
Alto de Capileira
Spain, europe
19.18 km
1,436 m
hard
Year-round
# Alto de Capileira
Tucked into the southern reaches of the Sierra Nevada's Alpujarras region in Granada, Spain, Alto de Capileira sits pretty at 1,436 meters (4,711 feet) above sea level. The winding A-4129 road gets you there—it's paved, but don't expect a leisurely cruise. This route means business with its serious grades. Fair warning: the final 500 meters gets a bit rough around the edges, mixing crumbling tarmac with packed earth in a way that'll definitely test your vehicle and your nerve.
If you're into cycling or just love epic climbs, you might recognize this pass—it's earned its stripes as a legendary stage in Spain's Vuelta race. Starting from the town of Órgiva, you're looking at a 19.18-kilometer slog uphill, climbing nearly 1,000 meters in elevation gain with an average gradient of 5.1 percent. That might not sound outrageous on paper, but when you're winding through those hairpins with Sierra Nevada scenery unfurling around you, you'll feel every percentage point.
Where is it?
Alto de Capileira is located in Spain (europe). Coordinates: 39.3595, -3.7744
Road Details
- Country
- Spain
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 19.18 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,436 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 39.3595, -3.7744
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