The Patagonia tour is done and I am back in Santiago. But Mt. Aconcagua is only a couple hour drive northeast into the Andes, so a friend and I drove there and I got to hike on the highest mountain in the Americas!
The drives in the mountains are like our Colorado mountain drives only steeper and with more switchbacks (caracoles) that are sharp. I´m amazed at the good roads (in summer) and infrastructure in the country. We stopped at another ski resort called Portillo on the way to Aconcagua and it was very similar to the one just outside of Santiago. (The first 3 photos are the ski area.)
This one had a huge glacial lake very close to the lodge(Laguna del Inca) and the slopes so it was really beautiful. All the slopes are above tree line and now they are just brown dirt but you can see the lifts. If there is too much snow, the road may close, but they have plows to keep it open. Before they close it they will plow one lane open and then people drive uphill until 1:00 and only downhill after that.
We had to get a permit to hike on Aconcagua and it cost under $20 for the day. (gringos pay more). They maintain tight control which was nice to see. They give you a bag for trash with your number on it and you must return it when you are done hiking or you get fined. If you stay overnight you must prove that you have contracted with a company for toilet facilities or you can´t go up.
The hiking is uphill but it was rarely very steep. The trail is big rocks and lots of dust. The wind was raging on the lower half (just like in Patagonia). After about 6 miles we got to the first base camp called Confluencia. There are many permanent tents there and you check in again with a ranger before going back down to the National Park Headquarters. You can stay overnight at Confluencia then hike another 6 miles up to Camp Plaza Francia, where you can see the glacier on Aconcagua and there´s a geat view. After that it is technical and difficult so hikers usually stop there.
Great to hike up South America´s highest mountain (which is covered by a glacier so snow all year long at the top) and so cool to drive through the Andes. They are magnificent and beautiful in many different ways. We saw 3 mule trains coming down. They are hired to carry people's gear and they were very frisky.
Finally, we stopped at a place with thermals that the Incas used.(Puente del Inca)...so amazing. (the photo may be sideways). A hotel with thermal baths for health was built there around 1900 by Europeans and now you just see the ruins if it. A large stone arch was created by the river that the hot springs flow into and it is an amazing physical feature (puente means bridge) .
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