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I added Volcan San Jose because people keep asking me about this volcano. So I thought I share some information here on summitpost.org.

Volcan San Jose is of the big classics in the High Andes. Easily reachable from Santiago de Chile, it is popular with climbers from Chile and abroad alike.

It is a big volcanic complex, constisting of four summits:

- Main summit (5856 m/19213 ft)
- Plantat I and II (aka North Summit, 5500 and 5740 m/18045 ft and 18832 ft)
- La Engorda (5692 m/18675 ft)

For mountaineers the main summit is of most interest, the Plantat and especially the Engorda summits are seldomly climbed. However, in winter the North Summit can be an interesting alternative, since the snow cover is higher then on the main summit, due to the different exposure to the wind.

For the main summit two main routes exist:

1. The Ruta Normal: a technically easy tour, some snow and ice in the summer near the summit.

2. The Nueva Normal: a 30° couloir, which steepens up to about 60° for a short stretch

Volcanic activity:

Volcan San Jose is a composite volcanoe, and part of a small eruptive mountain range that is about 8 km (5 mi) long, that also includes the minor summits Plantat I and II and La Engorda.
Santiago de Chile was founded in 1541 and Volcan San Jose is 70 km (43 mi) away. Since then, no significant eruptions were recorded. Historic records of activity a limited to permant fumaroles sometimes with small pyroclastic columns.
Increases of this activity was often associated with major earthquakes - like the 1906 Valparaiso-Santiago earthquake (Magnitude 8.4). During this event also an explosion on the central crater was observed.

Despide this small volcanic activity there is a possibility that Volcan San Jose is close to an explosive eruptive cicle, with characteristics similar to the eruption of Pinatubo (Philipines), where no eruptions had occurred for 600 years.

The area covered by glaciers of the Marmolejo (6,110 m/20,045 ft) - San Jose mountain range is around 100 km² (39 mi²), with thicknesses between a few meters and 40 meter (130 ft).

The volcanoe represens a risk to the people of the Maipo valley and the 4.5 mio people of Santiago de Chile, but also to the Argentina side. Villages are further away from the volcanoe here, but the largest glaciers can be found in the wind shadow on the Argentine side and pyroclastic material and gases can be transported far into Argentina by the wind (the wind mostly comes from the West, from the Pacific).

Source: González-Ferrán, O.: Volcanoes de Chile, Instituto de Geográfico Militar, Santiago de Chile, 1995, p. 270-274

Getting There

Your starting point is the valley "Cajon del Maipo", popular recreasional area for people from the Santiago region.

There are buses running from Santiago into the Cajon del Maipo.
In winter it goes only as far San Gabriel, in late spring and summer all the way to the end to Lo Valdes at about 1850 m (6070 ft).
If you only get as far as San Gabriel, hitch-hike further into the valley. Patience is the key, but it works, even in winter.

From Lo Valdes you can start walking - 4000 m (13120 ft) vertical to the summit!
Every once in a while jeeps go up there. Rise your thumb, try your luck, often it works and you can save yourself a walk on a dusty road used by mine trucks (the trucks are not allowed to take you. On the way up they occasionally still do so, though!)

The departure place of the bus to Cajon del Maipo has changed recently.
Departure used to be every 30 min from Estacion Central, now it leaves from La Florida on the east end of Santiago, every 30 min, first bus at 7:30. You can easily get to La Florida with metro.

I will try to get updated information about that and post it, since that changes occasionally.

The Tourist Information (SERNATUR) has repeadetly passed out WRONG information about the buses. They have good information for the average tourist, but not for climbers. This is by the way the case all over Chile, with the notable exception Copiapo.

When To Climb

Mountaineering: December to March (summer months)

Ski touring: Basically all winter and spring, but the following periods seem best:

- August: very cold but fairly stable weather
- late September/October: warmer and again fairly stable weather. After a dry winter often little snow left, though.

September usually has unstable weather.
November can sometimes still have quite large amounts of snow, depending how much snow fell in the winter. Short-skis are probably the best bet here.

Red Tape

Register with the Carabineros (police) at their station in San Gabriel. This is somewhat mandatory - regulations here change from year to year, but they constantly get stricter.

Their station is at the end of the village towards the mountains.

Otherwise - no red tapes

Maps

If you intend to do mountaineering or trekking in the area around Cajon del Maipo/Volcan San Jose, I suggest getting the map "Cajon del Maipo" (1:250 000; Nr. 3300-6900) from the Instituto Geográfico Militar in Santiago de Chile, or one of their more detailled maps in 1:50 000.

Costs 8100 Pesos.
IGM maps are quite detailled. However, roads are sometimes not correct, important for those who intend to go travel by 4 WD or motor cycle. Get in this case additionally a good road map in Chile

Camping

Camping is allowed anywhere on the mountain.

scottthelen adds:

Hide your stuff!
I have been to San Jose twice and had things taken from camp twice. hide things well the locals know the valley like the back of there hand, I don't recomend camping anywhere below the refuge.
The german refuge just out side of Banos Moralas is great for beer and food after the climb, be sure to meet the german shepard dog its been up all the major peaks in the area.

Mountain Conditions
I suggest contacting the mountain hut in Lo Valdes. It is run by a Dutch couple. Link

You can also contact me. I usually know how conditions are or can contact friends who live there.

For the ones that speak Spanish/Castellano and can interpret meteorolic data the website of the Dirección Meteorológica de Chile provides information.

External Links
Andeshandbook - Volcán San José
Volcán San José route descriptions of Ruta Normal and Directa. In Spanish, but also useful for people who do not speak Spanish because of the route photos

Images
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