climbing the colossus
In 1833, the German Paul Gussfeldt managed to climb to a height of 6,560 m. But it was not until 1896 that serious attempts were made to climb it through the Valle de los Horcones (Edward Fitz Gerald’s expedition). the following year, in the second expedition of Fitz Gerald, the Swiss Mathías Zurbriggen reaches the summit on January 14.
On March 8, 1934, the first Argentine to do so reached the summit of Aconcagua: Lieutenant Nicolás Platamura.
nearby towns
In the vicinity of the Provincial Reserve of Aconcagua there are several towns that have services for tourists (accommodation, food and fuel). We mention the most important located on Route 40 or close to it:
Uspallata
Mendoza City
Lujan de Cuyo
Tupungato
Tunuyan
Maipu
barrel
Tips and advice to visit the area
Weather in Cuyo
Fall and Spring. Little rain. The harvest takes place at the end of summer and beginning of autumn.
Summer. It’s hot; daytime temperatures are very high. Low relative humidity. It is the rainiest season. It can rain torrentially and even hail Aconcagua 360 Route
Winter. It hardly rains. Diaphanous sky, frost in open areas. Except for the school vacation period there are no crowds of tourists.
Climate in the foothills: Uco Valley
It is a very arid zone with barely 230 mm of annual rainfall and an average relative humidity of 45%. The rains are summer, torrential with hail and electrical storms.
In the Pedemonte, there is a great thermal amplitude between day and night and between seasons. In winter there are strong frosts. The areas of lower altitude or close to the rivers have a mild climate.
The average in summer is about 25°C and in winter it is 8.5°C. There is seldom snow in the winter in the low-lying areas.
When to Visit the Cuyana Region
The Uco Valley and the province of Mendoza can be visited all year round. The weather varies but there are always activities to do.
Aconcagua and the park that protects it should be visited in late spring, summer and early fall. Snow prevents access during the period April – September.
Driving Precautions How to Climb Aconcagua
Route 40 in the Uco Valley presents no difficulties as it is fully paved and its northern section is a highway (beware of motorcycles, cyclists and pedestrians). It crosses regions with a relatively flat relief without sinuosities.
If you are going to visit the Andean areas with mountain roads, cornices with some gravel: drive carefully.
The routes that go up to the mountain range are winding, with two lanes (in some sections 3 lanes, which allows slow vehicles to safely overtake).
National Route 7 has a high flow of trucks to and from Chile. They drive slowly on slopes and curves. Drive carefully.