Chile Guide
El Norte Chico
Ojos de Salado
Laguna Verde is surrounded by huge volcanoes: Mulas Muertas, Incahuasi and the monumental OJOS DE SALADO. At 6893m, this is the highest peak in Chile and the highest active volcano in the world; its last two eruptions were in 1937 and 1956. A popular climb (between October and May), it's not technically difficult, apart from the last 50m that border the crater. The base of the volcano is a twelve-kilometre walk from the abandoned carabineros checkpoint on the main road, and there are two refugios on the way up, one at 5100m and another at 5750m. If you need to arrange transport to the base, or a guide for the ascent, contact Maximiliano Martínez or his son Sebastián at Aventurismo in Copiapo. As the volcano sits on the border with Argentina, climbers need to present written permission from the Dirección de Fronteras y Límites plus a Permiso Regional, obtained from the tourist office, to the carabineros before climbing up.