Andes, Frontside and Back:
Skiing Volcan Lonquimay, Chile
Portillo : Argentina Highway : Lonquimay : El Medina : Las Araucarias : Llaima : Villarica : Chillan
September, 2007
Volcan Lonquimay was the first stop on our volcano tour portion of the trip.
The Town of Lonquimay was very different from the masonery and adobe type towns
we'd become accostomed to seeing in Argentina. Lonquimay was mostly constructed with
pine board siding and tin roofing. It closely resembled US mountain mining
towns, like Telluride or Silverton long before their booms. To inquire about
a permit and to find lodging, we continued to Malalcahuelo, where we
got out of the soggy mists for a thermal bath and some of the best cheese we
found anywhere south of the equator.
I borrowed this image of Volcan Lonquimay from a google search. We never saw
it this clearly. Thick mists and clouds surrounded us (and the volcano) for
the two days that we were in the neighborhood. Only a small window
on the leeward side ever cleared, the result of the peak plowing through the
clouds like a massive icebreaker.
Our first early morning was a dissapointment: poor visibility and falling snow
meant we probably wouldn't reach the summit.
After a slow breakfast and a harrowing drive up the one-lane mountain road,
we tried it anyways.
It was a good day to have a GPS unit as our view the featureless, convex mountain
sporadically melded into a featureless, overcast sky: A desperate situation
we'd heard much vocano lore about. I comforted myself with the knowledge that
I had a GPS unit. Only periodically did I wonder if I'd be able to figure
out how to use it. I decided that if we got lost in a white-out, there'd be
plenty of time to learn... I was able to borrow this impressive little
unit from my excellent neighbor. Thanks Jeff!
For a moment we did get to see the summit.
And then the clouds descended on us.
Run Away!
Portillo : Argentina Highway : Lonquimay : El Medina : Las Araucarias : Llaima : Villarica : Chillan
© 2008 foothillfreak : : Go with da fro : :