A trip to Las Lagunas Miscanti y Miñiques

On our trip to San Pedro de Atacama in April, a guide at the hotel we stayed at suggested a day-trip to these high altitude lagoons (around 13,000 ft.) and located at the base of the two volancos with the same names as the "lakes" at their feet.

I read that for millions of  years, water flowed freely at the bases of Miscanti (18,444 ft.) and Miñiques (19,389 ft) as a result of snow melt from the volcanos and the surrounding mountains and the moisture the mountainous area received. These waters flowed into the Salar de Atacama. However, about a million years ago, Miñiques erupted blocking the water route and created the lagoons seen today. These lagoons provide a food source and nesting area for a variety of high altitude ducks and flamingos.

The prehispanic village of Socaire is one of the pueblos we passed through on our way to the lagoons.

These photos were captured on our way into the Socaire looking east and then west. I've searched high and low for information regarding this water source and wasn't successful. However, it may be El Río Socaire?

I had to include this photo as well - notice the satellite dish...

Bill and Larry paid our entrance fee...

to see this.

These two photos were of laguna Miscanti (with El Volcan Micanti in the background). The next two photos are of Laguna Miñiques.

And that would be El Volcan Miñiques in the background. These lagoons are side-by-side with Laguna Miñiques at a slightly higher altitude.

Gosh it was cold...wind was blowing and was probably in the 30s. Remember, we're at around 13,000 ft. here.

Below are Bill and Leesyl and Laurese. We knew Bill from our days living in Oroville, WA, and met Leesyl in Bolivia when she was pregnant with Laurese. Upon our return from our trip to the U.S. in May/June, as we were passing through Customs, I heard my name being called and there was Leesyl - 10 years later. They are now living in Antofagasta and traveled to San Pedro de Atacama so joined us on our trip to the altiplano lagoons.

Looking back towards where we'd come from...

We traveled down to Laguna de Chaxa, located in El Salar de Atacama, to view the Flamingos. We had previously done this trip on a previous post - hmmm, maybe late 2008? I'm too lazy to check....

El Volcan Lasca in the background - an active volcano that last erupted in 2005.

I had to include this above photo showing where we had been and that there is some green here in the Atacama Desert.

So we left Bill, Leesyl and Laurese at their hotel in San Pedro and made our way back to Calamaland but stopped along the side of the road near La Valle de la Luna to watch the sunset. A lovely end to a lovely day.

Lake Powell 2010

Larry and I get the houseboat every two years for the first full week in June. This year's crew included Mike and Sue (Phoenix), Larry's sister Linda (Lincoln, NE), nephew Jimmy (Phoenix), niece Crystal and Doug, Kennedy and Kane (Kearney, NE), and niece Karyl and Travis, Brady, Dawson and Kealy (Omaha, NE).

Thanks Hampton family for the "Castaway Island Survivor" t-shirts which attracted attention at the Dangling Rope Marina when we stopped to get gas, drop off garbage, shop and get ice cream.

This was Doug's second time of coming on the boat and he has accepted the role, at a superior level may I add, of maintaining the ice chests and keeping the front deck clean. Whadda guy!

This was the first trip for Travis and we discovered he is quite good at landscaping.

And then there was the anchoring - the fellows worked hard and the girls enjoyed a glass of champagne while watching the activities associated with said anchoring.

Speaking of champagne, there were many opportunities to enjoy this beverage.

Okay, maybe Linda isn't real fond of champagne?

And we did have kids along...

And there was lots of relaxing...

And all of that relaxing led to napping...

There was kite flying....

There was tubing...

There were water balloon attacks

There was playing on the wave runners...

There was kayaking...

And there was good food...

Rainbow Bridge

Linda sleeping on the dresser...those grandkids have a really, really good Uma!

And then it was time to leave...

And we slowly made our way back to Wahweap Marina...

And then, Sue won the bet and collected her winnings and the houseboat was passed off to Connie and Dave and Karen and their crew and we left with the Hamptons and the Masons heading back to Nebraska and the rest of us to Phoenix.

Until 2012!