History

The Valley of Uspallata has been inhabited since pre-Hispanic times. The remains of primitive settlements are reflected in the wall paintings of Tunduqueral and in the Camino del Inca (the Inca Trail). There are many archeological remains, the oldest 1500 years old and the newest from Incaic times. There are also many traces of the Huarpe dominion in the area. The Inca influence was strong during the last two decades of the 15^th century, less than a hundred years before the arrival of the Spanish. The Cuyo region was part of the Collasuyo, the southern region of the Tahuantinsuyo or Inca Empire that had its capital at Cuzco and its southern border about this latitude, both sides of the Andean Mountains.

The valley of Uspallata was in those times a crossroads area. The Inca Trail linked villages at both sides of the Andes Mountains. It descended from the Peruvian-Bolivian high plateau along the Chilean side and run into the Corredor Andino (Andean Corridor) through the valleys of the Andean foothills. It run up to the River Mendoza and skirted it till it reached the Andean paths. The trail went down to Uspallata. The messengers or chasquis went through agricultural and militarized villages.

The Huarpe people lost their ethnic pureness and suffered a cultural transformation. They replaced the Milcayac language with the Quechua, the cult of the sun and the moon was adopted and they perfected the irrigation techniques, their textiles and pottery.

Under the Spanish dominion the settlement at the valley was named San Lorenzo de Uspallata and became a stopover on the royal road of the viceroyalties and a mining centre.

The domes found there were built by Jesuits at the end of the 18^th century. They were used as foundation furnaces for gold, silver, zinc and iron from the Paramillos mining centre. The walls of the furnaces were made of stones and mud and the roofs of straw and mud. They stopped operating at the beginning of the 19^th century.

The Uspallata Path played an important part in the crossing of the Andes in 1817 by the Andean Army led by General José de San Martín, who is responsible for the independence from Spain of Argentina, Chile and Perú. The army concentrated in this high mountains valley before the crossing.

In 1873 Juan and Mateo Clark faced the study of a railway. They followed the old road of the post during colonial times. They found out it was the most efficient line to link Santiago and Valparaíso with Mendoza and Buenos Aires. This venture was financed by British capitals. This period registered the highest population outburst. Villages inhabited by railroad workers were founded.

The military activity became more important than the agricultural and railroad business when the army settled in Uspallata and Puente del Inca. In 1955 the Army took possession of the lands of the Corredor Andino (Andean Corridor) and the cattle that was there.

In the ‘60s two plans were designed: “Desarrollo Urbano” (“Urban Development”) and “Desarrollo Integral del Valle de Uspallata” (“General Development of the Valley of Uspallata”). Its effects were almost unnoticeable because the population had descended.

Later on the tension with Chile and the convenience of its government to favor truck transport produced the suspension of the bi-national train service.

Geography

Location

Uspallata village is nestled at Cordón de Plata Range (Silver Thread Range), 1751 meters (5747 feet) above sea level.

How to get there

By plane

The nearest international airport is at the city of Las Heras (Gran Mendoza). The airport has daily flights to Buenos Aires, other Argentine cities and Santiago de Chile.

By car

National Route 7 takes you to Uspallata from Buenos Aires, San Luis, Mendoza City or Chile Republic. From San Juan you can get to Uspallata taking National Route 7 or National Route 39.

You can also reach Uspallata from the north taking Provincial Route 52, also called Ruta de los Caracoles o las 365 curvas (Route of the Snails or 365 turns route). It is a very narrow and steep road, driving safely is advised. 4x4 vehicles are suggested and in winter time you should take chains because the road freezes because of the heavy snow. The Villavicencio Hotel is on this route. There are two recommended view points on the way: El Balcón (The balcony), a view point over steep mountain walls; and Cruz de Paramillos (Paramillo’s Cross), it is the highest spot at the Uspallata Valley. Further on you can appreciate a sacred mountain to the pre-Spanish inhabitants, Mount. Tunduqueral. On the same road you can visit Huarpe Guaytamai Reservation.

By bus

Bus services from all over the country and Chile reach Mendoza city. From there you can take another bus to Uspallata.

Distance from Mendoza City to Uspallata: 95 km ( 59 miles).

Economy

Uspallata is a frontier village where the military men are numerous. The mountain regiments 8 and 16 are settled there.

Long ago mining was an important activity in the region. It once was the main talc producer in Argentina. Nowadays the talc and asbestos deposits next to the village are no longer exploited. Just serpentine is still extracted. It is the most important input in the granite mosaics industry.

The village offers tourists the following: hotels, hostages, cabins, restaurants, ski equipment rental, gas stations and banks. And the recreational activities offered are: fishing (salmon and rainbow trouts), trekking, horse rides, photographical tours and mountain ascensions. Uspallata is the last stopover for sportsmen that are into high mountains trekking.

Population: 5000 inhabitants.

Topography

The village is at the center of valley Uspallata, between 1900 and 2500 meters (6200 and 8200 feet) above sea level. The valley runs north into the valleys of Calingasta and Iglesia. The village is surrounded by the Tigre range, the Andean foothills and the Bonilla Colorado and Barreal ranges.

Hydrography

Stream San Alberto and Stream Uspallata run across the valley. Both flow into River Mendoza.

Flora

The region is known for its poplar trees and the high mountain vegetation.