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Would anybody know what is the wheather like in Northwest Argentina, in the Salta/Cachi region, in late february / early march.

We plan to ascend Nevado de Cachi (6380m), but it's not clear if the area is still in wet season, or already in dry at that period.
Simply to know, if there would be a large amount of snow there.

Thanks.

You won't regret climbing in the Cachi range. It's beautiful and isolated. I doubt that you'll see anybody else in the area. I live in the city of Jujuy, just a bit to the north of Salta and have climbed Menendez, Hoygaard a number of times. Libertador, slightly higher at 6380 mts., is a couple of kilometers to the NW. Regarding the climb in February and March, there's no problem at all. It's the end of the rainy season in NW Argentina but the area is high enough to be above most of the clouds. I've only been rained on once in the past 20+ years and snowed on once, too, but not very deep. Have a good time.

That sounds like great news ! Thanks
I have a few questions if you don't mind :

- You mention "Libertador" : is it the same as Nevado de Cachi ?
- How many days would you recommend for the ascent ?
- The walk starts at Las Pailas ?
- Are there buses from Cachi to Las Pailas ?

Again thank you.

Hi again. I'm traveling in Pennsylvania right now and it's sometimes difficult for me to work on the internet.
I'll try to answer your questions as well as possible.
Libertador (6,380 mts.) is the highest peak in the Nevados de Cachi range which also includes several other high ones in the area. My favorite is Menendez in spite of it being a slightly lower (6,150 mts.) It offers a much better view of the area, is more accessible and there are Indian ruins on the summit. I guess they had religious ceremonies up there hundreds of years ago and there is even some wood left up there, too. They had a camp at the base of a huge monolith which I call "Condor's nest rock" and can be seen from miles across the valleys. All of these peaks are "walk-ups" but, depending on the snow fall (mostly during the summer months since that is the season for precipitation). I know of some fellas who have used crampons but I never have. Most of the peaks are rounded on the top and no technical equipment is all that necessary. I'd take crampons and trekking poles anyway. Very high winds aren't uncommon so a sturdy mountaineering tent is suggested.
There are two way to climb Libertador......from the west side which has to be accessed through a settlement called "Cachi Adentro" or from Pailas, my preferred route since it takes you through a huge (over 400 acres) of ruins that seemed to be a good-sized "scattered" town at one time. All that is left is low stones and a lot of cactus. I would calculate 5-6 days for Menendez and 7-8 days for Libertador since it's farther to the west.
The first time I visited the area in 1986 there was a bus that left us on the west side of Pailas valley. I don't know about the Cachi Adentro side and how far it will take you. I imagine there are daily buses but I could be mistaken. I usually drive my 4X4 pickup as far up the valley and use 3 camps for Menendez. To reach the Libertador peak from Pailas, you would continue up the valley, skirting some central hills and work your way to the west until you reach a huge amphiteater where there are good campsites and lots of water. There's some steep climbing up to the NW rim, skirt around the right side ofHoygaard mtn. and you will have your first glimpse of Libertador farther to the west several kms. away.
I hope this info. helps some. I remember the Cachi description on S.P. but I heard the guy took it off since he got angry. Don't ask why, however. Ask some more if you'd like. I love that area. Another fantastic climb is up Chañi, closer to our city of Jujuy. A liesurely 8 days in and out is a 120 km. trek and climb. Beautiful country and I've only seen a couple of climbers (in the Cachi range as well as on Chañi). There are many camping sites and lots of water in both ranges.
Have fun. Dave

Dear Dave,

Your description is really helpful. Everything you describe seems appealing !
I have a few more questions indeed, if you don't mind :

where is located Menendez exactly compared to Libertador ?
Do you have GPS coordinate (from Google Earth for example) by any chance ?
Is the same access as Libertador (from Las Pailas etc...)

My biggest concern is about the weather. Again I read that is the end of wet season in late February / early March, when we are there. It seems like a beautiful area and we would like to enjoy it as much as possible, which means with as little rain as possible. I Know that you can never predict the weather but :
Do you think it can be a sunny period if even if rains a bit ?or cloudy most of the time ?
Would you say that around the city of Chani it may be less rainy than in Salta, due to higer altitude ?

Regarding the ascent :
How many hours to go from the last camp in the amphitheater to the summit of Libertador ?
On the steep part to reach the NW rim, is the path to follow quite clear ?
Once you reach the NW rim, how many kilometers / hours to reach the actual summit ?
On Google Earth I located the summit on 24°55'51.24"S / 66°23'23.57"W... do you confirm ?

I have one last question that has not much to do with Chani, but I thought you might help : we intend to go from Salta to San Pedro de Atacama afterwards. I read there are buses through Paso de Jama.
Is it daily or only a couple a week ? Are there less buses in early March ?

A lot of questions, but it is really hard to find information about that area of Argentina... which makes this ascent quite exciting actually !!

Muchas gracias amigo.

Hola mi amigo!
Again, forgive the lateness of the reply. I get to a computer only on occasion since I'm on the road so much.
Now to answer your questions. Nope, you don't ask too many since I love the area of Jujuy and Salta so much.
1. I'm sorry that I don't have any GPS coordinates for any of the mtns. in NW Argentina. Believe it or not, I just got my first GPS a couple of months ago. Nonetheless, Menendez is about 7 kms. SE of Libertador. If you intend to climb both summits, I would give yourself at least 8 days. There are two access points to Libertador (from Cachi Adentro, which is more difficult but shorter, and from the Pailas valley). The only access to Menendez is from Pailas.
2. The weather is usually excellent on both the Cachi and the Chañi. If it does rain or snow, it clears up fast....within 24 hs. I consider the weather some of the best in the world for climbing. As I've mentioned, the altitude takes you way above the clouds on both climbs.
3. Time for the rim to Libertador climb is one whole day.
4. There is no clear path to Libertador. Just look for the easiest route.
5. Yes, there are at least 4 different buses from Salta (or Jujuy) to San Pedro de Atacama. The two company names are Pullman and Geminis. Both are Chilean lines that leave Jujuy at 8 a.m. and are decent, even includes a lunch at noon. We paid the equivalent of $35 bucks from Jujuy all the way to the Chile-Peru border last year. Beautiful high altitude desert scenery! The same number of trips go all year-round since the Paso de Jama is open even in the winter. Hardly ever snows.
Ask more if you'd like. I hope your plans develop OK.

As usual... Thank you !!

So basically even if late February is rainy season in Salta, you mean that in the mountains around Cachi and Las Paillas, as it is above 2000m, it will sunny most of the time
It would be a pain if we have to walk the first 3 days under the rain, if we only get sun above 5000m, you see...

Anyway, everything you have described so far, make me think it's a great area to climb.

I checked with Kelsey for you, as you ask. Kelsey had heavy rains the whole time on his trip in January. April though November is the best time. Kelsey didn't make the summit of Chachi because of heavy rains and flooding. It may have been unusual, but February is the wettest month in the region.

Thanks for the information... that sounds quite bad actually, despite what Dave said

DAVE : do you confirm ?

The heaviest rains in NW Argentina are December through February.....and starts to let up in March. The driest and most favorable months for climbing is April through November. I have done some climbing in November and December but it can rain a bit on the approach.

It does not sound like great news...
And apparently it seems to be wetter this year.

From what I read and heard, the Cachi area could be a great place to hike and climb. But if the weather conditions are uncertain, it might a better guess to go to Puna de Atacama, wouldn't it