It
is not very difficult to climb Licancabur without guide as well, also
in case of snow of about 10 cm as far you can follow the trail. But
I do
not advice it, the risk of loosing the thrail in case of bad weather is
real,
and you save only 70 US$. It´s much safer and more economic
to take worthy seňor
Eusebio Saires. You can´t lose the way to Aconcagua, but
there are just few of
people on Licancabur. The weather is usualy good in the morning, but
strong
wind, clouds and rain can occur. The description of the trail is rough,
as
I tried to memorize it, but I folowed Eusebiou on
good footpath, but
may it be, there are some junctions that I passed over. There
is only one
road
over Laguna verde,
which goes on the inferior part of Jurique´s slope. The road
turnes
beside the Laguna´s bay to the south in between Juriques and
Licancabur. We
parked before the steper ascent between two small rock uphills forming
small
valley. After 200-300 m of walk the small valey enlarges tostarting mild ascent. Then
the trail slowly
turn to the right (west). I think there´s another
trail that goes directly
in between Licancabur and Juriques. Walking in western direction you
pass the Incka
ruins
on the left side (about 300-400 m after the junction). Then the trail
begins the ascent more, but goes always strightly. Here you can see the
very
big red stone in the down part of long rocky canal. There is
a point by
the stone, where the ascending
trail
turns little to the right and in the switchbacks climbes up. Also the descending
wayof
return, which rolls in the long rocky canal join the trail there.
It´s impossible to climb up in the rocky canal,
it´s just very fast for sliping
down the hill. So, acsending trail climbs in switch-backs on the
north-east
slope of Licancabur – little to the right of big descending
canal. The trail is
not marked but it´s in good condition in all running. You
have to passanother
ruins
and
then the small cross. I highly recomend to go to the point,
from where you
can see the big red stone the day before to get orientated in the
landscape.
You should begin to ascent at 4.00 in the morning, not later than at
5.00, but
there is still a dark at half past six in Bolivia! The way up
takes 6-8
hours and you should be on the summit before the mid-day. You can
easily lose
the trail in the dark – there is one trail to saddle between
Juriques and
Licancabur, another to Juriques, another goes to Chile on the northern
slope of
Licancabur, but I don´t remmember the junctions
exactly. It can be hard to
decide and climb in snowy conditions. The weather is not stable, hard
rain,
strong wind or snowing can occur during the summer and the clouds are
always
flying all around. There is often the rain on Laguna Verde in the
afternoon. But
generally – Atacama is the driest desert in the world and
there is no long
period of bad weather like in other mountains. photo