Loneliness

Soledad / Worn Wear

Photo 1: The photos are of the Maipo Volcano and Laguna Del Diamante. Mendoza, Argentina. January 2015.

Photo 2: As you can see, the boots couldn't withstand the rough, rocky terrain of Volcán Maipo, but we still reached the summit. The Patagonia Merino "super socks" were excellent—not a single chafing or blister—and the boots were tied like a rolled-up piece of meat (laces were a must!).

Photo 3: On top of a 1960s Mercedes Benz Unimog belonging to the National Gendarmerie (Laguna del Diamante group). Vero is wearing her Patagonia polar suit.

On January 11, 2015, after two camping trips and favorable weather, we summited Maipo Volcano (5200 meters above sea level) in the province of Mendoza, Argentina. The chosen volcano is not frequently visited because the area is very inhospitable; the provincial reserve is only open to the public from late December to early March, depending on weather conditions (access is restricted if snowfall begins due to the impassable conditions). Laguna Diamante is teeming with trout, and the fauna includes flamingos, ducks, many other birds, guanacos, and foxes, among others. We acclimatized overlooking the lagoon, and we were the only registered mountaineers at that time, just beginning the season. As we descended to identify our return route, we were pleasantly greeted by two gendarmes. We were overjoyed at having reached the summit, and as a reward, we received a trip in a Unimog, exploring the region all the way to the Chilean border.

Photo 4: Yours truly, Soledad, happy in the crater of the Maipo volcano with my cozy R1 Patagonia, a real find!