The push to Bonete begins easily enough. Arriving back at our bikes from Pissis high camp at 16:00 we push for a few hours from 4400m to a camp at 4600m.

In the morning the gentle push continues.

This 20m descent into the valley which goes right up to the pass we’re headed for is the only time in the day and a half of pushing that we’re not climbing.

The going remains easy to 5000m. Then the gradient steepens, the terrain becomes more rocky and it takes us all afternoon to get up to 5300m and our next camp.

As usual on such terrain, Pike soon begins ferrying kit, while Haz continues struggling up with backpack on and loaded bike.

This section was a bit of a pain. Nacimiento and Walter Penck in the background.

But eventually it becomes easier. By this time we were tired though, so soon after this shot we camped…

…but not before a last look back at Laguna Negra, and the big peaks near Ojos del Salado.

In the morning it’s easy again. Though we’re still carrying 11 days of food our kit isn’t that heavy as we don’t need to carry any water. Plenty of that, in its various forms, around.

By the 5650m pass is this lovely lake. L-R: Tres Quebradas, Tres Cruces Sur and Cerro Solo.

We finally reach the pass, and mark it like dogs. Well, with a spare spoke and some of Jonson’s ribbon, anyway.

The descent isn’t tricky. Bonete looms ahead, but we have to veer west for the rest of the day, to find a way up toward Corona del Inca.

There’s plenty of water on this side too. We collect some a few hours before our next camp.

Then continue the push round some green lakes. Lots of sand on the south side of Pissis.

Nearing camp…

…which has great views of the snowy south side of Pissis.

The weather since we left Fiambala had been perfect to this point, but on day 9 we wake to ominous clouds. We pack up camp quickly, to try and get to the 4×4 tracks to Corona del Inca before the snow arrives.

We descend into this valley, overlooked by penitentes.

Then begin the 300m climb, which takes the entire morning.

Back the way the clouds continue to look threatening, but to our surprise no storm ever arrives.

The top section to the 5500m pass is steep, so we’re ferrying again. First the kit…

…then the bikes.

Then it flattens off, and but for a few quebradas we have to descend into and then climb out of it’s easy enough to the 4×4 tracks.

These we reach late in the afternoon, and descend for 5km to a camp at the base of Bonete.

In the morning we enjoy a coffee treat. Probably need to try and clean that Nalgene bottle a bit better…

The 4×4 track isn’t in great condition in places. Not quite sure how the vehicles get through this bit.

Though there’s lots of sand around, the wet bed of the Rio Veladero makes for a harder, rideable surface.

So the 10km to where we leave the bikes at the base of Bonete doesn’t take too long.

The stream dries up every evening, then starts up again in the morning as the penitentes begin to melt. Here we are outrunning it…

After leaving the bikes, it’s a four hour walk up to this high camp at 5700m.

In the morning we’re climbing in a shadowy gulley for a few hours. It’s bloody cold, so we detour a bit off route to warm hands in the sun.

Above 6300m there’s plenty of snow, and as we’re tired from our bike push we climb pretty slowly. The 1050m from high camp to summit takes 4h45.

But the weather is excellent, and just after 11:00 we’re on the top. Veladero and Baboso are in the distance to the south.

While to the north is the northern summit of Bonete, and more distant is a snowy Pissis.

Then it’s time for another descent to our bikes.

In the morning we set off to make a high camp on Veladero. The route we choose is a rubbish one, needlessly climbing over and crossing 3 ridges. We arrive at a 5200m camp in mid afternoon.

In the morning it’s windy, but we climb up the scree and rock slopes on the NE side of the mountain, which are protected from the icy westerlies. Camp is 1200m below the summit, but less than 3km away in a straight line. Constant 45-50% slopes make for a fast climb.

In 3h30 we’re on the last of the nine summits of our Puna 9 trip. Great news!

But it’s not a first ascent. Though rarely climbed these days, there were enough Inca ascents to build these ~12m x 12m walls up there.

Getting back to the bikes near the Rio Veladero makes for a long day.

But it’s very pleasant, and we’re in good spirits, being pretty chuffed at having made it up to all our summits.

The morning’s a windy one. Plenty of sand in our breakfast porridge.

But south of Bonete the road is in good condition, and we can ride all the 23km down to the paving by Refugio Veladero.

In Fiambala we came across a cyclist who didn’t believe in prevailing winds, which we thought odd. Take this sign by Laguna Brava as an example. This is the east side of the sign…

……and this is the west side.

It’s blustery as we skirt round Laguna Brava, but by now all the tough stuff is done.

And soon we’ve over the Portezuelo de la Laguna, and descending from the Puna.

The colourful section to Refugio El Peñon is spectacular.

We’ve cycled this section of the Pircas Negras road four times now, but that’s not such a bad thing.

But still we’re glad when we get back to civilization. Grido ice cream all round! Then it’s time for some bus madness to get back to Fiambala to rest a while and pick up some kit we’d left there.