Nevado de Cachi

Nevado de Cachi is a mountain massif in Salta Province in northwest Argentina whose highest summits reach roughly 6,300-6,400 metres. The group of peaks forms the Cachi range at the eastern edge of the high Puna plateau.

Mountaineers visit for high-altitude climbs and long ridge walks; the terrain includes snowfields, glaciers in some years, and mixed rock and scree. Approaches are long and start from the foothill towns and provincial roads that climb from the Lerma Valley.

Geologically the massif is a product of Andean uplift and Quaternary glaciation, with peaks shaped by erosion and ice. Over the 20th century the area has seen sporadic mountaineering activity but remains remote compared with the principal Andean ranges.

Geographically it sits west of the provincial lowlands around the city of Salta and east of the high Puna plateau, within a sparsely populated, high-altitude landscape of puna grassland and Andean valleys.

• Elevation and difficulty: Summit elevations in the Cachi massif reach roughly 6,300-6,400 metres, so ascents require alpine experience and acclimatization.
• Access: Located in Salta Province, the massif is accessed from the town of Cachi and the city of Salta, roughly 150-200 kilometres to the east by road.

The usual approach is from the city of Salta via the Ruta 33 (toward Cachi) through the Lerma Valley and over the Abra del Acay region depending on the route. Cachi town is the common base; the drive from Salta to Cachi takes several hours with changing elevation and road surfaces.

• Nevado de Cachi's caracara-filled ridges are best approached slowly-allow several days for acclimatization if coming from lowland Salta.
• The gateway is the town of Cachi on the Ruta 33; stop in the Museo Regional for local history before attempting high roads.
• Hire local drivers familiar with mountain tracks; weather and road conditions can turn abrupt at high passes.