Temuco, Chile - Headed East after bagging Vn. Antuco, 2985m on Sunday. It was a beautiful day. Gunning for Caviahue now and Copahue. Fingers crossed it goes.
Looking west and down off the summit of Vn. Antuco Sunday.
Looking east towards Argentina from the same summit, Laguna La Laja below, damed by the lava from Antuco’s last eruption in the mid 90’s.
Los Angeles, Chile - 500 kms South of Santiago after catching my breath in the big city for a few days, I am now in the Bio Bio region, infamous for the massive hydroelectric dam project that changed one of the world´s best class 5 white water rivers for ever. My goal here is to ski Volcan Antuco, and along the way get a look at the Sierre Velluda range for future trips. There is plenty to do here and the region abounds with Mupuche culture.
On the drive up from Los Angeles to Volcan Antuco.
Santiago, Chile - After leaving Copiapo I made it to Calama and then continued east, crossing the Andes up high, near Boliva, at a pass called Jama. Which was fabulous, it reaches a height of 4650m and there are snow capped volcanos, salt lakes and guanacos. Sometimes you see can flamingos, but I think it’s not the right season. The pass links San Pedro de Atacama to Salta, passing through the Quedabra Humumaca, the old silver traders route to Potosi. It is a place full of brightly coloured mountains. Salta ‘La Linda’ is indeed beautiful. I climbed a summit above the city, San Bernardo, and got an awesome view. This was the most Southren Inca city, a wonderful high valley. Stopping quickly in Mendoza yesterday it was good to reminisce about all the seasons that started and ended there. I crossed the Libradores pass in the late afternoon and it was impressive as always. There is some snow in La Cuevas and around Portillo but hopefully the storm due to hit in the next few hours will bring the needed base to get the season underway here.
Looking out of Liberadores Pass.
Copiapo, Chile - The edge of the Atacama, really. A first place for many things in Chile, home of it´s first rail road, first gas lights. The place closest to the San Jose Mine, now world famous for the miners trapped beneath the surface for some 60 days last fall. An oasis in a place where nearly nothing grows, where Chile´s first UFO sighting was made at the end of the 19th centrury. Gateway to Argentina´s second most northren province, Salta, and also less than an hours drive to a bay once the home of priates. Slightly off the beaten path, for gringos anyways. Oh, it´s also Chile´s largest exporter of grapes.
La Serena, Chile - Back again at the beach and Chile’s second oldest city after a great trip up to Parque Frey Jorge (Valdivan rain forest in the middle of the desert), Vicuna’s vinyards and Pisco del Elqui’s fridgid river valleys. I rented a bike and rode it up towards the Aguas Negras Pass on the other side of which I had been a few years ago trying to take on Cerro Mercedario from Barreal. Now headed north tomorrow morning to the edge of the Atacama and the top of Chile’s Norte Chico. Looks like there should be some skiing by early next week so I will likely have to turn around and save the Bolivan Altiplano for another trip.
Horcon, Chile - Moving north on Chile’s wild coast line I am now a little closer to the beach and the beautiful sunsets. The sandy, winding paths and charming little port here were just the things to ease the transition from the busy cities of Santiago, Valpariso and Vina del Mar. Open spaces and crashing waves can be incredibly therapeutic.
Valpariso, Chile - After an intense rainstorm last night that created literaly class 2 rapids in the streets that descend off El Cerro Concepcion where I am staying in Valpo, the sun is shining again. It is strange though to see blue skies instead of the haze of smog that I got used to over the last few days spent exploring the sights and sounds of Santiago. Noble prize winning Pablo Neruda´s house, La Chasconda, and the National History Museum were a couple of the highlights. Today I am skipping North a short ways to Vina del Mar and then will look to the open road up the coast as it passes through a number of small costal communities towards Ovalle.