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Kevin and Joannie on tour
The weather was cooler today so we decided to make a trip up to the ruin of a hotel, near Cerro Sosneado. We weren't sure what to expect as it was rumoured the road there was in a poor condition, but we watched a couple of videos on YouTube of others driving the route and thought we would try it.
Heading out of town, we filled up at the Esso petrol station. As usual, though it said credit cards were accepted when we tried they only accepted cash. If you say you want it full, the attendants rock your car to make sure there is no spare capacity in the tank. The distances here between places are so great you would not wish to run out. As in Chile, some cars carry huge petrol cans ("bidones") - most are made of metal but some are just big plastic drums. We have seen people at the petrol station even filling pop bottles.
Another difference is the way people turn left here. Quite frequently you see the car in front put on its hazards and pulls in to the shoulder of the road. It waits till passing traffic has passed and then turns left.
We found the turn off to the baths, just off the 101 at El Sosneado village. It started small and narrow but soon turned to "ripio" and head up the Rio Atuel valley to the mountain which gives the area its name. For about the first twenty miles the road was quite average and in line with other remote roads. We came across a memorial to some soldiers who had died in the river in the 1940s.
On the way, we passed the odd dwelling and saw a few horsemen herding their goats. Frequently you could see horses standing in the river bed.
At parts the road was very rocky and we had to be careful not to take out a tyre. In other places it was like a washboard. When it came near the river there were huge puddles to cross. We came across a fork in the road. There was no signpost so we initially took the left fork as it was nearer the river as the map showed. Very quickly the route became more challenging but we managed to find enough space to turn around and go back to the bifurcation. There we found on the ground an arrow made of stones which pointed to the right hand side route.
One of the features of the journey are the bridges which are mage out of volcanic stone. We found one long collapsed and a new wooden "bridge" in place. This was incredibly hotch-potch and had some dodgy repair work done on it. Still it seemed firm and we made our way across. Further on still, a stream crossed the road and it was very bumpy. It's dry here now but one can only imagine it would be a challenge in winter when the water is high.
There were puddles to cross and streams in the road but, with care at all times, progress could be made. The worst stretch for a couple of kilometres or so came towards the end. It is a section above the river that is rocky, narrow and up and down. If you met someone coming the other way, it would be interesting! we tiptoed our way through, and then after a handful of kilometres more were relieved to find the hotel and a few other 4WDs parked there.
We suppose the worst thing about this route was not knowing how good or bad the route would be and how far one might be from help if the car got stuck. But in general with a high clearance vehicle and 4WD "just in case" the route was passable with care. We could hardly believe it when later a normal saloon car arrived, admittedly not in pristine condition.
The hotel is quite a sight when you first see it. Almost scary!
The history of the hotel is detailed in this web page with some photos: http://translate.google.co.uk/translate ?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.tarin ga.net/posts/imagenes/1750340/Hotel-Aba ndonado-Termas-del-Sosneado-Mendoza-Arg .html&prev=search
It opened in 1938 and had it's own electricity plant. The beautiful location at 2180 metres under Cerro Sosneado initially attracted many celebrities. But it was difficult to get to. Certainly, much of it remains today in tact and it is a very formidable building. It closed in the mid-1950s after struggling for some years.
We didn't look round much as it became clear a family was dwelling there despite signs sprayed on the wall saying it was forbidden to live there. They had partitioned one section off with sheets and tarpaulins, there were saddles in the yards and a few dogs and scrawny chickens running about. There were some goat skins curing in one of the rooms. We moved away once it became clear the place was someone's home.
The spa section was about 100 metres away. There was an elegant ruin of the hotel pool with the natural pool that feeds it just behind. The formal pool was quite cool but the natural pool behind was warmer. In the middle of the pool it was warmest and you could feel the bubbles coming up through the ground. It was magical, with magnificent views and bright sunshine. We were both very glad we had come, despite a few "and breath" moments.
Another interesting detail about the hotel is that it is very close to the site of the 1972 crash of a plane carrying the Uruguayan rugby team. Some of the passengers survived and managed to stay alive in very challenging conditions for 72 days. After hearing the search for the plane had been called off after nine days, two members of the team eventually managed to walk out to Chile and fetch help. It took 12 days to walk and what they didn't know was that they were very close to the Sosneado valley.
You can join one of the survivors for a trek to the spot called the "miracle of the Andes" with a travel company. Here is an account of the crash:
http://www.alpineexpeditions.net/as-the -accident.html
Heading back down was less fraught as we knew what to expect. We saw a truck with a trailer coming through the section we had avoided and realised that it must have met face on another distinctive 4WD that had overtook us earlier in the descent as that truck overtook us again much further down.
There were plenty of horses grazing in the valley and we came across a new born foal, very tiny and unsteady on its feet with its mother.
An amazing day!
Heading out of town, we filled up at the Esso petrol station. As usual, though it said credit cards were accepted when we tried they only accepted cash. If you say you want it full, the attendants rock your car to make sure there is no spare capacity in the tank. The distances here between places are so great you would not wish to run out. As in Chile, some cars carry huge petrol cans ("bidones") - most are made of metal but some are just big plastic drums. We have seen people at the petrol station even filling pop bottles.
Another difference is the way people turn left here. Quite frequently you see the car in front put on its hazards and pulls in to the shoulder of the road. It waits till passing traffic has passed and then turns left.
We found the turn off to the baths, just off the 101 at El Sosneado village. It started small and narrow but soon turned to "ripio" and head up the Rio Atuel valley to the mountain which gives the area its name. For about the first twenty miles the road was quite average and in line with other remote roads. We came across a memorial to some soldiers who had died in the river in the 1940s.
On the way, we passed the odd dwelling and saw a few horsemen herding their goats. Frequently you could see horses standing in the river bed.
At parts the road was very rocky and we had to be careful not to take out a tyre. In other places it was like a washboard. When it came near the river there were huge puddles to cross. We came across a fork in the road. There was no signpost so we initially took the left fork as it was nearer the river as the map showed. Very quickly the route became more challenging but we managed to find enough space to turn around and go back to the bifurcation. There we found on the ground an arrow made of stones which pointed to the right hand side route.
One of the features of the journey are the bridges which are mage out of volcanic stone. We found one long collapsed and a new wooden "bridge" in place. This was incredibly hotch-potch and had some dodgy repair work done on it. Still it seemed firm and we made our way across. Further on still, a stream crossed the road and it was very bumpy. It's dry here now but one can only imagine it would be a challenge in winter when the water is high.
There were puddles to cross and streams in the road but, with care at all times, progress could be made. The worst stretch for a couple of kilometres or so came towards the end. It is a section above the river that is rocky, narrow and up and down. If you met someone coming the other way, it would be interesting! we tiptoed our way through, and then after a handful of kilometres more were relieved to find the hotel and a few other 4WDs parked there.
We suppose the worst thing about this route was not knowing how good or bad the route would be and how far one might be from help if the car got stuck. But in general with a high clearance vehicle and 4WD "just in case" the route was passable with care. We could hardly believe it when later a normal saloon car arrived, admittedly not in pristine condition.
The hotel is quite a sight when you first see it. Almost scary!
The history of the hotel is detailed in this web page with some photos: http://translate.google.co.uk/translate ?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.tarin ga.net/posts/imagenes/1750340/Hotel-Aba ndonado-Termas-del-Sosneado-Mendoza-Arg .html&prev=search
It opened in 1938 and had it's own electricity plant. The beautiful location at 2180 metres under Cerro Sosneado initially attracted many celebrities. But it was difficult to get to. Certainly, much of it remains today in tact and it is a very formidable building. It closed in the mid-1950s after struggling for some years.
We didn't look round much as it became clear a family was dwelling there despite signs sprayed on the wall saying it was forbidden to live there. They had partitioned one section off with sheets and tarpaulins, there were saddles in the yards and a few dogs and scrawny chickens running about. There were some goat skins curing in one of the rooms. We moved away once it became clear the place was someone's home.
The spa section was about 100 metres away. There was an elegant ruin of the hotel pool with the natural pool that feeds it just behind. The formal pool was quite cool but the natural pool behind was warmer. In the middle of the pool it was warmest and you could feel the bubbles coming up through the ground. It was magical, with magnificent views and bright sunshine. We were both very glad we had come, despite a few "and breath" moments.
Another interesting detail about the hotel is that it is very close to the site of the 1972 crash of a plane carrying the Uruguayan rugby team. Some of the passengers survived and managed to stay alive in very challenging conditions for 72 days. After hearing the search for the plane had been called off after nine days, two members of the team eventually managed to walk out to Chile and fetch help. It took 12 days to walk and what they didn't know was that they were very close to the Sosneado valley.
You can join one of the survivors for a trek to the spot called the "miracle of the Andes" with a travel company. Here is an account of the crash:
http://www.alpineexpeditions.net/as-the -accident.html
Heading back down was less fraught as we knew what to expect. We saw a truck with a trailer coming through the section we had avoided and realised that it must have met face on another distinctive 4WD that had overtook us earlier in the descent as that truck overtook us again much further down.
There were plenty of horses grazing in the valley and we came across a new born foal, very tiny and unsteady on its feet with its mother.
An amazing day!
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