The Argentine Puna

I have made another trip to Argentina and am currently sitting in a camp at 3,800 meters up in the Puna of Argentina. “Puna,” that’s what they call the place where nothing but the shortest plants grow. Subjected to Mother Nature’s most ferocious of effects and winnowed by horrific, howling winds that have left nothing but rocks to big to carry off, I find it strangely beautiful and alluring. As far as my dimming eyesight can see, the hills composed of nothing but mottled browns reds and yellows have undergone a rounding and smoothing effect that I have not seen anywhere else. I am kind of in awe of the vastness and bye austere magnificence that this place offers. Beneath our camp in the salt flat known as Arita, the grey and brown Arita Cone juts, horn-like out of the brilliant white salt like. They have mined Borax and other sulfates from these flats for generations. Vicuñas roam the hills feeding on, well anybody’s guess but the only feed comes in the form of stubby little yellow grasses. Anyway, I have not a ton to say but wanted to share a few photos of the place is all…











I have come there to tell our employees that we have approved raises and bonuses for the long-time employees and so it is a pretty happy trip for most of them. I have not written much about the beauty of Argentina other than its steaks which I still maintain an important feature of the land here. But Arita and Salta in general has truly won me as a place of rare and fascinating beauty.