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Down
the Condorito Ravine
Mariano D' Alessandro - Aventurarse
Expert
After loading our
bicycles and luggage, we said farewell to the city and its
pavement, even if we would only be away a couple of days.
Our plan was to travel through the Condorito Ravine, one
of Cordoba's most interesting sites, combining mountain
bike and trekking. The trip was to end with two descents
from the Altas Cumbres (tall peaks). We fell asleep on the
way, hoping it would make the trip shorter, but there was
a long way to go and we needed rest.
We arrived at Villa Carlos Paz at 8 o'clock in the morning
of a radiant day, we made room in the van for tents and
food and aimed our bow towards the Altas Cumbres. We ascended
up to 2000 meters up a paved and winding road. A gate announced
the beginning of our adventure, it was the entrance of the
natural reserve that contained the ravine.
We unloaded every last piece of equipment and broke into
the woods in our bikes. After a difficult hour of pedaling(we
were carrying a great load), we set up camp near the clouds.
After lunch, we set out on a reconnaissance ride around
the ravine's trails. When we got back, it was almost dark,
we had dinner around the fire, telling jokes and observing
a clear and starry sky.
We woke up anxious because of the special day that awaited
us: we had programmed to arrive at the Balcón Norte
(North Balcony), where the ravines to be found. Then we
were to walk down a path that crossed the river and some
woods, and reached up the South Balcony, where the largest
and most imposing bird in the planet was to be found.
We quickly had breakfast, and at a fast pace, pedaled the
5 kilometers to the Balcon Norte, and began the trekking.
We were in a hurry, for the best time to watch condors is
during the morning. Our first obstacle, though foreseen,
was the river's volume. We had to cross the river with our
lunch in an inflatable boat. We did suffer an incident,
though: one of us tried to cross the river on a stepping
stone path, slipped and fell into the water. Luckily he
caught on to a rock before the rapids started.
One hour after this stressing situation, we had ascended
to the spot where condors can be seen in normal conditions.
Words can hardly describe the site's beauty; the height,
the green carpeted slopes, the river hiding behind a string
of hills in the horizon. Surprisingly, no condors to be
seen. Finally, a point in the distance flew towards us,
the condor came 10 meters away from us. Soon the sky was
filled with them. We were excited and overwhelmed. Watching
them gain height without beating their wings a single time
was glorious.
We woke up the next day, and happily cleared the campground.
A day of pure mountain biking awaited us , and the sun was
shining. We arrived at the road that crosses the Altas Cumbres,
loaded everything we were carrying on the support vehicle
and went towards the detour where the descent to Mina Clavero
begins. 40 kilometers of mountain trails, with some dangerous
stretches, famous as a rally course.
There had been a lot of rain, it had washed the trail down,
leaving many sharp rocks and ditches on the way. We suffered
eight flat tires. The trail was tempting but dangerous,
we soon saw the consequences: Two falls in ten minutes,
leaving both bicycle and rider wounded. One of the falls
could have been tragic had it not been for the helmet. On
the other hand, the uninjured thought of this trail as the
best mountain bike descent of their life. Adrenaline, emotion
and vertigo were common currency as we speeded down.
We spent the night in Mina Clavero, and early the next day
we left towards the Altas Cumbres, undoing the descent,
but this time in the van and up a paved road. It took us
an hour and a half to get to El Condor, a shelter located
in one of the road's highest spots. We took our bikes from
the trailer and began a second descent towards Villa Carlos
Paz. The first descent's sensations were back, but this
trail was in better conditions, and we had no problems.
Near midday, after 20 kilometers of frenetic downhills,
we made it to a hanging bridge, over a spring. We had lunch
beside the pool that a small waterfall gave water to. After
resting and talking about our adventure, we bathed in the
pool and prepared to ride back in the van.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, we set out to Villa Carlos
Paz, where we unloaded the tents and one of the guides,
and drove back to Buenos Aires.
As a conclusion, I must say that we had a wonderful group
of people, and that the Altas Cumbres are like a Mecca to
mountain biking and trekking.
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