Winter Mountaineering Guide, Sierra Nevada, SpainGrade AD

Crestones area

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:47:59 +0000

Winter – PD to AD
1st Ascent – Unknown
Approach from Poqueira(2hrs), Viento (45 mins), Caldera (1hr) or Cariguela (1hr). Loads of potential for short routes. You will have to drop down one of the easier gullies, contour round before coming up one of the harder variations. Many lines exist. This is climbing of an exploratory nature!

Puntal de la Caldera (3,226) N face

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:37:35 +0000

Winter – AD (50º)
1st Ascent – 24th December 1972 Fernandez/Huertas

Approach the Col de Ciervo from Poqueira (2hrs) or Caldera (30mins) huts. Drop over the col and steeply down trending leftwards towards the minor peak of Juegos de Bolos. Traverse under the north face and…… choose your route! The NW ridge can be reached if you keep traversing.

From the summit descend straight down the south face directly to the Caldera hut.

Mulhacen (3,481m) Cara Norte (29b)

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:32:04 +0000

Winter – AD (60º)
1st Ascent – 24th March 1970 Cuevas/Lopez/Asiain/Matose/Gomez

From the Laguna de la Mosca go right and then trend back left to gain the central couloir (30-40deg). The main couloir (canuto) is 300m long and at 50-55 deg. Above this there is some mixed climbing before trending right to finish just right of the summit.

Alcazaba (3,366m) S face (via Siete Lagunas)

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:13:44 +0000

Winter – PD
1st Ascent – Unknown

From Siete Lagunas follow the valley NW and upwardstowards its head. Before reaching the ridgeline at Puntal de Siete Lagunas look right. A break in the cliffs will be seen. Go steeply up heading for this break. A small step at half height may be problematic and if iced up may push the grade to AD. Otherwise it is steep snow to the col and easily on to the summit (3hrs from Siete Lagunas). Descend via the normal route.

Alcazaba (3,366m) via Tajos Goteron

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:05:45 +0000

Winter – AD
1st Ascent – 2nd March 1952 Joaquin Fernandez/Alejandro Melgarejo/Manuel Martos/Juan B Ladron de Guevara.

Approach either via Siete Lagunas (1hr) or from the Cucharacha and over the Puntal de Vacares(3hrs). Steep snow with tha Tajos de Goteron on the right up to the summit.

Descent is easiest back to Siete Lagunas via the Alcazaba normal route (F) and hence to Trevelez.

Short video of an ascent via the Tajos Goteron icefalls just left of the route shown above

Lagune de las Yeguas (2,882m) to the Fraile de Capileira (3,160m)

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:02:26 +0000

Winter – AD
1st Ascent – Unknown

Salon (3,325m) Corredor Norte

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:44:20 +0000

Winter – AD (50º) (PD in good conditions with footsteps to follow!)
1st Ascent – Unknown

Approach – Either (a) start from the Albergues at Hoya del Moro (2,500m). Climb steadily north past the statue to the Virgen de las Nieves to the Balcon del Veleta (1½hrs) or (b) pay for a lift pass and take the Gondola and chair to below the Balcon del Veleta and walk from there (½hr). From here make an abseil or steep downclimb into the Veredon Superior, the key to the Corral de Veleta.

Climb leftwards missing the initial rocks in the bottom half of the couloir. Attain the couloir and climb straight up. Steep but it has been frequently skied (by experts only!). This can be a very popular route.

N.B The line on the photo below is not quite accurate in that the approach is from the right not left hand side.

Cerro de los Machos (3,329m) N Face

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:34:45 +0000

Winter – AD
1st Ascent – 10th February 1974 Jose Guardia Olmedo/Francisco Olmedo Roelas

The first third is frequently verglassed with passages of grade V rock, alternating with narrow icy stretches. The next 10 pitches are at an average angle of 50 deg. The slope eases for the last part to the summit. Descend down the easy SW slopes to the Col de Cariguela.

Veta Grande (2,981m) (via Lanchar Ridge)

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:36:25 +0000

Winter – AD (60º and III)
1st Ascent – 8th December 1969 Jose Guardia Olmedo/Francisco Olmedo RoelasAccess via Guejar Sierra and Verada de la Estrella. The ridge is situated on the left side of the Rio Valdeinfierno. The first third of the ridge is easy. The second has an average angle of 60 deg and rock section of III. The last third of the ridge is level but a section of rock V is by passed on the right. Either descend left (Valdeinfiernos) or right (Corral de Veleta) or complete the upper section of Cerro de los Machos NE ridge.

N.B This is a long mountaineering route. Descents are long and hard!

Veleta (3,394m) N Face (via Trompeta)

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:03:41 +0000

Rock Climb – AD (IV and V)
1st Ascent – 24th August 1969 Fernando Rivera Guerrero/Sebastian Segura Gonzalez/Jesus Baca Molero/Francisco Olmedo Roelas/Pablo Bueno Porcel

Approach – Either (a) start from the Albergues at Hoya del Moro (2,500m). Climb steadily north past the statue to the Virgen de las Nieves to the Balcon del Veleta (1½hrs) or (b) pay for a lift pass and take the Gondola and chair to below the Balcon del Veleta and walk from there (½hr). From here make short descent onto a traversing path (Veredon Superior) that descends into the Corral de Veleta.

Climb – This climb starts some 20 metres higher than the start of the Corredor del Salon. Traverse right on a short passage of very airy rock (V). At the end of this you change direction leftwards in a short crack for some 3 metres (IV). Continue the climb with short pitches and small stances until you reach the top near the summit.