as to reach the next summit on the ridge Puntal de Vacares 3144 metres. This meant that I had over 400 metres to climb and over half of that was on the snow. Progress over the summits today would be a more complicated affair. Between each summit there was substantial drops and to take a direct route would mean tackling graded winter climbs. I didn't fancy trying this with my heavy bag, so in order to progress I would need to descend into a valley so as to reach Alcazaba and Mulhacen. I was a little late starting off today and it was after 9am when I finally got going. Not having a map was becoming a real problem. It was all well and good having the app on the phone but where I stayed last night had no signal so I couldn't check out the route ahead. Even when I had signal it was hard to see the phone screen in the bright light and with the small section that could be seen it was hard to gauge progress or get a feel for what lay ahead. I would have to play it by ear. It was around the 2800 metre mark that I reached the snow and I put on my crampons and got the axe out and set off. I was delighted to find that the snow was nice and hard, with just the spikes digging into it. The slope averaged around 30 degrees so it allowed for reasonably quick progress. At least it would have if I was feeling strong but alas the legs felt like lead and I found that I had to stop at fairly frequent intervals. Normally on a slope like this I can slog away and keep up a steady pace but not today. It still felt great to find myself in an alpine environment once again. It had been a while. When I crested out on the ridge it was just a 300 metre walk to the rocky summit. I did get an added surprise when I found that I had the company of a young Ibex on the summit. It studied me for a few moments before scampering off.

Curiousity

Looking towards Alkazaba

The next kilometre on the ridge was rocky and at times narrow with some steep drops. A path on the left of a rock spur made it possible to progress. Soon I reached the next top ( more of a bump really) Puntal Goteron at 3071 metres where I descended the spur to the valley under the impressive rugged northeast face of Alcazaba. This presented a kilometre of cliffs and snow fields and even had some ice falls in view...It was definitely still winter here. I studied the face and picked a spot just beyond the final big buttress where I thought it would be straightforward to climb to the crest of the summit ridge. I reached the base of the snow and once again got the winter hardware out and set off. A rising traverse on hard neve led me to a narrow short gully between some rocks. Here it got a little spicy as the snow became icy and the gradient increased to over 40 degrees. It was just for twenty or so metres but it required concentration. After this an unbroken snow field soared skyward at around 35 degrees. It was steep and unrelenting and the intervals between rests became shorter and shorter. Bugger. The crest never seemed to get any nearer and eventually I was only able to take a pitiful few steps before stopping. The legs were gone. I decided to exit the snow onto a loose rock spur descending on my right. I reasoned that very tired legs and a steep sometimes icy snow slope had the potential for a mistake so I reckoned I would be safer on the rock. Things worked out ok but it took me an age to finally reach the easy ground of the summit ridge. I wasn't a whole lot quicker climbing the 300 remaining metres ascent but finally I reached the top of the third highest peak in the range..Alcazaba at 3369 metres. It had taken me four and a half hours to reach here. I was beginning to have serious doubts that I would be able to finish the full traverse in the two further days I had available to me.

The imposing east face of Alkazaba. Definitely still winter here.

The snow was steeper than it first appeared.

Alcazaba is the highest point in a rectangular plateau like area that held a lot of snow. I followed the northern rim until I reached Puntal de la Cornisa 3316 metres. The app showed a track descending through the cliffs of the southern sloped of the spur that stretched to the east, which gave access to the valley below. With so much snow here I hoped that the track would be obvious and not too difficult. Thankfully the southern side of the spur was snow free and the track could clearly be seen as it wend its way down through the steep ground. The descent went well and it was at times spectacular as the rock seemed to loom overhead. One hundred and fifty metres are lost quickly and soon I was on easy ground as I headed for the lake Laguna Hondera nearly two kilometres away. When I reached the end of the lake the trail climbed steeply for fifty metres to reach the crest of a spur that rose towards Mulhacen. If the struggle that I had climbing the fifty metres from the lake was any indicator, then the remaining 500 metres plus to reach the summit of Mulhacen would probably prove too much. I had been on the go now for over six hours and I dreaded to think how long it would take me to reach the summit. My day wouldn't have been over then, as it was still a fair way to reach a refuge under Valeta where I had hoped to spend the night. The reason I wanted to reach the refuge and not rely on my tent was that the forecast was for a stiff wind overnight up high, and I was all too aware of just how wintry things could become and of the limitations of my tent. Indeed it was already quite windy now. 

Mulhacen looking mighty

Down at 2900 metres meant it was a long way to the summit.

It wasn't that I was lazy or afraid of big days, my real problem was that my flight home was on Sunday evening. I therefore had to be down in good time to catch a bus to Granada and my train to Malaga before my flight. In reality I had to consider being finished by lunchtime Sunday and this I was no longer confident in doing. I therefore made the decision to head towards Capeliera and complete my journey on the lower trails. The descent went well but it went on and on. Not that it was all downhill. From the spur I had to make a rising traverse to crest another spur and this added over 100 metres to the day. I then headed towards the refuge Poqueira and after that followed the well used trail down to the village. There is some up and down on the trail when it reached the narrow gorge by the river but it was the climb on the road before reaching the village that nearly broke the spirit. The village seemed to take an age to appear but finally, after turning a corner on the trail, the whitewashed cluster of houses lay just ahead. I was really relieved to enter the busy little village and even more relieved to enter my little hotel. My oh my but it felt good to drop the bag and take off the boots. It had taken me four and a half hours to reach here and it all added up to a ten and a half hour day. I was spent. After a rest, a shower (lovely) and a bite to eat I made a plan for the next couple of days. I would head to Lanjaron tomorrow along the GR 240 and from there I could easily reach Durcal, from where a bus could be got to Granada. 

24 kilometres....1600 metres ascent....2800 metres descent in 10 hours 40 minutes. 

Looking down to Refuge Poqueira

Finally Capeliera comes into view.

Day 4 April 1st;

 Capeliera clings to the steep mountainside at an elevation of between 1480 metres and 1350metres. From the upper level the chaotic jumble of alleys and white houses drop steeply towards the narrow valley. I emerged into the sleepy village at 9am on a stunning weather morning. It promised to be warm and sunny for the entire day. I would like to be able to say I felt well rested this morning but I actually slept poorly and my legs ached from the big descent of yesterday. It was however a delight to descend the trail under the sporadic trees and listen to the birds as they rejoiced in Spring. Down at 1250 metres I reached Puenta Chiscar and once across the river the trail rose steeply and gained 300 metres until it reached a forest road that contoured around the long spur that descended from the unseen main ridge high above. From here on the going was really easy. No more steep climbs were encountered and twelve kilometres were glorious. Even though I was still up at nearly 1800 metres the weather was quite warm and there was an abundance of insect and bird life. The views down to the valleys below was ever interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. After 10 kilometres I reached the picnic area at Puenta Palo where I had "enjoyed" a wintry nights camping on my first visit to the area. Then it had snowed heavily overnight and forced me to abandon any plans I had to reach the summits. Today it was an altogether different experience as I sat in the sunshine and enjoyed a bite to eat.

A lovely way to start the day

Caleliera  Bubion  Pampaneira 

Easy and delightful walking

More easy walking followed as I continued to contour along the mountainside. Lanjaron could be seen nestling in the valley below and I knew I was approaching journeys end for today. Well that's what I thought until I reached a junction in the trail and I saw a signpost that indicated that Lanjaron was still 14 kilometres away. I took that trail and it dropped easily down through some farms towards the valley. It was mostly on dirt roads now and the reason for the long distance to the town was the gentle gradient of the track as it twisted and turned along the hillside. I managed to cut off a lot of the corners and this shortened the journey. Eventually after a total of 26 kilometres I entered the busy little town and headed for my hotel. Of course my hotel was at the far side of town so it was a great relief to drop the bag in the pleasant foyer and check in. There was a couple checking in when I arrived and I was soon to discover that the guy behind the desk was the slowest receptionist in the world. I found myself standing wearily waiting for over half an hour before I was finally issued with my key and I could enter my room. A lovely soothing shower and a cup of coffee helped restore me and I spent some time wandering through the bustling town that evening. One more day to go.

 27 kilometres...700 metres ascent...1400 metres descent in 7 hours.

First sight of Lanjaron...still a long way to get there.

There is so much more to explore.

Day 5 April 2nd;

Once again it was a lovely weather morning. The trail to Niguelas starts at the western end of the town and rises up along a winding quiet road that eventually morphs into a forest track. Height is gained steadily and it is clearly a popular route with mountain bikers as several parties passed me early on. Today is a fairly gentle day. Starting at 650 metres, the highest point would be at around 1200 metres, so there wouldn't be too much ascent in the journey. I still wondered if I had made the correct decision to abandon the high ridge and I found myself looking up at the high ground and thinking what if. That said, yesterday had been enjoyable and stress free. I don't think I would have had the same peace of mind up high. It was quite warm this morning. One of the problems of this kind of trek is trying to dress for winter when you are up high, and experiencing summer low down. I would have liked to be able to put on some shorts and light T-shirt but it wasn't to be. Choices had to be made when packing. One thing that really struck me on this trip was how arid everywhere was. All the trails were dry and dusty and I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if they got a summer like they had last year, when temperatures reached over 40 degrees. It wasn't threatening to be anything like that today but it would get to the low twenties and it was very comfortable.

Leaving Lanjaron

Soon I was leaving the town behind and I reached a track that contoured around the ridges that descended from on high. When last I was here the almond groves were in blossom but today the flowers were gone. It was mostly easy walking and I wandered along at a leisurely pace as I had plenty of time. In a couple of places the ravines were precipitous and spectacular. Eventually I crossed my final ridge and I could see Niguelas ahead. The village was quite busy when I entered it and as I passed the church there was a service ongoing to celebrate Palm Sunday. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best and there was a festive feel in the air. I could have waited for a bus here but I opted to continue as far as Durcal which was just a couple of kilometres further on. Once beyond the village I passed through some "fragrant" little farms which baked in the sun. Finally I reached the road and followed this into the centre of the small town. It was bustling with people who were all enjoying their family lunch in the various restaurants that bordered the little square. I had almost an hour to wait for my bus to Granada so I relaxed and people watched for a bit. I confess to getting a bit nervous when the time for the bus to arrive got near and nobody else appeared to catch it. I feared that I had misread the timetable or that there was nothing running due to it being a religious festival but thankfully at the appointed time the bus arrived and a few other people arrived when it did. 

I paid the hefty 2 euro for the 30 kilometre bus ride and sat back and relaxed for the journey. Granada was very busy and when I reached the centre the streets were thronged with people as they gathered to watch a large  religious - festive procession where people carried alters, statues and iconography. Many were wearing costumes. Some of the costumes included people wearing sinister looking hoods that I believe are a tradition from the inquisition and before. It was vibrant and colourful and was an unexpected delight. I walked to the train station and caught the train to Malaga and after a brief wander around went to the airport. My flight didn't actually leave until half past midnight and it was gone half past two when I landed in Dublin airport so it was a long journey home. If I was to do it again I wouldn't have left Malaga until the Monday and this would have allowed me more time to complete the traverse of the range. Live and learn. 

21 kilometres....800 metres ascent in 5 hours 15 minutes.

Niguelas and Durcal

Overall I was very pleased with the trip. There was a tinge of disappointment that I didn't manage to complete the full traverse and even now I am wondering if I made the right decision. I do reckon that I could have completed it but it would have led to a stressful couple of days. The fact that I did enjoy the final two days, I guess really answers the question. I think I made the correct decision to go at the end of March. The days are longer and the weather is better, yet winter is still to be found on high. The best of both worlds. I have a feeling I will return again.