trip report by site editor Rick McCharles
I wasn’t surprised to see Josh and Alisha climb on to the morning bus from Granada to Trevélez. We’d met at Oasis hostel in Granada and discussed the possibility of starting together.
From this trailhead above Trevélez village many do the climb to Mulhacén and back in 10 hours. Having camping gear, we were in no such rush. I planned on 3 days, 2 nights.
Mulhacén is the highest peak in Europe outside the Caucasus Mountains and the Alps. It is also the third most topographically prominentpeak in Western Europe, after Mont Blanc and Mount Etna, and is ranked 64th in the world by prominence. …
The scenery was dry, autumn. We were actually happy it was overcast. Heat emergency is just as real a risk on this walk as cold emergency. There’s no shade.
The elevation gain to our planned campground was about 1000m, a relentless climb. Alisha was already worried about her pack weight.
Josh was traveling very light. In fact, he had NO JACKET.
I was feeling terrific. Happy to be here. I ASSumed any mountains in southern Spain had to be much easier than those I’d just left in the Indian Himalaya. 🙂
How bad could it get? We could see the tourists beaches.
Every once in a while sunlight peaked through.
There was no water between Trevélez and this waterfall close to the top.
My Lonely Planet guidebook was quite wrong on this urgent subject:
“Plenty of water from springs, streams and tarns.” (p 279)
Water IS a constant concern on the Traverse late in the season.
We made it at dusk. The “Seven Lakes”.
Gorgeous.
Cold. Crowded. Windy. Josh was forced into his tent. Alisha and I stayed out in the wind cooking tea and food.
I was worried about the weather next morning. The forecast was not good. It could snow. 😦
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