Summit

The access route is similar to that of the El Ermitaño Volcano and
the other Six Thousand Metre Peaks in the Ojos del Salado area.
Taking the city of Copiapó as a point of departure, head towards
and then take the international road, Ruta 31, that leads to Argentina
via the San Francisco border crossing.

In the area of the Maricunga Salt Lake is the San Francisco border
post where it is necessary to register your expedition.

Continue along Ruta 31 to Laguna Verde (4,342 m) where there is
a police station that is closed during the winter and re-opens at the
beginning of October. Here, the budget company Aventurismo can
supply radios, water, bathrooms and hot springs which makes it a
good place for the process of acclimatisation.

From Laguna Verde it is necessary to go back to the turning that
leads to the old police station next to what was the Murray Hostal
and is now the Claudio Lucero Refugio (4,540 m). On our expedition
BC was set up at the Refugio as from here the access to the hill and
the ascent are relatively short if you have a 4x4 vehicle.

From BC, the approach to Solo continues, re-taking the international
road and heading west for about 20 km until you come to a track
that leads towards the volcano through the Piedra Pomez Gully (see
waypoints). Solo is visible for nearly all the journey from the
international road, apart from the final part of the approach.

The track you take from the international road is barely marked and
after some undulating slopes you go into a stony gully where the
driving conditions worsen until you come out at a pass at 4,950 m.
From the pass, the track improves and leads to a salt lake which is
in the immediate surroundings of Solo. Here there are a multitude
of trails. Follow the west edge of the salt lake towards the southeast
until you go up the slopes caused by landslides, heading southwest.
There are no tracks and so it is necessary to have experience
of 4x4 vehicles. The vehicle should reach the pass between Solo and
the Tres Cruces massif, from where the ascent begins.

The pass is only approximately 700 metres lower than the summit
and the route is quite clear. Make the ascent by the west scree slope.
It has a semi-soft terrain and a gradient of between 35 and 40º.

Approach through the couloir that is at the end of the scree slope.
The last 150 metres of the couloir can be more difficult if there is
snow.

The descent follows the same route as the ascent.

• No special permits* are required to climb Solo but you should
inform the police in the San Francisco border post of your
expedition, giving them a letter showing participants, nationalities,
passport or ID numbers, details of activities and specific itineraries,
dates, route and a map of the area. As the mountain is on the
border, foreigners must ask for permission from DIFROL
(www.difrol.cl).

• The best transport option is to take a 4x4 vehicle. See appendix
for recommendations. Buy sufficient fuel in Copiapó as there are
no other places to buy it during the rest of the journey.

• If you do not have your own transport it is recommended to send
a letter asking for support to the headquarters of the Army 1st
division in Antofagasta (Av. Ejército 01180, Antofagasta). Once
approved it will be sent to the 23rd Regiment in Copiapó, which
will co-ordinate the support.

• Another option is a transport service from Copiapó. Among the
companies that offer the service are Aventurismo (52-235340 /
mobile: 99694654, who also offer transport from Laguna Verde
to the various mountains), Gran Atacama Tour Operador (52-
219271, www.granatacama.cl) and Atacama Chile Tour Operador
(mobile:98723652, www.atacamachile.com).

• The facilities of the company Aventurismo at Laguna Verde can
be used from November 1st to March 31 every year. You can pay
at Laguna Verde.

• It is recommended to take equipment and clothing suitable for
high altitude mountaineering. As part of the equipment it is
recommended to take an ice axe and crampons.

• Take sufficient water for the whole expedition. This can be taken
from Copiapó or Laguna Verde.

• The Puna de Atacama area has high precipitation in winter and
summer, when it is slightly affected by the “Alti-Planic winter”.
The climatic instability can also be accompanied by strong squalls
and wind-storms. It is therefore strongly recommended to climb
during the months of spring and summer, as the winter presents
very low temperatures and abundant precipitation. It is necessary
to keep up-to-date with the weather forecast.

* From December 1st 2004 the company Aventurismo (32-235340) has had
the rights for access to the summit of the Ojos del Salado Volcano and its
neighbouring summits over 6,000 m, also to the Atacama (5,200 m) and
Tejos (5,800 m) refugios and the Laguna Verde thermal springs. The permit
includes a series of services that can only be used if the expeditions are run
between November and the end of March. At the date of publication of this
book, the only permit that requires payment is for the Ojos del Salado, but
eventually the Solo Volcano will also require such a permit.