Extraordinary walk for the high mountain range of the Andes next to the superior course of the river Mendoza . They visit one another the ski center The Penitents, the legendary Bridge of the Inca and the Redeeming Christ, monument located in the Step of the Summit , on the one limits Argentinean-Chilean.

Circuit of 86 km from Uspallata to The Caves. There is fuel in Uspallata and The Penitents. In the tract Uspallata to The Caves will find hotels and restaurants in Uspallata, The Penitents and Bridge of the Inca. The Walk can be carried out in all season until Bridge of the Inca. Of there up, the road usually blocks intermittently because of the snow (July to October). Discover the state of the route before leaving and take chains in winter. It is a modern road, of wide layout, excellent pavement and soft slope, capable for all type of vehicles. Take coat. even in summer. because there is wind v cold in height.

From Uspallata (km 0) takes the exit 2 of the Plane heading for the west, to traffic for an extraordinary road next to the river Mendoza . Initially, it will cross a great sedimentary plain to the foot of the mountain range of the Tiger, called pampas of Tabolango, to the north of the river, and pampas of Uspallata, to the south of the same one, where the imposing silt murallones appears.

In the journey it will cross several courses of water that they end in the river Mendoza and that populations have harbored in different times. Overcoming the stream Ranchillos, to 1 km , they are the ruins of stone of an Incan tambo, presumably the most important in the valley. In the superior terrace of the stream their main enclosures are observed, with panoramic views to the environment; the housings are in the inferior level.

In the km 21 will cross the torrentoso Picheuta, of icy and crystalline waters. To the right, for the one on the way to earth will see a colonial bridge of stone (historical place), with an arch of half point. It was carried out among 1765-70 by Ambrosio O'Higgins, engineer liner to the service of the Kingdom of Chile , later their general captain and then Viceroy from the Peru . Their scarce 2 m of width allows to imagine how was carried out the rash step to Chile at the end of the colony.

On 24 of January of 1817, a platoon of the Army patriot, highlighted in the Outpost of Picheuta, it was defeated by the realistic troops. The regiment settled down in Uspallata, to the control of The Heras, pursued to the feared Squadron of Talaveras, defeating it in the Combat of Potrerillos (current Tip of Cows).

In the km 26 the road penetrates in a narrow throat next to the river Mendoza and it crosses the mountain range Front, where enormous deposits of material erosionado they form inclined plains and imposing deyección cones in the hillsides.

To the left and in the distance, observe the long iron bridges that belonged to the Railroad Trasandino.

Next to the route will be able to know the low tunnel which passed the old highway.

When arriving at the river Blanco that drains in the Mendoza, Tambillos, an archaeological place with remains of pirca constructions . .

This Incan establishment gave name to the river of The Tambillos that descends of the mountain range of the Tiger for the right of the road.

After crossing the tunnels 12 and 13, dug in alive rock, to 44 km of Uspallata it will arrive to Polvaredas.

It is located 2.050 meters , this town had rail activity from 1943, when its station was inaugurated. Among their stone houses they highlight shops lifted to be able to maintain and to clean the facilities and railroads after the winter storms.

In this point whose name mentions to the intense powder that lift the opposing currents of winds, the Regiment 2 º of Vanguard of the Army of the Andes it established its fourth camp. It was commanded by the general The Heras during the campaign sanmartiniana to Chile .

The ruins that are come left wing correspond to the old station Yellow Zanjón. It was the main of the area and it was destroyed by the violent alluvium of January of 1934, 10 taken place by the fracture of the natural dike on the river Lead in the glaciers of the high mountain range.

An incredible murallón of mud, dilutes and stones, of more than 10 m of height, it entered for the river, razing everything to its step.

In the km 55 (to 161 km of Mendoza ) it will arrive to Tip of Cows

To 2.325 meters , this village has a position of National Gendarmería, framed among wide and beautiful curtains of poplars. They are the last trees that will see in the mountain range.

It is summoned in a plain where three spectacular valleys converge: The Cows, to the north, The Caves, to the west and Tupungato , to the south. To the bottom of this last one rises, majestic, the volcano Tupungato , of 6.800 of altitude, surrounded by snowdrifts.

In Tip of Cows one is from the accesses to the National Park Aconcagua and to the routes of ascension, as well as to the hill Aconcagua for the gulch of the river The Cows.

The three rivers (The Cows, The Caves and Tupungato) they unite here to give origin to the mighty river Mendoza . This place has been a traditional point of rest and pasture of harness. The center of more important cattle concentration of the high mountain whose peak in the XIX century and beginnings of the XX one derived of the lucrative trade of animals in foot to Chile was.

In spite of having been this the trafficked road, because it drove to the valley central trasandino, era feared by the muleteers due to the difficulty of their high steps and the storms of snow.

For such a reason, among 1765-70, Ambrosio O'Higgins ordered to lift three arched refuges of stone next to the road, also called Shanties of the King (MHN)

First it built that of Puquios, to the vera of the river The Caves, then that of Paramillos, 4 km before the village of The Caves and, lastly, that of The Caves, passing the village by hand left.

These «shanties», of a single space interior that are appreciated from the road, they were dedicated to preserve the mail that even circulated in the middle of winter. Repair in the height of the doors, this way designed to avoid the entrance of the snow.

The journey continues for the valley of the river The Caves, dominated by the perspective toward the superb hill Tolosa. Next to the route the Andean high typical vegetation can be observed, with small bushes like chachacoma, yellow firewood, caulker, goat horn, bad grass and yareta that cover of showy flowers during the spring. The remarkable dryness of the arid Andes surprises in summer for the extensive vegas of gramineous.

In winter, the accumulation of snow and the favorable conformations of the mountainous hillsides have stimulated the ski practice. In the km 65 ( 165 km of Mendoza ) it highlights the center of mountain activities

Their name derives of the curious formations of the relief in the high hillsides, located to the left of the route. They look like a procession of monks of gritty sculpted by the erosion.

The place has several hotels, hostels, apart hotel, departments, restaurants, sweet shops and a station of service. offers rent of ski teams, the consultantship of excellent instructors and very good andariveles infrastructure.

With 17 km of hints of continuous descent, has courts of different grades of difficulty, attractive for beginners and experts.

In summer they are open the hotel and the hostel (better option to house). The seat andariveles works the weekends, allowing trips with splendid views from the high thing.

The route continues in a soft ascent for a landscape of captivating beauty. In the km 69, to the left, it will pass next to the Cemetery of the Andinistas, where the expeditionary of different countries that lost the life in their rash scalings to the Andean summits rest. In the km 71 will arrive to Bridge Of the Inca

The village is seat of the Group of Artillery of Montaña Nº. 8 and of the School of Skiers of High Montaña. It has a comfortable hostel, specially used by climbers of high mountain, as they attest it, in summer, the corrals of mules in the surroundings, dedicated to transport loads for trekking.

The oldest stone constructions, as the picturesque church with roof of zinc, date of 1902, when it was inaugurated the rail tract that united this town with Tip of Cows.

Bridge of the Inca is a legendary town of thermal waters, with a natural bridge on the river of strange yellow color, taken place by the mineralización of the sulfurous waters. Their slopes and water have the property of solidifying objects that the villagers sell in the kiosks of memories.

The therapeutic qualities of this very old place of rest were already known in Incan times. In the decade of 1940 had an elegant hotel, destroyed years later for an alluvium. It still conserves remains of thermal piletas that can visit one another under the bridge, to which you consents walking for the esplanade to the left of the route.

Continuing the Walk, in the km 74 from Uspallata (km 164 from Mendoza ), to the right, will find the Complex Customs officer Los Horcones

Here they are carried out, indoors, all the steps and migration requirements. In the route, repair in some posts of steel of 4 m of high (those of behind they are of smaller height), marked as mensuration sticks. They are good to know the height of the layer of snow and to point out the road for the machinery barrenieve. Some signs on the edge of the road point out the distance to Buenos Aires . In the km 75 will see the Hill Aconcagua.

Advancing 5 km toward the right for the gulch of The Pitches, a spectacular perspective opens up toward the Ackon-Cahuac (stone sentry, in language huarpe milcayac), with its eternal snow.

The area appears dominated by this Andean colossus. In their hillsides and to different heights there are five gigantic glaciers: of the Pitches Superior, of the Pitches Inferior, Güssfeldt. of The Cows and of The Vacas . In the Park Aconcagua other numerous summits that the 5.000 m overcomes rises, as the Warehouses, Tolosa, Mexico, Fingers, Cathedral, Horn, Ameghino, Dome, Güssfeldt and The Hand.

A trip for this gulch (not capable for winter) allows to obtain the most fascinating views in the Aconcagua that is reflected in the mirror of the lagoon of Los Horcones.

The ascensions to the hill began in 1883 with the German Paul Güssfeldt who diffused the existence of this towering summit among the European mountaineers.

The first expeditionary that arrived to the summit it was Mathias Zürbriggen, in 1897. From then on, they are numerous the international and national expeditions that challenge to the colossus of the Andes .

There is a hotel in the Square of Mules . The ascent permits to the hill Aconcagua is obtained in the Subsecretary of Tourism or in the Address of Renewable Resources, located in the General park San Martin of Mendoza.

Continue for the international route (RN7). In the next 10 kms the valley of the river The Caves are narrowed and it penetrates in the Main mountain range, characterized by the morrenas, the transporting and the past vulcanismo TO the left it highlights the refuge Shanty of the King of the Paramilllos (MHN). To the side you leave the long metallic shed for where the train crossed a moraine.

The Caves this located to 3.112 meters is the last Argentinean population, where they highlight picturesque buildings, built in 1945 to the Nordic way. Here will find a police posse, bar, public bathrooms and other equipment; also, the King's refuge Shanty in The Caves (MHN).

They are some small houses of 4 diameter meters and arched roof, lifted in the stone of the mountain by indication of Ambrosio O´Hiigings in the XVIII Century. They were good for the protection of travelers, chasquis and mail along the Real Route .

In this point the road forks. That of the right leads to the modern international tunnel toward Chile . Take to the left the old road for the Step of The Summit. that it crosses under the picturesque building like a victory arch. A monolith remembers the last camp that the general established The Heras before undertaking the rash final ascent for the Andes with his column of the Army Liberator.

This road is today a gone up serpenteante that is sighted from below. In 9 km it drives to the Monument to the Redeeming Christ

The ascent season is from January to March. It is located in the Argentinean-Chilean limit, in a place that offers spectacular views toward both countries and the Aconcagua . It was inaugurated March 13 1904 as statement of the Pacts of May of 1902, that had solved bordering conflicts peacefully, grace to Eduardo's arbitration VII of England.

To their feet it was sworn the peace and the eloquent words of the Bishop from Chile , Monsignor Ramón Angel Jara, appears recorded in the badge of the basement.

The statue, works of the Argentinean sculptor Mateo Alonso, it was carried out by administration of Brother Marcolino Benavente responding to the Pope's call XIII León to intensify the devotion toward Christ Jesus. Brother Benavente gathered the material with the foundry of old canyons and thanks to a gigantic popular collection.

The Christ measures 8 m of height and it weighs 6 rhyme. Its transport from Buenos Aires until this place was a true odyssey, since the enormous pieces should move in railroad until Mendoza and from there to The Caves, completing a last stage to mule loin, next to the rough cliffs.

A replica of this First Monument of the International Peace is in The Hague ( Holland ) and it was carried out toward 1910 by the Belgian sculptor Lagae.

To return, use the same route toward Uspallata, there will be able to opt among returning for Cacheuta or for Villavicencio .

From Potrerillos it can begin a beautiful circuit to the valley of Uco .

In Bridge of the Inca you will receive information on the migration requirements, customs, demands fitosanitarias in Argentina and Chile, and value of steps and tolls.