Piuquenes Pass (Andes Crossing)

Following the historic path used by the Army of the Andes in 1817, this 6-day trans-Andean expedition traverses the central cordillera from Mendoza, Argentina, to the Cajón del Maipo in Chile. The route crosses two significant high-altitude barriers—Portillo Argentino (4,330m) and Paso Piuquenes (4,030m). Hikers move through a high desert landscape of volcanic rock, vast glacial valleys, and the powerful Tunuyán River. The terrain consists primarily of rocky mountain paths, loose scree on the steeper pass approaches, and high-altitude plateaus where exposure to wind and sun is constant.

The Bocchette Centrali is a premier via ferrata (protected climbing route) in the Brenta Dolomites. The route follows a system of natural horizontal rock ledges across the faces of the Sfulmini and Cima Brenta massifs, connecting Bocca degli Armi (2,744m) and Bocca di Brenta (2,552m). The passage utilizes fixed steel cables and vertical iron ladders through highly vertical limestone terrain. Unlike standard mountain hiking, this route requires specialized technical safety equipment and significant psychological composure in high-exposure environments.