Cerro Mercedario 14-day ascent in San Juan, Argentina

Reach the summit of the Cerro Mercedario with Martin, an EPGAMT mountain leader. Follow him on this 14 day expedition. And discover one of the most beautiful mountains in the Andes.

14 Days

Nov

High

Advanced

Description

The Andes mountain range is the home of many impressive mountains. Aside from the Aconcagua, there are others that stand out for their height and beauty. And one of the most majestic ones in this range is Cerro Mercedario (6,770m). Join me on this 14-day ascent to reach its summit!

Located in the heart of the Andes, at the Ramada mountain range, this magnificent peak stands at the southeast part of the San Juan province in Argentina. It forms part of the Mercedario massif, which also comprises the Polaco Peak, La Mesa, Alma Negra and Ramada.

It was a polish expedition the first one to reach its summit on 1934. But ever since it has been a favorite destination for climbers all around the world.

Moreover we will trek across wonderful places, discovering hidden wonders of this magical place. For instance, one of the spots we’ll stop at and camp is the marvellous Laguna Blanca. Also, we’ll stop at the charming Guanaquitos, Cuesta Blanca, La Ollada and Pirca de Indios camping sites. All of them will provide us will all the basic facilities to get a great night sleep and recharge our energies. And, from all of them, we’ll get incomparable views that will simply hypnotize you!

Due to the high altitude we’ll reach, one of my priorities will be to make sure we advance at a pace at which you get to acclimatize. What’s more, I want you to have an amazing time, while being safe the whole journey. So, I’ll make sure we follow all the standard procedures to ensure your safety.

So if you wish to stand at the top of Cerro Mercedario, send me a request. Let me guide you on this 14-day expedition.

You can also check out this ascent to 4.350m Cerro Penitentes that I guide too.

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Transport during the trip
Personal insurance
Transportation start and back

Price details

On top of the guide fee, the price includes: transportation BarrealLaguna Blanca-Barreal; all meals during the expedition; first aid kit; group equipment (heaters, pots); personal insurance, vhf-uhf radio; the accommodation at a hostel in Barreal; high altitude tent. It doesn’t include: personal gear and clothing; expenses generated for abandoning the expedition, rescue and evacuation; any other item not mentioned here.

Itinerary

Day 1: Barreal-Laguna Blanca

We’ll meet in Barreal. Then a vehicle will transport us to the Laguna Blanca camping site. Finally we’ll spend there the night.

Day 2: Laguna Blanca-Guanaquitos

On our second day will head from the camping site in Laguna Blanca to the one in Guanaquitos. Also considered base camp, Guanaquitos stands at 3,600 meters.

Day 3: Guanaquitos acclimatization day

This day will rest and spend it acclimatizing to the height.

Day 4: Gear transportation

We’ll transport our equipment to the Cuesta Blanca camping site. And we’ll head back to Guanaquitos.

Day 5: Guanaquitos-Cuesta Blanca

From Guanaquitos we’ll head to the Cuesta Blanca camping site. And we’ll spend there the night.

Day 6: Cuesta Blanca rest and acclimatization

The day will be for resting and acclimatization.

Day 7: Cuesta Blanca-Pirca de Indios

We’ll head towards Pirca de Indios. And we’ll spend there the night.

Day 8: Pirca de Indios rest and acclimatization

The day will be for resting and acclimatization.

Day 9: Pirca de Indios-La Ollada

After around 4 hours of trekking we’ll reach the La Ollada camping site.

Day 10: Mercedario summit day

We’ll head from La Ollada to the summit of Mercedario. Then we’ll head back to La Ollada. And we’ll sleep there.

Day 10: Extra day

In case that anything comes up or weather doesn’t allow us to climb earlier.

Day 12: Second extra day

Also, in case anything comes up.

Day 13: La Ollada-Guanaquitos

We’ll head back from La Ollada to Guanaquitos.

Day 14: Guanaquitos-Laguna Blanca.

Finally we’ll return to Laguna Blanca. Then we’ll head to el Barreal where we’ll spend the night and say goodbye to the team.

Details

More info

I recommend having previous experience climbing mountains of 5,000 or more meters. I also recommend you bring the following items: trekking pants, thermal clothing, rainproof pants, a pair of mountaineering socks, a pair of regular socks, two pairs of trekking socks, mountaineering shoes, two short sleeves t-shirts, two long sleeves t-shirts, windstopper, warm jacket, raincoat, 2 pairs of gloves, rainproof gloves, cap, polar hat, buff, sunglasses, spare sunglasses. trekking poles, 75+15 liters backpack, headlamp, sleeping bag (-15o / -20o C), sleeping pad, unbreakable 1 liter thermos, multi-use pocket knife, unbreakable cup and plate, two bottles of at least 1 liter each, personal first aid kit, sunscreen spf 60, chapstick, cream, lighter, nylon bags, crampons, toiletries, camera, cell phone, gps. In case you need to rent any equipment, please let me know in advance. We confirm all departures 15 days in advance.

Meeting point

10 am Barreal – San Juan

About the guide

Martín

5.0

(5)

Mountain Leader

EPGAMT Mountain guide from Argentina.

The mountain is my workplace and space to enjoy what I like to do ... mountaineering.

I climbedd and promoted various mountains and volcanoes such as: Aconcagua , Ojos del Salado, Pissis , Walter Penck , Incahuasi, Plata, Rincon, Vallecitos , etc.

The mountain can find oneself, to rediscover the essence and every moment. It is a natural place that transmits balance, harmony, tranquility and at the same time, tests us and motivates us to self-improvement. The mountain is accessible to all, just enough to take the first step ... we offer a different experience to share.

Languages

English

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What people are saying about Explore-Share

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Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!

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