Thanks to Ian Tupman, from the Costa Tropical who sent in this report about his night at the hut and how the newly restored hut coped with the extreme conditions. I have passed this onto Acción Sierra Nevada for further restoration projects this coming summer. Thanks Ian!

Below you can see a video from the same expedition that shows the ferocity of the winds to good effect.

REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF REFUGIO DE CABALLO

Spindrift blows across the Cerro de Caballo

We arrived on the afternoon of December 16. It was windy over 120 km/hr. The door and window were closed and the interior was clean. During the night the wind increased with strong gusts. The new door is great and it worked perfectly. But there were problems. Within hours there was a layer of water on the floor. I have two suggestions,

Snow was coming through the window. To avoid this, I suggest a similar exterior shutter door construction.

The wind was so strong that the spindrift blew through through the ceiling of the refugio. Inside, you can see that the roof is discolored (black) where water and snow penetrated. I think there are small cracks in the ceiling and advise the application (by brush) of a fine mortar to exterior cracks.

I recognize that you can not do anything until spring but I’ll be willing to assist with the work.

Regards,
Ian Tupman
Technical Architect (retired)

I asked this question on the Worldwide Expedition professional group on LinkedIn

Hastily erected snow walls

Last year on the Patagonian Icecap we built snow walls as normal. In high winds spindrift gets dumped on the leeward side when the wind hits irregularities in the surface ie snow walls. This gave another problem in that we had good snow walls but the tents behind them got buried! Do you think there is any way the shape or construction of the wall can be improved to eliminate this occurrence? I ask this as I am heading for a rematch in Patagonia in November 2011! 

Thanks to the respondents and their excellent suggestions.

Damien Gildea • Richard, I had this problem once at high camp on Vinson. A 3-day storm blew in a lot of new snow and half-buried our VE25, needing lots of digging and a broken pole. I think it might help if you build the wall not so flat to the wind, with more of a V shape, or a U shape, so that the wind blows around the wall more, taking the snow with it, rather than just hitting it flat and dumping its load on your tent. I think it’s also good to make the wall at least as high as the tent, not the same or lower.

Stuart Remensnyder • no doubt shape is a huge factor along with height but something we had good luck with on Denali was a second lower wall in front of the main wall. The biggest mistake we made was taking over and abandoned “dug-in” site which filled in rapidly and we had to dig out in the am from drift snow only. from then on we always set up on a level the same as the main snowpack. good luck in November!

The main crag at Diezma

Access is very easy as the crag is just north of the A92 between Granada and Guadix. Coming from Granada turn off at the first Diezma exit, cross over the motorway and enter the west side of town. At the first junction turn left and follow a tarmac road signposted to a hotel and restaurant. After 2km this turns into a rougher road and just beyond you park opposite an entry to a dirt track on the right (5 mins).

Walk up the dirt track for 10 minutes before heading more directly to the base of the main crag (20 mins). There are great views back towards the Sierra Nevada.

Best rock guidebook to use is the excellent “Andalucia Guia de Escalada Deportiva” by David Munilla (Desnivel) ISBN: 84-96192-94-6. The pages that refer to Naranjtio, Peña Cabrera are 80-83.
Andalucía : guía de escalada deportiva

Sector Castillo

Sector Puerta

Sector Bosque

It commands a wide panoramic view stretching from the Hoya de Guadix-Baza to the ridges of the Sierra Nevada mountain peaks and lies at the foot of the Picon de Jerez, halfway between the Jerez de Marquesado and the high village of Trevélez in the Alpujarras. Despite being well integrated into the environment it can be easily distinguished from higher areas because of it’s situation within a prominent forest firebreak.

The source and inspiration for some of this article can be found and downloaded in spanish here including photos reproduced here.

In the early 90′s, the Comité de Refugios de la Federación Andaluza raised the need for a refuge in this area. It was initially called the Refugio Ballesteros, in fact, even today that can be found under that name in some legal documents.

In 1994 the works began, performed by Tragsa under the National Plan of Mountain Refuges, jointly funded by the Higher Sports Council and the Board of Andalusia.

It was finally finished and inaugurated in 1996. It is owned by the Junta de Andalucía, in the recent past through Egmasa, now through the Ministry of Environment itself. The Andalusian Federation (FAM) aims to promote and develop the practice of mountaineering using the hut as a base.

Characteristics of the Refuge.

The Postero Alto refugio

The location meets the criteria for use as a refuge ie is easily reachable from the summits, and at the same time, it is in harmony with the environment. The construction of the shelter is modeled on several ruins of old mining towns. The refuge is based on three levels forming three concentric circles linked by semi-covered alleyways. At the core is the common living room, dining room, storage and housing of the guardian. In the next circle are toilets and general services, woodshed, etc. And in the outer ring, the bedrooms and dormitories.

Its design is thought through following several criteria:

1 – optimization of resources and recycled materials and 2-3 – its resemblance to the mining town. This is reflected in the following aspects: the set is defined by a small village huddled, harmonized with the landscape and built with stone from the region. The windows are small and irregular to allow light to enter without reducing its insulating ability walls. The chimneys are painted with rust from the mine, to increase the similarity to the mining town. The wooden structure from recycled railroad rails and telephone poles, giving it a rustic feel. Likewise the pavement is of local clay tiles. The area of common living room and dining room make up the largest area  forming a large space and a unique atmosphere.

In the spring of 2010, after 14 years, a complete renovation was performed to make essential repairs, waterproofing of the roof, replacement of carpentry, moisture correction, adaptation, accessibility, improved electrical system, adequacy of rooms, etc. Currently, the Refuge is in a great condition for use in outdoor activities.

Services

It is open daily from June 15 to September 15. The rest of the year it is open weekends, bank holidays, even on some weekdays. The capacity is 65 beds, distributed into 7 independent rooms with named appropriately Alhorí, Picon, Gallo, Sabina, Swifts, Lobos, etc

The water comes from a spring located on the hill itself, a few metres above. The refuge has: hot shower, bar, food and beverage service, commissary, beds, first aid, weather forecast, radio transmitters, phone, fireplace, library, wifi network, open kitchen, blankets and wastewater treatment. Last season the refuge provided relief materials to support rescue teams increasingly used more often in the area. In the vicinity, although there is a helicopter landing area.

The current guardians, Moslero Pilar and Pedro Zamora, work hard to provide a professional service to the mountaineering and outdoor community.

Access

Location in a firebreak

Despite being a high mountain refuge, during the summer season access can be made with vehicle ( preferably off-road).  At the southern part of Jerez de Marsquesado take the turn right (signposted), after passing by the Centro de Defensa Forestal de Los Moralillos, take a dirt road (Camino Forestal del Marquesado) which rises to the left. After about 9 km of forest track, turn right and approach the final stretch of the firebreak. The last section is in a  poor condition. After 2.7 kms you arrive at the hut. In winter, this last part of the firebreak usually accumulates snow and maybe impossible even with chains.

For the approach on foot, take the path of PR-A-31. This path is well signposted, heads south west and takes us to the refuge in about 6 km and with 650 meters of ascent. With normal or medium rucksack loads this may take between 2 and 2.5 hours to cover the route.

Activities and Possibilities

The Refugio Postero Alto offers a variety of possibilities for mountain activities. The climb to Jerez to Picon (3,088 m.), the easternmost of the 3000m mountains of the Sierra Nevada is a classic tour climbs. The hut also starts the classic “Los Tres Miles Ruta Integral“, a 4 or 5 day crossing of the whole Sierra Nevada range through to Lanjaron in the south west. It typically takes between 3 and 4 hours for the ascent and requires adequate physical preparation. In the winter is essential to use crampons and ice axe.

Another trip of interest from this location is the traverse over the Puerto de Trevelez to the high village of Trevélez in the high Alpujarra.

The snow and ice of the Barranco del Alhori

To the west of the Loma de Enmedio, is the Barranco del Alhorí. This is home to an ancient glacial cirque. In the winter becomes a perfect place for the practice and teaching of mountaineering and ice climbing. The Alhorí Cascades are at the head of the ravine at about 2,800 meters. These waterfall form great ice sheets every winter from mid-December to late April, with between 15 and 45 meters. See our review of the ice climbing guidebook ” Sierra Nevada Cascadas de Hielo” by Antonio José Herrera

Hiking and trekking are other activities that have a place around the Postero Alto Refugio, mainly from spring to autumn. The path PR-A-31, previously described access to the refuge. You can continue to return to Jerez completing a circular route that passes through the Cortijo del Hornillo and the recreation area at La Tizná. A full day trip of 6 hours, full of natural and scenic interest.

Section 17 of the well known Sulayr Path (GR-240) has its onset in the Postero Alto Refugio. In this section the trail reaches its highest point at 2400 meters at the headwaters of the Rio Maitena. Section 16 of the said GR: Chorreras-Postero Alto has beautiful views of the villages of the Marquis (La Calahorra, Aldeire, Lanteira). A long section of more than 21 kms.

The possibilities for ski touring and backcountry skiing are equally vast using the refugio as a start point or base, including the Picón de Jerez, Puntal de Juntillas, Cerro Pelado, Puerto y Cerro de Trevélez and Puerto de las Albardas.

The large number of forest tracks in the levels immediately below the refuge provide many options for mountain biking, which is why the refuge is in the vicinity of the Transnevada, a route of 500 kms of Sierra Nevada mountain biking which is signposted as the system of the IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association).

Other nearby mountain refuges

A day’s march west, following the path of the Sulayr, you can reach the Refuge Bivouac de Peña Partida. Connection with the Puerta de la Ragua can be done in a very long day 30 kms eastwards along the Sulayr.

For experts you could reach the Refugio del Poqueira in two long days. A high mountain route with great distance and without any signs.

Contact

It is essential to make a reservation in good time before your intended visit.
The phone numbers are (+34) 616 506 083 and (+34) 958 066 110
Email is: refugioposteroalto@hotmail.com and website is at www.refugioposteroalto.es.

Also check the Sierra Nevada Weather sources before coming out here especially in the winter months.

The Postero Alto El Refugio is affiliated with other national federations and has reciprocal rights for other alpine countries that offers a discount on accommodation and food.

Thanks for Nevasport for the original source in spanish

The Raspones emerges from the upper reaches of the Poqueira gorge, just west of the Rio Seco. It is a long shark fin of a ridge. A serrated ridge with many turrets, twists and turns. Approach is normally made from two directions:

1. From the Refugio de Poqueira – head into the Rio Mulhacen, cross over immediately and begin a rising traverse across the hillside north west. The path emerges high above the Rio Seco. The right hand side off the valley is followed until a crossover to the foot of the Raspones can be made. The wonderful El Pulpito is to the left and the Rio Seco to the right.
2. From Pradollano in the summer use can be made of the bus or chairlifts to gain quick access. Follow the old road over the Cariguela until just past the small pass that marks the top end of the Raspones. Drop down to the lagunas de Rio Seco and follow the path of the east side of the valley to the base of the ridge.

Scrambling on the Raspones

We took option 2 but from the Cariguela tried to shortcut it by crossing pathless terrain below Paso de los Machos, near the Lagunas de las Cabras to the west of the ridge and then going north of El Pulpito. Bad move! Great scenery reminiscent of a lunar landscape, but difficult to cross. Suggest stick to options 1 or 2 above.

This is not intended or meant to be a climbing or mountaineering guide to the climb. The fun of the ridge is discovery of all the little nooks, crannies and secrets that it has to offer. Delightful scrambling. Mostly good rock although great care and judgement is sometimes necessary. Similar to many parts of the Skye ridge in Scotland.

Some parts are escapable but the most fun will be had by taking the rock steps direct. Mostly its engaging alpine mountaineering, with some route finding difficulty at times. Take some abseil gear for some apparent dead ends! Suggest a grade of at least 3S (scrambling) and British HVD  if the harder options taken. A group we supported during the first British winter ascent in March 2011 suggested a grade of alpine AD- (4a rock). They made 7 abseils.

Can be done in a long day with an early start from Hoya de la Mora, good weather and a fit and experienced party. Otherwise take 2 days, camp by the Lagunas de Rio Seco and enjoy 2 great days in incredible mountain scenery.

It’s a long route too. Just when you think you are at the end and the road is beckoning, an ultimate series of towers block the way. There is an escape to the left down an easy series of ledges and ramps but that would be cheating. And thats the fun. You never quite know whats round the next corner. Try it!

Climbing a tower on the Raspones

Steep scrambling

Downclimbing the final towers

Looking north to the end of the ridge

The northern pinnacles

Seen from Loma Pelada to the east

The centre section

Part of the centre section

Where do I go now!

The top half of the ridge from the road

Early morning sun on Tajos de la Virgen ridge

"Is this really southern Spain?"

It does take some application, but we managed to set off from our base in Lanjaron at 2am and reached the Hoya de la Mora above the ski area at 3am. A leisurely walk up the northern slopes of Veleta followed aiming for the Collado de Cariguela at first light. The mountains are wonderful places to be a night. Shooting stars, planets, a distant electrical storm far away in Murcia. While, seemingly the whole world sleeps, you crunch up through the snows.

We reached the Col de Cariguela at 6:30am. First light. Snow hard and crispy. Perfect climbing conditions. The Tajos de la Virgen ridge awaited us. The ridge runs from the col SW towards the Elorrieta hut and the Lanjaron Valley.

First surprise was that there was a fine snow arete to start off with. Instead of scrambling over blocky boulders we were able to walk along the crest of a fine snow ridge. Occasionally rocky steps intervened but we reached the first crux just as the first rays of the sun came over the top of Mulhacen to our east.

The traverse on the first step

We took our crampons off for this next section, an exposed scramble along rising ramps on the NW side of the ridge. This led back to the crest where we resumed our snowy amble along delightful ridge sections.

We arrived at the Fraile de Capileira a 30m pinnacle easily visible from afar. Not being up for the hard climb to the top we bypassed the massive gendarme and traversed down to the second crux where a rock face blocks the way.

Some snow slopes off to our left looked very entertaining and would have provided excellent sport, but we elected for a slanting traverse and then a shallow ramp leading back right to the skyline. Other options exist here.

Descending to the second step

By this time we had spent 3 hours on the ridge and the snow was beginning to turn. Rather than finish up the blocky ridge to the Elorrieta refugio we decided to descend some very steep ground to link with the normal track between Laguna de las Yeguas and the Elorrieta. This involved some delicate crampon work and a cool head.

Traverses skyline R to L. Descent route shown in red

By 11am the snow had got heavy. We made the normal path and followed this back to the Hoya de la Mora, drove back through 36 deg heat in Granada and hence for some welcome beers in Lanjaron. We felt like spacemen returning from the planet “Zog”!

This ridge is an entertaining scramble in summer and a graded winter mountaineering route (AD-/PD+).  Easier or harder options exist along the route. Thanks to fellow mountaineers, Kiersten Rowland, Jane Fields and Pepe Badaje for making it such a classic and memorable day.

[simpleviewer gallery_id="23"]

Entering the Icecap

Due to the difficult nature of the expedition we keep the group small. Only 4 places remain. This is likely to be an extremely demanding trip! Our 2006 expedition was completed in glorious weather. Our 2010 trip was beset by high winds and precipitation. BUT….. with the right mental attitude you can be assured the experience of a lifetime! If we have spare days at the end of the circuit we shall make short trips into the heart of the Fitzroy and Cerro Torre mountains and glaciers.

Before deciding if this is right for you………..

Have a look at our Expedition Page
“The Climax is the Coming Back from a Dangerous Place” – a summary of the 2010 Expedition
Surviving Patagonia – a trip report from Kiersten Rowland
Dairy of the 2006 Expedition
More photo galleries from the 2006 expedition

Also, you need to watch this before deciding if you want to come along?

Traverse of the Icecap

The objective of the trip is to make a circuit of the Fitzroy and Cerro Torre Ranges, traversing the Patagonian Icecap.

On the Marconi Glacier

We are looking for clients to arrive in El Calafate on or before 20th November 2011
Day 1 – Arrival El Calefate airport. Transfer to Hotel Confin Patagonico in El Chalten (3hrs).
Day 2 – Day in El Chalten buying food and provisions. Hotel Confin.
Day 3 – Walk in to the campsite and refugio at Piedra del Fraile (Los Troncos). Level, sheltered and good, clean water available.
Day 4 – Move up to “La Playita” campsite by the side of Lago Electrico.
Day 5 – To the Paso Marconi via the Marconi Glacier. 7-9hrs glacier walking with only 1 section of badly crevassed ground.
Day 6/7 – Ascent of Gorra Blanca
Day 7 – Traverse southwards on the icecap to the Cirque de los Altares

Cerro Torre beyond Lago Torre

Day 8 – Southwards again coming off the ice below the Paso del Viento. Camp near to the Lago Ferrari.
Day 9 – Up to the Paso del Viento and down eastwards into the Tunel valley.
Day 10 – Walk out to El Chalten.
Days 11,12 & 13 – spare days in case of bad weather. 13th night at Hotel Confin, El Chalten
Day 14 – Bus to airport at El Calafate. Flights home

Hosteria Confin Patagonico – The hotel has 4 large comfortable bedrooms with great facilities, including en suite, piped music and WiFi. Breakfasts are supplied as well. See hotel website for more details.

Advice and Recommendations for Travellers to El Chalten, Patagonia

Useful website for mountain information, photos, access, weather and history at PATAclimb

Notes re Itinerary

(1) Extend your trip by adding on the Torres del Paine or trekking in the El Chalen area independently
(2) Alternatives – Fantastic glacier trekking should bad weather affect the ice cap traverse. Multi day trips ascending the glaciers beneath Cerro Torre or Fitzroy, using the Agostini and Poincenet campsites.
(3) It is essential people have the right quality kit, as it could very well end up saving your life. We can advise on suitability.

See the video on Youtube
David Spreadborough mulhacen trip report
Spready on Twitter

The following article was originally posted by David on his interesting site at http://spreadys.wordpress.com/. Thanks to him for allowing us to reproduce below. The article gives important hints and information to consider when planning a winter trip here. Also links to resources used. You will also find a great video of the trip below

“Well then, where do I start?

The big challenge in organizing this year’s winter expedition was finding somewhere that lived up to the evolved aspirations of people joining one of our adventures. I have always tried to find somewhere new, somewhere interesting and perhaps, a little off the beaten track. This would be my 8^th trip over 9 years and for a multitude of reasons, it couldn’t be a biggy! That meant that Europe had to contain our target. It was to some surprise then, that during my hours of web research, I learnt that the highest mountain in Spain was NOT in the Pyrenees, but hidden away down south in the Sierra Nevada.

Mulhacen, at 3483m, and covered in snow during the winter was to become a real gem.

Finding information on routes, conditions and gear was initially a little tricky. There really is not a lot in English for the area but in the main, the guys down at Spanish Highs have documented all of their built up knowledge and collected all the best material. I also looked in the usual places for some general info. All links below:

www.spanishhighs.co.uk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulhac%C3%A9n

http://www.summitpost.org/mulhac-n/617430

http://vimeo.com/4848897

http://www.fedamon.com/refugios/poqueira/poqueira.htm

http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mulhacen/forecasts/3482

So, after announcing the trip for March 2011 and getting a team of 6, it was time to figure out the logistics.

Easyjet was used to get us there – Liverpool to Malaga

www.easyjet.com

I wanted 2 hire cars to give us a bit of flexibility if people came down from the mountains early for any reason. After a bit of browsing, Malagacar came up with a pretty good deal.

www.malagacar.com

We needed somewhere to stay on the first night and also upon our return to the foothills. It was here that Richard at Spanish highs sorted us out with a hotel in Lanjaron. The Hotel Central turned out to be ideal.

Our Morocco trip to Toubkal in 2009 taught me that we always needed a contingency plan for a delayed walk out. For this purpose I also booked a night in Malaga as a just in case. It would also serve as a nice last evening in Spain.

Although, 30mins walk from the old town, the Hotel Las Vegas was cheap and fit for purpose. (Although all reviews on miserable staff can be confirmed!)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187438-d236948-Reviews-Las_Vegas_Hotel-Malaga_Costa_del_Sol_Andalusia.html

The final Itinerary turned out to be:

Tuesday – Fly to Malaga, pick up hire cars and drive to Lanjaron. Night in hotel

Wednesday – Drive to Capiliera and then walk into Mountains. Night at Poqueira Refuge.

Thursday – Mountain day

Friday – Mountain day

Saturday – Mountain day

Sunday – Mountain day

Monday – Walk out and drive back to Lanjaron. Night in hotel.

Tuesday – Drive to Malaga, night in hotel.

Wednesday – Relax and then evening flight home to UK.

As can be seen from some of the links mentioned earlier, there is huge scope for routes of all kinds and also some overnighting in higher mountain shelters. I booked for 5 nights at the Poqueira but planned for 2 nights up in the mountains. For this reason we decided to take full climbing and bivvy gear. Easyjet luggage allowances are a little tight but each pair had a sports bag, extra to the one piece of hold luggage each. This meant the hold luggage was pretty light, being just filled with the usual winter clothing, and the heavy sports bags (which can go up to 32kg) were filled with all the climbing and bivvy gear.

Gear Notes:

Each pair took a lightweight alpine rope and half a rack of gear containing a selection of nuts, 4 x ice screws of various lengths, an ice hook, a warthog and a few misc. items.

For bivvying –Each pair had lightweight stove, kettle etc…Gas was purchased through Richard at Spanish Highs.

Each rucksack, for our walk up to the Poqueira, was approx 20kg.

Hire Cars.

Malagacar turned out to be just outside the airport but they pick you up and drive the 2 minutes round the corner in a minibus. We had a Renault Kangoo and a Seat Ibiza. 3 in each car and the Renault fitted 4 peoples gear while the Ibiza fitted 2.

They don’t advertise this (because it’s a con!)but they fill the car up to half a tank and then charge you for that amount upon collecting the cars – its more than what you would pay at the forecourt! You can then bring the car back empty. For all our trips we needed to put in another half a thankful per car.

Malaga to Lanjaron.

One we had picked the cars up, it was time for a spot of lunch and a few bits from a supermarket.

Near to the airport there are loads of places and also a Decathlon superstore for those needing extra gear!

We stopped off at the Plaza Mayor, which has a supermarket and a restaurant mall area.

The drive to Lanjaron took around 1h 45mins. I did start to get a little worried at one point as you stay near to the coast for most of the way and wondered when we would start to see some mountains. This highlights the fact that it was cloudy upon our arrival and the weather did not look good.

Lanjaron is a quiet little town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and appears to be less touristy than some of the others higher up. Once we had located the hotel and parked the cars up in the secure underground car park, it was time to sort kit and head off to a local bar to meet Richard from Spanish Highs and discuss weather, routes and options for the days ahead. I also rang the hut to confirm our arrival and get current ground conditions for the walk in.

What can I say about Bar Flower in Lanjaron, other than that we could have quite happily stayed in there for a very long time!!! (and on our return after being up the Mountain – we did!)

Richard and Kiersten gave us great info on what to expect up in the mountains and also about where to park up prior to the walk in.

The walk up The Poqueira Gorge

The drive from Lanjaron to Capileira is unrelenting and all passengers felt ill. It only looks a short distance on the map but takes nearly an hour. After Capileira, there are two sharp bends. At the second one, a smaller road (I say the  word ‘road’, but mean track!) leads up to the Poqueira Electrical station. This is at a height of 1550m and we managed to park up no problems. If it is busy you just have to park further back along the road.

The weather was typical Scottish winter….but we were in Southern Spain! It was pissing it down with the freezing level at around 2100m and the hut at 2500m.

The Gorge though turned out to be a fantastic place – shame I had my head down for most of it.

Four and a half hours later we arrived at the hut. Damp, but nothing too dramatic.

Poqueira Refuge

A great hut which can sleep over 80 people. Although anymore than 30 and it must be a nightmare. We were lucky (or not) but for most of our time there it was just us…..because no one was stupid enough to come up probably!

You will need to present your passport upon arrival and you will be allocated a bed. Our group was all in a room for 8 and you will be given a key for a locker. If it’s busy – do not leave stuff around – the rooms are not locked and I nearly left a pair of trekking trousers lighter after another resident took a liking to them!

Its cold (if you are there in the winter). A good sleeping bag and a good jacket (down or Primaloft). There is no hot water and the bathroom is only just above freezing point – prepare to smell for a few days!

The food is great. Breakfasts are plentiful with a selection of bread, toast, cakes, biscuits, jam, honey, spreads etc…Evening meals start with soup, then a pasta dish. Followed by a meat and vegetable dish, then a dessert!

Mountain Day 1

The guardians at the hut know the weather better than anyone. When the posted forecast read that snow would be falling PM that day and our guardian agreed, we settled on having 4 hours of clear air before the front moved in. The guardians actually post Internet forecasts every evening. They are long range (5 day) predictions but we soon learnt that it’s only the first 24hrs that’s reliable. The weather changes so quickly and dramatically that it’s nigh on impossible to forecast ahead in the mountains.

The plan was to get up high and learn the area, what the snow conditions were like, and generally become comfortable with our unknown surroundings. The 24hrs of fresh snow was our main concern and for this reason we chose a small ridge behind and to the left of the hut. The steep snow slop directly behind was loaded with fresh powder and needed time to settle before it was deemed safe.

Picking a line up, through the rocks and avoiding waist deep snow was a laborious task but as the ridge slowly bent round to the right, we reached a high point of approx. 3000m.

The little trip upwards had given us a lot of visual confidence in the area and it was exactly for this reason that a quick descent was then chosen.

The weather had been brewing up all morning but in a matter of minutes the valley was engulfed in cloud. It was moving up like a tidal wave and if we had been caught out, finding our way back to the hut may have been an epic. A quick bearing was taken as the hut disappeared in the cloud. Within seconds we were in a white out but luckily only 200m from safety.

Note: Due to the amount of snow, it has been acknowledged that a lot of prominent rock features have been transformed. It is definitely NOT the place to start learning about micro navigation or having to dig an emergency snow hole (we did carry a shovel everywhere). I would not recommend venturing out unless you know the area very well. On our descent, we ended up in true whiteout. No visual reference at all, just a blinding white.

Mountain Day 2

Storm – all day! Wind, Snow, Whiteout…….

The term ‘death on a stick’ was mentioned once or twice and, when told we were staying in the hut, the guardian’s reply was, “probably a good idea”.

Take a book with you to the hut! – Just in case.

Mountain Day 3

We have learnt over the years that timing and planning go hand in hand. Although our plans had involved climbing routes, in particular the North Face of Mulhacen, we now had to scrap that and time our summit for a clear sky.

The forecasts had been analyzed and we felt our best chance would be an early morning ascent after a night in the high Caldera Hut. Due to ground conditions, we had no idea on how long it would take us to get up the valley to Caldera, as we did not have snowshoes or skis. Adding to the problem was that, upon waking, it was still snowing! The Sierra Nevada weather surprised us once again though and, within half an hour, the clouds broke up and the sun came out.

Approx. 20 Spanish climbers left in snowshoes and luckily they had chosen to go via the Caldera hut. We could hang back, let them break trail and compact the snow a little, before walking up behind them.

The slow walk up to the Caldera hut, at 3100m, was absolutely glorious. Great weather and stunning surroundings. It was just a shame that I had to preserve camera power for summit video – I could have filmed the whole thing. Due to the snow depth we had given ourselves 4 hours to reach the hut but ended up doing it in under 3! In good conditions of hard neve, it could probably be done in 2.

Just the top of the hut was visible, meaning that there must have been a good 10ft of snow! The door to the hut is a barn door, split style, and this had been partly dug out already. We dug out all the new fresh snow and made our way inside. The snow had filled the door opening, which required snow steps being cut inside the hut! The hut is pretty good with wooded bunks at the end and a big table to one side. Once the stoves were on the go and our kit sorted it was time to air some of our clothes and watch the Spanish team ascend the west ridge.

Our afternoon in the sun was short lived as the clouds moved in again and shrouded the entire area. It was also worrying that the wind had increased. Most of the Spanish teams who had raced up the mountain were unlucky and had to make do with a cloudy summit and no view.

I climbed into my warm sleeping bag as the light was fading and hoped that the forecast would be correct and we would wake to a cloudless sky.

Notes: It was around -5 in the hut that night but the cold wooden bunks make it feel worse. A good sleeping mat and bag is essential. My sleeping mat was only ¾ length and as a result I could feel the cold at my feet. Placing my jacket under the bag solved that!

Water will freeze in the hut overnight – keep it wrapped up inside your rucksack and it should stay fluid! The water in my kettle froze during the night.

Keep your camera battery in your sleeping bag overnight.

Spanish Chorizo is easy to chop up and throw into dehydrated meals. It adds a load more calories as well as flavour.

Mountain Day 4

Had we timed it right? Should we have gone up yesterday afternoon like the Spanish teams. Had we blown it and missed our chance. I spent the entire night checking the barometric trend on my watch. At around 11pm it started to rise and rise. The icon changed from cloud to sun…..but then at 3am it started to drop. I couldn’t sleep and kept wondering what was happening outside. At 5am, Phil left the warmth of his sleeping bag and ventured outside to answer the early morning call of nature. “Not a cloud in the sky” he stated, climbing back into the hut. That was what we wanted.

As conditions were favorable we planned to go up the Western ridge and then down the South. For that reason we couldn’t leave anything behind to be picked up later. After a quick hot breakfast (Dehydrated Berries in Custard – lovely!), we packed up and went out into the early morning air. Bitterly cold, but utterly fantastic.

The route up sticks on the steep western flank above the North face. It gets steeper as you get higher and due to the snow conditions we slowly zigzagged upwards. Unbelievably, we did not feel the need for crampons. The snow was just soft enough to easily place steps. (Looking back, crampons may have been a good idea. A slide down that face would hurt!)

I crested the main summit ridge and the sun hit my face. The only problem though was that I was also now in the full force of the wind. My god was it cold. It wasn’t a massively strong wind but I can’t remember being in a colder one!

With a full 360 degree panorama we reached the summit and reveled in the fact that we had timed it right (for once!)

It wasn’t a place to hang around, although I did find time to take a good look down the North Face. I will return to do that route, it looks fantastic.

The exposed broad ridgeline that connects the main to the south summit had been stripped of any soft snow by the fierce wind. This enabled a quick crossing in order to get out of the icy blast. We dropped down the South ridge and, as soon as we could see the Poqueira Hut way below us, we left the main ridge and dropped directly down the steep slopes. These were the slopes we had stayed clear of 2 days before. This time though they were solid, thanks to the sun of the previous afternoon and the freezing cold night. We arrived back at the hut shortly before 10am. Having left the Caldera just before 7am meant that we had dropped nearly 1000m in less than an hour! If I had had skis on….well, it would have been fast!

Within an hour of being back at the hut, the clouds rolled in again, and stayed in all afternoon. The few hours we were out and the brief spell we were on the top was the only clear break in the weather all week.

The walk out

To give you an idea on hut costs. It worked out to be 170 Euros each.

Four nights half board, wine with meals and a large amount of bottled water, tea, coffee and Hot Chocolate. Considering the location, that’s not bad.

To get current costs, the link to the hut site is at the top with all the info pages.

We walked out of the cloud after dropping a few hundred metres and the clear weather enabled us to really appreciate to wonderful Poqueira Gorge. As we arrived back at the car, the clouds had darkened and rain began to fall….just for a change!

After a lunch in a café in Capiliera and enduring the hour-long road trip back to Lanjaron our arrival back at the Hotel meant a well-earned hot shower.

By 3pm we headed off out for a beer and tapas, ending up again in Bar Flower with Richard, Kiersten and James. A brilliant night!

Now that I know the times, distances etc, for future trips I will not have a last night in Malaga. The last night will be in Lanjaron.

Spare day

As we had a spare day, we drove out of Lanjaron and into Granada. A very nice City with a lot of history and overlooked by the huge Palace of Alhambra. We spent a good few hours wandering the centre and it’s well worth a visit if you have the time.

After a 2-hour drive we arrived at the hotel in Malaga. The sun had come out for our arrival by the sea and it was a lovely 30minute walk along the coast into the old town.

Most of Malaga appears to be a concrete mess of cheap apartments and hotels but the old town was a pleasant surprise.  Another great evening spent eating, drinking and listening to the street musicians. We cheated and got a taxi back to the hotel. Four Euros!

Prior to our evening flight we spent the last day up in hills above Malaga, away from the hustle and bustle. Sitting in the sun, we chatted about the trip and all agreed that we have to return. A return trip will be 7 days instead of 8 and will probably have two possible objectives:

1. Good snow conditions – North face of Mulhacen and gully routes up to ridges.
2. Bad snow conditions – 3 day traverse of high peaks.

My Last thought…..

What makes a successful trip? I believe it’s having the correct mix of place, people and experience. We had it all, and the people we met made it all the more memorable.

Until the next time,

Spready”