After successfully having �conquered� the Torrecilla (with 1900 m the highest mountain in the province of M�laga) we felt we were ready to walk, i.e. scramble or hike, to the Mulhac�n, the highest mountain on the Iberian peninsula. It can be ascended from the Alpujarra region on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada, the last refuge of the Moors that were driven out of Granada after the reconquest.

We left Marbella on a Friday afternoon and after a leisurely drive via Motril we arrived at 16.00 at Capileira (pop. 570) situated at an altitude of 1430 m. Here we took rooms at the Hostal Paco Lopez, a friendly establishment on the main street, providing clean and comfortable rooms for the modest price of 18 euro per night. Although the typical architecture of the houses in this area with their flat, slated roofs and round chimneys is often attributed to the Moors some historians say that this style goes back way down to Neolithic times. Where before people used to live from the fat of the land and harvested wheat, potatoes and maize from the terraced fields now the majority of the population makes a living out of tourism although many vegetable gardens can be seen on the lower slopes of the mountains.
At the tourist information office we found out that a mini bus takes you half way up to the Mulhac�n to the high Sierra Nevada plateau at 2600 meters from where you can walk in just over an hour to the top of the Mulhac�n. We decided however to take the difficult route which is to start walking from Capileira to the power station and then walking through the gorge all the way up to the source of the Poquiera river. The woman in charge was very helpful and gave us some additional maps to the ones we already had. She asked us to tell her our experiences upon our return which of course was also a way of checking up on unguided groups. Yearly around six people die in the Sierra Nevada, mostly due to the fact that they underestimate the perils of walking in the high mountains.

The next morning at 09.00 after a breakfast of toast and coffee we set out from the village to the power station (Central El�ctrica de Poqueira). To our left we could see the cultivated terraces and ahead of us we saw the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada, looking like a crumbled Christmas pudding with icing sugar. Shortly after an abandoned hamlet (used in times when the power station required constant supervision and maintenance) we came to the power station and crossed the Poquiera river for the first time. The small path was now winding its way up, rising forever as it seemed and we started feeling our legs as well as the heat.
After a while the path levelled giving us time to regain our strength. This time of the year (late June) the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada are abundant with flowers and insects and sometimes we stepped through multicoloured clouds of dancing butterflies in the already hot morning air.
We kept the Poqueira river to our right and walked along the riverbank till we descended to the bottom of the by now widening gorge crossing the river several times. We advanced slowly sometimes negotiating a rudimentary stone bridge but mostly stepping carefully on small boulders whenever the path crossed the river again. The route is occasionally marked with small cairns, left by thoughtful hikers but perusing your map and interpreting the altitude lines correctly gives you a pretty good idea of your position.
It was getting towards midday and the heat was stifling. Shrub land gave way to alpine flora and every now and then we replenished our flasks with the icy clear water that tumbled down from the high sierra.
Around 13.45 hrs we arrived at a large sheep-pen rather exhausted but the all pervading smell customary to this kind of establishment forced our tired legs to walk on another few hundred metres before we finally sat ourselves down to the first hot meal of the day.
We were now at an altitude of about 2400 metres and the thin air became noticeable to our overworked lungs. The spaghetti, cooked on a petrol burner (gas would hardly burn at this altitude) tasted like manna from heaven and after an hour we felt strong enough to start the last climb of the day which would take us to the Refugio Poqueira at an altitude of 2500 meters.
The initial restoration of our strength, brought about by the aforementioned spaghetti and an hour�s rest, soon dwindled away as we negotiated our last stage that took us over broken slate along a crumbling path, going higher and higher till we finally beheld the sight of the refugio, just above one of the many outcrops that we had to cope with on this tortuous last hour.
As we entered the building to book for the night we enjoyed the respectful looks from the many walkers that had already arrived at the refugio by taking the bus to the easy route.
We were pleased with the clean accommodation and friendly staff assigning us a number that we had to mention whenever we ordered food or drinks. As I had phoned before I knew that, although the refugio has 87 bunk beds we had to sleep on the floor as the place was literally crawling with hikers.
After a hearty meal that was served in the big dining room we went outside to contemplate the beauty of the Sierra Nevada in the setting sun. After a while we went inside, hoisted our tired bodies into our sleeping bags and soon fell asleep about an hour before midnight in spite of the noises around us.
The next morning we woke up at the proverbial crack of dawn, had breakfast (self service) and left at 8 �o clock for the last leg that should take us to the top of the Mulhac�n.
Turning right coming out of the refugio we walked for about hundred meters before turning right again in order to follow the source of the Poquiera river, now called Rio Seco, through a gully with snowfields - sometimes as thick as one meter - on both sides of the river that was now a mere trickle of ice �cold water, fed on both sides by even smaller mountain streams.
After about an hour, just after we had passed a few lagoons, we saw on our left the Bivac de la Caldera, a rudimentary unstaffed mountain refuge, often used by hikers who take the route from the Veleta to the Mulhac�n.
We were now at an altitude of 3050 meters and to our right we saw our destination, so close and yet so far away as we found out.
We had to zigzag our way to the top, still another 430 meters above us, and although we had had a good night�s rest the height and yesterday�s long trek became noticeable in our weary bodies. Our passes shortened and our breathing became heavier but the top came nearer and nearer and finally at 11.30 we reached the summit.

The customary pictures were taken and after we had a bite to eat it was time to start the descent. This time we decided to take the �easy� way down that would eventually lead us to the route taken by the bus from Capileira.
We started at 12.30 and at the beginning, although going down, it was still strenuous due to the fragmented rocks and small boulders that the rudimentary path was strewn with. Just off this path we saw a few majestic Iberian ibex watching us from an elevated position and obviously not in the least perturbed by the close proximity of human beings. The Sierra Nevada was declared a Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO in 1986 and in a leaflet I had read one was asked not to disturb the wild animals. Well, I certainly was not in the mood to disturb them.
After about two hours the landscape became less harsh and all of a sudden we met with some 150 sheep busily grazing in order to produce our winter woollies. Around 16.00hrs we settled for a late afternoon meal under some pine trees along yet another small mountain stream in which we cooled our weary feet.
We still had at least four hours to go but by crossing some fields instead of following the windy road we managed to be back at the hostal at 19.30 where many cool shandies were gulped down before we had even showered.
That same evening we met with the friendly woman of the tourist office and told her that Spain indeed was different and that we hoped it would stay that way.

Some useful tips:
If you go without a guide make sure to tell the local tourist office where you plan to go.
Don�t believe what other people have written, about the duration of the different tracks. This depends very much on the physical state of the author. A reasonable amount of resilience is required however and bear in mind that some people are affected by high altitudes.
Make sure you take enough water with you and warm clothes as the weather can change very quickly at higher altitudes. As a rule of thumb one could say that the temperature drops by one degree for every hundred meters gained in altitude.
Sturdy walking boots are recommendable as well as a waterproof jacket and a sun hat.
A good quality rucksack �sitting� on your hips instead of hanging from your shoulders is also very important as well as a walking pole.
The best months for walking are late spring and late summer, avoid July and August (too hot).
If you want to assure yourself of a bunked at the refugio it is advisable to make a reservation. Tel: Refugio del Poqueira 958 343 349