Cruce de los Andes
Horseback Andes crossing, 16–20 January 2025, immediately after Mendoza — with my sister and best friends. This is one of the paths used by the Ejército Libertador de los Andes; San Martín himself crossed it on his final return to Buenos Aires. A van from near Tupungato, driven by the guides, took us to the gendarmerie frontier post; there we mounted and rode to Refugio Scaravelli and camped. Next day toward Portillo Argentino: past the abandoned-bus bifurcation and Real de la Mula Muerta, over the pass at 4,400 m, then an exhausting downhill to Refugio Real de la Cruz. We slept in the refuge gym — barbecue, stories, a nice night. The next morning I was too sick to continue. The others went on to Portillo Chileno, very cold, and slept outside anyway, under the stars. They circled back, picked me up at Real de la Cruz, and we all recrossed the Portillo to Scaravelli. After a night there we rode back to the same gendarmerie post and vaned into Mendoza. A shower at a friend's, then the plane to Miami.
- Sehenswürdigkeit
Tupungato
Besucht: 16.01.2025
Ankunftshinweise: Van with the guides, from close to town
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
Where the crossing started — my sister and best friends, and the guides driving.
- Sehenswürdigkeit
Gendarmería, Manzano Histórico
Besucht: 16.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Auto — The van to the frontier post
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
The border crossing where we left the van and mounted the horses.
- Unterkunft
Refugio Scaravelli
Besucht: 16.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — On horseback from the gendarmerie post
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
First night. We slept in camps.
- Sehenswürdigkeit
Portillo Argentino
Besucht: 17.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — On horseback — past the abandoned-bus fork and Real de la Mula Muerta
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
4,400 m. The high point of the traverse. One of the passes used by the Ejército Libertador de los Andes.
- Unterkunft
Refugio Real de la Cruz
Besucht: 17.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — A long, exhausting downhill on horseback
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
We slept in the refuge gym. Barbecue and stories — a nice night.
- Unterkunft
Real de la Cruz — sick day
Besucht: 18.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — I stayed. I could not continue.
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
Very sick. The rest of the expedition — my sister and friends — went on without me.
- Sehenswürdigkeit
Portillo Chileno
Besucht: 18.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — The others, on horseback. I was still at Real de la Cruz.
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
They said it was very cold. They slept outside anyway, under the stars.
- Sehenswürdigkeit
Portillo Argentino
Besucht: 19.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — They picked me up at Real de la Cruz. We recrossed together.
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
Back over the pass, the other way — the direction San Martín took on his final return to Buenos Aires.
- Unterkunft
Refugio Scaravelli
Besucht: 19.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — On horseback from the Portillo
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
One more night at the refuge.
- Sehenswürdigkeit
Gendarmería, Manzano Histórico
Besucht: 20.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Sonstiges — On horseback, back to the original post
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
Where we had mounted. The van was waiting.
- Unterkunft
A friend's place, Mendoza
Besucht: 20.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Auto — Van back to the city
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
A shower. Then the airport.
- Sonstiges
Aeropuerto Mendoza
Besucht: 20.01.2025
Wie ich dorthin kam: Flug — The plane back to Miami
· In Google Maps öffnen (öffnet in einem neuen Tab)
End of the crossing.
Routenübersicht: Tupungato → Gendarmería, Manzano Histórico → Refugio Scaravelli → Portillo Argentino → Refugio Real de la Cruz → Real de la Cruz — sick day → Portillo Chileno → Portillo Argentino → Refugio Scaravelli → Gendarmería, Manzano Histórico → A friend's place, Mendoza → Aeropuerto Mendoza