Pico Veleta viewpoint

Pico del Veleta ("Weather vane") is the third highest peak of the Iberian peninsula and the second highest in the Sierra Nevada. Its height is given variously between 3,394 metres (11,135 ft) and 3,398 metres (11,148 ft).The mountain can be seen from the city of Granada. Veleta's northern slopes are home to the Sierra Nevada Ski Station. The access road to approximately 10 metres below the summit is the highest paved road in Europe. This road across the mountains from Granada to the western Alpujarras was built before the creation of the Sierra Nevada National Park in 1999. It has since been closed to general traffic beyond Hoya de la Mora, just above the ski station. However, the road is still used by ski station employees, national park rangers, observatory staff, cyclists and walkers, and a microbus service also takes hikers up to Posiciones del Veleta, a viewpoint 3,100 metres above sea level.