A short visit to the last snowdrifts in Madrid´s Sierra

[Danny]

Last thursday, Aug 1st, I had the chance to visit one of the last snowdrifts in Madrid´s Sierra.

Sierra de Guadarrama is located about 35-40 miles away from the city of Madrid. Its highest height is the peak of Peñalara, 2.428 m (7.965 feet over the sea level).

Normally, by the mid or end of June the last snow in the mountains melts, but last winter was very snowy in Sierra de Guadarrama, and this the reason because of we still have some snowdrifts at the beginning of August. I didn´t remember a situation like this one, so I decided to have a visit to immortalize this moment.

For further information about Sierra de Guadarrama:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_de_Guadarrama

I hope you enjoy...

I began the hike at Puerto de Navacerrada, a well known ski station in Madrid, located at 1.890 m (6.200 feet). It was 8 am and the temperature was 20ºC (68ºF).







This is the very slope path I took to go up to Bola del Mundo, used by winter as a skiing slope.



The views from the path are beautiful.









Siete Picos (Seven Peaks) 2.138 m (7.014 feet)



Montón de Trigo 2.161 m (7.089 feet)



View of Navacerrada reservoir, beside the village of Navacerrada. In the background, Valmayor reservoir.



Navalmedio small reservoir, beside the village of Cercedilla.





A maintenance vehicle going up the road.





Finally I reached the Bola del Mundo summit, 2.258 m (7.408 feet). In the background La Maliciosa peak, 2.227 m (7.306 feet).



Tv antennas of the Bola del Mundo repeater.





Another view of La Maliciosa peak.



Ventisquero de la Condesa last snowdrifts, located some metres below La Bola del Mundo. In this space the Manzanares river, the river which crosses Madrid city, births.













The depth of the snow was about 50 cm (19 inches)





View of the Ventisquero de la Condesa



Snowdrifts in August



Manzanares river birthplace











The last snow of the season was very dirty



The melting was very fast. I was at about 20ºC (68ºF)





View of Peñalara, 2.428 m (7.965 feet), and its last snowdrifts



Valdesqui ski station







La Bola del Mundo tv repeater



And the last snowdrifts in Ventisquero de la Condesa



View of Cabezas de Hierro mountain, 2.381 m (7.808 feet)







Last snowdrift in Cerro de Valdemartín, 2.280 m (7.480 feet)



Going back again to Puerto de Navacerrada



Railway station in Puerto de Navacerrada



A distant view of La Bola del Mundo and Ventisquero de la Condesa snowdrifts, where I was some hours ago, during my return to Madrid.



This is a restrospective image of La Bola del Mundo and Ventisquero de la Condesa, taken some winters ago



Greetings from Madrid, Spain.

[ColDayMan]

Awesome! Thanks!

[inSaeculaSaeculorum]

Very nice scenery. It reminds me of the mountains in southern california a little bit. Similar climate!

Congrats and greetings from Los Angeles, California!

[Danny]

Originally Posted by inSaeculaSaeculorum

Very nice scenery. It reminds me of the mountains in southern california a little bit. Similar climate!

Congrats and greetings from Los Angeles, California!

Thanks you both for your comments.

Do you think this landscape is similiar to the one in Southern California mountains? I don´t know, as I´ve never visited those mountains. The climate in Sierra de Guadarrama is predominantly dry, with hardly precipitation by Summer.

Greetings from Madrid, Spain.

[xzmattzx]

I wouldn't think of Madrid having ski slopes and snow so close by. Crazy that there were drifts still around in August.

[brickell]

Love the little tours of unknown places like this.
Great job.

[AJW]

Spain has so much to offer in terms of landscapes and climates even. Wonderful photography Danny, thanks for sharing those.

[Danny]

Thanks for your comments. I´m glad your liked the pics of this short hike.

Finally, the last snowdrifts remaining in the Sierra, on Peñalara peak, melted by the end of September. This has been a record in Sierra de Guadarrama. Unfortunately, it hasn´t snowed in the Sierra for this season yet. We´ll have to wait some weeks more to see the first snow there.

Greetings.