San Pedro de Atacama to Olacapato – Paso Sico

We did this route in early January, after the rains had begun.  While not impossible, this meant that our camping and riding was unpredictably disrupted.  A group did the route 2-3 weeks earlier and barely saw a cloud in the sky!  We followed Neil and Harriet Pikes fantastic directions in reverse, and merely offer some comments in confirmation of their info.  Refer to their directions for water and services.  We took 5 days to Olacapato.

• 6-8km uphill from Socaire the road passes the outflow from the upcoming Lagunas as an fast-flowing irrigation channel and water source if you’ve not picked up any in Socaire.  Next water is at the El Laco mining camp.
• 20km from Socaire – turnoff to Lagunas (is possible to take this road then rejoin the main route just short of the Salar Aguas Calientes
• 33km from Salar to El Laco mining camp –  prominent rock band @ c.20km (possible camping).
• Prominent rock group and more potential camping  at low-point between SAG post and Abra Sico
• From Aduanas Argentinas there is a Y-junction.  The numbering is a bit confusing, but the Ruta 51 is the R. turn and goes directly to Cauchari.  The L. goes to within 1km of Catúa is the one we took.

We managed to get not only water, but floor space and internet at the Olacapato Police station.  There is an hospedaje in Olacapato (if you have money!).

San Antonio de los Cobres to Belén

The astute will notice that this and the route above don’t totally overlap.  We hitched from Olacapato to Salta to get Sarah a new bottom bracket, then bused back as far as San Antonio.  What follows are clarifications or observations based on the route already well described by Harriet and Neil Pike at AndesbyBike

• Cauchari to Salar de Pocitos:  40km with a R. turn to Salar del Rincon @ 16km (could enable you to head straight to Pocitos from Paso Sico (assuming you take the R. turn at the Y at the Aduanas Argentinas mentioned above).  There’s also sheltered camping (without water) in disused Railway buildings at Laguna Seca (21km from Cauchari).
• The Colorada roadworkers camp mentioned by Neil and Harriet was occupied overnight when we passed.
• The Police control point at the north end of Salar de Hombre Muerto was also occupied when we passed (with water).

We were advised to circumnavigate the Salar (anticlockwise) as the police said that the road directly across was flooded.  So follows a detailed description of our route from there to Antofagasta de la Sierra…

• 11km – track that began at the police point (head along Salar shore rather than following main road) is joined from L. by a track from the Salar shortly after FMC building on R.
• 9km – Leave Salar and begin climb by hairpins (R. at Y).  Cementario at junction and road directly across Salar joins behind L.
• 1.5km to rejoin
• 1.4km to R. @ Y (L goes downhill back to Salar)
• 13.2km to Y – L. to hairpins – R. to sandy gully bottom route (more direct).
• 2.5km to rejoin (we did 700m along gully bottom to 1st intersection then followed hairpins)
• 3.8km to stream with nearby disused buildings (good water) (high point at 1.5km)
• 18.4km to Difunta Correa shrine (water if needed), with high point after 5.7km
• 25.3km to junction – road behind R. goes to Nacimientos and Antofalla. (lots of camping sites for 1st 19km.
• c.20km to Antofagasta.

Belén to Tinofagasta

Refer to AndesbyBike for full info.  Turn-off main Ruta 40 at 5.1km post Londrés has a sign now.  (R. RP No.3 Escuela 409, L. Cerro Negro 66).

Tinogasta to Famatina

A lot simpler than our map (ITMB Southern South America) suggested.

• from the Plaza in Tinogasta head south, then L. onto main road which then curves to the South.
• 25km Pavement ends with a R. turn to Costa de Reyes
• 15km ripio with a property at 5.6km (Hualico – ?water)
• 2km Y – L. to Santa Cruz and La Cuadra
• 10km to Plaza of La Cuadra/Lomada/Santa Cruz
• Rest obvious….  Follow the signs, and all paved.

Famatina to Uspallata

Main roads, so just a list of places – mainly Ruta 40, then 150, 149 and RP52.

Famatina – Chilecito – Nonogasta – Villa Union – Guandacol – Huaco – San Jose de Jáchel  - Rodeo – Las Flores – Iglesia – Tocota – Villa Nueva – Calingasta – Barreal – Uspallata.

Some more details on the Iglesia-Calingasta stretch can be found here.

Uspallata to Mendoza

Distances from the junction of the RP149 (from Barreal) about 3km away from the main Ruta 7 junction in Uspallata.

• 28km to high point (3100m) – paved for 14km then ok quality ripio.
• 4.8km to 2nd high point, soon after R. @ Y (signed)
• 22km to Hotel Termas Villavicencio – start pavement and likely water
• 42km to L. @ Y – road then crosses railway and bears R. onto Avenida Gral San Martín with another 8ish km into the city. (c. 1000m)

There are no services or water on the route apart from at the Hotel Termas Villavicencio.

Pareditas to El Sosneado

Somewhat confusingly, the old RN40 which had been renamed RP101 (and is such on most maps) is now the RN40 again (according to all the road signs).  This seems to have happened in the last year or so (Feb. 2012).  At all other junctions go straight or follow RN40 signs.  There was no other water other than mentioned when we did this route.

• 0km – Junction RN40 and 142 near south end of Pareditas. Go R. following RN40 signs (St. is now the RP101) then L. after 1km.  Frequent houses until 15km with river proximity too.
• 37km – St. @ 4-way.  (R. goes to Laguna Diamante)
• 2.5km – Arroyo Papagallo (water)
• 28km – Arroyo Hondo (water)
• 9km – Arroyo LaFaja (water)
• 9km – Arroyo (water)
• 15km  – Rio Diamante with La Jaula (village) 600m before (water)
• 7km – St. @ 4-way (L. goes to Las Salinas)
• 28km – Dwelling and 2^nd 900m later – poor surface until after Mina.
• 4.5km – Mina Cerro Alquitrán (abandoned – no water)
• 8.6km – St. (major road from behind R.)
• 13km – Pavement @ El Sosneado service station. 300m earlier is a R. turn to Lago Sosneado.

Malargüe to Barrancas

M to Bardas Blancas on RN40.  66km with highpoint at 40km.  Roadworks most of way.

BB to Barrancas (RN40).

• 58km – River bridge.  No water access.  Start ripio.  Difunta Correa shrine nearby
• 28km – River bridge.  Water access. (El Zapatel)
• 21km – Start pavement and R. turn to La Manzana
• 14km  – Ranquil Norte (water)
• 22km – Rio Barrancas (Fuel, water and snacks)
• 5km – Barrancas

Barrancas to Chos Malal via El Lago Tromén

• 0km – Lower junction to Barrancas on RN40
• 2km – R. onto dirt off RN40
• 3.9km – L.@ Y.  signed Parque Provincial Tromen
• 6.5km – R.@ Y
• 1.3km – tracks rejoin
• 8.5km – L.@ Y
• 3.7km – St. (R goes to mining/drilling site)
• 5.6km – cross stream
• 17.5km St. (L to north end of Lake)
  • high point at 10km and a croft at 15km
  • 2.4km – St. (R. to Refugio Cerro Wayle)
  • 24.6km – St. (R. to Tricao Malal)
  • 10.3km – R. onto RN40 (further c.10km to Chos Malal)

Chos Malal to RN242 (near Las Lajas)

• 0km – Junction RN40 and Chos Malal
• 5.5.km – R.@ junction off RN40 onto RP6 to Paso Pichachen.  Start ripio
• 6.2km – R. @ Y (L. to Tres Chorros)
• 8.0km – St. @ Y (L. to Ranheucú).
• 4.2km  – Arroyo Ranhuecú (water – to filter), with more possible 2.8km later and in other deeper gullies.
• 37km – L. towards El Huecú just before El Cholar (fuel, camping, ?shop)
• 30km – R. towards Loncopue (L. into El Huecú – shops, banks fuel – at gomeria).  Highpoint prior to this at 19-23km
• 29km – St. (R. goes to Copahue)
• 30km – Loncopue (full services).  Pavement begins 7km earlier.  Last shops before RN242
• 58km – RN242.  Rivers for water, but no shops at Huaren Cheneque or Codhué.

RN242 to Junín de los Andes

Please note, that if you’re not going to take the side-trip into Las Lajas there are no food shops between Loncopue and Aluminé.

• 0km – junction off RN242 onto RP23 1km downhill of Aduanas Argentinas.  50km from Las Lajas, and 41km from the RP21-RN242 junction (if coming from Chos Malal/Loncopue).
• 35km  – St. @ junction with RP13 from Zapala and Primeros Pinos, with a highpoint at 10km.  Plenty of water access.
• 5.7km L. towards Aluminé
• 48km – Aluminé (full services).  Plaza is uphill from main road.  Pavement begins at 28km.
• 16km – L. across bridge then R. onto dirt.  Rahué (hosteria only)
• 72km to Rio Malleo bridge with high points at 57km & 60km (climb from c. 45km).  Dispensa (small shop) at Pilolil and no services at Malleo.  Water access frequent until climb begins.
• 20km to Junín.