Ver el código de «ENG:Cerro El Plomo»

{{Indexed}}
{{no confundir|Not to be confused with [[Nevado el Plomo]], a sixthousand far less visited}}
[[File:Panoramica capitan del quempo.jpg|thumb|center|1100px|Plomo from the summit of [[Capitán del Quempo]]. Among many others, [[Nevado el Plomo]] is visible to the right. December 2009.]]
{{RutaForme
|Actividad=Montaña
|País=Chile (english)
|CiudadesChile=Santiago
|VallesStgo=Valle Mapocho
|BellezaEscenica=Atractiva
|Atractivos=Vistas panorámicas, Glaciar, Río, Patrimonio Cultural
|Duracion=4 días
|Dificultad Técnica=Fácil
|Sendero=Tramos sin sendero
|Señalizacion=Inexistente
|Infraestructura=Refugio(s)
|TipoTrek=Ascensión Cerro
|ComparteIdayRetorno=Ida y Retorno por la misma ruta
|Imágen Principal=Cerro el Plomo.JPG
|ComentariosImagen=Cerro El Plomo visto desde el [[Cerro Leonera]] 
|Distancia=26600
|Primer ascenso=Gustavo Brandt y Rodolfo Luck, 1897
|Altitud=5424
|Latitud1=-33.317090
|Longitud1=-70.264224
|Latitud2=-33.311019
|Longitud2=-70.243399
|MetrosAscenso=2239
|MetrosDescenso=356
|Comentarios distancia=from Portezuelo Franciscano lines blue and yellow
|AltitudMedia=4301
|Primer Autor=[[User:Jupa‎|Juan Pablo Ortega]]
|m=https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1U0Wd4_CWFqUPKjdcMGosvk2SlTnuCGe2
|KMLZ=Macizo Plomo.kmz
|ComentariosMapa=
{{colores|red|To El Plomo}}
{{colores|blue|Other routes in the area: [[Travesía_Federación_-_Cancha_de_Carreras|Federación - Cancha Carrera]]}}
{{colores|yellow|Ascents in the area: [[Cerro_El_Plomo|El Plomo]], [[Cerro_Leonera|Leonera]], [[Cerro_Pintor|Pintor]], [[Cerro_La_Parva|Parva]]}}
{{colores|green|Motorable roads}}
{{colores|black|Ski lifts}}
{{colores|cyan|Walking route along the ski slopes of Valle Nevado (if there is still snow)}}
{{colores|purple|Alternative route from La Parva (longer)}}
|TipoDeMap=hybrid
}}
[[File:panoramica macizo el plomo.JPG|thumb|center|1100px|Panoramic from the summit of [[Capitán del Quempo]], with Cerro Plomo and [[Nevado el Plomo]], among many others. December, 2009.]]
== In a Nutshell ==
[[File:Macizo_el_plomo.jpg|thumb|El Plomo massif viewed from [[Capitán del Quempo]]. In the center of the image you can see the Cepo brook, which’s ascent signifies a good stretch of the route. Looking to the north, December 2015]]

“El Plomo” is without a doubt Santiago’s most emblematic mountain and one of the most imposing of the central valley. With its grand size it can be seen from anywhere in the Santiago valley. It is the city’s great guardian. Every time you look up you can see it as the background curtain of The Andes. Sacred Mountain for the Incas and place of initiation for many mountaineers in Chile, it is definitely a “must-see” and should be visited at least once, especially by those who live in Santiago.
Guaranteed:
*Live the “High Andes” experience
*Imposing views of the central Andes and the Santiago valley
*Stunning Colgante Glacier (“Hanging Glacier")

==Season ==
[[File:Climograma_farellones.png|thumb|Climograph of Farellones, village close to El Plomo]]
[[File:Pistas Valle Nevado2.jpg|thumb|Map of Valle Nevado ski pistes. The red circle marks the exit where the treks [[Piedra Numerada]] and El Plomo Base camp start.]]
[[File:Perfil_de_ascenso_Cerro_El_Plomo_desde_Valle_Nevado.PNG|thumb|Perfil de ascenso Cerro El Plomo desde el máximo vehicular de Valle Nevado]]
[[File:Piedra Numerada (5).jpg|thumb|Starting the descent from the dam. 9/9/07]]
[[File:Piedra Numerada (2).jpg|thumb|View after the valley, 9/9/07]]
[[File:Piedra Numerada2.jpg|thumb|Piedra Numerada from the first viewpoint. Point 2 on the map]]
[[File:Piedra Numerada (7).jpg|thumb|Piedra Numerada. 9/9/07]]
[[Archivo:Piedra_Numerada_por_Carlos_Hevia_Patagon_Journal.jpg|thumb|Piedra Numerada, por Carlos Hevia, Patagon Journal]]
[[File:Piedra Numerada (9).jpg|thumb|Valle del Cepo desde Piedra Numerada. 9 de septiembre de 2007]]

*'''Mountaineering''': Between November and April. Summer weekends can get crowded, so if you’re looking for a wild high mountain experience, either choose a different destination or visit on a weekday. 
*'''Ski Touring''': From June to generally the first half of October.

{{Access to Valle Nevado Dam}}
==Route description==

=== Valle Nevado Hotel - Dam (if it can't be driven)===
====Summer====

The first part of hiking route is different than the motorable road, because it avoids the ascent to Cerro Mirador, and hence is described below.

By foot, instead of taking the road at the left of the slope, advance along the road that ascends straight facing the slope, keeping the wooden fences at your immediate left. At 3150m there will be a bifurcation: take the right. It will go down a few meters. The road starts to progressively bend to the east, in an area almost flat. You will reach a small dam (different to the two described in the access section). Circle the dam along its right, and then carry on to the north. From then onwards, you will walk along a pedestrian trail, which resulted from the construction of a pipe. Following this trail you will Las Ballicas station. From there, follow the same road described above, all the way to the dam on top. Only at the beginning take the shortcut straight along the bottom of the valley instead of walking the ample curve of the motorable road.
====Winter====
Take the lift ''El Mirador''. It will get you to the ridge that links to the valley located to the east. Ski down the gentle ‘’El Trote’’ along the slope till the base of the lift ''Tres Puntas''. This second lift will get you to 3667m. Ski down ‘’Vals’’ and in the vicinity of the dam take your right to start your way outbound. 
{{Dam - Piedra Numerada}}

{{Piedra Numerada to Federacion}}
===Federación - Summit El Plomo===
(Note: Starting at this point, you can also opt to climb Punta Santiago, a less ambitious goal than El Plomo, or use it as an acclimation step before attempting to reach the summit of El Plomo)
[[File:Rutaelplomo.jpg|thumb|700px|
{{colores|yellow|Route of ascent}}
{{colores|red|Route to Piedra Numerada and Valle Nevado}}
{{colores|blue|Route to Federación - Cancha Carrera exiting on La Parva ski center and route to Cerro Leonera}}
]]
[[File:Vista desde La Hoya.JPG|thumb|Vista desde campamento alternativo La Hoya]]
[[File:Refugio DAgostini.JPG|thumb|De Agostini Shelter. Photo: Juan Francisco Bustos]]
[[File:Valle desde Pirca del Indio.JPG|thumb|View of Cepo Valley from the ridge]]
[[File:Pirca del Indio.JPG|thumb|Pirca del Indio]]
[[File:Glaciar Iver y Pirca del Indio.JPG|thumb|Iver Glacier Crossing. Ice ax and crampons are a must!]]
From Federacion you must leave the valley you were on, and zigzag the north hillside towards El Plomo. After 20-30 minutes on the hillside, you will reach a flat with some lagoons. This area is known as “La Hoya”.

'''La Hoya (Point A)'''<br>
''Altitude: 4.292 AMSL | Km:9.1''

This is another good spot for a base camp. It has spectacular views of the Colgante (hanging) and Iver glaciers, and good access to water. You can enjoy an obstruction-free view of El Plomo. While this camp is closer to the summit of El Plomo than Federacion, it is also more exposed to the wind, altitude, and the cold. If you are not well acclimated, camping here is not advisable, and it might be better to make an additional physical effort on the day you intend to reach the summit. 

You must continue on the right (east) of La Hoya valley. In the beginning, this route gains altitude abruptly until reaching a small ridge after 300 meters. Here the route turns towards the north, nearing the slopes of El Plomo. In this area the incline is reduced and the pace is picked up. On the left (west) you can see the Iver Glacier and La Hoya valley slightly below. 1 km after leaving La Hoya you will reach the foot of Iver Glacier’s ice wall.

'''Iver Glacier Lookout Point (Point B)'''<br>
''Altitude: 4.531 AMSL | Km:10.1''

A great overlook of the Iver and Colgante glaciers and La Hoya valley. This path turns towards the east, and begins a marked ascent on a zigzag that will continue until reaching the ridge. Here you can see De Agostini shelter at a close distance.

'''De Agostini Shelter (Point C)'''<br>
''Altitude: 4.620 AMSL | Km:10.5''

Wood shelter built by the “Federación de Andinismo” (federation of mountaineering) which has been recently reconditioned and can sleep a maximum of 4 people. There is no running water but usually there is snow to melt. It is exposed to the wind. It is not advisable to choose Agostini for a campsite to attempt the summit of El Plomo. It would be better to have a 1 hour and 15 minute longer summit day but with a better sleep from the night before and being less worn out from the previous day (going up carrying weight from Federacion to Agostini signifies a considerable effort). That being said, Agostini is a good spot to sleep to help acclimate for higher peaks (6 thousands).
A tiring route of loose rock begins at the shelter, with plenty of intercrossed prints and considerable incline. It is shady in the morning as it is the North face. You must ascend in direction towards the east until reaching the ridge. 

'''Ridge (Point D)'''<br>
''Altitude: 4.850 AMSL | Km:11.2''

Once on the ridge you can again enjoy the morning sun rays and enjoy the view from the heights of the valley. It is a good spot to apply sunscreen and put on your hat and sunglasses. 
Now you must change direction and head north on the ridge directly towards El Plomo. The incline is significant here but the terrain is firm and rocky. You must pass an area of rocks in the middle of the ridge on the east side (right). Due to the terrain’s rockiness, the print will begin to fade. It is intuitive to continue on the same direction as before but here the path abandones the ridge on its west face (left). 

'''Detour leaving the ridge (Point E)'''<br>
''Altitude: 5.032 AMSL | Km:11.6''

This detour is not totally clear and as many mountaineers miss this point, the path that continues on and passes it is almost more noticeable. Follow this rule: When the path begins to fade, start looking for a path on the left side of the ridge. If you make a mistake here and pass this point, it wouldn’t be so terrible as these two paths meet at Pirca del Indio, but the correct route is easier to follow. 
Having left the ridge, you must do a small traverse. You will then gain altitude on a gorge that will leave you on a plateau. You must keep going towards the glacier, and just before the glacier you will reach Pirca del indio.

'''Pirca del Indio / Iver Glacier Crossing (Point F)'''<br>
''Altitude: 5.200 AMSL | Km:12.1''

Over a stone dome there is a stone wall of considerable size that serves as protection from the wind and place to rest. Here on 1954, an expedition led by Guillermo Chacón, found a boy of 8 or 9 years of age perfectly preserved, with no signs of injury and with a peaceful face. His death dates back to 500 or 600 years ago. Freezing is what most likely caused his death. Due to the cold and layers of snow, ice, and rock the body was able to withstand the course of centuries without going through the natural decomposition. The body is currently in the National Museum of Natural History of Santiago, although it is not on exhibition. La Pirca del Indio is an excellent spot to rest and take a break before starting the last stretch of El Plomo. It is also a good place to get out your ice axe and crampons to cross the 50 meters of Iver Glacier.

The crossing of Iver Glacier corresponds to the Crux, the most technical part of the route. Even though it is a narrow crossing (50 meters) with a relatively small incline and free of crevasses, there are times when the ice is very hard and smooth and not having the proper equipment (ice ax and crampons) might make the difference between falling and sliding to the point where the incline gets more pronounced. After this point you will face a 650 meter drop that will continue until reaching the level of La Hoya.

A rope and harness are unnecessary except to protect somebody that is not yet comfortable with autostopping techniques with the ice axe.
After crossing the glacier you can put your equipment away since you won’t need it until the return.
The path continues to ascend on an easy incline with a northwest direction for about 20 minutes until reaching some towers that appear to be the Summit. 

'''Final Ascent (Point G)'''<br>
''Altitude: 5.364 AMSL | Km:12.7''

The path now turns towards the east and presents a lose rock terrain for 10-15 minutes (last obstacle) which will leave you on the plateau of the summit.

'''False Peaks (Point H)'''<br>
''Altitude: 5.410 AMSL | Km:12.8''

This plateau is a good spot to put on warm clothes. The summit is very near and the wind blows strong and often. The summit is at the other end of this large plateau, so you should continue in direction to the east for 450 more meters (5-10 minutes). An iron cross marks the summit.

'''Summit'''<br>
''Altitude: 5.440 AMSL | Km:13.3''

From the summit you can see the entire valley of Santiago, and Leonera and Altar peaks on the foreground. You can easily distinguish the high peaks of the central mountain range.

===Return to Federación===
To return to Federacion you should follow the same path in the opposite direction and THIS should take about 2 hours. You must take the same precautions crossing the glacier, specially if the ice is hard and smooth. 
===Return to Santiago===
There are two options to return to Santiago from Federacion:
* Go back on the same route that was described in this description (Dam – Piedra Numerada)
* Go back via Cancha Carrera – Co Pintor – Falsa Parva (False Parva) described in Travesía Federación - Cancha de Carreras. A large stretch of this last option takes place on plateaus and ridges with great panoramic views. Strongly recommended!
==Weather forecast==
{{AccuWeatherValleMapocho}}
==Permits | Fees==
Fortunately, still no permit or fee is required to know the area or climb its summits. However, Valle Nevado demands to inform in advance of the visit, in order to keep a log:
*'''E-mail:''' lsepulveda@vallenevado.com
*'''Phone:''' +56224777000
* Free.

Through La Parva, on the contrary, there is no control whatsoever.

{{Horses Farellones}}
==Photo gallery==
<gallery>
File:Cerro_el_plomo_.JPG|Trail, by '''[http://www.joseguridi.cl/ José Guridi]'''
El_Plomo_y_Altar_Santiago.JPG|Cerro El Plomo and [[Cerro Altar]] from Santiago.
File:Piuquencillo_de_cumbre.jpg|Cerro El Plomo, [[Nevado Juncal]] and [[Nevado El Plomo]] from the summit of [[Piuquencillo]]. Looking north, august 2002
File:Piuquencillo1.jpg|[[Cerro El Plomo]] and [[Leonera]] from [[Piuquencillo]]. August 2002
</gallery>
{{Trekkings Chile english}}
[[category:Routes in english]]
[[Es:Cerro El Plomo]]