Records for the month of August 2010

alpujarra-weather-station-august-2010

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Typical of Bonatti though, in his brilliant autobiography, “The Mountain of My Life“, he donates just three and a half pages to this epic day. Having retreated from Cerro Torre earlier in his expedition he then crossed the Patagonian Icecap to climb the then unclimbed, and unexplored, Cerro Mariano Moreno. A major feat. After this you may of thought they would be content. No.

At 6am on 7th February they set out and had ascended the first 1000m of steep couloir in the first 2 hours. By 11am they sat on the summit of Cerro Adela. It was then they decided to continue along the chain. Cerro Adela South, Cerro Nato (1pm) and Cerro Doblado (3pm) all were reached before the twin peaks of Cerro Grande lay before them.

Not opting for easier options they moved together in harmony, alternating leads. They reached the top in strong winds at 4pm. Not content with just the highest of the twin summits they then did the other one. At 5:30pm they started the descent.

At 9pm after negotiating hundreds of waiting, gaping crevasses, bad weather and swinging pendulums into  black voids they reached the safety of their tents on the Hielo Continental basin.

And, they only had ice axes, crampons and a rope between them. Just like “the mountaineers of old” said Bonatti. Not even a piton to help facilitate any retreat. What an adventure and what an effort. A lesson for all modern day “wanabee” mountaineers!

This is a MUST READ book.

We shall be visiting the area again during our Patagonian Icecap crossing in November 2010.

Cerro Grande from the Tunel valley

Looking up the glacier debris to Cerro Grande

Technorati Tags: Adela South, cerro grande, cerro mariano, mount fitzroy, Walter Bonatti

Veleta from the high road

Jose, my mate from Lanjarón, collected me at 4pm. Seemed strange to be going to work at this time of day? We made our way to Granada where we met the rest of the night shift and were transported to Pradollano. We took the Al Andalus gondola to Borreguiles where we met “the beast”!

A pistebasher is a remarkable machine. Built like a tank or a huge tonka toy. Outside it may be blowing a gale but inside it is warm and cosy. Jose is dressed in a lightweight fleece and looks at me quizzically, as I’m well over dressed in all my mountain gear.

Then down to work and onto the ski slopes, repairing bare pistes, flattening bumps and generally leaving the snow in a pristine state. The pistebasher can operate on very steep slopes. Ok when going up or down but when turning across the fall line those huge caterpillar treads can become like skis! At those points Jose had previously anchored a steel cable leading from the machine to a belay high above.

We watched the sun set over the vegas of Granada, from our marvellous 3000m vantage point!

As the outside temperatures plummeted and a blizzard came in from the south west we chatted idly. Well sort of. Jose in raw Andaluz and me in my broken spanish.  We observed tens of foxes gathering to compete for the skiers leftovers.

At 3am we headed down the mountainside for breakfast and a return to Lanjarón.

Approaching the Cariguela

Jose

Jose anchoring the cables

Sunset

Blizzard

Fox caught in headlights

Technorati Tags: borreguiles, pistebasher, Pradollano

The route up the south ridge of Mulhacen from the Hoya del Portillo may not be the most exciting in the world but at least it gives a high start point. An early start meant the 8 of us avoided the searing heat of the lower Alpujarras and we had the cool of the morning for the ascent.

Veleta and Cerro de los Machos, upper Rio Chico

No snow affects the old dirt track at the moment and progress was rapid up to the Mirador de Trevelez where we stopped for breakfast and to admire the views down to Trevelez. The bus from Capileira arrived during breakfast break unfortunately and disgorged a number of unsuitably clad walkers dressed in beachwear looking for Mulhacen!

Then it was a slow plod up the south ridge, enlivened by the clear views over to Veleta and the Tajos de los Machos range and also by a couple of Griffon Vultures who graced us with their presence.

Griffon Vultures above Mulhacen south ridge

As we rested by the summit cairn not a breath of wind blew. Up above a couple of booted eagles played in the thermals. The heat lower down meant that distant views were hazy but the whole range of the Sierra Nevada was laid bare. As it was a bank holiday in Spain there were a few other walkers around.

At this point the 3 of us who were continuing on (Iris Bogaerts, James Jackson and myself) said our farewells to our 5 companions, who descended via the west flank, returning to the fiestas in Lanjaron. We skirted round the east ridge and dropped down to our overnight camp at Cañada de Siete Lagunas.

Camp at Siete Lagunas

No matter how many times I have been here I am always startled by the majesty of the place. Lovely cold icy lakes and lush grasses make it an ideal overnight stop. With less weight and a bit more energy we would have moved up to Laguna Alta, the quietest place to stay in a magnificent glacial cirque. Instead we opted for Laguna Hondera at the entrance to the valley.

On previous visits we had been plagued by foxes intent on plundering our meagre food stocks. This time we had no issues although we did try a anti-fox beacon as a deterrent. Maybe it worked or maybe the dogs camping around there with their owners put off  ”los Ladrones“!

Next morning we ascended the valley to the glacial cirque at the head. Blue skies, sun and dramatic backdrops made this a beautiful setting. Ice still covered some of the lakes. We ascended via a steep scree slope and then a slanting rake to find our way through the upper crags of Alcazaba and broke out onto the upper plateau.

The icy Laguna Alta at Siete Lagunas

Now it was an easy walk round to the summit of Alcazaba (the Fortress). This is well named. The mountain is surrounded on most sides by cliffs and there are few escape routes, usually to the SE. We sat for an hour on the summit admiring the view north towards the Puntal de Vacares and south west to the main ridge of the Sierras. Alpine Swifts weaved between the summit rocks. Northern Wheatears and Alpine Accentors hunted for leftover crumbs from our sandwiches.

Mulhacen from near the summit of Alcazaba

Clouds began to form from the east so it was down to the south east exit from the plateau. There is a way north to break through the Alcazaba cliffs if you are heading towards Vacares but it is steep loose and a certain amount of scrambling is required. We made it back to our camping site in good time. Not another sole had been seen on our trip to Alcazaba.

The ridge north to Puntal de Vacares

The weather was changing and bad weather was forecast for that evening. We decided to drop a bit lower and make a possible retreat much easier. Below the spectacular waterfall of Chorreras Negras the infantile Rio Culo del Perro (Dogs Arse River!) plunges down to a green area known as El Vertedero. Here we set up camp aside the stream. As night fell we realised we had made a mistake. This area is used as a base for a herd of cows! Worse still, they all have loud bells round their necks, alpine style!

During the night the sound of bells was soon drowned out by the sound of heavy rainfall accompanied by spectacular lightning displays. At this point I realised that my faithful old North Face Gore Tex bivvy bag was not as faithful as I had thought. It leaked from numerous seams. In the morning, during a lull in the rain, we packed up hastily and retreated to the Refugio de Campiñuela for breakfast.

Shelter at the Campiñuela ruins

Then it was a short 2 hour walk down to Trevelez, reputed to be the highest village in Spain, for a welcome beer and a return to civilisation.

Spanish Highs Mountain Guides run multi day treks in the Sierra Nevada on a regular basis on demand throughout the summer.

Full Photo Gallery from the trip

Technorati Tags: Alcazaba, alpine accentor, Alpujarras, griffon vulture, Mulhacen, Northern Wheatears, Sierra Nevada, siete lagunas, Trekking, Trevelez

Although a  ruined building, the shelter looks to have had some restoration work put into it in recent years, most likely from trekkers and mountaineers trying to seal the walls from the elements. We arrived there a few days ago after being caught in a storm near Siete Lagunas. At first light and during a break in the weather we retreated downhill and took shelter in the hut.

There were a few leaks from the roof, but in general it would have been a welcome place to spend the night. There is sleeping room for 4 or 5. It is about 2 hours down to Trevelez from here and maybe 2.5hrs up to Siete Lagunas.

It has history too. I know of at least 4 parties we were supporting that have used the hut in bad weather both in ascent and descent. Not in any way salubrious, but a functional and welcoming refuge and safe haven. Worth knowing about.

Iris Bogaerts and James Jackson enjoying the comforts of the refugio Campiñuela

Technorati Tags: Mulhacen, refuge, shelter, Sierra Nevada, siete lagunas, Trevelez

The Paso de los Machos in the winter is a notorious blackspot for avalanches. After the mega snowfalls of last winter hard packed snow still remains. This can be very hard and ice in the mornings. A fall here can be very dangerous as the recent spate of accidents has shown. Great care required (take crampons!).

The photo below shows mountain bikers crossing the trail carrying bikes. What is not shown is the steep drop below the trail which ends in a rock field.

Crossing the Paso de los Machos mid-August

More info in spanish at
[www.laopiniondegranada.es]
[www.ideal.es]

Technorati Tags: accident, accidents, de los machos, paso, Sierra Nevada

The trip is actually a hybrid of the two we offer. This means we complete the regular “icefield traverse”, but we are also going to include the ascent of Gorra Blanca at the northern end of the icefield. The traverse west to take in Cerro Lautaro or Cerro Moreno cannot be undertaken due to time limitations.

Proposed Itinerary:
16th Nov – meet El Calefate
17th Nov – provisioning, planning day. Hotel
18th Nov – bus transfer to El Chalten. Camp
19th Nov to 28th Nov – 10 days Icefield Trek including ascent of Gorra Blanca.
29th Nov – spare. Camp
30th Nov – bus back to El Calafate. Hotel
1st Dec – flight home

Cerros Torre and Fitzroy, Patagonia

We have allowed 10 days for the main trek. If the main trip goes well and the weather is fair then there should be some spare days afterwards. If that is the case then we aim to ascend the glaciers up to the base of Fitzroy and Cerro Torre and maybe an ascent of Cerro Solo.

We have 2 places spare on this expedition. See http://www.spanishhighs.co.uk/patagonia-icefield-expedition.html for further information or use our contact form for direct enquiries.

El Chalten and its mountain backdrop

Technorati Tags: cerro torre, el calafate, el chalten, expeditions, fitzroy patagonia, mount fitzroy

The Gondola Al Andalus will open from 21:30 to 01:30 on Friday night. The expected time of the greatest concentration of meteor showers. Various packages are offered including dinner under the stars and a trip to the observatory. Prices and details below in spanish but self explanatory.

sky viewing times

Technorati Tags: al andalus, gondola, perseids meteor showers, Sierra Nevada, sierra nevada ski, ski station, sky observation

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Technorati Tags: Alpujarras, Badaje, Lanjaron, panoramic photos