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With the recent snowfall I'm thinking of trying for Alcazaba next week, weather permitting.
Leave the car below Hoya del Portillo and take acequia alta to Poquiera refuge and continue to Caldera hut for overnight. From the Caldera hut is there a feasible route below/across the north face of Mulhacen to bring me up to Alcazaba?
From Alcazaba, return to Poquiera hut via Siete Lagunas, Chorreras Negras and across south ridge of Mulhacen. Overnight at Poquiera and back to the car the next morning.
Thoughts on likely conditions and possible routes greatly appreciated.

(04-16-2012 03:36 PM)Tuppers Wrote: [ -> ]From the Caldera hut is there a feasible route below/across the north face of Mulhacen to bring me up to Alcazaba?

Yes.
(1) from Laguna de la Mosca up a short gully to Puntal de Siete Lagunas, traverse to the S gully that cuts through the crags to access Alcazaba plateau.
(2) The Vasar de la Cuneta that leads to a snow gully gaining the summit plateau some 400m SW of Alcazaba summit.
(3) the Vasar de la Cuneta which traverses the mountain NE. The final gully before breaking out onto the N ridge near Puntal de Goteron is climeable (canuto de Alcazaba).
(4) follow the Gran Vasar de Alcazaba and then head back to the Canuto de Alcazaba.

You need good stable snow in all 3 cases! See http://www.sierra-nevada-news.com/2010/0...-alcazaba/ and http://www.spanishhighs.co.uk/Forums/Thr...d-Alcazaba for more info and photos of the routes

(04-16-2012 03:36 PM)Tuppers Wrote: [ -> ]From Alcazaba, return to Poquiera hut via Siete Lagunas, Chorreras Negras and across south ridge of Mulhacen. Overnight at Poquiera and back to the car the next morning.

OK if not deep snow. Then a drag!

That's great, thanks for the information and advice. I'll keep an eye on snow reports and weather forecasts.