La Maroma

From Ventas de Zafarraya (Alhama de Granada), a good track signed from beside the Los Caños de la Alcaicería inn leads about 3 km to the El Robledal recreation area (1,087 m). The path starts on a broad, gentle track through oak woods; after a little over 2 km turn left at the junction with the Salto del Caballo path, then follow a track that soon becomes a path and starts to climb properly. Above the clearing the gradient steepens through pines and the yew grove of El Tejar, then onto rocky ground. The path crosses the Salto del Caballo, a col with a path built into the rock, from one side of the valley to the other, and turns left up towards the cliffs of the Tajos de la Maroma. For the last kilometre or so the route crosses the broad limestone summit plateau, well marked by cairns every few metres, to the summit area. The geodetic pillar stands towards the western end of the plateau; the Sima de la Maroma, the snow pit that gave the mountain its name, is a few metres away. Descend the same way (about 2½ hours). Other common routes start from Canillas de Aceituno and Sedella in the south and from the El Alcázar recreation area above Alcaucín in the west. In summer the area is very hot, so start early; in winter the plateau can be snow-covered and is disorienting in fog.