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Cerro Arco Iris

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Photo ofCerro Arco Iris Photo ofCerro Arco Iris Photo ofCerro Arco Iris

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Trail stats

Distance
6.73 mi
Elevation gain
4,291 ft
Technical difficulty
Moderate
Elevation loss
4,291 ft
Max elevation
5,145 ft
TrailRank 
75 4.6
Min elevation
1,035 ft
Trail type
Loop
Time
7 hours 44 minutes
Coordinates
1504
Uploaded
October 22, 2016
Recorded
May 2014
  • Rating

  •   4.6 3 Reviews

near El Arco, Los Lagos (Chile)

Viewed 13686 times, downloaded 274 times

Trail photos

Photo ofCerro Arco Iris Photo ofCerro Arco Iris Photo ofCerro Arco Iris

Itinerary description

From la Junta there is a variety of possible tours, and Arco Iris is a wonderful choice for a single-day walk.
For long time you walk in the middle of the wood, until reaching a spectacular alerce site.
Higher up, you begin to find granite sections, which are overcome with the aid of fixed ropes. There are trees and even alerces, however, even after the lower granite sections.
After the end of the vegetation, you follow the easy ridge, up to a leftwardsa traverse below the main summit, which leads to the viewpoint which is the end of my trail.
I do not know if the classical Arco Iris is this point, the main summit (which for me was barely accessible due to the first autumn snow) or the spot, coming much earlier, marked as "Mirador Arco Iris". I can only witness the exceptional panoramic value of the destination chosen by me.

You are strongly encouraged to look at the labeled version of the summit 360° panorama, namely
http://www.panorama-photo.net/panorama.php?pid=20551
Here I collected all my knowledge about the surrounding names, but I must admit that this knowledge is very incomplete, also because the only helpful site is
http://www.cochamo.com
Please communicate to me if you have some correction or integration to the names reported there!!

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Waypoints

PictographMountain hut Altitude 1,047 ft
Photo ofLa Junta Photo ofLa Junta

La Junta

For more information, see my other trail Cochamó - La Junta, www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=15201720

PictographWaterfall Altitude 1,065 ft
Photo ofWaterfall Photo ofWaterfall Photo ofWaterfall

Waterfall

Worth a visit from La Junta even if you are not heading to Arco Iris.

PictographIntersection Altitude 1,195 ft
Photo ofArrow to Arco Iris Photo ofArrow to Arco Iris Photo ofArrow to Arco Iris

Arrow to Arco Iris

The only signposts which I found along the route.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 2,038 ft
Photo ofAlerzal milenario Photo ofAlerzal milenario Photo ofAlerzal milenario

Alerzal milenario

Here you find alerce trees (Fitzroya cupressoides) that are said to be also 4000 years old.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 2,637 ft
Photo ofFirst little granite band Photo ofFirst little granite band Photo ofFirst little granite band

First little granite band

You turn around it, rightwards when ascending, with the aid of some fixed ropes.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 2,788 ft
Photo ofFixed ropes Photo ofFixed ropes Photo ofFixed ropes

Fixed ropes

This is the steepest place. It would be impossible here to proceed safely without these ropes.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 3,040 ft
Photo ofUpper ropes Photo ofUpper ropes Photo ofUpper ropes

Upper ropes

On wet and smooth granite slabs.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 3,300 ft
Photo ofUpper alerces

Upper alerces

PictographWaypoint Altitude 3,980 ft
Photo ofUpper ridge Photo ofUpper ridge Photo ofUpper ridge

Upper ridge

Here the trees end and all the upper section of the tour is in sight.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 4,668 ft
Photo ofTraverse Photo ofTraverse Photo ofTraverse

Traverse

A long leftwards traverse under sheer granite walls, with limited altitude gain.

PictographWaypoint Altitude 5,116 ft
Photo ofHighpoint Photo ofHighpoint Photo ofHighpoint

Highpoint

Here I turned left to the panoramic point. I guess that for the true summit I should have turned right, down into a little valley and then up, but there was too much snow on the rocks.

PictographSummit Altitude 5,136 ft
Photo ofCerro Arco Iris Photo ofCerro Arco Iris Photo ofCerro Arco Iris

Cerro Arco Iris

One of the best panoramas I have ever seen. Add also the feeling of total loneliness.

PictographPanorama Altitude 4,489 ft
Photo ofMirador - Start of traverse

Mirador - Start of traverse

Good view on the Cerros La Junta and Capicúa

PictographWaypoint Altitude 3,964 ft
Photo ofMirador Arco Iris

Mirador Arco Iris

To be honest, on the site I did not single out a precise mirador, since all the ridge is extremely panoramic. To set the waypoint, I sticked to Openstreetmap.

Comments  (3)

  • Photo of Antonio Vial Hudson
    Antonio Vial Hudson Nov 13, 2017

    I have followed this trail  View more

    Nice views

  • Photo of Eneko Escudero
    Eneko Escudero May 8, 2019

    I have followed this trail  View more

    Ascenso con mucha pendiente, con zonas muy expuestas, donde hay cuerdas fijas instaladas, las vistas son increibles

  • NechoBarros Oct 27, 2021

    I have followed this trail  View more

    Fenomenal.

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