Getting high in the Andes, until it got complicated

[SYD]

Nice TR - thank you. Chile is a big and diverse place (so is Argentina though). You need a 'big trip' - a month or more to begin to do it justice.

We’re doing trip #6 in a few months (BA (6th visit!) and then southern Chile) but we will still have plenty of other things to see in the future eg apparently more of the Andes!, Northern Chile, Easter Island, northern Argentina, Columbia and Ecuador.

The first time we did a crazy amount in 4 wks: BA, Iguazú, Rio, the Amazon, Santiago, Lima, Cuzco/Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, La Paz…. Fabulous, but a lot of flying.

 

[kpc]

We’re doing trip #6 in a few months (BA (6th visit!) and then southern Chile) but we will still have plenty of other things to see in the future eg apparently more of the Andes!, Northern Chile, Easter Island, northern Argentina, Columbia and Ecuador.

The first time we did a crazy amount in 4 wks: BA, Iguazú, Rio, the Amazon, Santiago, Lima, Cuzco/Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, La Paz…. Fabulous, but a lot of flying.

We just spent 2 months in Sth America (5th trip) and now have been to every country there bar Venezuela, Surinam and Guyana.

Our most recent trip included BA, Ascension, Medellin, Bogota, La Paz, Uyuni Salt Flat and Bolivian High deserts, San Pedro de Atacama and Ushuaia (also did a 3 week boat trip from here )

Stìll want to go to Pantanal to see the jaguars, Amazon river, Surinam, Guyana and Angel Falls in Venezuela (impossible for now). Would love to go to other parts of Brazil (apart from Rio) as well

 

[offshore171]

I was also wondering if they had enough food for the lock in and more to the point enough alcohol

One thing that crossed my mind was that famous incident where the plane crashed in the remote Andes with a rugby team on board.
Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 - Wikipedia

But in our case, the hotel was apparently very confident that they were well stocked to ride it out. All guests had the option to stay if they chose, so they must have deemed they had plenty of supplies.

I figure the nearby customs station at the top of the pass (Argentina border) would have had similar preparations. Imagine they would retain a skeleton crew.

and how they would cope with a medical emergency

As you can imagine, they avoid the use of helicopters until the avalanche risk subsides. But think in a life and death medical situation they would probably get clearance.

 

[offshore171]

Update - 18 days later and the road pass remains closed to vehicles.

However they have restored access for guests by helicopter!

 

[RooFlyer]

However they have restored access for guests by helicopter!

In that post of theirs ...no mention of guests bailing out! For a non-skiier: With all that snow, would skiing be possible? Access ways buried, possibility of avalanches?

 

[offshore171]

With all that snow, would skiing be possible? Access ways buried, possibility of avalanches?

Good question. All of the above.

The night before evacuation, they discussed this with guests.

The advice was if you chose to stay, besides being unable to leave for 2-3 weeks, they mentioned that outdoor activities would likely not be possible for 10+ days.

This is in part due to avalanche risk, but also the fact that the infrastructure was completely buried under snow accumulations of 6+ meters - enough to bury a double decker bus!


About a week after the storm began, they were able to start digging out some of the lifts, and clearing some other infrastructure. Most of the Ski Patrol and Instructors (who live onsite during the winter season) were involved in this effort.

View this content on Instagram

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The Chilean military also has avalanche control teams who used artillery in late July to break up larger snow accumulations threatening the road pass and settlements lower in the valley. Essentially this forces a somewhat controlled avalanche before the accumulation becomes too dangerous. They also do this in Canada, whereas in Europe they tend to drop special grenades from helicopters or cablecars.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2082166291624841422

In Portillo, outdoor activities including skiing, hiking/snowshoeing etc have now resumed, but there's another big dump starting Wednesday (albeit not as big as July's record breaker).

Road still closed.

 

[dmgale]

Next morning it's time to depart for the Andes.

The Hotel at Portillo had arranged a transfer for us from Santiago to Portillo.

Our driver Osvaldo turns up in a modern Peugeot van, and we hit the road. Osvaldo is wearing a Croc Dundee hat and speaks little English.

The journey takes us into the mountains north east of Santiago, and we make our way up the valleys to higher elevations. The road passes plenty of vineyards.

As we get deeper into the mountains, I look up and see a massive Andean Condor circling in the thermals up high near the ridgeline. Spectacular.

Side note: The Chileans are proud of their Condors - the national bird. They have given the moniker to their national Rugby Team. Los Condores.
View attachment 515982

Anyway, after the condor sighting, we reach the Paso Los Libertadores (Pass of the Liberators).

This is a key mountain road pass over the Andes that connects Santiago with Argentina.

It's an extremely important road cargo route, because is saves 15 days sailing a container ship around the notorious Cape Horn route.

The pass is extremely high, reaching well over 3000metres, and it contains some mind boggling switchback sections.

There are no guard rails, and it is prone to closure after significant snowfall. This would become quite dramatic a few days later...

Osvaldo handles it like a pro. You could tell he's done it many times, overtaking trucks confidently.

View attachment 515983View attachment 515984

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I am feeling nauseous just looking at the road up the mountain.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Good trip report with ok outcome it could have been worse

 

[VPS]

Congrats on TR of the month