Walking and Trekking in the Sierra Nevada. Richard Hartley
make sure you tell somebody your intended route and what time you intend to be back.
Assess the risk of avalanche: check with the Sierra Nevada ski area (www.sierranevada.es/en/) and/or Refugio Poqueira (www.refugiopoqueira.com). See also ‘Winter hazards’, below.
‘The mountains will always be there, the trick is to make sure you are too.’
Hervey Voge
‘Mountains have a way of dealing with over-confidence.’
Herman Buhl
General hazards
Underestimating the Sierra Nevada
In benign summer mode with its hot sun, clear skies, easy access and closeness to the fleshpots of the Costa del Sol, it’s easy to underestimate the scale of the Sierra Nevada; but these are high mountains, and distances both in vertical metres and horizontal kilometres are great. Take away the easy access and settled, stable weather and it’s a long way home! Many underestimate these hills each year, thus adding to the accident statistics. The Sierra Nevada needs to be treated with the utmost respect.
Falling
Common-sense precautions against falls – both of humans and of rocks from above – should be taken on all routes. In addition, helmet, harness and rope are advised for security on all of the high mountain scrambles – with the possible exception of Route 21 (Tajos de la Virgen ridge), where there are only a couple of simple scrambling sections and no danger of rockfall. A helmet would also be advisable on Route 8 (Vasar de Mulhacén) to protect from any falling rocks.
Dehydration
Here more than anywhere it is vital to keep hydrated. The intense sun and high altitudes combine to suck water out of the body. In summer make sure you carry a minimum of three litres of water, and make sure you drink on a regular basis.
Altitude
These mountains have much high ground over 3000m. That and the fact that is is possible to ascend 2000m in a car in 30 mins mean that the effects of altitude can be felt. However, they are generally quite mild with shortness of breath and perhaps a slight headache. As always, the general advice is to go slow, especially on leaving the high car parks. Within an hour breathing should have eased and the body adjusted somewhat.
The sun
At all times of the year, sun and lip cream are necessary. In the summer months a sun hat covering the back of the neck is recommended. Many people prefer to walk the high hills in summer wearing t-shirt and shorts; due to the prickly nature of the vegetation, the sharp loose rock and the risk of sunburn to uncovered parts of the body, it is advisable to cover up with long trousers and sleeves.
Foxes
A Sierra Nevada fox at Collado de Carihuela (Photo: Sarah O’Toole)
Spanish foxes – at least in the Sierra Nevada – are not like English solitary foxes as they have been known to work in groups. If you’re camping out, they will come at night to take your food, putting their heads under the side of your tent to grab anything they can find, especially if you keep items in plastic bags. If it’s not food, it will be discarded nearby. If it is, you won’t see it again.
They are a particular problem at the more utilised camping and bivouac sites, even in the depths of mid-winter. Siete Lagunas, Laguna del Caballo, around the vicinity of Refugio Carihuela and at Laguna de la Caldera seem to be the worst locations, but they have also been encountered at Collado de Vacares and Laguna de Juntillas in the far north of the range.
In the summer months the presence of a dog will deter, but this is often not possible for those on a walking or hiking holiday. Another option is to use an anti-fox beacon: this innovative and humane deterrent detects body heat, and once triggered it releases bursts of ultrasound, resulting in the fox retreating. FOXWatch (www.conceptresearch.co.uk) produce one. Otherwise, unless you stay in a fox-proof hut, you have to accept fox raids as a possible natural part of mountain life in the Sierra Nevada.
Don’t try zipping up your tent to keep them out; they will just claw their way in and leave your tent in tatters. Let them come in and see there’s nothing to take. Tie your pack to yourself so they can’t pull it out of the tent. Better still, bury food outside under rocks and put boots inside your rucksack. Accept that you will be woken up and don’t let it worry you; they’re unlikely to hurt you. Be grateful you’re not camping in bear country! If you’re careful, you won’t lose anything of value.
Snakes
There are two main poisonous snakes in the region. Lataste’s viper is usually found between 800m and 2800m; adults are normally less than 60cm in length and have a snub nose. The Montpellier snake can be found anywhere up to 2150m altitude and can grow to 240cm/3kg. Its teeth are set at the back of its top jaw, so you would have to be manhandling the snake in order to be bitten. Like most snakes, both of these species will be more eager to get away from you than vice versa – provided you give them a wide berth and treat them with respect. However, their bites are not considered serious for most healthy people.
Pine processionary caterpillars
These harmless-looking caterpillars (which turn into moths) can be very dangerous to humans and pets. When disturbed, the caterpillars shed their fine harpoon-shaped hairs, which cause itchy rashes and breathing problems. (Just sitting under a tree that contains a nest can cause a rash.) Some people can have severe allergic reactions.
The caterpillars are a big problem in Spain’s pine forests. It was once thought that they killed trees, but studies have shown they do not attack a tree after it has been weakened; they leave it to recover and start again once it’s strong enough. Danger time is normally in the spring but can be earlier in mild winters, when the caterpillars leave their nests to find suitable ground to pupate.
Electrical storms
These are a common occurrence in late spring and autumn but are rare in winter. Sufficient warning is usually posted on the AEMET website (www.aemet.es/en/).
Wildfires
Andalucía has a very high incidence of forest wildfires, especially between the beginning of May and the end of October. One particularly large wildfire in 2005 above Lanjarón destroyed over 8000 hectares of the National Park. Please exercise the utmost caution, even outside of these high risk dates.
Winter hazards
Approaching the south summit of Mulhacén (Photo: Jens Foell) (Route 6)
Avalanches
Most winters and after fresh snowfall there are avalanches all over the Sierra Nevada, but they are normally small and localised. An exception was in February 2011 when a massive slide nearly 1km wide killed one person and injured two others in Barranco de San Juan.
There are four major black spots that regularly avalanche and have become scenes of accidents because they cross normal walking or hiking trails:
north west of the Tajos de la Virgen ridgeline on the track between Lagunillas de la Virgin and Refugio de Elorrieta (Routes 21, 24). This path crosses steep and dangerous avalanche terrain, and its proximity to the ski centre means increased human traffic. For experienced mountaineers the ridge of the Tajos de la Virgen is safer; or the whole can be avoided by an easy, safe but longer snow ascent up the Tozal de Cartujo via the bowl west of the north west ridge of Cartujo.
Paso de los Franceses on the south west slopes of Mulhacén above the normal walking track up the Río Mulhacén (Route 5). In particular the old road above this area can be very dangerous. Give this a wide berth westwards