After an inauspicious start due to bad weather, leaky refuges and foxes the remainder of the trip was completed in glorious mountain weather.
Summit of Veleta
Had a brilliant time completing Los Tres Miles. I got a little behind schedule on the first day due to a late start and the altitude making the uphill pull slow going. From Lanjaron I made it up to the Refugio Ventura before nightfall and the place was pretty wet, so I made a bivvy in a cave around the corner from the shelter.
At Siete Lagunas
The next day was a near wash out and i was soaked through by lunchtime - Id hoped to get dry at the Refugio Caballo, but was disappointed to find that that was dripping wet inside too - I made it to Elorrieta by about 6pm, but was greeted by a dank and unwelcoming prospect.
I decided to try and cover the ground over the Tajos de la Virgin before nightfall and make it to the hut below Veleta (this was marked as a bivvy hut on my map so was hopeful of a decent - and dry! - place to stay). Unfortunately the ground was too rocky, and progress painfully slow in the gathering gloom, so i made the decision to turn back rather than get stranded at night on the ridge....in hindsight a very sensible decision, albeit meaning that I had to spend the night fending off a pesky fox!!!
Sunset from the Sierra Nevada
I'd heard about their persistence and was visited 3 times in the night, each time shining my torch at him to scare him off. Fortunately he didn't get away with much; however the 4th visit was a little different. The first 3 times, he had entered the front of the mountain side of the building and came across my bag before me! but this time he came in through the tunnel structure that was at my back and I woke with a start to find foxy sniffing at my head. He immediately jumped over my sleeping position and as I sat up with a start the little bugger took a bite at my foot! I let out a rather girly yelp, and sat cursing the pesky interloper until he buggered off!!! ....thankfully he didn't return again :)
West from Mulhacen summit
The weather turned over night and the next 3 days were glorious....I had planned to exit the ski road at Veleta if the weather remained poor, but thankfully I was able to dry out my kit over the next couple of days and had a fabulous time trekking the ridge, enjoying the views and meeting a number of fellow trekkers along the route. I made up the time I had lost pretty quickly and reached Jerez Del Marquesado on schedule....having taking in the magnificent vista from the top of Mulhacen - the highlight of my trip!
Arriving at Jerez de Marquesado