A quiet but demanding crossing point of the Andalusian Sierra Nevada, the Puerto de la Ragua links the provinces of Granada and Almería at 2,041 m elevation, amid a landscape of pine forest and arid ridgelines.
The route
From La Calahorra, at 1,194 m elevation, the road climbs for 13.4 km to the pass at 2,041 m, gaining 847 m at an average of 6.3%, with a section reaching 10% in the steepest final hundred meters. The steady gradient, never flat but never excessive either, makes for a linear ascent through sparse pine forest into an increasingly bare, rocky landscape.
How to approach the ride
The absence of any major ramp makes it easy to settle into a constant rhythm from the start and hold it all the way to the top. The road is in good condition throughout, but largely unshaded on its upper section, which makes it a tough ride under the Andalusian summer sun.
When to go
May to October: the pass, topping out above 2,000 m, stays closed or snowbound for much of winter, and the heavy heat of July and August on the lower kilometers makes the edges of the season the better bet.
Good to know
La Calahorra, the starting town, is dominated by an imposing 16th-century Renaissance castle, visible long before you reach the village. The summit, with no facilities, marks the border between the two provinces and the start of the descent toward the Almería side of the Alpujarra.