Today, we were woken up by the sun at around 6:30 a.m. Since there was no point in trying to sleep for an extra 30 minutes, we decided to start packing right away—a necessary choice given that it took us almost an hour to pack up everything, including our tent, just in time for breakfast at 7:30 a.m.
For breakfast, we had toast, a few other snacks, and some delicious passionfruit tea before setting off on our trek.
The trek began alongside the river, and we soon reached the same bridge we had crossed on our previous trip. We stopped there for some photos before continuing down the valley. The day’s journey covered 17 km and took us about six and a half hours, climbing steadily as we went. The trail passed through a variety of landscapes: first along the valley hills, then beside the river, and finally over some sand dunes as we approached Casa de Piedra.
We took several breaks along the way to snack and have lunch, during which we spotted some guanacos. These wild animals seemed as curious about us as we were about them, though they constantly darted away as we tried to photograph them.
As we neared Casa de Piedra, we saw the camp emerge in the distance. The valley opened up before us, revealing a breathtaking view of the mountain beyond—both beautiful and daunting at the same time.
Upon arrival at the camp, we took a short break to have some drinks before setting up our tent. Mathieu and I wanted a more secluded spot, but since the flatter areas weren’t cleared, we had to pitch our tent alongside everyone else, forming a tight cluster of tents. Hopefully, no one snores! We secured our tent more effectively than the day before, tying it down properly and placing our kit bags in the vestibule and our backpacks in the smaller vestibule we used as an entrance.
Since it was too hot inside the tent, we only dropped off the essentials we needed and headed to the shared dome tent, which was slightly cooler. Everyone else had the same idea, and we ended up chatting for about an hour and a half, sharing random stories—including one about a guy who had to be evacuated from Aconcagua due to a case of edema in an unusual location.
As the sun began to set, the temperature in our tent dropped, making it more comfortable. We returned to set up our mattresses, positioning them diagonally this time for a better fit. After inflating them, we took a short break to relax.
Dinner was pollo al disco, which was absolutely delicious!
After dinner, I decided to take photos of the stars over Aconcagua as the sun set. I rushed to the entrance of the valley to catch the last remnants of the sunset, which left beautiful pink streaks across the sky. I arrived around 9 p.m. and decided to wait until 10 p.m. for the stars to come out. As the sky darkened, there was still some light lingering on the horizon, so I waited an extra 30 minutes until 10:30 p.m.
Finally, I captured a stunning photo of the stars with Aconcagua silhouetted beneath them and Venus shining brightly overhead. I also took a few pictures of our camp in the valley, though they didn’t turn out as well and might look better after editing.
As it neared 11 p.m., I headed back to camp, snapping a few shots of our tent before getting ready for bed. With an early start ahead of us, I settled in, ready to rest for the next day’s adventure.