Climb Ojos del Salado, 6893m

Climb of Ojos del Salado, Chile.

At a height of 6893m, Mount Ojos del Salado is the highest mountain in Chile and also the highest active volcano in the world. We run private guided trips to this peak mostly, occasionally open trips and our guiding ratio is 1:6 and we drive from the mining town of Copiapo to the lagunas below the mountain and do a number of acclimatisation hikes before ascending to the base camp and then using one other high camp (in a hut) just before summit day.

Ojos del Salado is normally climbed from December to late March. It´s the warmest period in the southern hemisphere, but it's still windy and dry and conditions can be quite rough also during peak season. There's a good summary of the mountain on summitpost for more information. 

This expedition gives a great opportunity to climb high with little technical difficulty apart from the summit rock tower, which is 30m of v.diff climbing with a fixed rope in place, and a gradual acclimatization programme which gives everyone a good opportunity of reaching the summit. The main issues are cold and wind, altitude and sometimes difficult terrain (ice and snow) but there are few objective dangers. It is a very long day and the final section to the top involves a scramble on rock where there are some ropes and chains to assist. This volcano is far less busy than Aconcagua and the dramatic landscape of desert, lagunas and ice capped volcanoes make for a special expedition. 

The volcano is located in a unique desert environment of intense, deep, green lagoons contrasting with the colour of the desert and snow covered volcanoes above . At these lagoons its possible to see big flocks of flamingos, horny coots, many ducks,foxes and guanacos, who have all adapted to survive in this environment, with nighttime temperatures reaching – 25 c and winds over 130 kph.

Our expedition is self-contained, driving our own 4x4 land cruisers through the Atacama Desert to reach the volcano. We will prepare our own food and act self-sufficiently on the climb. The distance to the mountain from Copiapo is not that great, a few hundred kilometres, but we take several days to get there and appreciate the change in scenery. From Laguna Verde, the mountain is just a few hours drive away on dirt roads. 

Summit day on Ojos, heading towards the crater rim

Camps on Ojos del Salado

We use Laguna Verde as the first lower base camp because it is sheltered and has amazing hot springs near the edge of the lake. From here we can go on acclimatisation hikes. There is a quite large refugio at the beginning of the walk in called Caudio Lucero which can host dozens of people. Nearer the mountain is a high camp at Refuge Atacama which is just an area of open ground where we use tents and occasionally other companies will have set up base camps for multiple groups through the season.

The final hut at Tejos is actually a converted container with room for about 6 beds and anybody else sleeping on the floor. It is quite basic with no cooking facilities and an outside toilet, but at least it is dry and secure inside from the wind.

Our camp facilities comprise the food and equipment that we have brought with us in the vehicles from Copiapo. We will sleep and eat in 2 or 3 man dome tents; occasionally there are some local providers at the camp site. Toilet facilities are communual long drops and washing will usually be via a bowl of water. However at the edge of the Laguna Verde where we camp, we have the luxurious option of bathing in the natural hot springs which are wonderful. The lake itself is highly mineralised and the water is freezing cold. Expect extremes of temperature, generally very hot, dry and dusty conditions while we are acclimatising.

Above basecamp we will be fending for ourselves. Anything we wear, sleep in or eat must be driven in or carried up to the higher camps. We are likely to be primarily eating dehydrated meals especially for mountain expeditions and also noodles, soups, oatmeal etc. 

Initially we drive up to the base camp and put the tents up in quite an exposed space where there is likely to be snow on the ground. Meals are cooked here and eaten in the tents, but again there may be a local provider who has a large mess tent we can use. 
After a few days we move up to the high camp where there is a converted shipping container to sleep in; it has 8 beds with space to lie on the floor. We have to carry up all our own supplies for this camp and the toilets are outdoors.
After the expediton it is possible to drive all the way back to Copiapo in one day, since we will not be acclimatising

Mount Ojos del Salado - fitness and terrain

You will need to be physically fit and able to carry often heavy loads on rocky and difficult terrain. We suggest a six month training programme to prepare yourself, working particularly on cardio fitness, thigh and calf muscles, and plenty of hillwalking with a 15kg pack.

This expedition is about the same level as Aconcagua and harder than 6000m peaks like Island Peak. This is predominantly because of the weather, the wind can be very cold and this is a very dry debilitating cold. Good equipment is essential, but also a strong physical and mental capacity.

This is not a technical peak and the climbing is never serious apart from one bridge move just below the summit itself, but it does not require teams to be roped up.

Ojos is an old volcano so it has easy gradient slopes up to the caldera, which are snow covered and exposed. The caldera itself is not difficult, and there is a lake to walk around which is the highest lake in the world but only very shallow and mostly frozen over.

Just below the summit is a short section of steep rock with some fixed lines in place. At most this is HVS, although the altitude will make you pant! It is not a long section, and there is one bridging move which has some air beneath your feet, but again it is not particularly hard. The final summit is oddly small and rocky, given such a huge and broad mountain.

For the rest of the trip expect desert scrub and arid conditions which are common to the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world except for Antarctica. There is almost no rainfall at all, so we need to bring all our own water into the camps from Copiapo. This means the vehicles carry everything for the whole trip. The acclimatisation walks, especially around Laguna Verde, are spectacular experiences, and you often come across petrified remains of wildlife like cougars. It is very hot and dry and dusty in some areas, but there are verdant areas of vegetation lower down. The stark landscape is beautiful, dotted with mulitiple volcanoes as far as the eye can see.

Experience needed for Ojos del Salado

Good teamwork, knowledge of high-level mountain trekking, camping and altitude sickness all provide useful experience for this trip. It is important to be efficient and conversant with cold weather survival skills, and all the basics of camping. 

Putting a tent up in a strong cold wind is not easy and cooking a dehydrated meal for 3 people in a confined space can be difficult. Physical fitness in itself will give people confidence to climb the mountain, but the preparation should also involve reading about the mountain, knowing what to put in rucksacks, and where to put stuff. Issues on Ojos del Salado also include sunburn, cold injuries and tiredness from being so high. 

For more information, see our page on High Altitude Climbing.

Ojos del Salado trip preparation

Flights
You need to get to Copiapo in Chile, almost certainly via Santiago in Argentina.You can fly to Santiago with a number of variations, via Buenos Aires or Sao Paulo being the main nearest hubs. Airlines which serve the route include LanChile, TAM Brazil, Iberia, Air France and British Airways. Flights can become very expensive so best to book early.

After flying to Santiago we take overnight coach to Copiapo. We may organise a private coach for the whole party (11 hours). Or you can take the public coach. From Santiago Airport terminal take the Bus Sur, which departs every 15 minutes and takes 30 minutes to Terminal de Buses Alameda. From there it's an 11 hour bus ride to Copiapo. Best 'class' is semi cama which includes ‘bed’, food, drink and cost about £14.00 or 20 euro. There are many buses going north to Copiapo, Pullman is good too.

Vaccinations and Travel Health
There are currently no required vaccinations required for entry to Chile however you should consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding existing conditions or health issues.

Baggage
Please clearly mark your luggage with your own contact details and contact details for Adventure Alternative in South America which we will supply prior to departure.

Insurance
We advise you to take out your insurance as soon as possible to cover potential events that might cause you to cancel your trip. You need to ensure that you have a policy which covers trekking to 6893m, but it does not need to cover technical climbing. You should bring with you a copy of your policy and ensure that other people knows where you keep it. It is also worth bringing a photocopy of your passport and to keep it separate to your own documents just in case you lose your passport. Please also see our 'More Information' page entitled 'Insurance'.

Visa
UK passport holders do not require a visa to enter Chile for a period of less than 90 days subject to your passport being valid for at least 6 months beyond your homeward flight date and a homeward flight ticket having been purchased. Chilean Consulate.

Money
The local currency in Chile the Chilean Peso (CLP). This is not to be confused with the Argentine Peso (ARS) when exchanging money as they are different by a factor of 100! You can order both currencies before you travel. There are ATMs in larger towns which take Visa and Mastercard, and there are banks with forex facilities. Be aware that the exchange rate offered at the airport is likely to be unfavourable. Do also remember to have small denomination notes because many local places will not be able to offer change for large notes. You can take sterling, euro or dollars, and change it easily. If you are travelling from Northern Ireland then remember to bring Bank of England sterling notes, not the Northern Irish sterling notes which are not recognised.