Pico Veleta

Virenque said:

That climb interests me a lot (nearly 3400m)!
What is the road condition at the top of it? Is it asphalt/paved all over to the top?
Can be ridden with road bike?
When is the road clear of snow?
When is the best weather?
Anybody climbed it yet?

If you know for any good website with articles, photos, maps, ... of Pico Veleta, please paste it here!🙂

I have climbed it this June. It is an incredible experience, extremely recommended. It is almost like taking off in an airplane. I was joined by a local cycler for most of the climb. The first half (roughly) is a main, busy road, but good, some of it (near the bottom) can be skipped if you take the alternative road from Granada. Shortly after the turn to Sierra Nevada, at about 2000m altitude the road is still good (but less), traffic is much lighter, it gets windier and colder. At 2500m you get to the youth hostel and some other buildings, turn left, cross a military building, a restaurant, and reach a barrier, after which the road gets much worse but still cyclable with my racing bike. From here on the road is closed during the summer, I only met a couple hikers and mountain goats near the deserted observatory. This road ends at about 2800m (I believe), with snow patches even at that time of year. There is a road going even higher but it is even worse and it was getting late so I had to go back and freeze all the way down. I have seen pictures of the remaining section: The road does not end but rather "fades out", until it is not cyclable anymore unless with MTB or at least turing bike. There is a passage to the other side of the mountain to the town of Trevelez, but not for road bikes. See Harry Dowdell's guide (by Cycerone) for a very detailed description of the climb from the other side (Trevelez to Granada).
My recommendation: Do it anytime during the summer. You do not have to get to the top. Best time is early in the morning - you start when Granada is still not horridly hot and end at the top when it is warmer, so you do not freeze on the way down. There are plenty of cyclers all along the way.

I read today here (in german only) that all road is asphalt except last 1km!
Heh if I will decide to climb it I will go to the top! For me, turning back somewhere in the middle is worse than if I will stay at home! But last non-asphalt km can be realy annoying if it`s not ridable with road bike (which I think it isn`t because last km is the steapest)! And you must be very lucky if you get perfect conditions (no snow, no wind, sunny, warm, ..) like that man on last three photos!

ItsikH said:

See Harry Dowdell's guide (by Cycerone) for a very detailed description of the climb from the other side (Trevelez to Granada).

Where can I find that guide? On the internet or is it a book?

Virenque said:

I read today here (in german only) that all road is asphalt except last 1km!
Heh if I will decide to climb it I will go to the top! For me, turning back somewhere in the middle is worse than if I will stay at home! But last non-asphalt km can be realy annoying if it`s not ridable with road bike (which I think it isn`t because last km is the steapest)! And you must be very lucky if you get perfect conditions (no snow, no wind, sunny, warm, ..) like that man on last three photos!
Where can I find that guide? On the internet or is it a book?

My tour was 2000km in 16 days (mostly based on the book). That's why I did not worry that much about the final few kms... I bought the book in a traveller's shop, but I have seen it can be bought on the net, much cheaper, Amazon I believe.

From ths video you can know and see everything about the Veleta climb, Full HD cycling video:

Best regards,
Gábor