- Duration: 6 days
- Difficulty: Excellent Physical Shape
- Departures: November to April (AEE7)
- Expedition cost: US$2,500 with 6 climbers
- Private Porter: US $1,000 per person
- Hotel single supplement: US $300
- Reservation cost: US $900
- Balance due payment date: 120 days prior departure
- Space available: 6 climbers
An expedition to Cerro El Plomo (5,430m / 17,814 ft), the tallest mountain visible from Santiago. Presenting no technical difficulties, El Plomo offers similar elevation, wind, and temperature conditions to the Aconcagua, but on a smaller scale, and is easily accessed from Chile’s national capital, Santiago. Known by the Incas as Apu–guardian of the valley– the three-day climb passes an Inca shrine at 5,140m /16,863 ft where the mummy of a young boy was found in 1954. Stunning views from the summit take in the highest peaks of the main range of the Chilean Andes.
Services
Services included
- Professional Bilingual Mountain Guide.
- Ratio, Guide to Clients 1-3.
- All local organization & supervision by AE Expeditions Staff.
- One hotel night in Santiago, double occupancy with breakfast, at Kennedy Hotel or equivalent.
- One hotel night in Farellones, double occupancy with dinner & breakfast,
- Mules for individual and community gear to base camp and return to El Plomo base camps.
- High quality expedition common gear: The North Face, Mountain Hardware, and Marmot tents, stoves and fuel.
- Satellite phone during the entire expedition on a per minute payment basis.
- VHF 2 mt radio communication equipment.
- Full dining room set up at base camp, with tables, chairs, etc.
- All meals during the expedition.
- Permanently available hot drinks and biscuits at base camp tent.
- Private transportation, including airport pick-up.
- Assistance in Santiago airport.
- All local organization and supervision by AEE Staff.
Services not included
- All personal climbing equipment and gear.
- International round-trip airfare to Santiago.
- Single room supplement at hotels in Santiago and Farellones.
- Meals in Santiago.
- Porter for personal gear.
- Drinks (soda, beer, or wine) in
- Guides and mountain staff tips.
- Cancellation, accident, and rescue insurance.
- Cash for extra expenses.
- Airport drop-off.
- Any costs involved in an early or late departure.
- Any other service not mentioned above.
Route Itinerary
Route Overview
Day 1 Santiago – Farellones. You will be picked up at Arturo Merino Benitez Airport in Santiago or from your hotel am, drive up a spectacular mountain road with views down to Santiago and up into the high Andes, a trip of approximately an hour. Farellones (2,340m / 7,677 ft) is a picturesque mountain village, from where we’re likely to see Andean condors soaring on thermal updrafts. Farellones’s elevation will allow our bodies to begin the process of acclimatization. We’ll stay overnight at the Hotel Posada de Farellones or similar. On the way up to Farellones, we will stop at our ski shop, located on the same road to Farellones, and check your mountain gear.
Transfer distance 36k / 22 miles / Transfer time 1 hour / Hotel La Cornisa / Elevation Min 543m / 1,781 ft – Max 2,340m / 7,677 ft
Day 2 Farellones – Piedra Numerada. A vehicle will leave us at the Portazuelo del Franciscano (3,500 mts / 11,482 ft), the highest point of the La Parva ski area. This access could also be done by Valle Nevado ski area. From here, we’ll descend into the Cepo Valley, hiking about 3 hours to reach our base camp at Piedra Numerada (3,300 mts / 10,826 ft).
Trekking Time – 3 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 3,300 mts / 10,826 ft – Max 3,500 mts / 11,482 ft
Day 3 Piedra Numerada – La Olla – Piedra Numerada. Today we hike approximately 4 hours to reach La Olla camp (4.000 mt / 13,123 ft), where we’ll enjoy spectacular views of El Plomo’s Iver glacier. We return to Piedra Numerada base camp for the night
Trekking Time – 6 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 3,500 mts / 11,482 ft – Max 4,000m / 13,123 ft
Day 4 Piedra Numerada – La Olla. Today we return to La Olla camp where we’ll spend the night.
Trekking Time – 4 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 3,500 mts / 11,482 ft – Max 4,000m / 13,123 ft
Day 5 La Olla – El Plomo summit – La Olla. Leaving our camp very early in the morning, we’ll take the standard route up El Plomo, following the south-west ridge to the right of the Iver glaciar. We’ll pass the site where in 1954 local arrieros (animal herders) came across the mummified body of a young boy, left as a ritual offering by early Inca peoples. The mummy is kept at the Museum of Natural History, in Santiago. We’ll cross an icefield to reach the summit ridge. From the summit we’ll have outstanding views of the highest peaks in the central Andes: La Falsa Parva (3,888m / 12 755 ft), La Parva, (4,047m / 13 277 ft), El Pintor, (4,180m / 13 713 ft), and La Leonera (4,954m / 16 253 ft). As we have been gaining altitude slowly, allowing our bodies to acclimatize, our summit day will be very comfortable and easy to achieve in about 8 hours. We’ll return to La Olla camp for the night.
Trekking Time – 12 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 4,000m / 13,123 ft – Max
5,430m / 17,814 ft
Day 6 La Olla – El Pintor – Santiago. On our return to our starting point at La Parva, along the long plateau of Cancha Carrera, we’ll hike up El Pintor (4,000 mt / 13,123), an attractive peak of multicoloured rock which gives the mountain its name: The Painter. We’ll return to Santiago in the evening for dinner and a good rest at Hotel Kennedy.
Trekking Time – 5 hours / Hotel / Transfer distance 36k / 22 miles / Transfer time 1 1/2 hours / Elevation – Min 543m / 1,781 ft – Max 4,000m/ 13,123 ft
Important
- All itineraries are subject to change due to changes in the weather, group members’ acclimatization rates, and the guide’s preferences.
- Any departure dates can be re-scheduled with a minimum of 6 persons
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