Saturday, March 21 & Sunday, March 22
Libertador Pass, Argentina
-32.82, -70.08
Leaving the Carabineros post at first light, the expedition heads toward the Maipo Pass. The objective is clear: cross the border and reach Laguna del Diamante by nightfall. The ascent begins.
As the altitude rises, the conditions tighten. Snow starts to cover the upper sections of the route, but the team keeps moving forward. By early afternoon, they are close. Very close. Just 200 meters from the summit. Then everything stops.
The track disappears under heavy snow. Progress becomes impossible. At 13:30, the decision is made to turn back. What follows is a race against time. The team descends without pause, heading back toward Santiago to reroute through the Libertador Pass before its 22:00 closure.
By nightfall, they make it across into Argentina. The plan has changed but not the objective. Tomorrow, they will try again. Back toward the Maipo Pass. Back to the exact point where they had to stop.
Despite the setback, mindsets remain strong.
The mountain imposed its limits but it also revealed its scale: condors overhead, guanacos moving across the slopes. Just 200 meters away, the crossing is still there.