ENG:Cerro Plata

Climograma de Vallecitos

Veguitas, 11/2011

En route to Piedra Grande. 11/2011

Going up the valley towards La Hoyada, 11/2011

General overview of the summit day.

Ascending towards the tall pass

The tiring walk from the high pass to the summit. 11/2011

Final meters. 11/2011

Summit of the Cerro Plata. November 2011

El Plata is the main summit of the mountain range that bears his name. It is a four-day ascent, which allows a panoramic view of the Mendoza mountain range. It is a mountain frequented by local climbers, both by the school guides and by those who acclimatize for the ascent of Mount Aconcagua.

October to May, although between March and May it is already very cold. Unlike the western slope of the Andes, summer storms are less infrequent in this area, so it is necessary to review the weather forecast before leaving.

In own vehicle

From the center of Mendoza, it is 95 kilometers to the Vallecitos ski center. You must take international route 7 to Uspallata and Chile. After 67.8 kilometers you reach the town of Potrerillos, next to the homonymous reservoir. Here you must leave the international highway and take the road to Tupungato (paved), taking a wide detour to the left that goes through the town.

After 10.7 kilometers there is a detour to the right towards the Vallecitos Ski Center. There are 16.5 kilometers of gravel in good condition to Vallecitos.

In public transport and hitchhiking

Express Uspallata arrives to Las Vegas.

• Address: Omnibus Terminal, Av. Bandera de los Andes, Mendoza, Argentina
• Telephone: +54 261 431-3309

From Las Vegas, you can only do autosop, but only on weekends you can be lucky.

Day 1: Mendoza - Piedra Grande

From the Vallecitos station (km 0 - 2959m), walk towards the southwest, until you cross a stream. Take the track that ascends along the main estuary of the stream. After 30 minutes you will reach an area of ​​herbs called "Las Veguitas" (km 1.3 - 3230m).

Continue on the right side of the ravine, going up the moraine. It will reach an open area where the slope rises sharply and the last vegetation formations disappear. Continue on the left of the small upper valley (the path is always very clear) until you reach "Piedra Grande" (km 3.3 - 3575m). Although it is only two hours from the beginning, it is a good place to set up the first camp, in order to make a gradual acclimatization.

Piedra Grande is also a base camp for Lomas Amarillas (5000m), Adolfo Calle (4300m), Franke Peak (4900m), Stepanek (4100m) and Rincón (5363m), so it would not be unusual to find more people there.

Day 2: Piedra Grande - Hoyada

The day begins by crossing the "cap or infiernillo". It is continued by an edge that ends in a corridor of some degree of difficulty. After this point, you reach the "Waterfall" (km 6.1 - 4290) marked with the waypoint "Lower jump". It is a pleasant place with abundant water. Many people camp here, but this implies a very long day on the summit day.

220 meters in the horizontal direction further on, at an altitude of 4350m, the Upper Jump is located, although it is less known and less noticeable than the previous one.

The trail is always very clear until "La Hoyada" (km 7.9 - 4680m), about 3 hours walk from the lower jump. It is a wide sector that normally has snow, and there is also a stream of running water a few meters away.

Day 3: La Hoyada - Summit - La Hoyada

An extensive journey is undertaken, which ascends towards the "Lomas Amarillas-Plata" ridge (km 8.8 - 4910) marked at the "Portezuelo bajo" waypoint. Then we ascend with more slope towards the great amphitheater that ends in the pass that separates the Silver hill from Vallecitos hill (km 9.7 - 5210m). Already observed Mount Aconcagua. Attention, although visually one already feels close to the summit at this point, there are still 3 or 4 hours of promotion.

There is a long and exhausting section that climbs in a zigzag along a slope that passes behind the so-called "false Silver". From that point, it continues to the somital edge. A few meters from the summit are the remains of a helicopter of the Mountain Rescue Brigade of the Argentine Air Force.

Once at the summit (km 13.1 - 5930m), there are numerous memories of the mountaineers who preceded us. From the summit, they dominate the aforementioned Aconcagua to the North and the Tupungato Volcano to the West.

La Hoyada - Mendoza

Same route back.

Expected Time

Four days of promotion, although the first day it is possible to leave at noon (three and a half days, strictly speaking).

• Andemara offers an eight-day promotion, which includes acclimatization and an additional day to unforeseen
  • info@andemara.com
  • + 542614251983 - Outside of Argentina | 02614251983 - From Argentina | Hours: from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Alquimia Turismo offers promotions in six days
  • O'higgins 603 - Junín de los Andes - Neuquén - Argentina
  • Phone: + 5402972491355
  • Whatsaap: + 540294154611568

• There is water throughout the ascent. It is not necessary to load more than one liter, except for the summit day.

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  Cerro Rincón at dawn, from the vicinity of the low pass. November 2011

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  Cerro Vallecitos. November 2011

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  Monte Aconcagua from the Cerro Plata

• Volcano Tupungato face Noreste.JPG

  Northeast face of the Tupungato Volcano from the summit of the Silver. November 2011