Nevado Juncal

Nevado Juncal

Nevado Juncal, at 20,163' is one of the most impressive mountains in the Chilean Central Andes, located 50 miles south of Aconcagua. This is a rarely visited area offering a tremendous variety of scenic climbing from moderate to technical.

After an enjoyable journey, with mules to carry our gear, we reach base camp at 8,910 feet. Here we are encircled by rugged alpine walls and a breathtaking view of Juncal.

Our climb ascends the heavily glaciated north side of the mountain.

Juncal is a challenging mountain to climb and one of our long time favorite trips.Climbers must have previous mountaineering experience, be in excellent physical condition, and be well acquainted with the use of ice axe, and crampons.

Itinerary

Day 01
Group meets in Santiago. We will pick you up at the airport. Equipment check and afternoon briefing at the hotel. At dinner we will try some of the fine Chilean cuisine and wines.
Day 02
Drive east from Santiago to Juncal junction at 7000'. The road follows the Rio Aconcagua along the dramatic Andes mountains. Hike up to Juncal base camp following Rio Juncal until we reach our camp, Vega Nacimiento, at 8000'. We will establish our base camp here at the foot of spectacular Juncal Glacier. Nevado Juncal is heavily glaciated for a mountain in the dry Central Andes. Mules will carry our gear. Although we do not gain much altitude on our approach, having the mules to carry our gear makes it especially nice on the approach.
Day 03
Rest and acclimatization day at base camp. We want everyone to have the best possible chance to make the summit. The most effective way to do this is to take the time to acclimatize to the low oxygen environment. We will incorporate rest days into our schedule if necessary and climb in traditional expedition style. We will be carrying loads up to the next camp and returning to sleep below at the previous camp. The next day we will move to the higher camp. We will also review some climbing techniques on the glacier.
Day 04
Leave Base Camp. Move to Camp I.
Day 05
Leave Base Camp. Move to Camp I.
Day 06
Carry a load to Camp II, at 15,510'. Return to Camp I.
Day 07
Move to Camp II. We ascend snow slopes with a short section of easy mixed climbing.
Day 08
Move to Camp III, at 18,150'. Steep snow slopes and amazing views of the Central Andes take us to our High Camp.
Day 9 - 10
SUMMIT! Weather permitting, or rest day depending on how group is doing.
Day 11
Descend down to Base Camp.
Next Day
Walk out to Juncal junction. Drive back to Santiago. Celebration dinner. Next day fly home or continue traveling in South America.