Location: South 32.48.179, West: 69.54.862 (GPS at the summit)
Climbed January 15. 2002
Information:
How to get there:
The summit is located at South: 32.48.179, West: 69.54.862, this
is my GPS measurement from the top.
Puente del Inca is about 4 hours from Mendoza by bus.
See the entry Aconcagua for more details. Route description:
We made this hike a nice round trip that can be highly
recommended. From the Hostel in Puente del Inca, go down (right)
the road to the last house in town, cross the road and head up
the slope towards a marked gully where a small creek comes down.
(There is a small pointed rock formation on the right side of the creek.)
The trail crosses this creek and heads up to a shoulder. Banderitas Norte
is up to the left, a trail heads up in that direction and this is
the trail we will descend. Continue the main trail as it contours
around the mountain until the trail reaches a second, somewhat larger
creek. Leave the trail and follow the creek a short distance upstream.
From this point one can see a distinct ridge that leads up to a
crossing ridge at the horizon. This ridge is the key to the route,
it will reach a point to the right of the summit. This ridge is
easy to follow, one can walk without difficulties all the way. As this
ridge connects with the main ridgeline one turns left and continues
the smooth and easy terrain all the way to the summit. From the
summit, we now traversed the mountain by following the somewhat
steeper ridge directly down to the beginning of our route. This part
of the route is YDS class 2. Comments:
I did this climb with my son, Tor Erling, age 19, as an
acclimatization climb before entering the National Park
with Aconcagua. There is a solar panel powering an antenna
(that belongs to the military in Puente del Inca) near the
summit. The round trip hike took us about 5 hours.