Although this is southern Spain the Sierra Nevada should never be underestimated. We supported Australians Ryan and Emma as they did a self guided 5 day trip in the Sierra Nevada, intending starting at Guejar Sierra, crossing Mulhacén and dropping down to the Alpujarras. They sent us in this interesting report of their experiences. As [...]
Read More guejar sierra, mojon alto, Mulhacen, pena partida, siete lagunas
During April 2013, members of the Spanish Highs team joined a Berghaus sponsored expedition led Berghaus athlete, Julia Pickering, attempting to make the first ski and snowboard climb and descent of the highest active volcano in Kamchatka, Klyutchevskoy Sopka (4750m). Richard Hartley and Kiersten Rowland of Spanish Highs, Sierra Nevada were invited to join this Berghaus [...]
Read More berghaus, kamchatka, ski
Join us on one of our winter skills mountaineering courses in the high, snow sure Sierra Nevada mountains of Spain. Learn ice axe, crampon, winter belaying and alpine skills in a superb mountain environment. We have been running these winter skills mountaineering courses here in Spain for over 12 years. In that time we have [...]
Read More alpine instruction, crampons, ice axe braking, mountaineering course, Mulhacen, poqueira hut, self arrest, winter skills
In April 2013, Richard Hartley and Kiersten Rowland of Spanish Highs Mountain Guides are to join a team led by British snowboarder/mountaineer Julia Pickering attempting to become the first people to climb and snowboard down the largest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere, Kamchatka in far eastern Russia. The team’s main sponsor is outdoor clothing and [...]
Read More 2XS Films, berghaus, julia pickering, kamchatka, Klyutchevskoy Sopka
Nothing beats ski touring up and down a mountain (skijoring) with man’s best friend, in my case our husky, named “Khumbu”! Spain’s Sierra Nevada mountains offer many opportunities for backcountry skiing with or without our four legged friends. The mountain side above Puente Palo looked bare. The thaw had devastated the snowpack. But we know [...]
Read More backcountry, husky, siberian, skiing, skijoring
Snow affected access tracks meant we only had a thin ribbon of snow in the gully to ascend and descend the mountain but it turned out to be a superb ski tour in wild and quiet surroundings in a little known area of the Sierra Nevada. Not sure it has ever been skied before either? [...]
Read More backcountry skiing, cerro de caballo, nigüelas
It sounded good on paper. Approach using skis, climb some simple gullies and then ski out again. But a blocked road meant a longer ski in. Combined with the additional weight for mountaineering kit gave a very long hard day in the Sierra Nevada. We are always on the look out to do something different. After [...]
Read More la piuca, las alegas
Take a remote refuge with superlative mountain views, a few good friends, tasty food, a wee dram (or two) and a reason to celebrate and you have the makings of a birthday to remember. Last week we tried it out in the Sierra Nevada mountains of southern Spain. Our friend David Thomas wanted a 50th birthday [...]
Read More guejar sierra, pena partida
An unexpected overnight dump of snow meant we had to change plans for our two day mountaineering skills trip into Spain’s Sierra Nevada. All our snowshoes were out with another group having, as it turned out, a fantastic snowshoeing day. We didn’t think we needed them. The overnight snow changed all that. For our 2 [...]
Read More alpine courses, bivvy, hoya de la mora, mountaineering courses, tajos del campanario
Twice I have been privileged to stand in awe, beneath one of the most natural cathedrals our mountain environments can provide. This is the Cirque de las Altares in southern Patagonia. The Cirque is to be found on the western side of the Cerro Torre massif, at the eastern edge of the great southern icecap [...]
Read More cirque de los altares, patagonian icecap