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Hello friends
I want to share some pictures of our last trip (april) from Santiago (capital of Chile) to Taltal (aprox 1.100 km)


normally we camp.. first stops at south of Vallenar


Copiapoa coquimbana




after some years of searching, finnally we found Eriosyce (Neoporteria) subgibbosa ssp vallenarensis with flowers








The specie Eriosyce (Neoporteria) subgibbosa lives from Concepcion to Vallenar, reaching more than 900 km of long distribution

in some valleys near Vallenar (region de Atacama) you can find Cumulopuntia sphaerica with Maihueniopsis crassispina


Eriosyce crispa





from Huasco to Caldera there is a parallel route to Ruta 5 and is called "ruta costera". Normally we preffer to visit this area and avoid Ruta 5 and inland localities...
in another trip, during spring of 2011 the desert was completely covered with purple plants Calandrinia sp. but now the normal color of the desert is back


at north of Huasco river, you can find Copiapoa echinoides. Nice plants that contrast the color with Miqueliopuntia miquelii

enjoying new places (bahia salada)


North of Caldera, along Ruta 5 and in some rocks, you can find tiny Eriosyce taltalensis ssp pilispina (now Eriosyce calderana)





North of Chañaral, in mountains that face the ocean and are in contact with the fog "camanchaca".
Copiapoa marginata "bridgessi"


Eulychnia saint-pieana




after many attempts, we climbed some mountains and there we found Copiapoa hypogaea "lizard skin"







finally in Taltal, enjoying all forms of Copiapoa cinerea



(bigger size)





near the coast, the "albispina" is the most impresive. now considered Copiapoa cinerea ssp haseltoniana


some plants have a kind of algae living in the spines... very atractive




resting after a complete morning of walking and climbing, searching for Copiapoa cinerea ssp haseltoniana forma "gigantea"

driving in Mount Perales we damaged our car "Horridoauto", so we decided to explore the slopes, but not the top...



first only lives Copiapoa cinerea (with grey wooly apex); but then some Copiapoa cinerea ssp haseltoniania appears and grows forming nice clumps (with orange wooly aprex)







Echinopsis deserticola




then we camped in the beach of Taltal







"Horridoauto" started with some problems and rare noises, so we decided abort the mission of Botija Valley... maybe for next month

so we camped and rested around Copiapoas... highly recommendable!!!!!!

(bigger size)

Copiapoa longistaminea


Copiapoa longistaminea & Copiapoa cinerea ssp columna-alba


spectacular clumps of Copiapoa longistaminea, in Guanillos Valley






Copiapoa laui




Copiapoa calderana



already at south... returning... we searched new localities of Thelocepalas.
Here Eriosyce napina ssp aerocarpa JA1001





sadly Horridoauto could not finish the trip and now is in the hospital, jaja



hope you enjoyed the pictures!!
check our blog.spiniflores.com for more pictures

muchos saludos from Chile!

Florencia & Juan
Spiniflores

Florencia and Juan,

As always, fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing your memorable journey with us.

Fantastic set of photo's

Wow - thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures - any room in the horridoauto for a passenger ?

Hi
Super ste of photo's, glad you took the time to upload them.
Hope the car recovers

What wonderful photos! Not only the plants but the scenery as well. A land of contrasts indeed, from beach to mountain. I hope your Horridoauto recuperates well, and is looking forward to its next trip. I know that your readers here will being doing so!

That brought back memories...great photo's guys ! Hope HorridoAuto makes a speedy recovery ! ;-)

Many thanks for taking us along for the ride!
I love Copiapoas and marvel at my collection every day.
I dream of seeing them in nature, but at least we have Ferocactus and Echinocactus to visit here in California. From the looks of that field of columna-alba there was a nice soaking rain about 100 years ago