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Description:
From Ronda we take the A-397 direction San Pedro de Alcántara and drive about 13 km, until we see on our left the sign for Sierra de Las Nieves, we leave the road and take the track that passes through the Conejeras Recreational Area and the campsite. After 14 km of total track, we arrive at the Quejigales Recreational Area at 1,285 m altitude. We start walking stepping on snow, along the track parallel to the stream. About 300 meters appears an informative panel, indicating that the SL-A 140 Quejigales – Torrecilla trail begins. We leave the track and cross the stream by a wooden bridge. We continue along the well-marked path among pines, gaining height gently in the direction of the Cañada del Cuerno. The path has a mixture of ice, snow and mud. As we enter the cañada, the shade is greater and the slope becomes more accentuated. We now walk among pinsapos, some of them are the oldest in this sierra. Approaching Puerto de los Pilones, where the track crosses, which leads to the television repeater and starts a little before arriving at the Quejigales Recreational Area. The forest becomes less and less dense and the snow increases in thickness. Seeing the landscape of the old pinsapos, with white crowns is admirable. We arrive at the track, in one hour of constant ascent. Here the wind was blowing hard, enveloping us from time to time with snow dust. Right at the track crossing, there is a wooden post with three indications: Quejigales – Torrecillas Trail (to the east); Casa Rural Los Quejigales: 2.9 km (to the west); Quejigales Recreational Area: 2.7 km. (to the west) We climb a few meters along the track and reach the Puerto de los Pilones. We find a panel that indicates the panoramic view we have from here: Quejigo, Puerto de Los Valientes, Torrecillas, Alcazaba, the Mediterranean Sea and the cerro de los Pilones. If we turn our gaze to the north, we see Ronda and further in the background the sierra de Grazalema, with its summits also white. From here, we begin to descend among quejigos, infrequent at these altitudes. Everything is snowy and despite the wind, the visibility is very clear. The mountains of the Rif are seen, covered by a white mantle. We snake along the path, over many footprints of the multitude of people. In 15 minutes from the Puerto, we arrive at the snow well of Tolox. Where they used to store ice, to lower it to the towns on mules. A few meters further on there is a bifurcation of paths that indicate: MIRADOR 6.40 Puerto del Saucillo; SL-A 351 TRAIL Puerto del Saucillo – Torrecilla; SL-A 140 TRAIL Quejigales – Torrecilla. We continue the route and now we give views over the Malaga coast. We also see the sierra de Tejera covered with snow, it is a spectacle when there is so much clarity. Throughout the itinerary there is great traffic of hikers, this route is very popular and now with snow much more. Without stopping and walking against the wind, we arrive at the cerro del Pilar. Obligatory stop to take some food and drink water at pilar de Tolox or also called fuente de los Machos. Its timid water spout is half frozen and the pool with a layer of ice. We were at the foot of Pico Torrecilla and before continuing we put on the crampons. The ascent was very comfortable, having a lot of snow the path we chose ourselves. It took us 30 minutes to summit the Torrecilla from the Pilar. The cold coming from the north did not allow us to be out in the open for long. Those who arrived at the summit took refuge on the stones. There are not so many who arrive at the highest point of Torrecillas (1919m), some people arrive at the cerro del Pilar. The snow attracts a lot of people to the mountain, although they go with lack of material for snow and it is already an adventure to arrive at the fuente de Tolox. The great atmospheric cleanliness of the day, the view was infinite. We could see the Genal valley, Sierra Bermeja, the African coast, Ceuta and its islet, the Hoya de Málaga, the capital and its bay, the Peñón de Gibraltar, Sierra Tejera and Sierra Nevada. We took some photos and began the descent. In twenty minutes we were at the pilar and took advantage to eat. After recovering strength, we resumed the march again along the path. Undoing our own footprints and enjoying again the beauty of the quejigos. The descent is fast, there are already few people. The majority who came with children were leaving for noon. It is incredible how the landscape changes according to the hour, the shadows are very strong and it seems different where we passed. In five hours we have arrived at the car and we undertake the return home.
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Video length: 03:55
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