This is a continuation of a story I started a few weeks ago. To get the most from it, please read the first installments before you read this one.

My first night at the ski lodge went well. Since Jorge’s boss was due to arrive, I got up early, ate, hung out and visited, then headed out later on with my day pack. As I climbed up above the lodge, I saw the boss drive up, so my timing had been perfect.

Jorge had said to make myself scarce all day, the reason being that his boss might not take kindly to the idea of freeloaders like me using the lodge as a place to crash. He said that when the boss’s truck was gone, it’d be okay to return. Fine by me, I’d enjoy a day of climbing.

A ridge with several bumps on it started right from the lodge – I’d try to climb them all. Any time spent up high would help me acclimatize for the higher stuff to come later. By the time I reached Loma Blanca, it was already 1:25 PM.

The next one after that was Cerro Estudiante, 12,796′, where I arrived at 3:00 PM.

Continuing, I came to Cerro Caucaso at 13,288′, and Cerro Iluso, 13,616′, around 4:00 o’clock.

This was as far as I went for the day. Locals call this whole ridge La Cadenita. Where I stopped, I could hear guanacos talking to each other and rocks moving as they walked around high up on the slopes above me, but never did spot them. This was a beautiful spot – Santa Elena and Falso Santa Elena towered 4,000 vertical feet above me.

I was hopeful of lots of good climbing to come, yet a bit scared, being here alone in a strange land. My goal was to climb high, spend as much time as possible at altitude and be well-prepared for another attempt on Cerro Aconcagua. I had to be extremely careful to avoid injury or sickness, as climbing solo would put me in a situation, daily, where help could be a long time coming. 

I made my way back down the ridge and snagged one more bump, Cerro Arenales at 11,483, then went and sat on a rock outcrop, 300′ right above the lodge. The Argentines honor their climbers, and I found this plaque on top of Arenales.

The boss’s truck was still there – I hoped he’d leave soon, as the sun was about to set and it’d cool off quickly. Just after seven, he finally drove away and I made my way back down. Jorge was there, so was his assistant, and two other guys scheduled to do some work and then head back to town tomorrow.

The only luxury afforded these guys is a small color TV. They smoked a lot, which was hard on me, but they were loud, raucous fun and we stayed up very late. Since I’d been able to bring a lot of supplies with me in Rodolfo’s truck, from time to time I’d bring out a bottle of wine to share with everyone. Jorge’s assistant is called Rambito (“Little Rambo”) – he tried to present a tough-guy persona like his namesake, but instead he was rather comical. He was a short, muscular guy who talked to everyone in a menacing way and could always be seen sharpening a huge Rambo-style knife. My bunkhouse is now shared with an un-named solo climber and a group of five others – turns out I know their leader, Horacio Cunietti, from my time on Aconcagua. They’re a young group, four guys and a girl, here to try Cerro Rincón by an easy route. Horacio was 23; the others were all teenagers.

The next day, I got a late start, around noon. After a big meal cooked on my MSR stove, I readied a day pack and headed out. From the ski lodge, I followed a road which switch-backed up the slope. I came upon an orange hut owned by CMR (Club Mendoza de Regatas). Even they, a boating group, felt it important to have a presence up here. I sat there a while and soaked up the view. Continuing, I came to a spot where a trail appeared to head off in the direction of Cerro San Bernardo, which I planned to climb on the morrow. It followed a little creek up a picturesque valley.

When I finally stopped at around 11,300′, I was below the huge south face below San Bernardo-Mausy.

It was 3:30 PM when I started back down, descending through beautiful alpine meadows. High clouds were moving in – a change in the weather?

Once back at the lodge, I got cleaned up, then joined Jorge for tea. His quarters, I now realized, were a magnet for visitors to the area. Four women from a Mendoza family joined us, then two high-school kids who stayed a while before heading out into the dark to camp around 11,000′. Tomorrow they’d climb a 17,000-footer and return to the lodge for an evening ride back to the city. The Argentines are amazing – with little equipment and usually no maps, they climb high and fast, making me look like a wimp. At 9:00 PM, three soldiers arrived – they planned to climb Cerro Plata, the range high point. It’s so much fun hanging out with everyone, I find it hard to tear myself away every night and get some sleep.

By 7:00 AM I was away. It was another perfect, cloudless day.

I felt good and was moving well – two hours later, I had gained 1,700′. The trail I’d found yesterday served for a while but soon petered out, leaving me to my own devices as I climbed up the loose scree. Just after eleven o’clock, I stood on the top of Cerro San Bernardo at 14,600′ and signed into the register. The views in every direction really blew my mind up, mainly because some of the peaks were as much as 6,000′ higher than where I stood, and in the days to come I’d be trying them.

On the summit, I found this memorial plaque. The Mendoza climbing clubs take their members very seriously.

Starting down, I lucked out and found a marked route, which made for a quick descent. En route, I met three Mendocinos from CAM. Turns out, this is a very popular climbing area for the locals. Down off the peak, I met a family picnicking in a meadow. They insisted I stop and eat with them and share their wine, which I happily did.

From there, I strolled back down the last thousand feet to the ski lodge. Today was a very good day – I feel like I’m getting into a rhythm, starting to feel like I belong here and can climb along with the others. Sleeping at almost 10,000′ every night and climbing higher every day is getting me the acclimatization I need. Tomorrow, I want to set out early, climb up high and find a bivi site from which to climb my two highest peaks so far.

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