Alcazaba (Sierra Nevada)
Encyclopedia
Alcazaba mountain is 3371 m high mountain in Spain.
It is the third highest mountain of the Sierra Nevada
range and the fifth in the Iberian Peninsula
.
The impressive north face can be seen from the town
of Granada
.
The name Alcazaba derives from the word fortification.
and
Puntal de Vacares mountains, and is one of the most
isolated places in the Sierra Nevada.
Ascent requires a minimum of one
night stay. Alcazaba can be accessed from any direction,
but going through the north face is a technical climb.
It can also be walked up from the south direction.
There are footpath nets from the villages of Pampaneira
, Bubión
, Capileira
and Trevélez
and also from the village of
Güéjar Sierra
at the north side of the mountain.
All the paths start from an unusual long distance
before reaching the mountain.
Minimum walk is about 20 km.
Only water taking places are Rio Genil
at the north side of the mountain.
Rio Poqueira at the south west side of the Mulhacen
and there is also tiny rivers at the north side of
Puntal de Vacares mountain, at Prado de la Mina.
at 2500 m altitude, on the western flank
of the Mulhacen mountain.
Poqueira hut is staffed and places are limited but can be booked in advance.
From there, one can continue over the Mulhacen
mountain and down to Siete Lagunas,
before ascending the Alcazaba.
There are also a few routes leading from
Laguna Mosca through the west face,
but these are physically more demanding than the south face.
There is a tiny stone hut
on the western side of the mountain.
Refugio Campinuela is located roughly in the middle of Trevelez
and Alcazaba.
There is also a hut at the Cueva Secreta, approached from Güéjar Sierra.
Cueva Secreta is actually a long cave
providing shelter for more than 20 climbers.
Some climbers also prefer the north east route,
using a hut near El Real or natural caves
at the Prado de la Mina.
From here the remains of two volcanos can be seen.
straight down about 1000 m.
There is two paths going through the face
in the middle from west to east.
These paths may have been
used like a water taking routes a long time
ago in history.
Small rivers can be found at
the Prado de la Mina.
At the east side is three lakes
under the name Lagunas de la Calderetas.
At the wide top terrain is two peaks
at the south side of the mountain.
Siete Lagunas also the seven lakes are
located between Mulhacen and Alcazaba.
During the summer months good hiking
boots are needed, because of the length
of the travel.
Alcazaba gets usually covered by snow
in start of December, therefore crampons,
like climbing axe are essential.
There is plenty of challenges on this mountain
as one can walk, scramble and climb
on it.
The best thing is the longest climbing season
in Europe.
Nights can become very cold,
because of the freezing sea winds.
There is usually some ibexes
to be seen.
It is the third highest mountain of the Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada (Spain)
The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the region of provinces of Granada and Almería in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3478 m above sea level....
range and the fifth in the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
.
The impressive north face can be seen from the town
of Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
.
The name Alcazaba derives from the word fortification.
Location
The mountain is located between the MulhacénMulhacén
Mulhacén is the highest mountain in continental Spain and in the Iberian Peninsula. It is part of the Sierra Nevada range in the Cordillera Penibética...
and
Puntal de Vacares mountains, and is one of the most
isolated places in the Sierra Nevada.
Ascent requires a minimum of one
night stay. Alcazaba can be accessed from any direction,
but going through the north face is a technical climb.
It can also be walked up from the south direction.
There are footpath nets from the villages of Pampaneira
Pampaneira
Pampaneira is a municipality located in the province of Granada, Spain. According to the 2005 census , the village has a population of 355 inhabitants....
, Bubión
Bubión
Bubión is a village in La Alpujarra region of Granada in Spain. It is located at latitude 36° 57' N, longitude 3° 21' W, at 1,350 metres above sea level. Its postal code is 18412...
, Capileira
Capileira
Capileira is the highest and most northerly of the three villages in the gorge of the Poqueira river in the La Alpujarra district of the province of Granada, in Spain. It is located at latitude 36° 57' N and longitude 3° 21' W, about 1 km north of Bubión...
and Trevélez
Trevélez
Trevélez is a village in the province of Granada, Spain. Its population in 2002 was estimated at 799. The river Trevélez flows through the village...
and also from the village of
Güéjar Sierra
Güéjar Sierra
Güéjar Sierra is a village and municipality located in the province of Granada, Spain. According to the INE, it had a population of 2,988 at the start of 2010. The village is situated in the north-western part of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, at an altitude of 1,088 metres...
at the north side of the mountain.
All the paths start from an unusual long distance
before reaching the mountain.
Minimum walk is about 20 km.
Only water taking places are Rio Genil
at the north side of the mountain.
Rio Poqueira at the south west side of the Mulhacen
and there is also tiny rivers at the north side of
Puntal de Vacares mountain, at Prado de la Mina.
Mountain huts
The most used mountain hut is the Poqueira hutat 2500 m altitude, on the western flank
of the Mulhacen mountain.
Poqueira hut is staffed and places are limited but can be booked in advance.
From there, one can continue over the Mulhacen
mountain and down to Siete Lagunas,
before ascending the Alcazaba.
There are also a few routes leading from
Laguna Mosca through the west face,
but these are physically more demanding than the south face.
There is a tiny stone hut
on the western side of the mountain.
Refugio Campinuela is located roughly in the middle of Trevelez
and Alcazaba.
There is also a hut at the Cueva Secreta, approached from Güéjar Sierra.
Cueva Secreta is actually a long cave
providing shelter for more than 20 climbers.
Some climbers also prefer the north east route,
using a hut near El Real or natural caves
at the Prado de la Mina.
From here the remains of two volcanos can be seen.
Around Alcazaba and climbing on it
Alcazaba has a steep north face goingstraight down about 1000 m.
There is two paths going through the face
in the middle from west to east.
These paths may have been
used like a water taking routes a long time
ago in history.
Small rivers can be found at
the Prado de la Mina.
At the east side is three lakes
under the name Lagunas de la Calderetas.
At the wide top terrain is two peaks
at the south side of the mountain.
Siete Lagunas also the seven lakes are
located between Mulhacen and Alcazaba.
During the summer months good hiking
boots are needed, because of the length
of the travel.
Alcazaba gets usually covered by snow
in start of December, therefore crampons,
like climbing axe are essential.
There is plenty of challenges on this mountain
as one can walk, scramble and climb
on it.
The best thing is the longest climbing season
in Europe.
Nights can become very cold,
because of the freezing sea winds.
There is usually some ibexes
to be seen.