Veleta
3,396 m
Spain
Also known as Велета, Pico del Veleta, +1Also known as
Велета · Pico del Veleta · Pico Veleta
- Elevation
- 3,396 m
- Prominence
- 312 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: T1 (Camptocamp (Peñones de San Francisco – Veleta – Mulhacén)) · T4 (Camptocamp (Sierra Nevada – Veleta – Mulhacén loop, for the crest variants))
A long but technically easy summer walk of about 900 m from the end of the public road at Hoya de la Mora (2,500 m), following the closed Veleta road and its shortcut paths past Posiciones del Veleta (about 3,100 m) to the summit. Summer lifts or the national park microbus can cut it to under 400 m of ascent.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 5.1 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +883 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 3,396 m
- Time Up
- 3h 35m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 25m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Park at Hoya de la Mora (about 2,500 m), the end of the public road above the Pradollano ski resort, where a barrier closes the old Veleta road to private traffic. Walk up past the Virgen de las Nieves monument and follow the road south, using the many shortcut paths that cut the hairpins, through the upper ski area to Posiciones del Veleta (about 3,100 m), a viewpoint above the Guarnón ravine and the drop-off point of the national park's summer microbus. Ignore the gravel track that branches right and keep to the road, which climbs almost to the top; a short rocky path leads to the summit (3,396 m), with the 500 m Tajos del Veleta cliffs falling away to the north. From Hoya de la Mora allow about 3–3½ hours up on the shortcut paths (about 8 km); following the road all the way makes it 11–12 km each way. In July and August the Borreguiles gondola and Veleta chairlift from Pradollano reach about 3,000 m, leaving roughly 1½–2 hours and about 400 m of ascent. Descend the same way. Just south of the summit, the Collado del Veleta and Collado de la Carihuela lead east along the old road towards Mulhacén; the free Refugio-Vivac de la Carihuela (3,205 m) is a useful shelter. In summer the route is a walk, but the altitude, the strong winds on the crest and afternoon storms should not be underestimated, and patches of snow can linger into July. From November to May it becomes a winter ascent on hard, often icy snow; a slip on the steep summit slopes can be fatal, and crampons, an ice axe and the skill to use them are essential.
Start
Hoya de la Mora2,510 m
- Borreguiles gondola and Veleta chairlift from Pradollano to about 3,000 m (summer season, 11 July – 23 August in 2026)
- Bus from Granada to Pradollano/Sierra Nevada (seasonal); in summer the national park's SIAC microbus runs from Hoya de la Mora to Posiciones del Veleta (booking advised, tel. +34 671 564 407).
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoya de la Mora → Pico del Veleta | 5.1 | 883 | 0 | 3h 35m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Hoya de la Mora2,510 m
End of the public road; barrier on the old Veleta road
- Feature: Monumento a la Virgen de las Nieves2,605 m
- Feature: Posiciones del Veleta3,097 m
Viewpoint and terminus of the summer national park microbus
- Summit: Pico del Veleta3,396 m
Key Passages
- Shortcut paths across the old Veleta road
- Posiciones del Veleta viewpoint
- Final rocky path to the summit above the Tajos del Veleta
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 75%Overview
The second-highest summit of the Sierra Nevada (3,396 m), visible from Granada behind the Alhambra. In summer it is an easy, high-altitude walk up the old summit road from Hoya de la Mora; in winter its icy slopes demand crampons and ice axe.
Veleta rises above the Sierra Nevada ski resort south-east of Granada, in Sierra Nevada National Park. Its gentle western and southern slopes carry the highest ski lifts in Spain and the remains of what was once the highest road in Europe, which crossed the range over the Collado de la Carihuela; its northern side drops in the 500 m Tajos del Veleta cliffs into the Corral del Veleta, where Europe's southernmost glacier survived until the early 20th century. The name is often linked to a weather vane (veleta), though Spanish sources derive it from an Arabic word for a cliff.
From the summit the view reaches across the Mulhacén crest, the Alpujarras and on clear days the Mediterranean and the Rif mountains of Morocco. The upper mountain is not wild: lift stations, the closed road and the university observatory buildings are never far away. The appeal is the altitude, the Tajos and the ease of access from Granada, less than an hour's drive away.
In summer most people walk from Hoya de la Mora (about 2,500 m), around 900 m of ascent, or shorten the day with the summer lifts or the national park microbus to about 3,000 m. Many continue east along the old road towards Mulhacén, the highest peak in mainland Spain, sleeping at the free Carihuela or Caldera bivouac shelters.
Climbing Notes
In summer (July to early October) Veleta needs no technical skills: fitness for a 900 m day at over 3,000 m, good boots and protection against wind and sun. Spending a night in Granada or Pradollano first helps with the altitude. Carry all your water. Thunderstorms build on many summer afternoons, and winds of 100 km/h or more on the crest can stop people; start early.
From November to May the mountain is a serious winter ascent. Snow on the upper slopes is often hard or icy, and a slip can be fatal; crampons, an ice axe and the ability to self-arrest are essential, and guided winter ascents are offered from Granada. Avalanche risk exists on the steeper slopes and in the gullies of the north side.
A typical summer plan: drive or take the morning bus to Pradollano or Hoya de la Mora, walk to the summit and back in 5–6 hours, or use the summer lifts (11 July – 23 August in 2026) to reduce the day. To combine Veleta with Mulhacén, walk east along the old road and stay at one of the unstaffed bivouac shelters, carrying a sleeping bag, stove and food.
History
Spanish sources record an ascent as early as 1754. The first ski ascent, by the north-west ridge, was made on 16 April 1922 by a group from the Peñalara club. The small glacier in the Corral del Veleta, the southernmost in Europe, melted away in the early 20th century (1913 according to most accounts), though permafrost and fossil ice persist beneath the cirque. A road was built across the range over the Collado de la Carihuela (about 3,200 m); it was closed to private traffic when the area came under stricter protection, and Sierra Nevada was declared a national park in 1999. The Refugio-Vivac de la Carihuela was built in 1994.
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 on hard snow; crampons, ice axe and experience needed
- Feb
- Winter conditions; strong winds and icy slopes
- Mar
- Winter conditions; ski resort operating below
- Apr
- Spring snow; crampons and ice axe still needed
- May
- Snow on the upper slopes; conditions variable
- Jun
- Mostly snow-free by late June; snow patches remain
- Jul
- Best season; summer lifts operate from mid-July; afternoon storms
- Aug
- Best season; summer lifts until late August; busy
- Sep
- Stable weather, fewer people; lifts closed
- Oct
- Usually still snow-free; colder, early snowfall possible
- Nov
- First significant snow; winter equipment needed
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- No staffed hut on the route. The Refugio-Vivac de la Carihuela (3,205 m) is free and unstaffed; no booking. Book the SIAC microbus by phone (+34 671 564 407) or email (siacnorte.amaya@juntadeandalucia.es).
- Fees
- Summer lift tickets (Borreguiles gondola and Veleta chairlift) are paid
- The national park SIAC microbus service from Hoya de la Mora is paid; check prices locally
- Rules
- The old Veleta road above Hoya de la Mora is closed to private vehicles; only authorised vehicles and the SIAC microbus may use it
- Sierra Nevada National Park rules apply: stay on paths, no wild camping outside permitted bivouac rules, no drones without authorisation
- Getting There
Granada (Pradollano ski resort at the foot of the mountain)
Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport (GRX); Málaga (AGP)
- Car: A-395 from Granada to Sierra Nevada, then the turn-off before the resort (signposted Peñones) to Hoya de la Mora at about 2,500 m
- Bus: Granada bus station to Pradollano and Hoya de la Mora (limited service, seasonal timetable)
- Summer lifts from Pradollano (2,100 m) to about 3,000 m: Borreguiles gondola and Veleta chairlift (11 July – 23 August in 2026)
- SIAC microbus (national park interpretation service) from Hoya de la Mora to Posiciones del Veleta in summer
Hazards
- Weather
- Avalanche
- Exposure
- Altitude
Huts & Shelters
1- 3,205 m
Refugio-Vivac de la CarihuelaBivouacUnstaffed
16 beds · Open all year (unstaffed shelter)