Ultra Sierra Nevada 40km Marathon: 2,400m D+ From the Granada Foothills to the Sierra Nevada

The official race website confirms D+ = 2,400m over approximately 40km (GPS measures 41.7km). At 60m of D+ per kilometre, the course ranks 63rd most vertical out of 390 European ultras -- top 16% for climbing density. The route starts at Queentar (approximately 900m altitude), climbs to near Pico Veleta (3,100m), and finishes at Pradollano ski resort (2,100m). Course terrain ranks 68th most mountainous in the same database. Total D- is 2,729m.

The marathon 40km starts at the Town Hall of Queentar, in the Granada foothills, at 8:00 AM on the Saturday of race weekend. The finish is at Plaza de Pradollano ski resort (2,100m altitude) on the Sierra Nevada. The race covers the final 40km of the Unicaja Ultra Sierra Nevada 100km route. Bib collection takes place in Granada (Thursday and Friday) and in Queentar on Saturday morning (6:30-7:30). Parking in Queentar is restricted; the organiser provides a paid bus service (10 euros) from Granada and from Pradollano to Queentar, and free shuttle buses from Pradollano back to Granada post-race.

The 2026 edition sold out with high sell-out intensity. The field is capped -- the official marathon page confirms 450 bibs (an Airtable record shows 350; verify the current cap for 2027 directly with the organiser). Entry was 63 euros (approximately 1.58 euros per km) for 2026. Non-federation runners must also pay a mandatory 10-euro one-day Spanish athletics federation license on top of the entry fee. Registration transfers and exchanges carry additional fees. Register via rockthesport.com.

Very demanding. The course climbs 2,400m over approximately 40km (60m/km), ranking 63rd most vertical of 390 European ultras. The route ascends from Queentar (~900m) to near Pico Veleta (3,100m) -- Europe's southernmost 3,000m+ mountain -- through high alpine terrain in April, when snow is common above 2,500m. Mandatory gear includes waterproof layers and thermal equipment. The biggest single descent drops 632m at an average gradient of -16.95%. Maximum time is 10 hours; cut-offs apply at Pinos Genil (km 16.4, 11:30), Dornajo (km 28.4, 15:30), and Botanical Garden (km 34.8, 17:00).

Granada Airport (GRX) is approximately 30 minutes from Granada city (the event hub). Malaga Airport (AGP) is approximately 90 minutes and offers significantly more international connections, including budget airline routes from across Europe. The organiser provides a paid bus service (10 euros) from Granada to the marathon start in Queentar on race morning; parking at Queentar is restricted and the organiser recommends the bus. Free shuttle buses run from Pradollano to Granada after the race (15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:30).