Ascent to two Andean 6000 m summits in 12 days
Discover all the beauty of the Andes! Eduardo, a certified mountain guide, takes you to two 6000 m peaks: San Francisco Volcano and Cerro Vicuñas. Join this 12-day adventure, which also includes climbing Mulas Muertas and Siete Hermanos.
Group
Andes
12 Days
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Fit
Intermediate
Description
Along the vastness of the Atacama Desert, near the border of Argentina and Chile, there are two 6000 m peaks that are just as beautiful as challenging for you to climb: San Francisco Volcano (6023 m) and Cerro Vicuñas (6088 m). Both are part of this complete 12-day itinerary that starts and ends in the small town of Copiapó, with an exciting adventure in between.
Let’s picture this expedition for a minute, shall we? We’ll start at Copiapó and move on to Laguna Santa Rosa, where we can admire the pristine waters of the lagoon and spend the night in a nice hut. Afterwards, we will climb a 4780 m peak called Siete Hermanos, as part of our acclimatization. We will rest for a day and spend the night at a comfortable hut that has a pool of warm water to relax as much as we can.
The following day, we will climb Mulas Muertas peak, at 5200 m. We will probably be tired, so I scheduled a rest day in between, before the big adventure of reaching the summit of San Francisco Volcano. After another day of resting our bodies, we will reach our second 6000 m summit: the cone shaped Cerro Vicuñas.
These two 6000 m summits are fairly easy to reach for experienced and fit climbers, but remember that 6000 m are never suited for the faint of heart. In order to really enjoy and succeed in this adventure, it’s important no to underestimate it: high altitude and bad weather can make things difficult.
If you are already in love with this itinerary, don’t waste another minute: send a request to book it now!
If you want to explore more of the Andes and you have a spare few days, you can try this 2-day guided ascent to Cerro Penitentes (4350 m) in Mendoza, Argentina.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation included
- Transport during the trip
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Price details
The price is only for the fixed departures. Ask me for private groups.
The following items are NOT included in the price:
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-Flights from/to Copiapo;
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-Personal climbing equipment;
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-Money return in case you abandon the expedition;
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-International travel insurance;
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-Lunch and dinner in Copiapo;
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-Reimbursement for loss or damage of your personal equipment.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival to Copiapó – 800m
Pick up at the airport. Drive to Copiapó. Check your personal equipment. First dinner together, and overnight in a hotel.
Day 2: Copiapó – Laguna Santa Rosa Hut – 3700m
After a 210 km drive, we will spend the night at a small mountain hut at the edge of the Santa Rosa Lagoon.
Day 3: Climbing Siete Hermanos – 4780m
We will reach the first step on our acclimatization plan. We will climb Cerro Siete Hermanos (4780 m), as high as we can.
Day 4: Laguna Santa Rosa Hut – Laguna Verde Hut – 4300m
We will start a very early drive to Laguna Verde and set up our tents for the night. A relaxing plus: a pool of warm water to end the day on the best note!
Day 5: Climb to Mulas Muertas – 5200m
After breakfast, we will head up to Mulas Muertas, another acclimatization spot at 5200 m. We will overnight at Laguna Verde Hut.
Day 6: Rest day – Laguna Verde – 4300m
We will spend the day recovering and trying to relax at Laguna Verde, to prepare our bodies for one of the big challenges.
Day 7: Climbing San Francisco – 6023m
Our first 6000 m peak: the San Francisco Volcano. We will start before sunrise and will probably summit around noon.
Day 8: Rest day at Laguna Verde – 4300m or 2nd attempt day to climb Mt. San Francisco
Another rest day, relaxing at Laguna Verde.
Day 9: Climbing Vicuñas – 6088m
Our second 6000 m peak: Cerro Vicuñas. 4 by 4 cars will take us to 5000 m, after a few stops to replenish our energies with snacks and water.
Day 10: Spare day in case of bad weather or acclimatization
Day 11: Descent to Copiapó
Day 12: Flight out
Details
Accommodation 2 nights in a 3-star hotel in Copiapo, Laguna Santa Rosa Hut, Laguna Verde Hut, camping in tents. |
More info Please keep in mind that you will need a complete and adequate mountaineering equipment to have a successful expedition to San Francisco. For that purpose, all your personal equipment will be checked by one of our guides in the hotel. There are no rental shops in Copiapo or Santiago. If you need to rent mountaineering equipment, we can rent it for you in Mendoza but we need to know all your sizes in advanced. |
Meeting point Copiapó |
About the guide
I'm originally from São Paulo and lived in Brazil until 2010 when I decided to drop everything and live off the mountain.
I used to work in advertising, until I studied and graduated in 2013 from the EPGAMT school in Mendoza. Today I'm one of the few professional mountain guides from Brazil.
I've been a climber for 12 years and have great experience in climbing rock, ice and high mountain. I'm specialized in the Central Andes and climbed dozens of mountains in the region.
I've done crossings in the Central Andes from Argentina to Chile, and ice climbing as well, participating for 5 years in Vallecitos Ice Climbing Festival. In addition I climbed great mountains like: Aconcagua (6962m), Ojos del Salado (6898m), Tres Cruces Sur (6738m), Tres Cruces Central (6640m), Mercedario (6770m), Tupungato Volcano (6556m), Aconcagua and Cerro Plata (5943m), Vicuñas (6087m), among others.
I've been working in Aconcagua for the last 4 years in a row and started as a porter in 2012. I worked my way up and now lead several expeditions at Central and dry Andes.
What people are saying about Eduardo Tonetti
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