High
altitude - moderate climbing. Strenous and Medium skills. Demanding
mountaineering program. The mountain is technically easy, but the
altitude, the temperature and the wind, makes this ascent quite strenuous.
The Chilean desertic high plateau east of Copiapó, above Chañaral
is well known by the world mountaineers as it concentrates the highest
number of six thousand meters peaks, among mountains and volcanoes,
in the world. Among all these big mountains, as hidden and isolated
as few places nowadays, rises Vn Copiapó and surrounded by
groups of 6000m summits Vn Ojos del Salado. During this trip, we propose
you the climb of these two giants, first Vn. Copiapó as part
of your acclimatization and then Vn. Ojos del Salado, the highest
volcano in the world. During the entire trip we will be crossing places
of amazingly beautiful and diverse nature and from the summits the
360 degrees view is beyond description. The climb of Ojos del Salado
is the right choice for those who are looking for a big and interesting
challenge. |
|
| DAY
1 COPIAPÓ - LAGUNA SANTA ROSA (3.500 m) |
| After meeting
you at Copiapó's airport, we start our drive east and up, following
narrow dry rivers valleys, that are the link between the desert and
the high plateau. To arrive to our camp site we need to cross our
highest point, Portezuelo Maricunga, which is a mountain pass at 4125m.
From here we go down to Santa Rosa Lagoon and Maricunga Salt Flat,
where it's our first camp at 3500m. Now we are in the middle of Chilean
high plateau, which is the most southern part of the Atacama Desert
and home of a very diverse wildlife as flamingos and foxes, in the
evening we take a short walk to the near lagoon where we may see local
flora and fauna and a wide variety of birds. Camp (L, D) |
| DAY 2 LAG.
STA. ROSA - Cº LA GUANACA (4.547 m)- LAG. STA. ROSA |
| After breakfast
we begin our acclimatization process climbing the easy summit of Cerro
La Guanaca (5-7 hours) to then come back to our camp. We will probably
meet some guanaco family (Lama Guanicoe) during the climb Camp(B,
L, D). |
| DAY 3 LAG.
STA. ROSA - MINA MARTE -LAG. NEGRO FRANCISCO (4200 m) |
| Six hours
driving across an incredible landscape leads us to Laguna del Negro
Francisco (4200m), in the nearbies of cerro Azufre, where we camp.
During the travel, we traverse Mina Marte, an abandoned gold mine
in the middle of the Chilean altiplano. Camp near the Negro Francisco
Lagoon Camp (B,L,D). |
| DAY 4 LAGUNA
NEGRO FRANCISCO |
| Laguna
del Negro Francisco is a big salt lake, very rich in fauna and surrounded
by big mountains. The area is protected by CONAF (Chilean National
Parks Administration) and we are camping near the Conaf rangers hut.
We have a rest day at 4200m, and during the morning we may go for
an easy trekking in the nearest of the lake Camp (B, L, D). |
| DAY 5 LAG.
NEGRO FRANCISCO - SUMMIT VN. COPIAPÓ (6.080 m) |
| Starting
very early in the morning, we climb this beautiful mountain that was
a sulphur mine till 10 years ago. The summit is at 6080m and we'll
need 8 to 9 hours to reach the top. Back to our camp Camp(B, L, D) |
| DAY 6 LAG.NEGRO
FRANCISCO-ATACAMA HUT |
| We leave
Volcan Copiapó area heading north, taking the international
route to Argentina. Before crossing the argentinian border we leave
the paved road and drive a 17k long unpaved road across a difficult
terrain to finally reach Refugio Atacama at 5500m where we set our
base camp. Camp (B, L, D) |
| DAY 7 ATACAMA
HUT (BC) -TEJOS HUT (CI) (6000m) - BC C |
| Today we
carry some food and fuel to Camp I following the sandy and rocky slopes;
we drop our weights inside the metallic hut, take a look around to
then go back to the BC. This carry will improve our acclimatization
as a way to be able to reach the summit in the next days. Camp(B,
L, D). |
| DAY 8 REST
DAY AT ATACAMA HUT |
| We use
this day to rest and recover, before going up to camp I for the final
push to the summit, which will be physically demanding. We also prepare
the gear, the food and all the other stuff we will need for the summit
day, if we feel fit enough this day could be a spare one in case of
bad weather Camp (B, L, D). |
| DAY 9 ATACAMA
HUT - REFUGIO TEJOS (CI) (6000m) |
| Today we
move up, following the mountain slopes, and carrying all the rest
of the gear we will need for the summit day, as a short day, we arrive
early to hydrate, rest and be ready for tomorrow effort Camp (B, L,
D). |
| DAY 10 REFUGIO
TEJOS - OJOS SUMMIT (6893m) - REFUGIO TEJOS |
| Starting
very early in the morning, we climb in 8 to 9 hours to the summit,
following again a terrain that may be snowy or dry. From this amazing
summit we will see all the major summits of the area, including Tres
Cruces, Pissis, the highest volcano in the world. (10 to 12 hours
go and back) Camp (B, L, D). |
| DAY 11 REFUGIO
TEJOS - REFUGIO ATACAMA- COPIAPO CITY |
| We put
down the tents, organize the gear, pack the equipment and load the
cars then we drive back to Copiapó, where we arrive after 6
hours. Transfer to the Hotel Camp (B, L). |
| DAY 12 COPIAPO
OUT |
| Transfer
to the airport . (B) |
| Season:
November to April |
|
Note:
Please keep in mind that this program has been designed for
climbers who had got a previous acclimation. We always suggest starting
with El Plomo Mount as first step to get a better chance in the
Ojos del Salado Expedition.
|
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2004-2005 REGULAR DEPARTURES
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|
October 24
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November 2 & 23
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December 7 & 21
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January 8 & 29
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February 8 & 22
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March 1 & 15
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2004-2005 COST PER PERSON FOR REGULAR
DEPARTURES
|
|
Min. 4 persons
|
US$ 1838
|
|
Single Supplement
|
US$ 38
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| |
| NOTE:
Private departures Min. 2 or 3 people at request. Services in Santiago
like hotels, airport transfers can be arranged at your request. |
| |
INCLUDED
:
- Private transportation during the whole trip Copiapó
- Copiapó - (First car is a 4x4. the second car is a 4x2,
over 7 people the second car is a van).
- Bilingual (English) private mountain guide.
- Camp staff (over 4 people).
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary.
- Community camping and mountain gear, including tents in double
accommodation, and full base camp structures and services.
- First aid kit and pulse oximeter.
- Radio Communication VHF.
- One night hotel(****) at Copiapó at the end of the expedition.
|
|
NOT INCLUDED :
- Land or air transportation from or to Santiago (we suggest the
overnight regular bus Santiago-Copiapó-Santiago or plane).
- Personal gear & equipment (mattress, sleeping bag and others).
- Medical expenses
- Tips and extra expenses as meals or drinks out of program and
other items no mentioned
- Hotel and airport transfers in Santiago. We can quote them at
your request
- Any kind of Insurance.
|
| QUALIFICATION: |
| This program
does not present any technical difficulty. The altitude, the constant
wind and possible poor physical condition of the traveler are the
main difficulties of theses expeditions. We recommend a good physical
condition, good personal equipment and a solid acclimatization (which
we provide) for the best chance of success. Our programs include a
minimum acclimatization period that we deem necessary. |
| WHAT TO
BRING: |
- T Shirts - Light Upper Body Shirt - Heavy Upper Body Shirt -
Fleece Jacket Medium Weight, Fleece Jacket Expedition Weight -
Rain Jacket and/or Poncho - Gore-Tex Jack - Parka - Down Jacket
.
- Underwear - Light Weight Long Johns - Heavy Weight Long Johns
- Fleece Pant - Trekking Pant - Rain (wind) Pants - Gore-Tex Pants
- Shorts.
- Light Socks - Heavy Socks.
- Light (inner) Gloves - Heavy Weight Fleece Gloves -Mountaineering
Gloves - Mittens.
- Sun Hat, Wool Cap - Balaclava.
- -20ºC Mountaineering Sleeping Bag - Sleeping Pad or Therm-A-Rest.
- 30-40 lt. Daypack - 70-90 lt. Mountaineering Backpack - Expedition
Duffel Bag.
- Trekking Shoes. Plastic or Leather Mountaineering Boots (-20)
- Gaitors - Headlamp + batteries.
- Sunglasses - Googles - Pen Knife & Lighter .
- Water Bottles - Toiletries & Moisturizing Cream
Sunblock Cream (face and lips).
- Water Purification Pills - Camera & Film / Binoculars.
- Swimming Suit + Towel.
- Trekking Poles (telescopic) - Crampons .
*Please feel free to contact us, to clarified any doubt you could
have about this specific topic.
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| Note:
please ask for General Information and Reservations Forms. |
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