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GUNUNG · Argentina

Llullaillaco

Source
Llullaillaco

Photo: source

Information

Elevation
6.723 m
Country
Argentina (AR)
Location / Range
Andes Puna de Atacama (Argentina–Chile border)
Mountain type
Volcano
Volcanic?
Yes — volcano
Coordinates
-24.7197, -68.5367
Best Season
October–March
Permits & Rules
A special permit from the Argentine National Park authorities is required
Hazards
Extreme altitude, the extremely dry Puna de Atacama, strong winds, remote isolation

Description

Llullaillaco (6,739 m) is an active stratovolcano on the Argentina–Chile border in the Puna de Atacama — the highest active volcano on Earth. It gained world fame in 1999 when three remarkably preserved Inca mummies were discovered near the summit, now displayed at the MAAM Museum in Salta, Argentina. The normal route requires no ice-climbing technique, but the extreme altitude (higher than Everest Base Camp) and extremely remote location demand thorough acclimatization. A special permit from Argentine national park authorities is required.

Routes

Arista Tenggara (Variasi Teknis)

Berat (variasi teknis)
+2100 m 5–7 hari

Variasi lanjutan lewat punggung tenggara — jarang dilalui, memerlukan navigasi mandiri di medan berbatu di ketinggian 5.000–6.700 m. Tidak ada kebutuhan teknik es, namun eksposur lebih tinggi dan logistik lebih rumit; hanya bagi pendaki berpengalaman di ketinggian.

Jalur Cile (sisi barat, via Atacama)

Sedang–berat
+2000 m 5–7 hari

Pendekatan dari wilayah Atacama, Cile — lebih jarang dilalui dibandingkan rute Argentina. Medan serupa: skri kering dan lereng non-teknis, tetapi logistik lebih kompleks karena izin dua negara. Cocok bagi pendaki yang menggabungkan Llullaillaco dengan ekspedisi Atacama.

Rute Normal (sisi Argentina, NW)

Sedang–berat
+1900 m 4–6 hari

Rute paling umum: mulai dari base camp ~4.800 m di sisi barat laut Argentina, naik melewati lereng skri dan salju padat hingga puncak (6.739 m). Non-teknis secara teknis tetapi menuntut karena ketinggian ekstrem dan keterpencilan; butuh aklimatisasi berlapis minimal 2–3 minggu sebelumnya. Situs arkeologi Inca di puncak.

Climbing Experiences

Llullaillaco (6,739 m) on the Argentina–Chile border is one of the world's highest volcanoes, standing in the heart of the extremely dry and remote Atacama Desert. The climb is essentially non-technical — a long trek over scree, rock and volcanic terrain — but very demanding due to extreme altitude, remoteness, and the need for staged acclimatisation. A typical expedition lasts about two weeks from Salta. Its summit holds the highest Inca sacrificial site ever found, making the peak famous both for mountaineering and archaeology. The reports below include a solo ascent, a traverse paired with Ojos del Salado, and a historic archaeological expedition.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.

  1. 1 Wikipedia Llullaillaco en.wikipedia.org · EN
  2. 2 Wikidata Llullaillaco (Q214916) wikidata.org · EN