Ojos del Salado 6.893 m.

(19J, 0545374; 7001336)

Ojos del Salado is the highest active volcano in the world (6.893 m.) and the highest mountain in Chile. The best season to climb goes from November to March. It is a cold and windy mountain. It has two refuges: “Claudio Lucero” shelter at 4.500 and “Tejos” shelter at 5.830. We can transport expeditions by 4WD vehicles up to “Atacama” Camping Place (if weather and snow conditions allow it).

We assume that our climbers are used to climb mountains all over the year. We think we can trust on their experience. We can say that the shorter time you are at high altitude is better for your health. It’s not convenient to try to get acclimatization above 5.000. So we propose to try to stay above that altitude the shorter time possible. For this reason we propose this schedule of climbing:

Day 1.- We meet the expedition before 2 P.M. in Copiapó (airport, bus station or hotel), or in Caldera and immediately start lo Laguna Santa Rosa at 3.700 and at 154 kmts. from Copiapó. Laguna Santa Rosa is a beautiful place with flamingos (“parinas”, in the North of Chile), guanacos, and, of course, a wonderful lagoon. There we will camp for the rest of the day and also to sleep. In the evening we’ll serve dinner after a short hiking.

Day 2.- Breakfast in the morning and starting for a hike to “Siete Hermanos” mountain. After lunch we’ll start to Laguna Verde (4.300) to camp there for two days. Dinner and sleeping there. In Laguna Verde there exists a rustic hot spring where you can take a delicious bath.

 

Day 3.- Breakfast and hiking to “Mulas Muertas” mountain (5.897). Climbing to the top takes 6 or 8 hours. Dinner and sleeping at “Laguna Verde”.

Day 4.- Breakfast and hiking around the lagoon. Taking down the camp. Lunch and starting to “Atacama” Camping Place (5.100), climbers must walk the last kilometers for best acclimatization. Camp at “Atacama” ; dinner and sleeping there in tents.

Day 5.- Breakfast and transport of water, food and equipment to “Tejos” Refuge (5.830). This hike takes 3 hours more or less. Coming back to “Atacama” . Dinner and sleeping at “Atacama” Camping Place.

 

 

Day 6.- Breakfast and early lunch. After lunch starting with your sleeping bag and equipment to “Tejos” Refuge. Dinner and sleeping at “Tejos” Refuge.

Day 7.- Breakfast very early in the morning and FIRST ATTEMPT TO THE SUMMIT (climbing to the top takes 8 hours more or less) and coming back to “Tejos” or “Atacama” .

Day 8.- Breakfast very early in the morning and SECOND ATTEMPT TO THE SUMMIT and coming back to “Atacama” Refuge. If first attempt was successful, taking down the camp and starting to Copiapó.

Day 9.- Breakfast and starting to Copiapó or Caldera.

The expedition includes; transport, food (breakfast, lunch and dinner, “summit food”), mountain guide, sleeping in “two persons” tents, all the gear support.

Do not include: personal equipment (sleeping bag for -25Cº, very warm clothes like Goretex, polar, plastic shoes, crampons, sticks, etc. are needed) special trips, insurances,

Foreigner people need a DIFROL permit to climb Ojos del Salado; you can get it in www.difrol.cl without cost for you.

Reservation must be done with at least a month in advance and paying the 30% of the value. Balance must be paid at the beginning of the expe. The price don’t change if you get the summit or not. If you can’t participate in an expedition reserved, the 30% will be used as reservation for another expedition afterwards.

For the “Summit Day” you need:

•1st 2nd y 3rd layers, ideal feather anorak for -30ºC.
•Gloves 3 layers (insulation, warming and wind stopper).
•Plastic shoes.
•Crampons.
•Thermic Bottle (“Thermo”) for unless a liter.
•Sticks or marching axe.

For acclimatization hikes:

•1st and 2nd layers, optional 3rd coat.
•Trekking shoes.
•Resting (or “refuge”) shoes.
•Solar protection, hat, sun creams, UV lenses.
•Sticks or axe.

•Equipment supplied by Aventurismo expediciones:

•Camp common equipment: Tables, chairs, dishes, silverware (knife, spoon,fork, tea spoon), glasses for hot and cold drinks, lamps, dinning tent for 8 to 10 people in Laguna Verde and Atacama Camping Place.
•First Aid box, mobile oxygen equipment.
•A Radio HF (to communicate with camps), by every 4 climbers
•Mountain tents for 2 people , with “duroaluminium” sticks, model Ferrino Stardust, Lafuma Camp2, The North Face VE-25 or similar.
•During camps with vehicle, we use stoves with butane gas of 5 kgs.
•During high altitude camps we use small butane-propane stoves 80/20 or 70/30.
•4 WD vehicles for 4 climbers each. If necessary, we use without 4WD Vans for
approaching trips.
•We provide 1 Mountain Guide with experience in the zone by every 4 climbers and camp assistants and conductors or cookers when necessary for more than 4 climber expeditions.

Food:

Aventurismo expediciones provide breakfast, lunch, dinner and summit food during our expeditions. Breakfast: Coffee or tea, oak, cornflakes, long life bread, marmalade, low cream milk, butter, jam, cheese, eggs 2 times during the expo. Lunch and dinner: spaghetti, soups, rice, cow meat, chicken meat, fresh salads the first days, Canned goods the next days, canned green salads (summit days), canned fish , etc, milk desserts , fresh fruits when possible and then canned fruits. Chilean wines, coffee, tea or herb water.

Summit food: Chocolates, candies, dryer fruits, peanuts, raisins, almond, isotonic juices, water.

Water:

We recommend to drink unless 3 liters a day by each climber.

We supply all the water necessary.

Emergency food:

We supply extra food for 3 more days apart from that of the expedition program.