Cordon del Plata

I decided to take a 5 night side trip in th emountains while i wait for Steve to arrives as i finished well ahead of my origional schedule .

I went camping at 4200 m in the Cordon del Plata ( cord of silver) mountains .

Litlle did i know that the weather was going to turn and even th elocals were very suprised at the sudden storm that brought hail , snow and rain .

I stuck it out at camp Salto ( 4200 m ) and on the second last day with a a clear sky but a few inches of snow on the ground  i trekke dup to camp hoyyado ( 4600 m ) with 4 others who had stuck it out at Salto .

Nestor , Lucas and there freind were going to try fopr peak vallecitos (5300 m) , richard ( no me ) was going to see if he could get to 5000 m and  i was just going to tag along until at least hoyyado .

At hoyyado i decided to turn back as i was th eonly one wearing new ballance running shoes with home made wire crampons and i thought my toes were going to fall off .

Richard offerred to come down with me but i said i would go it alone and my crampons worked like a charm . ( they eventually fell to pieces th enext morning but had served there purpose.

below are a few photos with captions .

Nestor examining my tent at first camp ( las vegas) at 3200 meters

thats where i am heading 

A cross at Piedre grande ( big stones) at 3600 m 

nice a misty at Piedre Grande 

My tent in the foreground and the other Richard whom i met on th emountain in the back ground 

cloudy 

not so cloudy 

Arrival at Camp Salta  4200 m 

weather looks like it might turn , i dunno i am not a expert .

and turn it did , wind , hail , snow and rain all in one night , this  was the paterrn for the three nights at salto

Loving it 

My home made crampons that would get me to hoyyado at 4600 m 

every body who was in camp salta including a priest , straight after this picture they all descend except fotr 5 of us 

more crampons , the guys in camp loved them .

At camp hoyyado 4600 m

mucho snow

me in my proffesional mountain gear .

Sh....t my toes are cold ...brrrrrr

what a view