What is it like to launch off and paraglide from the highest mountain in mainland Spain? Ian Tupman decided to find out!
Ian continues…………..
“Short video of a trip with my friend Rob on 23 and 24 January 2012. We walked up to the Poquiera refuge along the acequia alta,
spent the night there and then ascended to Mulhacen via the south ridge the next morning. We launched our paragliders just below the summit at around 13.30.”
“I landed on the meadows just to the south west of Trevelez whilst Rob flew an incredible 22 km to land on the gravel river bed below Tablones in the Orgiva valley.”
Rob over Portugos village
Hi,great video!! Im climbing Mulhacen next week, just wondering how cold was it at the summit? Also how cold did you find the Pocqueira Hut, I hear they give you blankets, but would you recommend a sleeping bag as well?
Hi Andrew. Overnight at the hut tonight ti will be -8! There are blankets and a fire but when it is very cold I sometimes take a lightweight sleeping bag to supplement things. Summit temps max during day at the moment say -5 deg. Have a look at http://www.spanishhighs.co.uk/weather-sierra-nevada.php for current situation. Bear in mind that wind will considerably reduce the “feel”. Have fun!
Nice video. I was walking up near the refuge about that time, and saw a red paraglider lifting off about 1 km west from the refuge. Could that have been you? That would be a coincidence. Anybody interested in the conditions up there can see my video clips on Youtube, called, ‘Mulhacen in winter’ and ‘Mulhacen in February’.
Stay safe.
Regards Steve.
Thanks Steve. The camera was lashed to the chin guard of my helmet, hence some dodgy angles! I have since invested in a GoPro Hero2 which should provide better video of future flights.
We took off a couple of hundred metres below the main summit on the east facing side of the south ridge and flew above the Siete Lagunas before turning south. It was almost certainly Rob that you saw as there were no other gliders in the air at the time.