All areas

Variable states. Hard ice, neve, wind blown, powder. Some charged slopes. Even lower elevations will have some snow/ice.

Hoya de la Mora – Veleta

Mid-winter Refugio de Caballo

Access Road A-395 cleared.
Snow level: first snows at approx. 1000m.
Carihuela bivouac: in good conditions.

Poqueira

Snow level: 1500m, depending slope orientation.
Recommended access to Poqueira Refuge: Central Electric Cebadilla
Hoya del Portillo – You will meet snow 3km from Capileira
Refugio Caldera from Refugio Poqueira: Rio Mulhacén
Carihuela bivouac: in good conditions.

Caballo

Access: From Niguelas to Fuentefría in bad condition.
Snow level: approx. 1500m

Genil

Snow level: approx. 1000m. Snow and ice on Vereda de Estrella

Postero Alto – Alhorí

Snow level: approx. 1000m
Difficult access to the Postero Alto Refugio. 4WD and chains essential.

Ragua

GR-337 access road and Puerto de la Ragua (2000m.) without snow
Snow level: approx 1000m (North) and 1800m (South)

WARNING: – Essential for ice axe and crampons

RECOMMENDATIONS:

- Be sure to check the weather forecast before starting any activity
- Do not undertake any activity unless you have the knowledge and the right equipment.
- Try to take the phone battery fully charged
- In adverse conditions dont continue your activity.
- Avoid going out alone, if you do the let people know route and expected time of return

PHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES

- Central Emergency: 112
- Sierra Nevada weather forecasts www.aemet.es www.meteoexploration.com eltiempo.es
- Refugio Poqueira: 958343349/958064111/659554224 www.refugiopoqueira.com
- Refugio Postero Height: 616506083/958066110 www.refugioposteroalto.es
- Dornajo Visitor Centre: 958340625
- Laujar Visitor Centre: 950513548
- Pampaneira Information: 958763127
- Capileira Information: 958763090/686414576

Wind speed, Wind gusts, Wind direction, Wind chill (°C), Temperature (°C), Cloud cover (%), Pressure (hPa) and expected Precipitation (mm/3h) are all interesting and useful indicators if you are heading for the high Sierras.

More info, maps, details

Spindrift blows across the Cerro de Caballo

Original information in Spanish provided by Mammut Sierra Nevada

All areas

Ice approaching Veleta

Ice, snow, ice, snow and snow crust vented.
Thin snow in lower elevations.
Hoya de la Mora – Veleta
Access Road A-395 cleared.
Snow level: approx. 2300-2600m.
Ice from the Hoya de la Mora
Carihuela bivouac: in good conditions.

Poqueira

Snow level: 2300-2800m, depending slope orientation.
Recommended access to Poqueira Refuge: Central Electric Cebadilla or route of the acequias Access recommended Refugio Caldera from Refugio Poqueira: Rio Mulhacén.
Carihuela bivouac: in good conditions.

Caballo

Access: From Niguelas to Fuentefría in good condition, since there is no ice.
Snow level: approx. 2300-2800m

Genil

Two trees down on the Verada de Estrellas and several landslides on some points of the track and also access to the Cortijo del Hornillo.
Snow from the Majada del Palo and in the Valdecasillas accumulated in some areas.
Snow level: approx. 2300-2600m

Postero Alto – Alhorí

Snow level: approx. 2300-2600m
Snow-free access to the Postero Alto Refugio

Ragua

GR-337 access road and Puerto de la Ragua (2000m.) without snow
Snow level: approx 2300 to 2600m

WARNING: – Essential for ice axe and crampons

RECOMMENDATIONS:

- Be sure to check the weather forecast before starting any activity
- Do not undertake any activity unless you have the knowledge and the right equipment.
- Try to take the phone battery fully charged
- In adverse conditions dont continue your activity.
- Avoid going out alone, if you do the let people know route and expected time of return

PHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES

- Central Emergency: 112
- Sierra Nevada weather forecasts www.aemet.es www.meteoexploration.com eltiempo.es
- Refugio Poqueira: 958343349/958064111/659554224 www.refugiopoqueira.com
- Refugio Postero Height: 616506083/958066110 www.refugioposteroalto.es
- Dornajo Visitor Centre: 958340625
- Laujar Visitor Centre: 950513548
- Pampaneira Information: 958763127
- Capileira Information: 958763090/686414576

The following notes describe the route from south to north. They are intended to help trekkers avoid the most difficult snow covered areas necesitating ice axe and/or crampons. References are to the best map of the area which is the Editorial Penebetica 1:40000 (More about maps to follow later this week). The following points should be noted for all those contemplating and ascent in June 2011.

The northern aspects Alcazaba and Mulhacen in June

(1) Road access to the Ventura hut – difficult. Road in poor state on final 2 km to trailhead. We now start on the ridgeline S of Pena Caballera, go up the firebreak and meet the acequia above the Ventura hut. Longer but better after the initial ascent.

(2) Easiest way to Caballo hut is via summit and col to the north. This avoids snow and ice covered eastern slopes SE and E of the summit.

(3) Don’t take the amenable looking Verea Corta path. This crosses very steep, snow covered ground! Either take the ridgeline via Tajos Altos or from the hut drop down to the Rio Lanjaron and ascend the valley to the Elorietta.

(4) Ridge NE of Tozal del Cartujo. Avoid the first step dropping down to the right. Next step ascend directly and the final small problem take a line traversing down the exposed left hand side. Easy thereafter to the hut.

(5) Elorietta to Cariguela. If you know the route and are comfortable in crampons the ridge is best. Otherwise you will have to drop down to Lagunillas de la Virgen. Make an early start and wear crampons. This section is on a convex slope with considerable steepening below. Not recommended in the afternoons on soft snow.

(6) Cariguela to Caldera. The road is not clear of snow. Be prepared for at least 2hrs walking at an angle on snow! Watch the section below Paso de los Machos (S of Cerro de los Machos). Scene of accidents. Crampons.

(7) Ascent of west flank of Mulhacen. Straightforward. Bottom half snow covered apart from a small line right on the angle of the west and northern flanks. Top mainly clear.

(8) Alcazaba. Easiest way is via the SE up and down. The gully from the head of Siete Lagunas to the plateau is steep snow. Not recommended unless you have the experience.

(9) Puntal de Vacares. Ok. Just affected at a few sections. Actually in places easier than in summer due to walking on snow rather than floundering around in boulders.

Have fun! If you need any advice or an update on the above please contact me and I will try to help.

Most likely from December to February each year, we can get -10 degree temperatures at 3000m on Mulhacen with winds of 56km per hour. This gives a dangerous effective temperature of -32.5 degrees! Within minutes exposed areas of the body can become iced.

I remember our recent trip to the Patagonian Icefield in November 2010.  It wasn’t very cold in reality, maybe zero degrees BUT we had a 100+km/hr wind to cope with. It ended up being one of the coldest and most exposed experiences of my life. Effective temperatures were all day consistently at -25 or below. No part of the body could be exposed to the raging spindrift.

A windchill chart is shown below that shows the cooling effects of wind given relative air temperatures. It is self explanatory. Yellow shading signifies danger of icing in 1 minute. Pink shading in under 30 seconds! Hope you find it useful.

windchill-chart

Report dated Friday March 11th.

New deep snows for the Sierras

From last night until now have accumulated between 30 and 40 cm of new snow in our environment. It snowed at about 1900 meters and then it has been raining so the snow level has risen to about 2400 elevation.

To come walking to the hut we recommend the route via the Cebadilla Power Station. You do not meet snow until the Acequia Baja. We recommend the use of snowshoes, and that will be useful for the Acequia Alta to the Refugio and almost essential from here up. Of course also ice axe and crampons.

We discourage you to come walking via the Acequia Alta due to the amount of snow that has accumulated in the last section of the Acequia.

For skis, we can drive up to the Acequia Alta below the Hoya del Portillo and thence to Puerto Molina ski up (by the firewall or in the woods, depending on the snow) and go for the Alto del Chorrillo then drop down to the refuge. These days the route will be very long due to all the new snow accumulated, so assess the possibility of coming via Cebedilla also, carrying skis halfway, approx. for about 2 hours.

Caution in the area of the high ​​peaks as many slopes have been accumulated over a foot of new snow.
Enjoy the mountains safely and choose good routes, not to mention look at the weather forecast.

Rafael Quintero.
Ansi Moslero.
Refugio Poqueira
+34 958-343349
+34 958-064111
+34 659-554224

Skiing the ridge above the Barranco de San Juan

Sources to the 112 Emergency Service in Andalucia said they received several calls from individuals around 13.30 hours on Sunday warning of the avalanche. The Guardia Civil Mountain Rescue and Intervention (Sereim) mobilized emergency helicopter and rescue dogs to help find the man. It is not clear if there might be more people under the snow.

We have been warning of the dangers after the last substantial snowfall and much care is required, although our guides reported yesterday from Mulhacen that consolidation of the snowpack on certain slopes has begun.

Hello,

The Poqueira hut end January 2011

The passage of the storm has left the snow level to about 1800m and about 50cm of new snow has accumulated. Beneath the snow there is a hard  cohesive layer after the last 3 weeks consolidation. The cold and wind in the past days has led to the formation of plaques in the snow surface, leaving dry powder snow between them and the old cohesive layers. We know then that there is a risk of avalanches.

To access the Refuge the best path is to walk from the Cebadilla Power Station. The road is now passable, with fixed bridges and leaving the car at the same plant you will arrive at the shelter in about 3 or 4 hours. It will be 1.5 hours before you reach the snow.

If you wish to come up with skis, then drive towards the Hoya del Portillo direction until you hit the snowline. Head up throught he forest and over the Alta del Chorrillo before dropping down to the forest. The route via the Acequias (Baja and Alta) is strongly discouraged due to the difficulty of walking through the powder snow accumulation found. The way from Cebadilla is the best, also on skis too if windy, as the gorge route is more sheltered.

The mountain area is heavily loaded with new snow. We found some areas of hard snow, but in many cases the hard snow slabs are formed over a layer of powder snow that sometimes bear the weight and others do not. These plates are very brittle, especially after noon. Caution, inform and analyze the snowy mantle. In most cases we will have to go through valleys and snow-laden slopes, making it difficult and it will slow your progress. We recommend the use of snowshoes. Reaching peaks we also find the areas most exposed to the wind with ice.

The Bivouac Villavientos still habitable, but with lots of snow in its interior. The area of the sleeping benches is completely free of snow. The Bivouac of the Caldera is buried and is not very clean, but with very little snow in its interior. Let’s see if we can all continue to maintain these bivouacs in the best conditions possible, closing out the door when we leave, taking our trash with us, …

To enjoy the mountains with caution, there is still great season.

Rafael Quintero.
Ansi Moslero.
Refugio Poqueira
+34 958-343349
+34 958-064111
+34 659-554224

Yesterday, 29th January 2011, between 13:00 and 13:30, there was an avalanche in one of the couloirs of the northeast face of the “Pico Buitre”, in the municipality of Abla (Almería). It carried down two mountaineers. One of them was buried five feet deep, the other was partially buried to the waist. One could break free and then followed the rope that bound them together. It took twenty minutes to dig up his friend and luckily he was still alive. The consequences: the buried guy had severe hypothermia and a severe sprain in his left knee. The two were evacuated to Almeria Airport. Thanks to two climbers in the area who selflessly gave up their mountain day to help and make phone calls.

windslab avalanche dangers on Veleta

This new layer overlays a very hard icy, consolidated layer. Avalanche conditions exist and are likely in many areas and if in any doubt you should stick to ridges and windblown slopes.

The weather will continue to bring snow showers, sometimes prolonged over the coming week accompanied at times by high wind speeds. Tomorrow snow levels will drop as low as 1000m bringing access problems. All in all not a great forecast for the festive season in the Sierras.

Mountain Weather Resources, including Mulhacen summit.

N.B Although the weather for the mountains may not be that great, we can still recommend Lanjaron over Christmas for a Last Minute Holiday, (provided the airline gods are willing of course!)