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21st December 2001 -
10.15 GMT
Mulhacén 2000
Highest
peak in continental spain, 3490 m, located south of Granada
This
trip was intended to be a preparation for something bigger
;)
0th
day: 12-08-00
We
hit the road early, heading for Sevilla and the further to Granada.
After refilling on stocks and gas we drove up to the ski resort
at around 2.600 m, always worried about the temperature of the
engine. We parked at a nice spot and slept in the car.
1st
day: 13-08-00
Got
up with the first rays of light, had some fast breakfast and
drove the rest up to the parking lot at 2.800 m. Don't be
to surprised to find a terrible amount of comercial stands
here. There is parking space for probably 100 or 200 cars,
and people sell all the usual stuff like coke, souvenirs etc.
On a paved road you will walk up, passing the ruins of some
astronomical observatorium heading for Pico Veleta. (Btw,
I made it 10 years before with the bike, check it out HERE).
Pico
Veleta offers a great view, other hikers hangin around and
some causual birds looking for a snack. After a short break,
we got our stuff and continued. We were worried, that maybe
some kind of permit would be necessary to go further to Mulhacen,
but that was not the case. There no controls or anything.
Following
a dirt track, which leads down to the valley of the Alpucharras
we made good progress, at some place we treid to find a short
cut and had some fun at a via ferrata. Finally, in the late
afternoon we arrived at the foot of Mulhacen and there we
pitched our tent. There are 2 (?) refugees around, but they
were full and we preferred some calm place for our own.
2nd
day: 14-08-00
Summiting
from this side is no big deal, it's just walking up a slope
of perhaps 200 m and there you are, the highest point of continetal
Spain. Great view, a lot of options to further explore beautiful
Sierra Nevada. After some pics and a snack we started our
descent, packed our stuff and headed back on the same route
to our car and begun the way back home.
Slept
in a very nice town called ...., some very strange hills there
and near some kind of pinacle forrest, which should be nice
to do some rock climbing.
3rd
day: 15-08-00
Arrived
home.
Additional
information:
Take
good treking boots, tenns shoes may not be enough. You should
be able to make the hike in one hard day. Start early, just
carry a small back pack with the usual stuff and only bother
about Veleta on your way back.
- I
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