Route
Walk back down the road past
the hotel for about ½ mile until reaching the small stone pillar, on the
left, marking the start of the footpath.
(photo, right: Looking up along the intended route from near the
start)
(photo, left: Looking east towards Sierra Nevada. The snow
The footpath can be seen rising
steadily up the mountain side. Follow the path down a small dip then up
hill, eventually turning northwest into the mountains.
(Photo, right. Looking back
along the valley towards the Refugio)
(photo, left. The ridge which is reached later)
The easy-to-follow path now
winds up a valley to reach a col. Take the footpath right, uphill, to the
base of the rocks where it now traverses left and below the ridge on the
right.
(photo, left: View north. photo, right: Rolling
mountains to the west)
The path eventually turns
up hill right to finish at a gap in the ridge. It is possible to scramble
up higher, but serious drops of a few hundred feet are on to left.
(photo, left: View east along the ridge. Photo, right:
View west along the ridge)
Retrace the footpath back to
the col, then turn right to continue the circuit.
(Photo, left. Another view west of the ridge. Photo,
right. Looking west having returned to the circular track)
The path follows the contours
of the hill to where it joins a wide track heading north into the hills.
(Photo, left: Looking north across the valley to the ridge.
Photo, right: Peaks to the east of the Refugio)
Ignore this track, and continue
on the path that descends into the wooded valley. The red roof of
the hotel can be seen ............ if a cloud-free day.
(Photo, left: .... more 'bumps'. Photo, right: The peak
of Cruz de Juanar)
The path zigzags down hill into the pine forest and eventually meets the road at the entrance to the hotel. Continue past the hotel, turning right, and back to the car.