Lanin Volcano, a volcano covered in permanent snow
Reaching the top of the Lanín: an unforgettable experience
Lanín volcano is surrounded by beauty in the form of lakes, valleys and mountains, of which you can obtain a panoramic view from the refuges situated in the middle of the mountain or from its top, which is 3,776 meters above sea level.
From there, if you turn around, you can see the Llaima, Villarrica, Quetrupillán, and Osorno volcanoes, as well as Tronador Mount and Tromen, Quillén, Huechulafquen and Paimún lakes.
The wonderful landscape of the Patagonia range and the recent boom of the so-called “adventure tourism”, has led thousands of people per year to ascend this volcano, located around 60 kilometers from Junín de los Andes, following the road that takes to the border pass known as Tromen or Mamuil Malal.
Except for those who have been explicitly forbidden by doctors to make efforts, this tour is considered suitable for everybody, from 14 years old on. Anyway, it is recommended to do the ascent accompanied by a guide authorized by the National Park.
Physical condition
It is important to know that in order to walk on the volcano’s permanent snow, one has to train a little bit, for instance doing some trekking with a loaded backpack on one’s shoulders. Once the expedition begins, you’ll have to carry some elements that are considered essential for the trip, which will take two days if weather conditions are favorable.
If you follow a sedentary lifestyle, we recommend you to follow a training program for several months before the ascent. Keep in mind that you will have to follow an uphill path for around seven hours and that weather does not usually help. Winds are frequent and strong, and unexpected storms are not too unusual.
Basic equipment
In the backpack, you will be carrying warm clothes, balaclavas, sun glasses with UV protection, a sleeping bag, a lantern, and also crampons and ice axes to use while hiking over the glaciers. Besides, it is important to carry energetic food and a first aid kit.
The Journey
During the first day, after hiking along a path in the middle of an incredible lenga forest with amancay flowers, you will get to Lanín volcano’s base. That’s the starting point for the four or five-hour ascent through the famous “Espina de pescado” (fish bone). After this intense climb, you will arrive at one of the two refuges, where you will spend the night and repair your body for the final stretch, to be done in the first hours of the following morning.
The refuge of the Junín de los Andes Andean Club is at 2,600 meters high and can accommodate 14 people; the other refuge is the one belonging to the Mountain Infantry Regiment, which is at 2,450 meters high and can accommodate around 20 adventurers. As you get ready to fulfill your desire of reaching the top, there is a book at your disposal where you can read anecdotes, feelings and experiences of those who have already achieved their goal.
You need to stay overnight at the refuge to be able to start early, which is essential so that you have enough day hours to go up and then come down. At dawn, the views are stunning and the spirit is renewed.
The snow is still hard, making the use of the crampons easier. Then, the hardest part of the ascent begins: 6 or 7 hours of mountain trekking with the crampons fastened on the trekking boots and the ice axes on the hands. It becomes a personal challenge.
raises over the forest of
Lanín National Park
If you leave from the C.A.J.A. (Junín de Los Andes Andean Club) refuge, you must take the snowfield further up. To avoid the impossible-to-cross cracks on the left side, it is recommended to ascend through the right side during a two-hour walk, following the signs.
Once the gutter ends, there is a fifty meter detour to the right to avoid a 3 meter high rocky formation. In summer, from that point on, it is possible to continue walking without the crampons.
The most difficult moment arrives when you reach the pre-summit. From there, you can make out the last 30 minutes of the excursion, which is the most demanding part. There is snow at the pre-summit. Ice towers will rise before you, leading you to walk the last meters over the depression on the left side. When you get to the summit, the view is unique and the feeling indescribable: one is 3,776 meters over sea level.
The complete descent of the volcano is done step by step for six hours. As you go down, you will record in your eyes the most beautiful images that the region offers. The comment of those who put their feet on the permanent snows of the Lanín is unanimous and conclusive: an unforgettable experience.
