6-7/2/12 Volcano Lanin Ascent

Hi all, 

Here a small digression with no bikes, but with crampons and ice axes.

In fact in San Martin de los Andes we decide to climb Volcan Lanin, 3376m, wich is supposed to be the highest patagonian argentinian volcan.

As we are in a National Park and here the republic of argentine, represented by the park rangers, is considered responsable in case of accident on places inside parks, we need to register at the park office to inform about our ascent project and check with the rangers the material list they consider compulsory:  crampons, ice axe, radio and walking sticks, helmets. Things we had, therefore, to rent in San Martin the day before.

Lanin volcano is a two day ascent:

-Day 1: from the park office (1200m) to the hut (2600m),

-Day 2: from the hut (2600m) to the summit (3776m) and back down to the valley. 

It is a really famous ascent for argentinian people who come from all around the country to climb the volcano, most of them with mountain guides. Later on we discover that the Lanin is actually, before being a sportive challenge, a very important and respected god (or spirit) for the Mapuche (we will talk much more about them later on...).

Hopefully, we will deserve to reach the summit of the sacred mountain...

We are ready for the adventure... our prize is on our back...with the will of the gods...

We hope so!!!

We start first in a flat plain covered by a dense forest... 

Arthur! Is not a nordic walk training!

Then, suddenly, the forest finish and we discover that we are at the feet of the giant half asleep in the morning dissolving clouds...

Just coming out of the forest...

Around us, now, is a desert of volcanic black and reddish stones, the mantle of the creature....  

Silently and respectfully walking...

The clouds start dissolving, the giant wake up and see us...maybe for this reason a wind, stronger and stronger, start to blow...is it a test of our motivation and proudness?

Can you see the little path toward the morain? There we go now, against the wind!

One hour later we reach the "espina de pescado" morain. The atmosphere start to be really Alpin...or Andin.

On the morain...not really warm...but super sunyn!

During all the ascent we walk on dark vulcanics rocks in a surreal lanscape.

On the path for the hut...

We are lucky, the sky is blue with no clouds, but the wind continue to get stronger.

Let's have arest before pass on the wind most exposed side of the volcano...

Ilaria the snail is,as always, scrubbling behind, but no stress, the risk of storm is really low.

Behind us the dry pampa, above us the snowy summit the contrast is spectacolar.

Come on Lum(aca)...

We finally reach the first hut (we will spleep at the second one 300m above). 

The first hut on the Lanin.

There a gentle local guide offer us mate and sandwiches while we take a rest. He explains us the details for the next morning ascent to the summit. He whish us good luck, he didn't have it this moning when he had to came back 15m from the summit because of the too strong wind...

40 minutes later we reach our hut builted by the Club Andino of Junin de Los Andes (CAJA hut). The wind is really strong now and it's difficult to get stand up. We understand the necessity of the sticks, they are really usefull to not fall in this circonstances.

Unforntunately from here we have no more photos...

In fact because of the cold temperature, the camera battery unload really quickly...

Maybe the gods accepted this as a sacrifice in exchange of allowing us to reach the sacred volcano and enjoy a spectacular sunrise exactly in the moment in which we reach the summit...

Just few words for the most curious...

For the nights, other people join us: a guide with 4 clients, an austrian man and an argentinian woman.

We spend a really nice evening all together in the 5m by 2.5m hut.

If the wind would have continued the ascent would not had been possible.

Hopefully when we get up at 3AM the wind was lowered down and the full moon illuminate the sky, the rock and the iced snow above us.

We start the ascent on the glaciar at 4AM. Before the dawn it was very, very, very cold (another proof of our motivation??). Finally reach the summit at 7.30AM.

The summit get pink for 30 seconds and the light illuminate all the mountain, lakes and volcans around us...

Incredible...

A wonderful souvenir whose pictures will remain for ever in our mind...