El Fraile Volcano

Information

El Fraile is an inactive volcano standing at 6061 meters above sea level, located on the international border between Argentina and Chile, between the province of Catamarca and the Atacama region. Its name is apparently attributed to friars who crossed the Andes during colonial times, although it's also said that its shape resembles the silhouette of a hooded friar.

This mountain can be seen from Chilean Route 31, along certain stretches of the road between the San Francisco Pass and Laguna Verde. It's easy to identify thanks to its unmistakable appearance: a well-defined conical shape and longitudinal striations running down its slopes.

It forms part of the tourist route known as the Ruta de los Seismiles, which includes a section of National Route 60 on the Argentine side and Route 31 on the Chilean side. This circuit allows visitors to see, in addition to El Fraile, other peaks that exceed 6000 meters in height such as Incahuasi Volcano, San Francisco Volcano and the imposing Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano in the world.

For mountaineers, despite its height and beauty, El Fraile is a rarely visited mountain. This is partly because its taller and more famous neighbors attract most expeditions, and also because its access route is long and sandy.