Mendoza works on the comprehensive development of a mountain trail that will cover 550 kilometres, divided into 450 km of trails and 100 km of scenic connecting routes. This proposal has great historical, archaeological, sporting and landscape value. It will be the first long-distance high mountain trail in Argentina and will connect Aconcagua with the Pehuenche Pass.
The proposal arose a few years ago, after a group of mountaineers presented the project “Long Distance Trail” before the Economic and Social Council of the province, being one of the eight approved projects.
Later, when he assumed his second term, Alfredo Cornejothe president of Emetur, Gabriela Testaand the Minister of Energy and Environment, Jimena Latorrethey took it as one of the projects to be developed within the annual work plan of both portfolios.
This project will be supported by the Ministry of Security, through the Rescue Patrol, which has determined the evacuation protocols, contingency plans and evacuation methods.
A list has also been made of the rescue material that will be at the camping stations and of the necessary infrastructure to be installed on the Long Distance Trail. 14 river and stream crossing points, entrance portals from north to south, were determined.
The director of Tourism Development and Innovation, of Emetur, Marcelo Reynosohighlighted that the development of this long-distance trail “It will be a new opportunity for tourists and locals to enjoy the mountains, thus adding a new product to the tourist offer in Mendoza. This proposal will cover the backbone of the Andes mountain range, a beautiful geography that Mendoza has.”
Mendoza: how the mega trail project is progressing
The linking and communication stage is currently underway throughout the province with different references, such as the Mountain Guide School, the Institute of Physical Education (IEF) of Mendoza and Malargüe; the School of Nature Conservation Technicians; the Andean Mountain Club; the Andean Club of El Sosneado; the Andean Club of Tunuyán; the Andean Club of San Carlos and other institutions that bring together and host nature and mountain lovers.
Authorities from the Directorate of Tourism Development and Innovation met with representatives of the municipalities involved in the development of this trail, among which are: The municipality covers an area of 1,000 hectares, with a population of 1,000 inhabitants.
The Mendoza administration reported that the trail will provide the possibility of enjoying, during the tour, 5 protected natural areas:
- Aconcagua Provincial Park.
- Cordon del Plata Provincial Park.
- Tupungato Provincial Park.
- Manzano-Portillo de Piuquenes Nature Reserve.
- Diamond Lagoon Nature Reserve.
- Atuel Lagoon Natural Water Reserve.
This project will give visitors the opportunity to walk through valleys like the Tupungato Valley, Upper Tunuyán Valley, Santa Clara Valley, Portillo Argentino Valley and Matancilla Valley. The trail will also cross all the water basins of the Mendoza, Tupungato, Tunuyán, Diamante, Atuel and Grande rivers.
Information and training workshops will be held with each of the communities involved in the different trails to carry out delimitation, demarcation and internationally approved signage of each of the sections.
Developing the Mendoza mountain
In this regard, Ricardo Funesproject manager, noted that “This proposal seeks to develop the entire Mendoza mountain range through the management model of long-distance trails, using the historic trails as an axis that allows the creation of a network to explore different areas of the mountain.”
“And when we go and talk to the communities, we say that this project is 98% complete, there is 2 left. Nature did 98% of the work, with the majestic mountain that we have together with our ancestors, who found and marked out extremely wise paths. The 2% is the small infrastructure that the path needs and we all need to agree on how we are going to do it and how we are going to take care of it,” he added.
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For its part, Juan Martín Schiappa de Azevedoa mountain guide from Mendoza and honorary consul of Portugal, stressed that the project “will change the offer of adventure tourism in Mendoza”. He also stated that “now the province will stop offering only Aconcagua as an icon of regional mountaineering, to extend hiking experiences throughout its central chain”.
“Hiking is a healthy practice that is widespread throughout the world, with special development in several European countries and the United States, and which has management and signage standards for universal use and has a low invasive effect on the environment,” Schiappa concluded.
Source: Ambito
