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Aconcagua

Aconcagua FAQ's

Welcome to Natural High Alpine Adventures' FAQ's about climbing Aconcagua. Here you will find answers to many of the questions you will have about climbing Aconcagua. If you have any other questions please contact us.
Why should I use a guide service to climb Aconcagua?
It is highly recommended you use a guide service as your guide has years of experience and knows the route very well. This makes it much safer for you and gives you a much better chance of success. It is safer because you have an expedrienced person that knows the route. It is very easy to get lost on Aconcagua. Another reason is that Natural High takes care of all the logistics for you. This gives you more time to concentrate on things such as conditioning, equipment and climbing. With years of experience and local contacts you know that your Aconcagua expedition is top-quality. It is proven that guided expeditions have a higher success rate on Aconcagua.
Is the US$500 Guanacos permit icluded in the price of your Aconcagua expedition?
Yes, the permit is included in the cost of our Aconcagua climbs. All permits are included.
What footwear do recommend to climb the Guanacos route on Aconcagua?
Eventhough the Guanacos route is a non-technical way to the summit we still recommend you use double plastic mountaineering boots. These boots are much warmer and supportive than leather boots. On the approach to basecamp light hikers or approach shoes are great.
How heavy a pack will I have to carry on Aconcagua?
On the approach to the basecamp you will need only carry a daybag as the expedition is mule supported but above basecamp your pack will be upwards of 50lbs. However a porter can be organized for an additional fee.
Do I need to cook and what kind of food will we be eating on the Aconcagua expedition?
No you do not need to cook. Your guides will take care of all the cooking needs and all your snacks are included. The food that you will be eating is fantastic! On the approach to basecamp we will be eating fresh vegetables, meats, breads and cheeses. We even have a traditional asado (Argentinian BBQ) with the arierios (cowboys). Above basecamp we do not use freeze dried food. Your guide will prepare a variety of flavourful foods high in energy such as pastas, rice, couscous,etc. If you have any dietary restrictions please let us know and we can accomodate.

Back for Another Season

Hey All,
well it's been a while since my last posting about Aconcagua. Since the 2006/2007 season is just around the corner I felt I should start up again. In the upcoming posts I will have more information on climbing the Guanacos route, equipment, weather, logistics and more about climbing Aconcagua. Please stay tuned and visit often. Take care.
Mike

Climbing Equipment & Climbing Clothing List for Aconcagua

The following is a recommended personal equipment and clothing list for individuals doing an Aconcagua climbing expedition. The equipment on this list is good for the Normal Route, the Polish Falso Traverse, the Guanacos Route (Upper Vacas) and for the Polish Glacier Rout. In days to come I will post a group equipment/gear list for an Aconcagua Expedition.

Feet:
Sock Liners - 2 pairs (polypropylene)
Mid-weight trekking socks - 2 pairs
Expedition weight socks – 1 or 2 pairs
Lightweight hiking boots or shoes for the approach trek.
Camp booties, down or synthetic
Gaiters
Mountain Boots (plastic preferred)
Overboots if using leather boots.
Footwear to cross river in (old shoes or neoprene booties.)

Lower Body:
Mid-weight synthetic long underwear (2 pairs)(capilene or polypropylene)
Waterproof/windproof breathable pants (Gore-tex style), full zip recommended
Lightweight hiking pants (can use zip-off leg style pants)
Shorts

Upper Body:
Lightweight synthetic long underwear shirt (polypropylene or capilene) – 2
Mid or heavy weight synthetic long underwear shirt (polypropylene or capilene) 1 or 2
Fleece jacket (windstopper recommended)
Waterproof/Windproof Breathable jacket (ie. Gore-tex)
Down or polarguard expedition parka with hood

Hands:
Polypropylene or capilene liner gloves – 1 pair
Mid-weight fleece or pile gloves – 1 pair
Heavy weight ski style glove – 1 pair
Expedition weight mitts – 1 pair

Head:
Ski hat, wool or fleece
Sunhat/ball cap
Balaclava

Sleeping Gear:
Down or synthetic sleeping bag comfortable to –20˚c
1 or 2 sleeping pads. (I use a lightweight thermarest and a blue foam pad)

Packs:
One large duffel back (100 to 150 litres)
Daypack 35 – 45 litres
70 to 85litre backpack

Technical Gear:
Ski Poles (adjustable)
Mountaineering ice axe
General mountaineering crampons
For Polish Glacier Only
Technical climbing axe
Alpine Climbing harness
Assortment of caribiners
Snow stakes
Small assortment of ice screwsPrussik cord, webbing & runners

Personal Items: *Denotes optional items.
Headlamp with extra batteries
Ski goggles
2 extra sleeping bag sized stuff sacks
Sunglasses and spares
Sunscreen and lip protection SPF 30
Mole-skin (personal blister kit), tape, throat lozenges
Pocket-knife
Hand and foot warmers (heat packs)
2 Water bottles 1 litre capacity
Toiletries
Iodine pills
General Antibiotic
Ear Plugs
Some cash (US dollars)
Hydration system only for trek to basecamp (i.e., camelback)*
Camera and Film
Journal and pencil/pen*
Small towel and soap*Pee bottle (1 litre wide mouth)*

Gear Test: Feathered Friends Icefall Parka

I had heard a lot about Feathered Friends down products but this was my first experience with any of them. The product that I am reporting on is the Icefall Parka with eVENT waterproof-breathable shell and the 800-fill upgrade.
MSRP US $435 + $13(800-fill upgrade).

Let’s just start by saying I am usually cold. I don’t know if it’s my age catching up to me, or what, but it seems that I need a warm jacket all the time. Most of my use for this jacket was on Aconcagua (6962m) in Argentina. Since Feathered Friends recommends this parka as a seven summit or expedition parka I guess Aconcagua was the perfect testing ground because it’s both. Aconcagua tests gear to its limits, as it is a very cold and unforgiving mountain. There is lots of wind, dust, some snow and cold weather.

This year when I was there it was a colder season than most times I’ve been there so the importance for warmth was critical. I started using my down parka at camp 1 at 4200 metres and used it everyday from there; including climbing in it on summit day.

The warmth of this jacket cannot be disputed…it is the warmest jacket I have ever worn, and isn’t the whole idea of a down jacket for warmth? Although I’m sure there are warmer jackets out there (Feathered Friends Rock and Ice Parka) this parka is probably warm enough for most anywhere on earth. With that said, lower on the mountain it was definitely overkill but I didn’t mind being so toasty warm. I found that the eVENT shell material was solid enough to stand up to the abuses of Aconcagua. It blocked the wind great and held of the snow just as well. The hood was large and warm but I did have some trouble with the hood snaps coming undone. There is a double zipper storm system that is made withs heavy-duty YKK zippers. The main difficulty I found with the jacket is the double zipper system. I think the idea is great in theory but I found that when I was doing up the zipper the material between the zippers would always get stuck in the main zipper. It even tore the material one time. I think the lightweight characteristics of the eVENT material encourage the zipper to trap it. I believe that a slightly heavier material sewn between the zippers will reduce the zipper catch.

All in all I am quite happy with the Feathered Friends Icefall Parka and it really does keep you incredibly warm. I would recommend this product for high altitude, expeditions, winter expeditions and anywhere else extreme cold is encountered.
View at Feathered Friends
Features: (As listed on Feathered Friends Website)
- Tuck Stitch Baffled Construction & Differential Cut
- Interior water bottle pockets, large expansive Velcro Cargo Pockets
- Removable Hood
- Down Filled Zipper Draft Tube, Velcro cuffs & draw cords at waist and hem to seal out drafts
- Full length design for layering over your waterproof/windproof shell

Climbing Aconcagua

On January 14, 1897 Matthias Zurbriggen from Switzerland reached the summit of Mount Aconcagua. Today the mountain sees more than 3500 attempts per year.

Aconcagua is one of the Seven Summits (the highest point on each of the seven continents). Aconcagua is very popular to climb because the mountain offers many straightforward routes to such a high summit. With these issues it has become one of the deadliest mountains in the world, as people tend to try to climb the mountain too quickly with no understanding of the elevation gain or the rapid severe weather changes. The key to climbing Aconcagua is to respect these issues, take your time and you should never climb it alone.

The main climbing season for all routes on Aconcagua is from December to February. During this time up to 3500 climbers attempt to reach the summit and approximately 65% reach the top. Most people attempt to climb via the "Normal Route" which follows the northwest ridge. Other more popular non-technical routes are the Polish Traverse and the Upper Vacas route. The Upper Vacas is still uncrowded but it is getting more and more popular every year. None of these routes require any technical climbing and ice axe and crampons are used minimally. The most popular technical route is the Polish Glacier.

More to Come...
In following posts I will have articles on the essentials of climbing, route descriptions, trip reports and more so please visit often.
Chau.
Mike

Getting There & Red Tape

Getting There.
There are two popular ways of getting to Argentina from most international destinations. First is to fly directly into Mendoza with a stopover in either Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires, Argentina. The other way is to fly into Santiago and take a bus or van to Mendoza. This is a much cheaper option but it does take about 71/2 hours (if you're lucky) to get to Mendoza from Santiago. If you are not on a tight budget it is much easier to take a short 45min flight from Santiago to Mendoza. As well, it is worth mentioning that if you are from the U.S., Australia or Canada and you land in Santiago and leave the airport you must pay between US$55 and US$100. So if it is a one-time visit it may be better to fly to Mendoza. The carriers from Santiago to Mendoza are Lan Chile and Aerolineas Argentina.
It used to be that most expedition parties looking to climb Aconcagua would start and end their Aconcagua expeditions in Santiago and drive to Penitentes or Punta del Inca but the government has wised up and requires everyone needing a permit to apply and pick it up in person. This usually means most people climbing Aconcagua can spend a few days in Mendoza to help the economy.
International carriers going into Santiago are:
From North America
Air Canada
American Airlines
Lan Chile
From The UK
Aerolineas Argentina
Lan Chile
From Asia
(Japan)
Continental
American Airlines
Delta
(China)
Air China
Northwest
(Delhi)
Delta
American Airlines.

From Australia
Qantas Airways (Perth)
Aerolinas Argentina (Sydney)
American Airlines (Melbourne)


Visas
If you are from Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and most European countries you do not need a visa to get into Argentina. You will get a free tourist card that is good for 90 days and it can be renewed for an additional 90.
Customs
Your bags can be searched whether you fly into Argentina or drive. Generally foreign Aconcagua climbers are treated well and there is not a problem with bringing in food items such as dried fruits & veggies, and dehydrated meat (such as beef jerky). Please note that these items are not allowed to be brought into the country so they could be confiscated.
Hint: customs folks are usually reluctant to search the bottom of bags especially if they get a "tip".

Welcome!

Hi and welcome to the new blog called All Things Aconcagua. This site is intended to be a an informational blog about...you guessed it...Aconcagua. However, the idea with this site is to focus more on the essentials of climbing Aconcagua. Hopefully this site will be filled with valuable information and great photos. If you have any questions or comments about this blog please feel free to take part as I hope this site can be as interactive as possible. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the site.
Mike

About Aconcagua

Aconcagua is located in Western Argentina close to the Argentina/Chile border. It is the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemispheres and stands to 6962 metres above sea level.

The name Aconcagua loose translation of the Quechua word AKONC-CAUAC which means stone and today the most commonly accepted translation is "The Stone Sentinel".