Tajos de la Virgen

In order to avoid the worst of the blistering heat that most of us experienced over early August I recently used the cable car and chair lift on the western flank of Veleta (3396m) above Granada’s ski village. The lift carries you from about 2,000m up to 3,000m and is a great way to access the high mountains. I had planned to avoid the summit of Veleta and just head for the Tajos de la Virgen ridge which runs south from the main peak. Once off the lift however the route to the top looked inviting and I headed off and within about an hour was sat at the top chatting to a fellow walker who was in training for a trip up Kilimanjaro. Apparently I had met up with him on his third ascent that week. He was based in Granada and using the mountain for some altitude training. Having summited I headed back to the planned route along the rugged ridge which runs from the Carihuela refuge below Veleta south to the Elioreta refuge. After the initial section of rocky walking the way up to the ridge proper is a short but fairly exposed scramble. Since I had last done this section small white arrows have been painted on the route to assist route finding. It was clear though as I watched a fellow walker descend away from the correct line that the arrows only work in ascent. What was also clear was that he was quite poorly equipped with a bottle of water in one hand and a carrier bag and wooden staff in the other. I know that some of us, myself included, tend to take a bit to much gear particularly in summer but the amount he was carrying did seem a bit extreme. Once on the ridge proper the route becomes clearer for some way before passing below a distinctive pinnacle of rock on the very crest of the ridge. This is El Fraile (The Friar) and can often be seen from miles away as it stands in profile on the ridge. Beyond El Fraille the ridge has a section of large boulders which are quite difficult to navigate before the ridge finally opens out at the Elioreta. Formally used by TB patients to aid recovery the refuge still has tiles on some of its rock floors and two rooms which are reasonably weather proof. From here the return to the cable car is an easy descent on an old mule track to some small lagoons from where a small path leads back up (a bit to steeply at that point in the day) to the chair lift and a very relaxing descent without any chance of damage to my knees.

Limerick Climbing Club walking week.

I recently guided fro Mountain House for a weeks long booking made by Limerick Mountaineering Club.

22! memebers of the club turned up in Malaga for five days of activities in the Sierra Nevada. The first day out was a Travenque ascent, all the group got to the top so the summit was slightly overcrowded with 22 clients, 3 guides and a couple of Swedish walkers who were also there.

Day two was the start of a three day trip up Mulhacen with two nights in the Poqueira refuge. The walk in was simple enough with three groups taking various routes in to the hut, day two saw a fairly early start for an ascent via the upper Rio Poqueira and the west ridge. Whilst there was some snow in the valley most was easily avoided with the west ridge proving to be the usual long slog up to the summit. Day three was a return out again on three differing routes.

After a rest day the last full walking day saw an ascent of Cero de Caballo which at 3,011m is the most westerly of the ''Tres Mille''. Suprising;ly this ascent was more tiring than Mulhacen for most , including the guides but aonce again all the group summited in magnificent weather.

The final day allowed for a short half day for some of the group who made an ascent up the the hermita above Pinos de Valle in the Lecrin valley.

Mulhacen, a two day ascent.

Monday and Tuesday of last week should have been the time for a group ascent of Mulhacen. However dwindling numbers and illness meant that in the end there were only three of us in the party, myself, Maureen and Glen friends from Lanjaron.

The two day ascent involves an easy walk in to the Poqueira Refuge from Hoya de Portillo in the forest above Capileira. There are a number of possible routes to take however I favour the path which crests the Loma de Piedra Blanco ( ''ridge of the white stones'' ) as this takes you above 2,600m for some distance and leads nicely up to the Mirador de Trevelez at 2,700m. This is always a good place for a break before the descent back to the refuge at 2,500m. The mirador is also the spot where in summer the mountain bus deposits walkers who have caught the bus out of Capileira. Is this the highest bus stop in Europe ?

As with many mountain refuges the Poqueira provides basic , evening meal, bunk bed and breakfast in very hospitable surroundings. With an open fire in the main room and wine and beer available at the bar what could be better. The monday we were there was fairly quiet with about 20 people including a group of mountain bikers who arrived after dark and leaft before first light.

We left the refuge at about eight the next morning and headed west to ascend the valley running up to the Laguna de Caldera at the foot of the west ridge of Mulhacen. From the refuge to the summit is a climb of nearly 1,000m in 5km so its never an ascent to be rushed , so we didn't. Two hours plodding saw us at the refugio de Caldera. This is an unmanned bivouac hut at 3,000m where after a short break to photograph the wild ibex we set off up the final 480m to the summit. Never a technical route, unless it has snow on it , the ascent is steep and just needs to be taken at a very steady pace. An hour and a half of more plodding saw us at the summit under glorious blue skies with fantastic 360 degree views including as far south as the Rif of northern Morrocco.

The descent was via the south ridge back to the main track at the mirador before an easy final couple of hours back to the car.

NOT TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN WINTER WITHOUT ADEQUATE EXPERIENCE AND EQUIPMENT.
First day 4-5 hours , second day 8-9 hours
Water at refuge.
Easy walking first day , hard ascent of ridge and long descent on second day. Navigation moderate in clear weather.