Appropriate season

From December to March is the best season, though La Parva is easily climbable all year round. In winter, one must be prepared to face extreme climatic conditions. The wind chill on this mountain leads to extremely low temperatures as the climber is very exposed to the north wind.

Access

Take the Camino de Farellones, following the road to the La Parva Ski area. At the highest point of the paved road in the village of La Parva, continue uphill on the dirt roads through the ski area. Hike, or if the roads are usable, drive, to the highest point (sector Piuquenes) of the ski area, which is located just below the pass between Cerro Franciscano and Cerro Falsa Parva. From the beginning of the Camino de Farellones it takes approximately one hour and a half to two hours to drive to the pass, which is at 3450 meters. If the ski area roads are not accessible by car (they can be covered with snow), the journey is approximately two to three hours longer.

Approach

There is practially no approach when attempting an excursion of one day. Some prefer to stay overnight around the streams that fall in the gullies of the ski areas, or in Laguna Piuquenes, which is meters from the pass.

The climb

If one starts from the La Parva ski area, one must climb via different trails in the sector Barros Negros until Piuquenes, occasionally crossing a gully. The route up through the ski area in this part is not clear, and requires climbers to have very good orientation. Very good references are the rock towers of Falsa Parva, which stand out when you look toward the heights. You have to reach the vicinity of Piuquenes, just below a pass that permits passage toward the valley of the Molina river (or toward the sector of Valle Nevado).

From the pass, climb Falsa Parva (See photo 2). This part takes less than one hour, and goes via whichever routes zig-zag up up Falsa Parva (there are many on the east or west side of this peak). Once you reach the summit of Falsa Parva, follow the trail of very gentle incline that leads in the direction of Cerro Plomo, and that runs along the ridge line of peaks until the summit of Cerro Leonera (See photo 1). In a very few meters, one arrives at a plateau full of stone shelters and camping places. From here, a clear trail follows the ridge until reaching the summit ridge of La Parva (See photo 1).). Also, one can access the summit from the north, following the principal trail that leads toward Cerro Pintor and Cerro Leonera toward the northeast. This trail circles the base of La Parva in less than 15 minutes until reaching the pass which separates Cerro Pintor from Cerro La Parva, and is full of stone shelters and flat areas. From here, a notorious zig-zag climbs toward La Parva, which we have left behind. Whichever of these routes you take, it will require no more than 40 minutes to reach the summit. In total, from Piuquenes, expect between one hour and a half to two hours.

From the summit, one has a very good view of the central cordillera of the Andes, especially the line of peaks that terminate in Cerro Plomo. Many are tempted to make an attempt on Cerro Pintor because of it's proximity.

All of the peaks located in this ridge line accumulate much snow along their sides during the winter. A winter excursion is good practice in traversing over fields of deep powder snow (See photo 3).

Variant: East Face Couloir*

In the east face of Cerro La Parva one finds a series of colouirs of snow and ice through which one can make ascensions more directly, providing many variations of the normal route. The access and the approach are identical.

From the lake, follow a group of colouirs that flank Cerro La Parva, beginning in the snow at the base and choosing the route directly toward the primary colouir that can be seen from the left to the right. The first section is very easy (some 25° in hard snow), but one must pay attention to rockfall from various cliffs. Now in the colouir, the route rises to some 35° and continues with a small section of ice from 45° a 50° (less than 10 meters). Overcoming this section, continue until stopping some 10 meters from the cornice and then traverse toward the right until in position to exit from the third colouir from the left to the right. At this point one cleanly overcomes the cornice and connects to the normal route, which from Falsa Parva permits us to reach the summit in some 15 minutes See photo 5.

*This is a contribution of Pablo Jeffs M.

Recommendations

Gear

Schedule

Schedule 1

1. Stgo-Summit-Santiago

Schedule 2

1. Santiago-Laguna Piuquenes
2. Laguna Piuquenes-Summit-Santiago