Refugio de Poqueira

Description

The Refugio de Poqueira is known as the most confortable base to climb Mulhacén, the highest mountain of the continental Spain. In fact, it is situated on the SW slopes of the mountain, at aproximately 3 hours from its summit. The hut is administrated by the FAM (Federación Andaluza de Montaña).

It is a stony structure of two floors, at 2.485 m of altittude, that opens its doors the whole year. Normally, it is guarded and it offers all kind of facilities like: 76 beds with blankets, chimeney warmed living/dinning room, warm-foods and bar service, heated sleeping rooms (heating does not always work!), electricity and light in rooms, lockers for personnal things and climbing material, drinkable water, toilets and showers (with warm water when paying). There is an area for those ones who do not want to use the food services of the hut and where 'free cooking' is allowed. This area also works like 'winter' refuge in case the guard is not opening the house.

The name of the hut's guard is Mr. Rafael Quintero.

Access

From Capileira, via Cebadilla and the 'Central Eléctrica'(Electric Station): Takes about 4 or 4 and a half hours and it has to be done by foot from the Electric Station. It is also possible to walk it all the way from Capileira following the gorge of the Poqueira River. Here follows a detailed description of this route:

To reach the Poqueira Mountain Hut, at 2.485 m, there is a four and a half hours walk from the mountain village of Capileira (1.432 m), or even shorter walk when parking the car (there is no public transport to this point) near the "Poqueira Electric Station" (1.570 m), a little bit further into the "Poqueira valley".

When starting from Capileira there is a path which starts directly from the village (150 meters away from the Town House). Firstly it goes up to an unpaved road that goes down to the houses of 'La Cebadilla' (mostly unhabited) and to the Electric Station.

For those ones with car they could have reached this point from the village of Capileira. The road that goes up and out of the village should be followed for, about, 3 kilometers and then take the dusty road to the left (north).

Left behind the Electric Station, we walk into the gorge. There is a walking path (to the left) which starts to steeply climb in zigzag till it reaches a 'Cortijo' (traditional house). It goes further in traverse on the left slopes of a deep gorge. Finally, after reaching another 'cortijo', it descends again to the gorge. Here the bottom of the valley is wider and with threes. Crossed this valley the path goes up again in zigzag, leaves the last threes and, after a big stone-pile reaches the last traditional house ('Cortijo de las Tomas'), painted in white. From this point climbs again over a well marked path till the 'Refugio de Poqueira' (UTM coordinates/waypoint: E 0471307 - N 4098180 ~ Datum= Europeo 1950)


From Capileira, via 'Acequia Alta'(arab ancient aqueduct) takes from 3 to 4 hours. It is a walking path from almost outside the village.

From Capileira, over paved road and dusty 4WD roads till 'Hoya del Portillo' (2.150 m), where a barrier closes the pass to motorized vehicles. Further walk over the dusty road till the 'Mirador de Trevélez'(2.690 m). Passed the 'Mirador' there is a deviation to the right over a bad preserved stonny road that reaches the hut.

Possible Ascends from the hut

• Mulhacén (3.479 m), over Normal Route (West Slope) or over the, most direct, 'Loma del Mulhacén'. 3 hours aproximately (way up).


• La Alcazaba (3.364 m) on traverse over south slope of Mulhacén and via 'Cañada de las Siete Lagunas' (long traverse). 4 and a half hours (one way).


• Veleta (3.396 m), via the stonny (and often snowed) road.
  
• Puntal de la Caldera (3.219 m), over the West Ridge or over the East Ridge. 2,5 hours aproximately (way up).

Contact

The telephone number of the hut is:

+34 958 343349 (it does not work all the time)
+34 659 554224 (mobiel cell of the guard, Mr. Rafael Quintero)
+34 630 051023 (another mobiel tel. cell)

The telephone nr. of the Federación Andaluza de Montaña (Andalusian Alpine Club) is, in Granada: +34 958 291340

Finally, one can contact the hut by E-mail to:

refugiopoqueira@avired.com

refpoqueira@hotmail.com

Prices in 2009

Alpine club members: sleeping € 7,- dinner € 12,- breakfast € 4,5

No-Alpine club members: sleeping € 14,- dinner € 14,- breakfast € 5,-

Images

View Refugio de Poqueira Image Gallery - 3 Images