They did a 12-day Aconcagua mountain guides through the normal route, through the Horcones valley and Plaza de Mulas, and following the method of Gastón, who prefers to put the camps at a lower altitude, to sleep well and make longer ascents during the day. During the first days, they left calmly to get used to the mountain and its height. But there was also time to enjoy fantastic dinners, such as salmon and steaks, accompanied by a glass of excellent local wine.
As the days passed, the Aconcagua Ascents began to be more demanding. This is how, on the ninth day of the expedition, they started the push to the summit from Nido de Cóndores. Oleksii, well trained and well acclimatized, was doing well, until the ascent became complicated in the final part of the ascent, on a hill called ‘La Canaleta’:
“I was walking alone, staring at the ground, and I had to ignore the voices in my head telling me to stop, to turn around. So I kept going, taking it to step by step, not thinking of anything other than putting one foot in front of the order, and keep moving. And it was worth it: when I reached the top, I felt the most powerful emotion of my life”.
And the reward was priceless: a breathtaking 360 ° view of mountains, glaciers, and white fields, with the beautiful figures of peaks such as Cerro Mercedario and Cerro Tolosa. And a sense of satisfaction known only to those who once made an effort like that.
On the way down, there was time to relax. They enjoyed and were lucky enough to see condors and guanacos, and they had an excellent party with pizza and wine in the Plaza de Mulas. Oleksii even met other Ukrainians there! Here’s what he said: “In places like base camp, you meet a lot of interesting people who are usually all there for the same purpose, overcome a challenge and conquer.”
We are very happy that we were able to help Oleksii find the ideal mountain guide for him and reach the top of his Aconcagua treks. It is a great challenge and a life-changing experience, but as it is not a technical promotion, it is a dream that can come true if you take it seriously, with excellent preparation and the right advice and guidance.
Looking for more information on this epic climb in the Andes? Don’t miss this helpful blog post with everything you need to know to climb Aconcagua and learn about routes, weather, difficulty, equipment, preparation, and costs.