Sierra Blanca is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

range of the

Penibaetic System The Penibaetic System ( es, Sistema Penibético or ''Cordillera Penibética'') is the southernmost of the three systems of mountain ranges of the Baetic System in the southern Iberian Peninsula. It includes the highest point in the peninsula, 3 ...

in Málaga Province,

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. Its highest point is the 1,275 m high Pico del Lastonar. It is the closest mountain to

Marbella Marbella ( , , ) is a city and municipality in southern Spain, belonging to the province of Málaga in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is part of the Costa del Sol and is the headquarters of the Association of Municipalities of the reg ...

. The Sierra Blanca, meaning 'White Range', is named after the lack of vegetation on its slopes which leaves the pale grey

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...

rock exposed.

Geography

This

karstic Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

mountain range is part of the ranges fringing the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...

coastline in the

Costa del Sol The Costa del Sol (literally "Coast of the Sun" or "Sun Coast") is a region in the south of Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the coastline of the Province of Málaga and the east ...

area. It is located between the coast and the

Sierra de las Nieves Sierra de las Nieves is a mountain range of the Penibaetic System in Málaga Province, Andalusia, Spain with its highest point being La Torrecilla (1,919 m) Sierra de las Nieves is also the name of an administrative area, the ''comarca''. The S ...

in the municipal terms of

Istán Istán is a town and municipality in the province of Málaga in Andalusia in southern Spain with an estimated population in 2005 of 1400 people. It lies beneath the Sierra Blanca in the valley of the Rio Verde about 15 km to the northwest f ...

, Ojén,

and

Monda Monda is a town and municipality in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. It is located near Sierra Blanca and Sierra de las Nieves in the comarca of Sierra de las Nieves. The municipality is ...

. The easiest route to reach it is from

town. The Pico de la Concha (1,270 m), meaning 'Seashell Peak', resembles a seashell seen from the west and is the second highest summit of the range. Other notable peaks are the Salto del Lobo (1,225 m), Cerro de la Zarina (1,141 m) and the Cruz de Juanar (1,178 m). Ecologist organizations in the area have proposed that the Sierra Blanca be declared a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

, in a similar manner as the

Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park The Sierra de las Nieves National Park ( es, Parque Nacional de la Sierra de las Nieves) is a national park in the Sierra de las Nieves range, Andalusia, southern Spain. It is located behind Marbella and to the east of the road to Ronda from the ...

located in the neighboring range.La Sierra de las Nieves crece mirando al mar
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References

External links

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Sierra Blanca (Ojén)Los Pilares de Sierra BlancaHiking in Sierra Blanca
Blanca Blanca Geography of the Province of Málaga {{Andalusia-geo-stub

Geography

See also

References

External links