Cordon del Plata: Day 1
Day 1:
“We arrived today at Vallecitos after an uneventful ride up from Mendoza. However, we were mistaken as to how far the “transfer”, mini bus, would take us. I thought it would go all the way to the end of the road where Vallecitos, a small ski resort at the base of the Cordon, sits. Instead, the bus stopped at a Refugio San Antonio, a small hostel a few kilometers below the ski resort. For 50 pesos more we were able to get the driver to go to the end of the road to the ski hill. (Note: the ski resort hasn’t had a season in three years due to insufficient snowfall.)
After hanging out for a few hours at Vallecitos, we started our short hike up to las Veguitas, a beautiful little meadow littered with cow patties where we set up our first camp at around 10,470ft. While pitching my tent a gust of wind ripped it from my hands and into the air. It flew and bounced some 200+ meters over a moraine and down into the next drainage. I ran after it, but then realized it was probably lost or destroyed. A 500 dollar investment gone on day 1. Damn.
With luck, I scrambled down the moraine and found my green tent in some scrub, flopping around in the remnant breezes looking injured and pathetic. I recovered it and it has some scratches, but should be ok. I decided to name the tent “Rafa” for rafaga, Spanish for wind gust.”
Here are some pics from day 1 in the Cordon.
Simply beautiful! You are a lucky man to have this experience. Enjoy every moment of it!
January 26, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Sorry about the tent. I can’t wait to keep reading about your adventures. Be safe! I will be thinking happy weather thoughts your way.
January 26, 2011 at 10:57 AM