GUNUNG · Argentina / Chili

Tupungato

Volcán Tupungato

Information

Elevation: 6.570 m
Country: Argentina / Chili (AR)
Location / Range: Pegunungan Andes, perbatasan Provinsi Mendoza (Argentina)–Región Metropolitana (Chili), ~100 km selatan Aconcagua
Mountain type: Kubah lava/gunung Andes (edifis utama padam); salah satu tertinggi di Amerika
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -33.3586, -69.7704
Difficulty: Berat (ekspedisi ketinggian panjang; ada perjalanan gletser & pendekatan sangat panjang)
Best Season: November–Maret (musim panas belahan bumi selatan)
Permits & Rules: Ekspedisi panjang dari sisi Chili (Valle de Tupungato) atau Argentina (Mendoza); registrasi/izin sesuai wilayah dan biasanya berpemandu. Bukan gunung dengan jalur berpenanda.
Hazards: Penyakit ketinggian, angin badai Andes, cuaca berubah mendadak, medan gletser bercelah, dan keterpencilan dengan pendekatan berhari-hari.

Description

Tupungato (6,570 m) is a massive glaciated Andean lava dome of Pleistocene age—its main edifice now dormant/extinct—on the Argentina–Chile border between Mendoza Province and Chile's Metropolitan Region, about 100 km south of Aconcagua. It should not be confused with the active Tupungatito volcano to its southwest (last eruption 1987) or the Argentine town and wine region of the same name. The great peak was first climbed in 1897 by Matthias Zurbriggen and Stuart Vines. It is also known for the 1947 crash of the British South American Airways airliner 'Star Dust' on its slopes—an aviation mystery whose wreckage only emerged from the glacier in 1998. Climbing it is a long high-altitude expedition with a multi-day approach, usually from the Chilean side (Valle de Tupungato) or Argentina (Mendoza), involving some glacier travel.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Rute Argentina (via Punta de Vacas & Quebrada/Valle de Tupungato)

Panjang, terpencil, sangat menuntut fisik; non-teknis dengan perjalanan gletser

+4150 m ~10 hari pulang-pergi (gaya alpine)

Dari Punta de Vacas (~2.420 m) di Mendoza, jalur menyusuri Quebrada del Tupungato untuk pendekatan panjang dan terisolasi (~140 km pulang-pergi) sebelum dorongan puncak, sering dilakukan gaya alpine. Bahaya utama adalah keterpencilan, angin, dan dingin—bukan kesulitan teknis.

Rute Normal (sisi Chili, via Río Colorado / Valle de Tupungato, Cajón del Maipo)

Non-teknis tetapi berat (butuh crampon & kapak es; salju keras di atas 6.000 m, angin kencang)

+2000 m ~10–13 hari pulang-pergi

Pendekatan baku dari sisi Chili menyusuri Río Colorado/Valle de Tupungato dari kawasan Alfalfal, mendirikan rangkaian kamp (base ~4.100 m, kamp tinggi ~5.200–5.700 m) sebelum hari puncak yang panjang. Perjalanan gletser/salju secara teknis lugas tetapi menuntut karena ketinggian, daya tahan, dan paparan angin; akses terbatas dan butuh izin.

Climbing Experiences

Tupungato (6,570 m) is a long, remote high-altitude expedition on the Argentina–Chile border, ~100 km south of Aconcagua. Its normal route is non-technical but physically demanding: a multi-day approach, glacier travel, high winds and severe cold. The reports below include alpine-style summit footage from the Argentine side (Punta de Vacas), expeditions from the Chilean side (Cajón del Maipo/Alfalfal), a unique mountain-bike ascent documentary, and a solo-climb account—covering both main approaches to the peak.

References

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