| photos : general info : route notes : narrative : reflections : stats In We spent several uneventful days in the Valle de Uco region of Argentina, dismayed to see unseasonably cold and wet weather and beginning to despair of our planned return. But the snow melted and we were able to make our second crossing, this time using the little-visited Portillo Argentino and Piuquenes pass. This was the highlight of our trip. We had organised mules from England and certainly needed them. There is a rough road as far as the Portillo Argentino, but from there to the Termas del Plomo in Chile there are only mule tracks, often hard to push let alone ride. Between the passes is a beautiful uninhabited valley surrounded by high peaks; the Río Tunuyán which runs through it cannot be crossed except on muleback.
We left the mules at the Paso de los Piuquenes (they are not permitted to cross the frontier) and completed the journey on our own, pushing the bikes down to the Río Yeso and crossing it the next morning with rope for (questionable) protection. Finally we spent a couple more days in mountain scenery at Lo Valdés before returning to England. | photos : general info : route notes : narrative : reflections : stats |