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Mulhacén In A Day: A Complete Guide
So you want to climb Mulhacén, the highest mountain in mainland Spain? At 3479m above sea level, Mulhacén is a non-technical climb and a great introduction to altitude. Although if you are more of a climber, there are fantastic mixed routes up the North Face.
Which Route to Take?
There are 5 popular routes to the summit of Mulhacén that are all achievable within a day;
- From Capileira via Hoya del Portillio
- Circular from the Poqueira Refuge
- Circular from the Poqueria Refuge to Hoya del Portillo
- From Hoya de la Mora; ideal if staying in Granada
- From Trevelez.
A fun alternative would be to combine your summit attempt with the popular Acequias del Poqueira Gorge Walk, featuring the abandoned town of Cebadilla. Though we’d recommend you spread this across two days and include an overnight stay at the Poqueria Refuge.
The first 3 routes are all achievable whilst staying in Capileira or one of the other Alpujarran villages. We are going to focus on number 1 which is the route we followed on 29th March 2019.
How To Climb Mulhacén From Capileira via Hoya Del Portillo
Climbing Mulhacén from Hoya Del Portillo is a relatively easy hike with little technical or navigational difficulties. It is however a long day and many find it challenging physically.
Getting There
Drive up the road through and above Capileira to Hoya del Portillo. The road starts as smooth tarmac but quickly degenerates to a potholed dirt track as you drive through the forest. At Hoya del Portillo you will find a small car park with a few tourist information boards.
Just beyond the car park there is a road barrier which was closed during our visit in March 2019. In the summer months it’s possible to drive as far as Alto del Chorrillo and there is a bus service from Capileira to this point. Starting the climb from Alto del Chorrillo would save you approximately 2-4 hours and 10km.
However we recommend you start from Hoya del Portillo. You get a full day on the mountain and really earn your tapas and beers that evening. Plus, catching a bus halfway up a mountain is cheating, right?!
If you’d prefer to take the bus, check the times and book a ticket from the Capileira Tourist Information Point.
Top Tip: If there is even the slightest hint of snow forecast, do not drive to Hoya del Portillo. There’s a good chance you won’t get your vehicle back for a few days!
Hoya del Portillo to Alto del Chorrillo
From the car park, follow the well marked path through the forest to Mirador Puerto Molino where you will find information boards and spectacular views (weather depending) of the Sierra’s snow capped peaks. Before you reach Mirador Puerto Molina, you will cross the road which cuts around the hillside in a hairpin, don’t follow the road but cut straight across the hairpin (see map at top pf page). From here, follow the well-trodden path for approximately 2.5km before re-joining the road. Continue to follow the road for approximately 2km, at which point you will reach Alto del Chorrillo, you will pass a footpath to the town of Trevelez on your right as you do so. Now might be a good time for a quick pit stop, refuel and address whether you need an extra layer as you gain altitude.
Alto del Chorrillo to Mulhacén II
At Alto del Chorillo you will see a dirt track heading downhill to your left (leading to the Refugio Poqueira), the road continues straight ahead whilst a footpath marked with cairns heads off to your right. Follow the path to your right. The path climbs steadily from here with occasional zigzags in steeper areas. Navigation is straight forward; the path is well-trodden and there are regular cairns.
Top Tip: You may not be in the heady heights of the Himalaya but you may still feel the affects of altitude. Take your time, walk a little slower than you would at sea level and make sure you stay well hydrated.
After a further 2km on the trail, you will reach a small fork. There is a stone marked with arrows towards Mulhacén and ‘7 Lagunas’. Take the left fork towards Mulhacén. However, it’s important to be careful here as it is easy to miss the stone and continue along the trail towards 7 Lagunas.
Continuing a further 1.5km you will reach Mulhacén II or the south summit (3362m). This is the point you have been looking at for the duration of your hike and thinking is the summit… we certainly did! It’s a false summit. Fortunately though, you only have a further 1km across relatively gentle terrain to reach the actual summit.
Enjoy the summit views, take a few minutes to refuel and then head back down the same route!
Key Tips
- Check the weather forecast before your climb. It may be hot and sunny in Capileira but you have over 2000m of elevation to gain from there. We were very fortunate with the conditions in late March but did plan our entire week around the weather forecast. The day after our summit there was dense fog in Capileira and over 30cm of snowfall on the summit of Mulhacén. There are webcams at the Poqueira Refuge which will give you an indication of conditions.
- Prepare for the conditions. It may be t-shirts and shorts weather in the valley but that doesn’t mean it will be up high. Pack extra layers plus a hat and gloves as a minimum. If climbing in winter or early summer, crampons and ice axes are likely to be necessary.
- Pack sufficient food and drink. It’s a 23km hike with 1.3km of elevation gain and there are no water stops en route. Don’t underestimate the importance of hydration!
- Start early. You’ll get the bulk of the climbing done before it gets too hot and have ample time to descend before the daylight fades.
- If hiking in summer, a hat, sunglasses and sun cream are essential. There is little shelter en route. The sun and dehydration are your biggest enemy.
- If you’re unsure of your abilities then hire a mountain guide! Sierra Nevada Guides, Spanish Highs and Trek Sierra Neva all have great knowledge of the area.
Thanks for reading and we hope you now have a better idea of how to climb Mulhacén. If you’re looking for other great European hikes check out one of our all time favourite trails, La Jonction in Chamonix.
Please like, share, and let us know how your Mulhacén climb went, we’d love to hear your stories. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with our latest adventures!
Nick & Eve
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