Rising 3482 meters above sea level in the heart of Andalucia, Sierra Nevada is the highest mountain in the Iberian peninsula and not less than the second highest mountain range in Europe. At only 30 km from the Mediterranean, it offers an unbelievable experience for the ski-mountaineer craving for exotic trips. Apart from one ski resort, it remains wild and remote, with only a couple roads winding up its snowy spine. Mountain huts are scarce in this area, but two of them, Postero Alto and...
more »Rising 3482 meters above sea level in the heart of Andalucia, Sierra Nevada is the highest mountain in the Iberian peninsula and not less than the second highest mountain range in Europe. At only 30 km from the Mediterranean, it offers an unbelievable experience for the ski-mountaineer craving for exotic trips. Apart from one ski resort, it remains wild and remote, with only a couple roads winding up its snowy spine. Mountain huts are scarce in this area, but two of them, Postero Alto and Poqueira, offer half board. They fill up mostly in summer, when Mulhacen is an easy hike and an escape to the Andalucian heat. In the heart of winter, there are definitely fewer candidates, and the majority use snow shoes rather than skis to attempt the climb. In February 2011, the decision to fly to the south of Spain with our skis was finally taken, after hours spent on weather forecast models. We were greeted by clear skies, but with 80 km/h winds and snow, much snow. A few days before our arrival, a huge avalanche had swept the Solynieve resort. The mountain had accumulated an incredible three meter deep snow pack, more than any place in the Alps. On the other side of the mountain, these dangerous conditions made us vulnerable and kept our minds busy with the choice and timing of itinerary. Fortunately, we found safe routes on the way up to Mulhacen and bagged the summit on day two. The next days brought quiet, sunny weather and allowed us to ski down other peaks. Our day at Cerro Caballo was probably the epitome of the Sierra skiing atmosphere : a ten-km drive on bad road scattered with rocks and blocked with patches of ice, then a thousand-meter vertical drop of immaculate snow facing the Gibraltar straits, and a plunge into the Mediterranean in the afternoon - granted, it was cold, but worth the memories.
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