Camino del Cóndor – Sierra de los Comechingones

This network of mining roads and cattle tracks winds through the southern Comechingones range where massive granite domes rise from oak forests and condors still nest in cliff-face aeries. The route connects abandoned tungsten mines near Merlo with the high country around Cerro Champaquí, Argentina’s highest peak outside the Andes. Expect deep river crossings during spring melt and technical rock sections that’ll test your line choice and tire compound.

You’ll need serious ground clearance and rock sliders for the granite shelves and creek beds that define this route. Moderate to difficult depending on recent weather, but always demanding respect for loose rock and steep drop-offs. Best attempted March through November when snow doesn’t block the highest ridgelines. Pack recovery gear and extra water — cell service disappears quickly once you leave the valleys, and the nearest help might be a day’s walk away.