Winter expedition to Laguna del Diamante
Cross Country skiing - snowshoeing
Available: From August to October
Duration: 5 days
Laguna del Diamante (Diamond lake) is a perfect landscape, guarded by 5,000 mt mountains in the Andes of Mendoza province. In the summer it is posible to get there in 4x4 vehicles, but whith the first snow of the season the road gets closed. The whole place becomes an isolated, huge snow playground for those who like to go beyond the beaten path. The wind tells its stories, and the landscape is astonishing.
Every winter we head into this unique experience, skiing or snowshoeing all the way to the Laguna, where we celebrate by crossing the frozen lake.
Itinerary
D1 Transfer Mendoza- Refugio Cruz de Piedra (4x4). We take legendary Route 40, towards the Uco Valley. After 100 km we hit a dirt road. We get the permits at the rangers's post and ride the truck to the Cruz de Piedra refuge. We stay overnight, prepare the gear and have a good dinner by the fire.
D2 After breakfast we shoulder the packs and start skiing or snowshoeing for a long day: 7 to 8 hours, to the Casa de Piedra shelter. We cross Pampa de los Avestruces (3,400m) in the way. We use the stone shelter or the tents for the nights.
D3 Casa de Piedra- refugio El Cilindro. After another strong day we get to the frozen lake! (5-7 hours). First we climb to the highest point in the traverse, Los Paramillos (3,600 m). It is all good cross-country skiing land. With Maipo vulcano dominating the scene, we camp at "El Cilindro" refuge for the night. Celebration dinner.
D4 Skiing in the frozen waters of the lake (with no packs!). We visit the place where the famous French aviator Henri Guillaumet made an emergency landing with his plane, in 1930. The writer Antoine de Saint-Exupèry directed the search for Guillaumet, who walked for six days with no proper gear and survived.
D5 We come back from the lake to the truck, in a 10-hour day in the trail. We ride the truck to Mendoza.
Included services
Transfer in 4x4 vehicle, Mendoza-Cruz de Piedra refuge-Mendoza.
Full board during the expedition.
Proffesional ski and mountain guides, accredited in the Natural Reserve Laguna del Diamante.
Gear: skis, poles, skins, boots, ARVA, helmet, avalanche probe, shovel, snowshoes.
Four seasons tents (The North Face or Mountain Hardwear).
Stoves, cooking set.
Sat phone for emergencies.
First aid and rescue equipment.
Permits
Not included
Personal gear (sleping bag, sleping pad, clothing, backpack, etc)
Meals at Mendoza city.
Any expenses derived from leaving the program.
Prices
Prices
2 pax U$S 1156 per pax
4 pax U$S 687 per pax
6 pax U$S 625 per pax
8 pax U$S 625 per pax
10 pax U$S 593 per pax
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