| THE
GREAT ACONCAGUA VALLEY
The practice of outdoor activities are some of the main highlights of the
Great Aconcagua Valley.
A generous land of farms and
mountains, sun and pure air, of barren rock and wild vegetation,
eternal skies and virgin snows; this is where by the end of the
19th century Incan groups, seduced by the beautiful plains,
arrived and started a new life in a hamlet which soon was
transformed into one of the happiest and most active villages in
the region. According to the history the village colonists
called it
"aldea donde se pone el sol" (small village where
the sun is put), others called it "valle de Chile"
(valley of Chile). Each Incan group that arrived in the valley
gave it different names, all in relation to the place where the
sun is put, some of these names originating from Conconcagua,
Canconcagua, Concahua, and Aconcagua, which was the one that stayed.
The river which is used today to irrigate the valley was named in
the same way.
Location
and Characteristics of the Area
This land of farms located 80 kilometers to the
northeast of Santiago and at 120km east of Valparaiso, with as much eternal fertility today as there was in the past, has
been used by its inhabitants for various small farming crops and fodder in the
beginning followed later by fruit farming, livestock, and today for agro-industry
where the prevailing work is fruit packing for exportation including grapes, peaches,
plums, kiwis, dried fruits, and manufacturing wines and liquors through
hand-labor and semi-industrial plants.
In the high part of the valley, the mountains provide the wealth. Valuable
minerals such as gold, silver, and copper have been extracted since the Incan epics.
With a mediterranean type of climate and well
marked seasons; A winter with rain, snow and maximum temperatures of 7° C and a
sunny summer that easily reaches maximum temperatures of 32° C. The area of the
Great Aconcagua Valley consists of the provinces of Los Andes and San Felipe, in
total 10 communities. The architecture that is seen in the populations of
the area mix the colonial with the modern, highlighted by ancient constructions
of a religious order such as the churches.
Fiestas and
Tourist Attractions
Nowadays several sectors of the valley have recovered
traditional festive activities such as "trilla" to "yegua suelta" (mare thrashing),
taming of the colts, and the rodeo. This has also happened with
some religious festivals such as the Virgen de
Andacollo in San Felipe, the Virgenes de las Nieves (the Snow
Virgins) in Calle Larga, Santa
Filomena in Santa María, and that of San Francisco in the town of
Curimón.
Nearby highlights include museums which hold valuable species from colonial
times located in Los Andes, Curimón, Putaendo, and San Felipe.
 Added
to this are the consecrated tourist centers such as Jahuel, Baños
del Corazón (Baths of the Heart), and Portillo. It is possible to
find half dozen recreational grounds with bathrooms, most preferable in the
summertime.
Found in the valley and declared a national monument is the tree
where Don José of San Martin tied up his horse, today located in the
Putaendo Plaza de Armas. The Monument of the Battle of Chacabuco,
is close to the toll plaza with the same name. Also highlighted is the house
of Don Pedro Aguirre Cerda, one of the first presidents of Chile, which is
found in the town of Pocuro. Also along the Camino
Internacional (International Road), it is possible to find the monuments of
the Battle of the Papers, and the Battle of the Old Guard. In
addition there are the Refugios de Correo (Refuges of the Mail) which
date back to 1765 in the little village of Juncal, and in the full summit of the
Andes is the significant Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) which
marks the border's edge with Argentina.
Mountaineering
and Excursions
For lovers of mountaineering and other outdoor activities,
this area is naturally wealthy having more than 35 mountain peaks which
are between 1,200 and 6,110 meters above sea level giving origin to countless
gorges and ravines where more than 20 streams empty their crystalline waters
into 4 lagoons and 8 rivers that in turn irrigate 5 inner valleys and run through
seven mountainous canyons.
In the full heart of the Aconcagua Valley is a place of special
attraction called Serranía del Ciprés (Mountainous Region of the
Cypress) located in the folds of the mountain cord Bellavista. This place is
part of a project supported and subsidized by the United Nations Development
Program whose object is to study the current status of the Cordillera Cypress,
located at more than 2,000 meters with the purpose of conservation of these
trees.
Serranía del Ciprés is accessible by mountain bikes, by foot, by vehicles with
double traction up to the picnic zone. After that, walking or horseback
riding is permitted on the slopes of the gorge which are rich in native plant
species such as quillayes, maitenes, and peumos, as well as an abundance of
birds. At the next point where the two slopes converge and the path stretches
out and disappears, the first cypress trees are visible and the other trees
start to give way to this single species.
This journey can be done in a day and the ideal time to visit is in fall, winter
(with snowy terrain), and spring, as in summer the heat and the water shortage
can make the stretch difficult. Highlights in the area include the picnic
area, and it is ideal for camping. By climbing the hills Tabaco and
Bellavista, it is possible to appreciate a stupendous view of the river basin and of
Aconcagua Valley.
Text and Photos Courtesy of Jorge Venegas
Mountaineering and Guide Instructor
Picture Gallery
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