Mulhacén
3,479 m
Spain
Also known as Муласен, მულასენი, +1Also known as
Муласен · მულასენი · Pico de Mulhacén
- Elevation
- 3,479 m
- Prominence
- 3,290 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2Sources differ: T4 (Camptocamp (full route from Capileira via Refugio Poqueira and the Collado del Ciervo))
The standard summer ascent of mainland Spain's highest peak: the national park's minibus from Capileira to the Alto del Chorrillo (about 2,700 m), then a broad, stony ridge over Mulhacén II (3,362 m) to the summit. About 800 m of ascent and 3–3½ hours up; without the bus it is a 2,000 m day from Capileira or two days via Refugio Poqueira.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 17.9 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +2,037 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 3,479 m
- Time Up
- 9h 02m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 6h 32m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
In summer the forest track from the Alpujarra into the high Sierra is closed to private vehicles. The national park's guided minibus (Servicio de Interpretación de Altas Cumbres, southern side) runs from the information point in Capileira (about 1,440 m) via Puerto Molina to the Alto del Chorrillo / Mirador de Trevélez at about 2,700 m, where the path to the Mulhacén starts. Seats must be booked by phone, and in some years the bus has stopped lower, at the Paraje del Cascajar. From the Alto del Chorrillo follow the old track and the many short-cut paths north up the Loma del Mulhacén, a broad, stony ridge with no technical difficulty. The gradient is steady; Mulhacén II (3,362 m), a false summit, is reached after about 2–2½ hours. A short dip and a final, steeper climb on scree lead to the summit with its geodetic pillar and the ruins of an old stone shelter, close to the edge of the 500 m north face. Allow 3–3½ hours from the bus. Descend the same way, watching the time of the last bus. Alternatives on foot: from Refugio Poqueira (2,500 m) by the Loma (3½–4 hours, 1,100 m) or up the Río Mulhacén valley to the Collado del Ciervo and the west ridge. There is no water on the ridge; carry at least 2 litres. Violent wind (often over 100 km/h) and summer thunderstorms are the main hazards, and from November to May the route is a winter climb needing crampons and an ice axe.
Start
Capileira1,445 m
- Buses from Granada to Capileira (Alpujarra line, a few a day); national park minibus (SIAC Sur) from Capileira to the Alto del Chorrillo in season, booking by phone (+34 671 56 44 06)
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capileira → Mulhacén | 17.9 | 2,037 | 7 | 9h 02m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Capileira1,445 m
Departure point of the SIAC minibus (booking required)
- Station: Alto del Chorrillo2,719 m
Minibus terminus at the Mirador de Trevélez, start of the summit path
- Shoulder: Mulhacén II3,360 m
- Summit: Mulhacén3,479 m
Key Passages
- Loma del Mulhacén
- Mulhacén II (false summit)
- Final steeper climb on scree near the north face edge
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
The highest mountain in mainland Spain and the Iberian Peninsula (3,479 m), a broad, stony dome in Sierra Nevada National Park above the Alpujarra. In summer it is a long but non-technical walk; in winter its exposed ridges and 500 m north face make it a serious alpine objective.
Mulhacén rises in the heart of the Sierra Nevada in Granada province, barely 35 km from the Mediterranean. Its south side is a long, gentle ridge of slate scree that the Alpujarra villages simply call 'el Cerro'; its north and east sides drop in steep walls to small glacial lakes such as the Laguna de la Mosca and the Siete Lagunas. With 3,290 m of prominence it is one of Europe's most prominent peaks.
The usual summer ascent is from the south: the national park's minibus from Capileira to the Alto del Chorrillo at about 2,700 m leaves around 800 m to climb on a broad ridge, 3–3½ hours up. Without the bus, the climb from Capileira or Trevélez exceeds 2,000 m, and most walkers then spend a night at Refugio Poqueira. From the north, a longer route from the Sierra Nevada ski station passes the Veleta and the Laguna de la Caldera.
The mountain is not technically difficult in summer, but it is high, dry and exposed: there is no water on the ridges, the sun is fierce, and wind regularly exceeds 100 km/h. From November to May it is a winter climb, and the north face has classic snow and ice gullies (AD–D).
Climbing Notes
Summer ascents need stamina, not technique: about 800 m with the minibus, or 1,300–2,000 m without it. Altitude can cause headaches for people coming straight from the coast; climbing the Veleta the day before is a common way to acclimatise. Carry 2–3 litres of water, sun protection and windproof layers, and check the AEMET mountain forecast and the national park's weekly safety bulletins.
Typical itineraries: book the SIAC minibus from Capileira and climb and return in a day; or walk from Capileira or Hoya del Portillo to Refugio Poqueira (booking required in summer), summit the next morning and descend via the Siete Lagunas to Trevélez. From the north, combine the Veleta and Mulhacén over two days with a night in the free Caldera or Carihuela shelters.
In winter and spring (roughly November–May) the ridges are icy and avalanche-prone; crampons, ice axe, a helmet and winter skills are essential, and a mountaineering or avalanche course or a local guide is advisable.
History
The name comes from Muley Hacén (Abu l-Hasan Ali), the penultimate Nasrid sultan of Granada in the 15th century, said by legend to be buried on the mountain. No first ascent is recorded. In 1879 General Carlos Ibáñez de Ibero used the summit as a station for the geodetic link between Europe and Africa, measuring angles to Tetica de Bacares, Filhaoussen and M'Sabiha in Algeria; he was later made Marqués de Mulhacén. Motor vehicles could once drive almost to the summit, but since 1994 the top has been reachable only on foot, by horse or, from the south, by mountain bike. The area became a national park in 1999.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Possible
- May: Possible
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Winter ascent only: crampons, ice axe, avalanche awareness; minibus not running
- Feb
- Winter conditions; north-face gullies in condition for experienced alpinists
- Mar
- Winter/spring snow; ski-mountaineering
- Apr
- Spring snow; minibus season usually starts around Easter, depending on snow
- May
- Snow lingers on the ridges; crampons often still needed
- Jun
- Mostly snow-free by late June; snowfields remain
- Jul
- Main season; very hot lower down, book bus and refuge early
- Aug
- Main season; busiest; afternoon storms possible
- Sep
- Stable weather, fewer people
- Oct
- Cooler; first snow possible late in the month; reduced bus timetable
- Nov
- Early winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter ascent only; minibus ends in early December
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Refugio Poqueira (staffed, open all year, 100 places) must be booked by phone (+34 958 34 33 49), especially June–September. The Caldera, Carihuela and Villavientos shelters are free, unstaffed and first come, first served.
- Fees
- SIAC Sur minibus Capileira–Alto del Chorrillo: about EUR 11 one way and EUR 16 return in recent listings; 2026 prices not confirmed
- Rules
- Sierra Nevada National Park: the forest tracks to the high areas are closed to private vehicles; only the park's minibus may use them in summer
- Wild camping is prohibited in the national park; bivouacking is allowed only under park conditions (advance notification, not within 50 m of lakes or wet meadows, restrictions in wooded areas from 1 June to 15 October)
- No fires; stay on marked paths and carry out all rubbish
- Getting There
Capileira (south); Trevélez (south-east); Pradollano / Sierra Nevada ski station (north)
Granada (GRX); Málaga (AGP) for more international flights
- South: bus from Granada to Capileira (Alpujarra line), then the national park SIAC minibus to the Alto del Chorrillo; book by phone (+34 671 56 44 06)
- By car to Capileira (park in the village) or to Hoya del Portillo above it
- North: road or bus from Granada to Pradollano and Hoya de la Mora
Hazards
- Weather
- Altitude
- Avalanche
- Exposure
- Remoteness
Huts & Shelters
3- 2,500 m
- 3,065 m
Refugio Vivac de la CalderaBivouacUnstaffed
- 3,205 m
Refugio-Vivac de la CarihuelaBivouacUnstaffed