Andalucia and Pico Veleta

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22camels
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Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by 22camels »

I may be going there for a week in early October and have one or two questions.

The rough plan (and I need to stop planning as it's meant to be a relaxed trip) is arrive in Malaga, two days cycling to Granada on smaller roads, probably one day off in Granada, then one day climbing up and down Pico del Veleta (3394m - supposedly the highest road in Europe) weather permitting, and two to three days getting back to Malaga. It may change completely e.g. I might go to Ronda instead. Will have road tyres (1.6" marathon supremes) on steel tourer, which means I probably won't be able to go off road much (I know the TransAndalus passes through there). Will be spending 2 or 3 nights in hostels in cities, and the rest wild camping with a bit of luck (I know it's illegal but arrive late leave early hopefully it won't be too difficult to find a hidden spot - I will only have a bivi no tent).

- is there a good website for checking weather conditions at altitude e.g. on Pico Veleta? I know I will be up and down in one day but I take it weather at altitude can be very different to weather below. Or is it better to rely on local info (I don't speak Spanish)?

- I will be going up El Pico from the North side i.e. Granada or nearby, along the paved road which I know deteriorates considerably near the summit but is still passable. Most likely I will come back down the same way I came (or thereabouts - there are a few variations). However, I might in good weather be sorely tempted to follow the unpaved track (closed to cars) down the South side towards Capileira. Is this clever - solo and on 1.6" slick tyres? Or a bit of a risk? Anything I should carry just in case?

- I imagine I'll be camping out at elevations below 2000m, most likely below 1000m, anyone know how cold nights get there around this time? I am planning on just taking a summer sleeping bag and possibly a liner, inside a bivi. Assuming it won't go below 5 deg C.

- does anyone have an idea how safe it is to park your bike in hostels in cities like Malaga and Granada or Spain in general? Have done this before but thought I'd check - don't really want to carry a heavy lock.

Any other tips/ideas would be welcomed!

Thanks!
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horizon
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by horizon »

There's a whole thread on this topic ... somewhere ...

October is a little iffy up top but amazing down below. Even if you had to cut out Veleta there is still some wonderful cycling to be had.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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horizon
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by horizon »

When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
22camels
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by 22camels »

Thanks, yeah that was the thread that made me choose October.. it's got some good info on the southern track but I thought I'd ask again as it still seems a bit dodgy.. as you say though even without Veleta there is plenty of great cycling in the region.
iviehoff
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by iviehoff »

22camels wrote:Pico del Veleta (3394m - supposedly the highest road in Europe)

Its the highest road in geographical Europe. The highest road in political Europe is the road to the top of El Teide on Tenerife.
22camels
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by 22camels »

iviehoff wrote:The highest road in political Europe is the road to the top of El Teide on Tenerife.


Interesting. Maybe one for another time. Do you know how high it is actually possible to cycle? None of the accounts I come across seem to go higher than about 2300m above sea level.
iviehoff
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by iviehoff »

Sorry, I've mixed up Gran Canaria, which has a road to the top where all the astronomical telescopes are, but is below 3000m, and the much higher Mt Teide which has been protected from such telescopes, but does have a refuge and a cable car station near the top. It's only a path up to the top of Teide, from the top of the road at 2356m. There are various mountain bikers claiming to have gone to about 3500m on the mountain, but I don't know the legality.
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andrew_s
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by andrew_s »

22camels wrote:However, I might in good weather be sorely tempted to follow the unpaved track (closed to cars) down the South side towards Capileira. Is this clever - solo and on 1.6" slick tyres? Or a bit of a risk?

I did it on 28mm gatorskins.
It's all dry rock, so the tyres grip well enough, but you'll get the wheels moving about a bit on loose gravel and be slower than you would be on fat knobblies as a result of the extra caution required. I'd allow something like 3 hours down to Capilera, but that's a personal thing.

Weather-wise, I'd go on what I could see.
The worst case lapse rate is 1 degree C per 100m height gain.
If there are lenticular clouds at or above the summit, you can expect it to be windy.
Clouds at the top mean thick fog when you are there, and if there's wind as well you'll get wet quickly.
22camels
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by 22camels »

Thank you! So it sounds like it's not a big deal this southern descent as long as I am sensible about the weather and don't go too fast. Never been higher than 2000m on a bike, but have stayed at 3000m, and been over a 5000m pass in a bus and didn't get much altitude sickness so guessing I should be ok here.
eileithyia
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by eileithyia »

Bikes / Hotels /Hostels, we had absolutely no problem, not matter where we were we allowed to take bikes into some interior part of the hotel be it a courtyard garden, a passageway, or up to our rooms... this included Granada, Ronda, and various other towns and cities.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
22camels
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by 22camels »

thanks! that's good to know..
twowheels42
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by twowheels42 »

Early Oct in Granada is getting cold and on Veleta will be in the minus degrees
deckertim
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by deckertim »

I climbed the Valeta on 13th Oct last year. There had been an early snowfall the previous week. I got above 2,800m but there was too much snow on the road to go higher. It was a nice sunny day and warm enough, but it felt very cold once I turned round and went downhill.
I was told that it was very unusual to have snow so early in the year and if I'd waited a couple of days I would have been able to get all the way to the summit.
So: in
1. Don't count on being able to get to the top.
2. Take warm clothing including gloves.
3. Go for it. It is a fantastic ride
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andrew_s
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by andrew_s »

If you are booking accommodation ahead, it may be advisable to go for somewhere like Lanjaron rather than Capilera or eastwards.
If you can't get over, you'll have to go round, and if you try and have to turn back, available time will be limited.
Nigelrojo
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Re: Andalucia and Pico Veleta

Post by Nigelrojo »

I motorcycled up the Veleta northern approach road back in 1993. You can still get onto the road on a bicycle, just dodge around the barriers. As you say, it is pretty potholed and rough further up, it was back in '93. Probably just about do-able on your tyres.

I walked up Mulhacen (3580m, not far from Veleta) in June a few years ago. It was 14C at midday and windy on top. In October it is going to be not much above zero even at the warmest time of day. At night it will be below freezing. There was also a bit of snow right at the top even in June, so depending on when the snow starts the road may be blocked at the top in October. The air is also pretty thin up there: I skied up on Veleta a few years back and walked (with my skis) from the top of the highest drag lift up to the peak. It only looked like a few hundred metres, I thought "that'll take me 10 minutes". 45 minutes later I struggled to the top, absolutely knackered.

But if you get a clear day, the views alone are worth it. Good luck!
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