THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
A full-day guided ascent from La Parva to El Pintor takes you above 4,000 m into raw Andean terrain. Expect a mix of high desert plateau, scree slopes and panoramas of Marmolejo, Tupungato and hanging glaciers.
A full-day guided ascent from La Parva to El Pintor takes you above 4,000 m into raw Andean terrain. Expect a mix of high desert plateau, scree slopes and panoramas of Marmolejo, Tupungato and hanging glaciers.
You set off before the city has fully woken: Santiago's lights fall away and the road climbs into the Andes until La Parva's rocky chairlifts and scrub mark the trailhead. The air thins and the mountain around you—El Pintor—takes on color like a pigment bled across stone, daring each step to keep pace.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Coigue Expeditions · Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region
You set off before the city has fully woken: Santiago's lights fall away and the road climbs into the Andes until La Parva's rocky chairlifts and scrub mark the trailhead. The air thins and the mountain around you—El Pintor—takes on color like a pigment bled across stone, daring each step to keep pace.
This route moves from La Parva up to Laguna Piuquenes at about 3,599 m, then onto the promontory Falsa Parva before crossing a high desert plateau and pushing for the summit just over 4,000 m (13,123 ft). Geologically the area is part of the Central Andes: volcanic and tectonic uplift has carved steep valleys and left scree slopes and hardened lava-like rock underfoot. Culturally, these passes were routes and water sources for indigenous communities long before ski lifts and refugios appeared; peaks such as Marmolejo and Tupungato loom like older relatives across the skyline.
Expect thin air, bright sun, and raw panoramic views of hanging glaciers on higher neighbors. The terrain alternates packed trail, loose scree and flat high plateau, with short exposed sections where steady footing and concentration matter.
Practical guidance: start early, move steadily to manage altitude, and eat and hydrate before feeling symptoms. Wear stiff-soled boots for scree, layered clothing for rapidly changing temps, and carry a windproof shell. Guides provide poles, lunch, transport and first aid, but the physical demand is high—this is a full, high-altitude day with sustained ascent and descent.
challenging.
8–10 hours.
Requires a high level of cardiovascular fitness, prior day-hiking experience, and ability to sustain steady uphill hiking at altitude.
It's a long, high-altitude day with sustained uphill sections and loose terrain — expect 8–10 hours and recommend being in very good fitness.
Altitude sickness is possible above 3,000 m; guide-led pacing, hydration, rest breaks and prior acclimatization reduce risk but do not eliminate it.
No technical climbing gear is needed for the standard route—sturdy boots, poles and warm layers are the essentials; guides provide first aid and poles if arranged.
Most departures include hotel pick-up in Santiago and comfortable transport to La Parva ski area; confirm pickup location and timing when booking.
The Central Andean passes here were used historically by indigenous communities for seasonal travel and water access; later the area became frequented by miners and mountaineers in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Fragile high-altitude vegetation and water sources recover slowly; stick to established trails, pack out waste, and follow guide instructions to minimize impact.
Coigue Expeditions operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You set off before the city has fully woken: Santiago's lights fall away and the road climbs into the Andes until La Parva's rocky chairlifts and scrub mark the trailhead. The air thins and the mountain around you—El Pintor—takes on color like a pigment bled across stone, daring each step to keep pace.
You set off before the city has fully woken: Santiago's lights fall away and the road climbs into the Andes until La Parva's rocky chairlifts and scrub mark the trailhead. The air thins and the mountain around you—El Pintor—takes on color like a pigment bled across stone, daring each step to keep pace.
This route moves from La Parva up to Laguna Piuquenes at about 3,599 m, then onto the promontory Falsa Parva before crossing a high desert plateau and pushing for the summit just over 4,000 m (13,123 ft). Geologically the area is part of the Central Andes: volcanic and tectonic uplift has carved steep valleys and left scree slopes and hardened lava-like rock underfoot. Culturally, these passes were routes and water sources for indigenous communities long before ski lifts and refugios appeared; peaks such as Marmolejo and Tupungato loom like older relatives across the skyline.
Expect thin air, bright sun, and raw panoramic views of hanging glaciers on higher neighbors. The terrain alternates packed trail, loose scree and flat high plateau, with short exposed sections where steady footing and concentration matter.
Practical guidance: start early, move steadily to manage altitude, and eat and hydrate before feeling symptoms. Wear stiff-soled boots for scree, layered clothing for rapidly changing temps, and carry a windproof shell. Guides provide poles, lunch, transport and first aid, but the physical demand is high—this is a full, high-altitude day with sustained ascent and descent.