Snow on three-thousanders and closed trails - what awaits travelers in the Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada National Park has warned of cold snaps and ice formation in the high mountain ranges. Recent weather has already left a thin layer of snow on the peaks, and at altitudes of about 3,000 meters, frost, cloudiness and light variable winds are forecast.
There are also infrastructure restrictions for travelers: sections 2 and 17 of the Sulair hiking trail are temporarily closed to the public. In addition, fauna management activities are scheduled for Sunday in the municipalities of Ojanes and Jerez del Marquesado.
Regarding overnight stays in the mountains, the Postero Alto shelter near Jerez Peak is operating as usual. At the Poqueira shelter, only the emergency bivouac area is currently open, while the main part with services is expected to open in the near future.
Context
The Sulair Ring Route (GR 240) is about 300 kilometers long and circles the entire Sierra Nevada massif, mostly at altitudes between 1,300 and 2,000 meters. Its name comes from the ancient Arabic toponym for the mountain range, which translates as "mountain of the sun."
The Postero Alto refuge is located on the northern slope at an altitude of 1,900 meters at the foot of the Picon de Jerez peak, while the Poqueira hut lies significantly higher, at around 2,500 meters on the southern slope, serving as a base for ascents of the highest mountain in mainland Spain, Mulasén.