Tupungato
/ El Plomo
 Double-Feature
Expedition
3-23
December 2004 (21 days)
Tupungato
rises majestically above the high crest of the Andes east of Santiago,
and carries the distinction of being the highest peak south of
Aconcagua. It is the objective of only a handful of expeditions
per year, and is truly a wilderness expedition. Slightly more
technical than the normal routes on Aconcagua, the long approach
and remote setting add up to make this a much more serious undertaking.
The word will soon be out, but for now Tupungato is a pristine
big-mountainn challenge similar to what Aconcagua must have been
like 50 years ago.
El Plomo is the highest summit visible above Santiago, and is
part of the chain of glaciated peaks known as the "Chilean
Alps". A short approach and moderate terrain make this a
great acclimatization climb. Experience has shown that acclimatizing
on a 5000 Meter peak greatly increases summit success on an Andean
giant like Tupungato.
The combination of these two beautiful and challenging mountains
makes this an expedition for those seeking a high-adventure experience!
PHOTO Base Camp Los Espanoles with the snowy north
side of Tupungato behind.
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Day
1 After arrival in Santiago, we will be transferred
by private mini-bus to the 4-star Hotel Kennedy. Following an
afternoon team meeting, the guides will conduct individual equipment
checks. There are several outdoor clothing and climbing equipment
shops in the city, and any last-minute needs can easily be rented
or purchased.
We invite anyone interested in the history, culture, and architecture
of Santiago to join a guided city tour this afternoon.
Tonight, we'll have a group dinner, sampling the rich Chilean
cuisine and world-famous wines!
Day
2 Today, we'll leave city life
behind, and begin the acclimatization process with a day-hike
into the Yerba Loca Park Reserve. Native wild-flowers are abundant,
and we may even be treated to our first sighting of the impressive
Andean Condor.
Following our hike, we'll check into the ski-area chalet of La
Cornisa at Farellones. The oldest ski center in South America,
Farellones is only minutes from the outer Santiago suburbs. A
good soak in the hot-tub will ease our travel-weary bodies, and
then a relaxed fondue dinner.
Day
3 The El Plomo segment of our
expedition begins with a drive to the top of the ski-area of La
Parva, where we'll meet our Arrieros and mules. Mules will carry
all of our group and personal equipment, leaving us free to enjoy
the trek with only a light day-pack.
The trek to the first camp, Piedra Numerada, is gently rolling
and without net elevation gain. We'll obtain great views of our
climbing route on El Plomo throughout the day.
It's a relatively short hike to Piedra Numerada, typically taking
3-4 hours. You may be surprised how comfortable our camps are,
with a large dome dining-tent, tables, stools, and even electric
lights!
Day
4 We'll pack up camp after breakfast,
and start hiking as the Arrieros loads the mules. The trek to
the second camp, La Olla, is a steady but gentle climb through
moraines and occasional snowfields, taking most groups about 6
hours.
La Olla is approximately the same elevation as where we'll be
Base Camped on Tupungato. Our 2 nights spent here will be prove
valuable to a safe and thorough acclimatization, and will greatly
increase summit safety and success on Tupunato.
After dinner, we'll make final preparations for our early morning
summit attempt on El Plomo.
Day
5 Today begins with a pre-dawn
breakfast, and will continues with many hours of strenuous hiking
and climbing. Typically, 4-6 hours are needed for the ascent,
and another 2-3 for the descent.
For most of the route, we'll be following a well-traveled path,
with only a few sections of low-angle snow travel.
Near the summit, we'll see the site where mummified remains of
a teenage girl were found. Several Inca-era mummies have been
found throughout the central the Andes. This one, like most of
the others, was apparently a human sacrifice. Forensic experts
believe the girl walked high up onto El Plomo while still alive,
and then was poisoned. The col, dry air has preserved her remains,
which are now housed at the Archeological Museum in Santiago.
Day
6 Our Arrieros mules will return
this morning to transport our loads back to La Parva. We'll hike
out today on a different route than that we followed on the hike
in, gaining a high plateau called the Cancha Carreta. We'll even
have the option of summiting El Pintor, a small peak on the plateau
with fantastic views of the surrounding Andes, and Santiago far
below.
Our transportation will be waiting for us at the top of the ski-lifts,
and we'll transfer back to the Hotel Kennedy in Santiago. Hot
showers, cold beer, and soft beds await! Tonight we'll have another
chance to sample Chilean cuisine and wines.
Day
7 Back to the mountains!
We'll load up and leave the hotel after an early breakfast, headed
for the valley of the Rio Maipo, one of the world's premiere wine
producing regions. First stop will be the police check-point in
the village of San Jose de Maipo, where we need to fill out required
forms. Tupungato is on Chile's frontier with Argentina, and there's
a few special procedures we need to follow. Second stop is another
control point in the canyon of the Rio Colorado, where we need
to leave our passports with the special Border Police. This seems
to be their way of guaranteeing we don't make any dubious passages
into Argentina, a real problem a few da cades ago when smuggling
cigarettes and electronic goods was a lucrative passtime!
By mid-day we'll be at our trailhead at Alfalfal, where the Arrieros
and mules will be waiting for us. There's time for us to enjoy
a picnic, while the loads are being weighed and loaded.
The trek to our first camp, Banos Azules, usually takes groups
4 or 5 hours. Although the terrain is semi-arid, we'll see a variety
of wild-flowers. There also seems to be an unusual concentration
of Condors here, and it's common to see a dozen or more in the
sky at once!
Day
8 The trek continues today to our second camp at
Vegas de los Flojos. We continue to follow the course of the Rio
Colorado, which by now is only a fraction the size it was at the
start of yesterday's hike. Many impressive glaciated peaks com
into view today, including Chimbote, Polleras, and even a few
fleeting glimpses of Tupungato.
Vegas de los Flojos is set beside a beautiful pond that captures
reflections of the icy peaks on the Chile/Argentina frontier.
We may even be visited here by guanacos (wild llama relatives),
or flocks of wild Andean ducks and geese.
Today will undoubtedly be a longer and more strenuous trek than
yesterday, typically taking 7-8 hours.
Day
9 The Arrieros will want to start
early today. They'll move ahead of us, dropping the loads at Base
Camp and returning to Vega de los Flojos. There's not sufficient
pasture this high to sustain the mules, even for a night. We'll
have an easier day today than yesterday, 4-5 hours being typical.
Base Camp Las Espanoles will be home for the next few days, and
will remain as a refuge we can drop down to in case of extreme
weather or medical emergency.
Base Camp is also where we change climbing styles; from heavy-weight
luxury-style to light-weight minimalist-style. The dining tent,
propane tanks, and solar panels stay put at Las Espanoles!
Day
10 Today will be a much needed
and appreciated rest day at Base Camp. As important as resting
fatigued joints and muscles will be giving our bodies some extra
time to acclimatize to the increasing altitude. Take advantage
of a leisure day to read, write, wash your socks...
The guides will also take time today to demonstrate the use of
the emergency medical equipment; the hyperbaric chamber and the
oxygen cylinder.
Day
11 We'll begin moving up Tupungato today in classic
expedition style. This means we'll shuttle food, fuel, and equipment
up the mountain and returning to a lower camp to sleep, and making
a summit attempt only when we've stocked a high camp and our bodies
have fully acclimatized.
Today we'll take loads to Camp 1, and return to base Camp for
a final night in 5-star comfort.
Day
12 With the remaining loads, we'll
move up and establish Camp 1.
Days
13-19 We'll continue moving up in this fashion to
Camp 3, at 5,800M. A summit attempt from here usually takes 4-6
hours for the ascent, and another 3-4 hours for descent. In some
cases, due to weather, route conditions, or especially fit and
acclimatized climbers, it may be desirable to attempt the summit
from Camp 2, at 5,250M. This would add several hours to the summit
climbing day.
The climbing on summit day involves mostly steep hiking over uneven,
and sometimes loose, terrain. Depending on the annual snowfall,
there may be snow travel up to 40 degrees. We will need to cross
a short section (20 M) of steep rock scrambling that usually requires
us to be roped and belayed. Above this rock section is a broad
coulior, usually snow-filled, that we follow to the summit plateau.
The climbing in the coulior is up to 40 degrees in steepness,
and somewhat exposed to rock-fall. Helmets here add to the safety
of the team members. Once we gain the summit plateau, the hardest
work is behind us. A false summit is visible and the true summit
is another 30-45 minutes beyond. Visible from the summit is the
mighty Aconcagua, some 50 miles to the north.
By the evening of day 19, we should be back to the comforts of
Base Camp.
Day 20 Experience
has shown that rather than use mules to assist us in the trek
back to Alfalfal, a helicopter is more practical. The helicopter
needs the cool, calm morning conditions for the safest flying,
and this suits us well, as we need to be hiking early. We won't
be making camps, we'll be hiking out to the trailhead in on very
long day. We can expect 10-12 hours of trekking today.
It will all seem worth it, though, when we're back at the Hotel
Kennedy in Santiago tonight, celebrating over a gourmet dinner!
Day
21 You'll enjoy a day of relaxing poolside
at the hotel, or shopping in the city until it's time to transfer
to the airport.
We'd be happy to arrange any other flights, hotels, or car rentals
you might need to extend your visit!
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