VALLECITOS

Mendoza - Argentina - 5450 mts

Climbing a 5500 m.a.s.l. summit is a great challenge. Mount Vallecitos, which is part of the Cordón del Plata mountain range, offers a technically easy ascent with all the beauties and challenges of high altitude trekking in the Andes.
High altitude mountains have attracted humans for a very long time. There is no unique explanation as to why that is and every individual might have his or her own reasons, but the truth is that there is a group of people who look up and say: “Here I come. The climb won’t be easy nor simple, but here I come. The physical demand will be total, but here I come”.

Highlights of the ascent to Mount Vallecitos
- Experience the physical sensation of walking and sleeping above 4000 m.a.s.l.
- Be able to enjoy the views from the summit as if they were looked at from inside a plane.
- Recognize and push your limits in a high-altitude environment.
- Breath in a high altitude atmosphere, with low oxygen levels but extraordinary clean air.
- Spend 6 days in a mountaineering community, sharing goals, motives, successes, and expectations.

Day 1
Meeting in Mendoza city and drive to the Vallecitos region.
You will spend the night at a hut located at 2800 m. At the hut, you will enjoy a welcome dinner and you will prepare the equipment and discuss the ascent plan with the guides.

Day 2 - "The first summits"
We begin the acclimatization period with a trek without weight from the hut to some nearby summits between 3100 and 3300 m. We return to the hut for lunch.
While we trek, our belongings will be carried by mule to the Piedra Grande camping site.
After lunch, we will begin a soft ascent carrying little weight to our first camping site, located at 3500 m. The trek to the camping site takes about 3 hours.

Day 3 - "First summit above 4000 mts"
To continue the acclimatization process and to add another summit to our list, today we will conquer Stepanek peak, located at 4150 m. From the top, we will be able to enjoy amazing views of the surrounding area.
In the afternoon we will trek back to the camping site for a good night’s sleep.

Day 4 - "On our way to the high altitude base camp"
After breakfast, we will break camp and pack the bags for the mules. Carrying very little weight we will begin the ascent to our next camp, “El Salto”, located at 4250 m. The ascent is soft for a few hours and it gets steeper in the last but short section.

Day 5 - "On our way to Mount Vallecitos' summit"
We will leave at 6 am to complete our first goal, which will be climbing to the top of the ridge that connects Mount del Plata and Mount Vallecitos. We will then turn right and we will walk over the ridge towards the summit, at 5500 m. After reaching Mount Vallecitos’ highest point, we will return to El Salto camping site to spend our last night in the mountains.
The whole journey will take about 8/9 hours.

Day 6 - "Return"
In the morning we will break camp and we will carry our belongings ourselves down to the hut. From the hut, we will drive back to Mendoza city, where a hot shower and a warm bed will be waiting for us.

Summary