Remote Mountains in Spanish Sierra Nevada's East
Peaks & Valleys in NE, Picon de Jerez, Calderetas, Goteron,Vacares
Aug 25, 2009
Much of the ridgeline to the east of Mulhacen and Alcazabar receive little traffic, despite their twin attractions of being over 3,000 m and interesting terrain. This article highlights some of the peaks and valleys in this area which are well worth visiting, often as part of a Los Tres Miles route.
The Bocadillo del Goteron
This valley forms a pleasant green oasis between the stony blocks of Alcazabar and the Puntal de El Goteron, and passing through it used to be a necessary descent and re-ascent when heading east from the summit of Alcazabar, to avoid the sheer and chossy cliff to the NE of Alcazabar. (N.B. A new route may have been opened up this year, 2009, avoiding this, however, it is still a very pleasant place to stop for a bite to eat and refill the water bottle on the Tres Miles route.)
Puntal De El Goteron To Puntal De Las Calderetas
The ridge running just east of the Puntal de El Goteron to the Puntal de Las Calderetas makes a fantastic sustained scramble. It shouldn't be so hard that it needs a rope (for competent scramblers with a good head for heights), but walkers with little experience of scrambling may find it tough! Only a little more than 1km, it can take a few hours to complete, depending on the exact route chosen and amount of rocks played with on the way!
Puntal de Vacares
Allegedly a haunted spot, the path running just below the summit provides fantastic views over the Laguna de Vacares. This lake can still be more than half frozen in late June, with a stunning mix of deep blue and white glacial ice, which forms interesting abstract patterns as it slowly melts in the summer sun. There are some good places to bivvy on the path above this lake, although descent to the lake may be required to avoid having to melt snow for a water supply.
Point 3116, Just North-east of Puntal De Las Cuartos
A relatively flat-topped and easy (if unnamed) peak, this has a great view westwards into the distant Guejar Sierra valley.
Picon de Jerez
Surprisingly for a named peak, this isn't really a summit – more a point at which paths diverge on the ridge line some 50m below the summit of Puntal de Juntillas. What it does have though, is a fantastic view over Jerez de Marquesado – and is the last point above 3,000 m on the ridge-line heading north-east.
Descent from here to Jerez is best made via the eastern path if early access to water is required (there is little if any water other than snow-melt on much of the route south-west of here), but an alternative runs northwards over the Cerro de Mirador Alto before bending eastwards to Jerez.
Walkers should not underestimate the descent – both to the Postero Alto Hut (at 1,850 m), and on hot and dusty tracks from there to Jerez. If at all possible, it is advisable for walkers to arrange some form of transport in advance from the Postero Alto hut to Jerez de Marquesado.
The ridgeline, peaks and valleys to the east of Alcazabar provides remote but rewarding trekking. Other articles by the same author highlight more popular routes around Veleta in the north-west, routes around the Poqueira Hut and routes around Trevelez.
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