ヘレスデルマルケサドの絶景の山頂・トップ5

An effort "on par" with the views of the main peaks of the Sierra Nevada massif.

There is no fixed route on the terrain along this whole stretch of the ridge, nor are there any landmarks. You can go either way, keeping the direction towards the slope of Cerro Pelado. The summit is another pile of slate, schist and coloured graphite at the highest point of the mountain. It is the best viewpoint of the massif that begins at Puntal de Vacares and continues along the cliffs and ridges of Alcazaba and Mulhacén. The descent returns along the same path to avoid the steep eastern face of Cerro Pelado, about two hundred metres, and when the terrain is comfortable for descending along the slopes, you must head east along the large valley formed by the source of the river Trévelez.

The route continues along the summit of Puntal de Juntillas, which consists of a pile of stones with views of the eastern slope of the central sector of Sierra Nevada. To advance towards the next three thousand meters, you have to change course slightly and continue towards the southeast downhill. The descent is gentle, giving you the sensation of changing summits.

The summit landmark takes a while to appear on the great hill of the mountain, but finally the striking pinnacle of stones, the geodesic vertex and the small corral of the bivouac emerge. This is all there is at the summit, but around it the panorama is spectacular. The deserts of Gorafe, Hoya de Baza and even the sierras of Baza and Filabres seem to be part of another reality. And towards the interior of the sierra, the Alcazaba, Mulhacén and Veleta appear, dominating the rest of the three thousand meters of the Sierra Nevada. The views are good but they get even better further on. The route continues towards the southwest along the typical rocky carpet of mica schists and slates of the Nevada mountains to a small hill where you would have to escape in case of a blizzard or any complication towards the east, towards the Puerto de Trévelez.

The trail is pretty easy to find until you get to the waterfalls. To reach Laguna Hondera you must climb up beside the first waterfall. That is between the two waterfalls. There are cairns on the path but it’s quite easy to miss them amongst the other routes up there. It’s a beautiful location. We saw a few ibex but only 2 other hikers!

The area of the Seven Lagoons (and Laguna Hondera in particular) is one of the most beautiful places in the Sierra Nevada National Park. The climb up here next to the waterfall formed by the Chorreras Negras is demanding, but all the pain in your legs is forgotten as soon as you reach the top and see the beauty of the place. Important note: if you plan to spend the night here, do not pitch your tent in the borreguiles (the grasslands). They are home to several species of flora endemic to the Sierra Nevada and it is necessary to protect them.

After a long walk, we reached the destination point: the summit of Mulhacén (3479 meters), the highest peak of the Iberian Peninsula. They say that if the day is very clear, you can see even the mountains of Africa. We were not lucky that day, but what we did see were the impressive peaks that are hidden in the Sierra Nevada.

As a base camp for several tours (Veleta, Alcazaba and other surrounding 3000m), the Laguna Hondera (Siete Lagunas), a natural "campground" located at approx. 3000m, is warmly recommended. Sunset and sunrise are a dream from here. Accessible from Trevelez or Pradollano. In the morning, however, cattle can also frolic there.