I went1 on my first solo camping trip in Argentina to the Sierra de La Ventana mountain range2. Looking back at the experience, it felt like I stepped out of Buenos Aires to land in a scene from West World. After a three hour walk through farmland and up a pined mountain slope, the landscape instantly switches from flat and green to dramatic rocky formations with rugged peaks. It was awe inspiring mainly due to this dramatic shift.

I’m currently reading Wilderness Navigation to pickup orientation and navigation skills because I want to go back there and explore the less visited caves and grottoes that I spotted during my hikes. I also want camp in non designated areas like in one of the valleys or less visited caves. I noticed Guanaco feces around the caves; if there’s a way to track them and watch them that would be very exiciting!

Notes for next trip:

  • I met some great folks, but didn’t take fotos with them! Next time, take selfies with cool people you meet:
    • Hernan: gave me a ride back saving me part of a 6KM walk! Introduced me to his son who teaches mountain climbing in El Chalten in Patagonia to help me plan a camping trip there. We talked about gear, tango and parillas.
    • Sebastian: helped me find the water source, practically saving me hours of scouting. On his way out transfered all his water to my reservoirs. Thank you Seba!
  • It’s super windy out here. Make sure to tie down every single guyline on the tent. Later that night around midnight, the wind got crazy - woke up to the tent wall basically kissing my face before it popped back into shape once the gust passed. Big Agnes build solid tents.
  • My pack weight kicked my butt during my 5 hour hike to my destination. I need to figure out ways to lighten it up. Food items seem to be the heaviest. Look into high calorie to weight ratio foods.
  • Finish Wilderness Navigation, find a topographic map of Sierra de la Ventana and practice orientation and navigation there.
  • Look into Guanaco tracking.
  • I realized that I don’t know how to properly tie guylines to stakes. I faked it, but I want to learn a bit of knotcraft to cover the basics.
  • Stay a minimum of two nights camping there.
  • Water is scarce there during the summer. I used my filter, but didn’t have time to boil it due to pot size and the time it would take to do so. I would like to be able to prep water a day in advance for the following day. Explore options.
  • Check weather variation for the time when you’re going. I packed a jacket at the last minute when I checked weather at night. I could have used base layer pants. My assumping was it’s summer so it’s hot. That is true, but only during the day. At night, temperature drops down to 5c.
Walking towards Cerro Tres Picos
Walk through the pines to get to the top
Noon view from my tent
I had to hold that pose for 30 minutes to fill 1.5L of water from the only source around. Weird right foot due to cropping out a person.
Night tent.

  1. To get there, I took the Bahia Blanca bus from Retiro in BSAS to the Tornquist bus station. Then from the bus station took a Remis to Estancia Funke to sign in before going on the hike. Always book the best seats for these trips. It makes a difference. Also note that bus makes several stops on the way. An alternative is flying to Bahia Blanca instead and taking a car to the Estancia. It might improve logistics. ↩

  2. These are the only mountains in the Province of Buenos Aires. They are located southwest of the city. Parts of the them are owned my the Rodolfo Funke Foundation. ↩