Ojos del Salado 9 Days

Ojos del Salado climbing expedition

Ojos del Salado volcano is the highest summit across Chile and the second summit in America, and it is also the tallest volcano in the world. That’s why this is one of the most desired challenges among mountaineers around the world. Ojos del Salado is almost as tall as Mt. Aconcagua which surpasses it by 60mts only. The volcano is located in the borderline between Chile and Argentina, in the Chilean Atacama region, on of the most active mining regions in the country. Inside the National Park Nevado de Tres Cruces we can spot the Negro Francisco Lake and the Maricunga salt-flat which serves as refuge to three flamingo species. The closest city is Copiapó, where we can find everything we need to start our Ojos del Salado climbing expedition

Features

• Climb 3 mountains: Mulas muertas 5600m, San Francisco 6050m and Ojos del Salado 6893m
• We will use Laguna verde to camp and enjoy the naturale hotspring and relax
• Enjoy a incredibles landscape like laguna Verde, Laguna Santa Rosa and Maricunga salt flat
• Have the opportunity to admire the wildlife of the desert such as foxes, flamingos, llamas
• Fight with a extreme desert environments with very low temperatures
• Cross a huge distance of the desert, thanks to the support of our 4×4 truck
• We will save a lot of energy because we just carry one day our gear to the high camp

Expedition’s schema

• Program length: 9 days
• Altitude: 6893 m / 22615 ft
• Location: Copiapó, Chile
• Slope: 2500m / 8200 ft from Laguna Verde
• Season: November to March
• Difficulty: This is not a technical track, but it is physically challenging
• First ascent: 1937 by Justin Wojsznis and Jan Szczepanski (PL)
• Open Expedition Team size: max 7 climbers + guides

Itinerary and services (per day)

Includes

The Ojos del Salado climbing expedition include the following services:

• • Mountain guide (Spanish / English )
  • Private transportation to climbing areas (4WD)
  • Transfer airport-Laguna Verde
  • 1 hotel night in Copiapó, Bahía Inglesa or Caldera last day
  • Mountain tents (each one is for 2 persons)
  • Dinner tent (with table and chairs) 
  • Cooking kit
  • All meals within the expedition (Breakfast, box lunch, dinner)
  • Professional first aids kit
  • Mat
  • Heart rate monitor and oximeter
  • VHF Radio
  • Satellite internet at the base camp
  • Dry toilet at the base camp exclusive for HME clients
  • Waste management
  • All group equipment; rope, high altitude tent, stove, GPS, etc.

 Our services do NOT include

• • Personal mountain equipment
  • Traveling and rescue insurances. We strongly recommend you to get them.
  • Any other service which wasn’t mentioned above. (restaurant meals, beverages , tips, etc.)
  • Transfer Out
  • International flights and boarding fees.
  • Domestic flight and boarding fees (Santiago / Copiapo –  Copiapo / Santiago)

• • 1 guide every 3 passengers
  • 2 persons per hotel room
  • 2 persons per tent
  • U$ 130 per person if you want single room, please let us know
  • U$ 160 per person if you want single tent, please let us know
  • U$ 150 per person if you have any dietary restriction as celiac, vegan, vegetarian, etc.
  • Hotel lodging includes *Breakfast (see itinerary)
  • DIFROL permit is free of charge
  • We recommend you travel with small bills
  • Weather can get as low as -25°C /-13°F in the area

High Mountain Expedition is NOT responsible for:

• • Personal services (laundry, snacks, beverages, restaurant meals, tips, etc.)
  • Personal mountain equipment
  • Expenses in case of rescue or early departure from the expedition 
  • Delays caused by your flight or any transportation issue which you are responsible for
  • Weather changes which may affect the expedition

Clothing and proper equipment

In order to avoid any injury we strongly recommend to all the expedition members to have the mountain equipment described below. Each piece of the equipment will help us on the summit day, which may be terribly cold (even -25ºC /-13ºF). The proper equipment is crucial to achieve our goal.

Upper body parts

• Sun hat
• Wool hat
• Balaclava / ski mask
• 2 or 3 long sleeve polypropylene shirts or similar
• Polar windstopper, soft-shell or similar
• Waterproof jacket (Gore Tex or similar)
• Light jacket with hood
• Down feather parka with hood 
• Polypropylene gloves
• Waterproof gloves 
• Down feather mittens ( -25 ºC / -13ºF)

Down body parts

• 1 polypropylene long underwear (or similar)
• 2 trekking pants
• Windproof pants (Gore Tex or similar)
• 2 or 3 pairs thin socks (Liners)
• 2 or 3 pairs of thermal socks
• Gaiters
• Trekking boots (approach) 
• Mountain boots (double boots)

Personal equipment

• Ice axe (50 – 75 cm) 
• Crampons 
• Helmet 
• Harness
• 2 carabineers
• 2 prusik cord
• Trekking poles (telescopic)
• Sleeping bag (Tº lower than -20ºC)
• Inflatable mattress (optional)
• Expedition duffel or backpack (100 liters approx.) 
• Daypack (40 liters approx.)
• Headlamp (and extra batteries)
• Sunglasses (category 3 or 4)
• Goggles 
• 2 bottles of water (1 liter each)
• Thermos flask (1 liter)
• Sunscreen 
• Lips sunscreen
• Whistle, emergency mirror and pocket knife
• Toiletries  
• Swimming suit and sandals for Hotsprings
• Personal repair kit