Category: aconcagua climbing

Aconcagua Climbing – The mountain is a lifestyle

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“As a park ranger or preservation agent, until the 2019-2020 season we worked in a normal or conventional scheme, we had foreign tourists, we worked like a normal year, with the pressure that exists when there is a volume of people and all the operations that a park of this magnitude entails”, explained Aros. 

Aconcagua Expedition

Within the scope of the Park, they hold police power and have the power to control income, apply sanctions and expel those who transgress the rules. They receive complaints, suggestions and contributions to improve the functioning and conservation of the Park. “Our role, before the pandemic and today, is to provide care and information to visitors. As park rangers, we are in charge of environmental control and the conservation of natural resources”, explained Lucas.

These preservation agents circulate throughout the season through the different camps: Confluencia, Plaza de Mulas, Casa de Piedra, Pampa de Leña, Plaza Argentina, Camp 1, Camp 2, Cólera, Independencia and Canada, these last three for those who try to summit. 

Climb Aconcagua

“With the pandemic we continue to work in our areas but without tourists, which was what was striking and different. Although we did not stop working, what changed was our routine. We started with the maintenance of the park, repair of signage and others, which may not have had enough time at other times due to the influx of tourists. Progress was made in somewhat relegated tasks”, Aros completed. I love mountain landscapes, so during my trip through Argentina I really enjoyed the Andes. As I passed through Mendoza, I couldn’t stop getting closer to contemplate the highest mountain in America and I was lucky enough to have a spectacular sunny day to be able to admire its summit at almost 7,000 meters of Aconcagua Hike altitude. Here I will tell you how to get to Aconcagua so that you can also marvel at this great snowy giant. If it is among your travel plans or dreams. Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the world outside of the Himalayas, which makes it the highest in the Americas and much of the rest of the planet. Its peak reaches 6,960 meters above sea level and it is not alone, but around it there are many more mountains, glaciers and valleys under the protection of the Aconcagua Provincial Park.

The mountain and the park are located in the section of the Cordillera de los Andes in the Argentine province of Mendoza, close to the border with Chile. In fact, it is more or less halfway between the cities of Mendoza (Argentina) and Santiago (Chile), about 3 hours by road from each of them. Therefore, it is relatively easy and comfortable to visit Aconcagua from any of them.

Aconcagua Climbing – How to set up my expedition to Aconcagua

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In the building you can ask for advice and they will indicate the most advisable route. The usual thing for those who do not intend to make a great physical effort, is to do the Laguna de los Horcones trail.

It’s a few kilometers, which takes about an hour to get there and back. During the tour, you will see the majesty of Aconcagua from different views and you will reach the lagoon, which will have more or less water depending on the time of year.

It is a very quiet walk in which, by the way, you will notice the lack of oxygen. You are almost 3,000 meters above sea level and your body warns you that it will take a few minutes to acclimatize to this new environment.

trekking

If you go to do any of the trekking circuits, you should check if you need prior permission. In any case, if they request a registration on the Park’s website.

There are one-day, three-day and seven-day circuits.

Preparations for the excursion Aconcagua Mountain Guides 

The road to Mount Aconcagua is in good condition, but there are many kilometers without any civilization around it. In addition to filling the tank of the car before leaving, it is important to remember:

Bring water and food. Although in the towns you will find places to buy food.

Sunscreen. Here the sun burns even if you are inside a vehicle. Don’t forget sunglasses and a hat either.

An outerwear. Although you travel in summer, it is windy and the breeze is fresh.

Check the weather before starting the trip.

Finally, there are speed cameras. If you see the other cars stop, do the same, since most of them are not marked. Aconcagua Provincial Park is one of the 17 protected areas in the province of Mendoza, created by Provincial Law in 1983. Nearly 1,200,000 people visit our nature reserves each year and Aconcagua Park is one of the most visited. 

Aconcagua Ascents

National and foreign tourists travel each year to the nature reserve to walk its trails and circuits. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic this stopped. From Atardecid@s they spoke with Lucas Aros, Guadaparques del Cerro Aconcagua who provided details of the tasks they carried out during the pandemic and what changes they made to the hill. Aconcagua Park is an icon for Mendoza, for Argentina and for America. It is the highest summit in the Americas and as such is of global importance” commented Lucas Aros- Guadaparques del 

Aconcagua Treks

The Aconcagua Provincial Park depends on the Directorate of Natural Resources of the Ministry of Land, Environment and Natural Resources of the province of Mendoza. The contribution of the public sector is basically provided by the park rangers, the most important presence of the Directorate of Resources with personnel who work in the different camps.

Aconcagua Climbing – Protected areas near Aconcagua

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The Puente del Inca is a protected area, very close to the entrance to Aconcagua Park. It is a rock formation suspended above the Las Cuevas River at a height of 27 meters.

It is made up of sediments and other types of materials. Under the formation there are stalactites.

Since 2006 it is forbidden to cross the bridge, due to landslides and cracks in the rock. For years the waters of the river were used as thermal springs, since it has healing properties. Experts believe that the use of water caused water stress to the bridge, which, together with the passage of goods, caused the cracks that led to its closure.

Aconcagua 360 Route

Around the bridge there are some shops that sell local products and many others serve food. Barely more than 100 people live in this town, many of them assigned to the barracks. The train track that you will see throughout the journey to the Aconcagua hill, corresponds to the old Trans-Andean Railway, which made the journey from Los Andes to Mendoza since 1910.

But as you will see along the way, the difficulties due to time, orography and landslides made the train stop working in 1984. 

How to Climb Aconcagua

At the time, the construction of the road was a challenge for engineering, since they had to use state-of-the-art technology. Currently there are several areas of the road where you can stop very close to the road and take some photos. The one that accompanies this text was made by returning to Mendoza, just after leaving El Puente del Inca, next to a small cemetery.

An Argentine company has proposed to resume the project and make the train work again, although it will spend a lot of money if it wants the track not to suffer the same fate as before. The reservoir is 30 kilometers from Mendoza. It was open in 2003 and has a height of 116 meters.

Because the water comes from melting ice, its color is less dark. The people of Mendoza usually go to the reservoir to enjoy the bath in the summer.

It is normal for them to even park their cars and vans very close to the water, although access is prohibited. There are also water activities such as rafting and sailing. 

Aconcagua Guided Climb

Activities in Aconcagua Park

If you only go up to admire the views and sightsee, you can buy the entrance to the Park right there. At the entrance there is a parking lot with a small building and some free toilets.

To the right of this building there is a dirt road marked with ropes that leads to the first viewpoint. It is usually empty and if the weather is good it makes for a spectacular photo.

After paying the entrance fee you can enter the park and start the tour.

Aconcagua Argentina – Unforgettable mountain experience

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Its harsh climatic conditions allow the life of flora and fauna that are adaptable to the cold, such as species of herbs and small vertebrate animals. Its parts of plains present pastures that are called vegas.

Aconcagua Mountain Guides

It is a territory of cultural abundance. Since the times of the Inca Empire, man has modified this land to be able to move. They left an important mark on the Inca Trail, which represents an extensive road network that used to connect our territory with neighboring countries.

Aconcagua Ascents

Depending on the duration of the activities and their complexity, Aconcagua Park has various adventures. And it is always advisable to plan the visit beforehand, since not only specific material things are necessary, but also forms and permits.

Trekking. The most beautiful and refreshing walks find their space in the Laguna de Horcones Circuit.

Aconcagua Treks

trekking. Exciting way to walk in the form of an excursion and recreate the view. There are short, long and full day types and they have different degrees of difficulty. They are only available in summer.

Ascents and mountaineering. It is entered through the valley of the Horcones River or through Punta de Vacas. For the latter and the long trek, it is necessary to take out insurance that covers possible search, rescue and evacuation operations. In addition, a prior medical check-up must be presented.

It is important at this point to abide by the recommendations of the experts. There are some people who can suffer from mountain or altitude sickness, whose symptoms are generally treatable starting with an analgesic, but if the advice and alarms of the body itself are ignored, it can be fatal.

The park and the town of Las Heras in general provide necessary medical services; and if they have social work they can be treated, for example, at the aconcagua clinic. But there is no sanatorium in Aconcagua near the park.

It is a park that has public services such as park rangers, whose tasks are to provide information to visitors and enforce current conservation and operation regulations. In addition, in season it has Medical Assistance in the Confluencia, Plaza de Mulas and Plaza Argentina Camps. Near its entrance, there is a viewpoint to enjoy a perfect landscape.

Visits. Near the Hotel Aconcagua, it is possible to access the Universidad del Aconcagua, which emerged from the merger of two institutes. Today, the higher academic center known as Aconcagua University teaches courses in its faculties and promotes research. Also in that area, you can see the monument to the flag, the theater, different wine bars, the casino, the historical archive of Mendoza and the Museum of the Cuyano Past, among many other places for walks and shopping for wines, sweets, handicrafts and souvenirs. .

 

Aconcagua Argentina – adventures in south america

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Aconcagua Mountain

At his feet, we realize how small we are. The Aconcagua inspires respect in the most reverent and at the same time pride in the adventurers. Let’s learn more about this mountain.

How tall is Aconcagua?

The Aconcagua is geographically located in the department of Las Heras in the northwest of the Province of Mendoza. It is a mountain and is part of the Cordillera de los Andes, integrating the Cordillera Principal (see map). It is the highest peak in the American continent and the second on the planet, after the Asian Himalayas. How tall is Aconcagua? Its North Summit measures 6,960.80 meters above sea level and its South Summit, 6,930 meters above sea level.

Also called Cerro Aconcagua, the formation is geologically recent as this massif was the product of the sinking of the Nazca tectonic plate below the South American Plate, in the Triacic period.

The Weather on the Aconcagua 360 Route

In Aconcagua height and extreme go hand in hand. Due to the altitude, first of all, the exposure to solar radiation is high. Secondly, its arid and dry climate forces the body to lose fluids, so it is important not only to protect yourself from UV rays but also to be adequately hydrated.

Thirdly, the thermal amplitude is excessive because during the day the heat is perceived but at the beginning of the sunset, the temperature drops drastically. Although this mountain climate reigns in the lower valleys, these changes between day and night are more aggressive as you ascend the Cerro, climbers realize this.

How to Climb Aconcagua

Finally, we must bear in mind that it is a territory crossed by strong winds of up to 200 kilometers per hour.

How to get to Aconcagua

Before knowing the majesty of this mountain, it is necessary to enter the Mendoza territory. It is possible to use terrestrial means and enjoy the crossing from the first minute. For this we have, for example, with the comfortable services of the San Juan Mar del Plata Company and its modern fleet of buses.

Long-distance buses usually use the facilities of the Mendoza Bus Terminal, located in the town of Guaymallén and known as the Terminal del Sol, with all the services for travelers.

The best accommodation option is the Hotel Aconcagua, also known as Hotel Raíces Aconcagua. It has complete comforts and services of a special category, located in the heart of Mendoza, a few blocks from the Aconcagua sanatorium.

Aconcagua Guided Climb

adventures for all

The great view of the Cerro gives rise to different activities both in its valleys and on its slopes. But for all the recommendation is the same: if you suffer any discomfort due to altitude, you have to know that there is no clinic in Aconcagua to be treated. Let’s discover some places and things to do.

Aconcagua Provincial Park

Its location is 183 kilometers from the capital of Mendoza and is accessed by National Route 7. It was declared a protected natural area in 1983, along with nine other natural sections in Mendoza. It is a vast area of ​​pure mountain ranges of various colors, levels and heights where only the highest peaks are home to glaciers, which are the source of the planet’s most valuable natural resource: fresh water. In addition, it presents immense areas of valleys.

Aconcagua Argentina – Information needed to climb

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Personnel from the Mountain Rescue and Assistance Patrol Unit are already working in the recently inaugurated season of the Aconcagua Provincial Park.

As every year with the start of the 2019-2020 trekking season (and in December of ascent), the Plaza de Mulas Police Detachment at 4,370 meters above sea level and the Nido de Cóndores advance camp, at 5,535, are already operational.

For the installation and transfers, the personnel of the Police Aviation Corps collaborated, who on board the B3 helicopter were in charge of the task of transporting personnel, food, supplies and rescue equipment to face the season.

Aconcagua Argentina

The Rescue Patrol has 27 troops who work in two shifts of 15 for 15 days, operating along the normal route from Horcones to the summit. The team’s physical seat is at the Plaza de Mulas base camp, at 4,300 meters.

At the high altitude camp of Nido de Cóndores, at 5,300 meters, there is a permanent guard that will remain until the last climber leaves the Park at the end of the season.

Among the activities they carry out, it is noteworthy that of raising awareness among mountaineers, informing them about care and eventualities during the ascent. Of course that includes the protection of the environment in order to preserve hygiene in the Park.

Mount Aconcagua

Among the measures they recommend, it is worth noting to avoid going alone to the mountain, and prior to the excursion, notify the family of the return time, itinerary, alternatives and companions.

In addition, before embarking on the journey, it is necessary to find out about the weather and the evolution of the weather in the coming days.

Also have appropriate clothing, enough water, mobile phone or similar to give notice in case of emergency, flashlight, matches, lighter, penknife, coat, food, etc. Keep calm and help if there is an injured person

Immediately notify the nearest shelter

Avoid leaving the injured person alone. If there is no other option, put a coat on him and leave him enough food and liquid

Mark the spot so rescuers can easily locate it

Report to the authorities: description of the accident, number of injured, injuries and severity, when and where it happened

Report weather conditions

In case of loss Aconcagua

Avoid walking aimlessly or desperately over rough or dangerous terrain

If you don’t have a compass or GPS, there are references that indicate where North is located, for example: sunrise in the East and sunset in the West; rocks with more vegetation on its southern side (because of more humidity); snow and moisture disappear earlier on the northern slopes (because of the sun); etc.

Stand in a clear and elevated spot so that the rescue team can locate you more easily

Bring phone numbers of nearby police stations or shelters

Aconcagua Argentina – Impossible to forget this adventure

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The values

Another singularity of this Aconcagua season will be that the tariffs for all activities will only be in force for foreigners, discriminated between Latin Americans and the rest of the world. Argentine climbers who want to do trekking or ascent will not have to pay anything this season.

However, except for trekking for a day without overnight, to enter the Park for any activity it should be done through one of the companies that provide services.

Aconcagua Expeditions

This determination will certainly not be without controversy. The explanation of the authorities for such a decision is that only through the companies can the sanitary protocols be enforced to the letter, essential for the success of the Aconcagua season.

Basically, the purchase of the entry permit (or just the registration if you are Argentine) must be done through the companies, in order to have a strict control of the people inside the Park. That, plus the restroom service and waste management, it is an obligation to hire private companies, with the same purpose: to limit the health risk to the minimum possible.

Aconcagua Climb

Some broken yes, others no

Unlike previous years, there will be no activity in the Vacas River Valley. Nobody will be able to enter through this circuit towards the Plaza Argentina camp and the 360º route and the Polacos glacier. These routes will be closed this summer 2021-2022.

On the other hand, trekking activities will be enabled in the Matienzo ravine, recently added to the Aconcagua Provincial Park area. In this case, the possible tours are the Potrero Escondido lagoon, the Pedro Zanni hills, Mirador del Tolosa or Peñas Coloradas, all considered as trekking, daily or short.

As for medical and helicopter services, these will remain active as usual. But only during the period of ascents to the summit, between January 1 and February 15.

Climbing Aconcagua

The porters will be able to carry out their work as every Aconcagua season. But always within the payroll of an expedition or registered in some association or cooperative that groups them, and that is registered. Therefore, the work of “free” porters will not be allowed.

Each mountaineer who intends to make a long trek or ascent must have and prove an insurance or evacuation or medical assistance service that covers him in the event of an eventuality. Mountaineers of Argentine nationality are exempt from this measure. The costs of entry permits for foreigners in the different modalities for this season are as follows:

recreational trekking

Horcones Ravine to Durazno Ravine

Foreigner: $820

Latin American: $550

Aconcagua Argentina – Some considerations to come to Aconcagua

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Just by reviewing the main data on Mount Aconcagua (6,962 m), the highest peak in the world except for the Asian ranges, one has a primary approximation to the dimension not only of the future planned expedition, but of the mountain itself.

First, the height. Its summit of almost 7,000 meters above sea level is located on the border of the “death zone”, a mountaineering denomination defined by the Swiss doctor Edouard Wyss-Dunant above 7,500 meters, where there is no It is not possible for the human organism to acclimatize to such altitudes, but only to adapt for a limited period of time.

Climb Aconcagua

There is no doubt that Aconcagua is a very large mountain, due to its height, its distance in the approach from different routes and the unevenness that it is necessary to overcome to climb to its top. Although the normal routes of ascent do not present major technical difficulties, the natural conditions represent their greatest demand and risk: the extremely dry air, rarefied by the height, is the enemy to defeat on the journey to the summit. The humidity of the air above 4,000 meters is barely 10% and the partial pressure of oxygen at the top is 37% of that present at sea level.

Aconcagua Expedition

The actual stay on the hill also represents an extreme difficulty to overcome in order to obtain results, both in the long approach stage and in acclimatization and the stay in the high-altitude camps, with the consequent discomfort implied by the transit and permanence in such wild environment.

A conventional expedition to Aconcagua takes between 12 and 16 days in the mountain under normal conditions. Meanwhile, in the high altitude camps, above 5,000 meters, between 4 and 6 nights will be necessary.

The total difference in altitude to overcome from Horcones along the normal route to the summit is 4,000 meters, while the difference in altitude on the day of the summit, starting from the Berlin camp, is 1,100 meters. Signed by the obligation to comply with the health protocols established as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Aconcagua (Mendoza, Argentina, 6960.8 m) 20221-2022 season officially begins next Monday, November 15, after yesterday’s publication of the decree that regulates it.

Aconcagua Hike

The legal instrument that governs the activity in the Provincial Park in the summer season, which runs until April 30, 2022, contains in its articles most of the presumptions that were unofficially handled until this Friday, three days before the start. In our opinion, the most important provision is the limited extension of the period of ascent to the highest peak in America itself, with entry to the Park for that purpose only from January 1 to 31 of next year. Therefore, between those dates and until February 15, summit attempts will be possible, considering that an expedition of these characteristics can take about 15 days.

Aconcagua Argentina – An unforgettable adventure

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The armies of the legendary Inca Empire from Cuzco invaded the Central Cordillera sector, leaving their mark in the Aconcagua area, with an extensive road network: the Inca road or Qhapac Ñán, which linked a great diversity of places and towns such as those of Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

The importance of Aconcagua as a sacred hill for the Incas is evidenced by the discovery by Argentine climbers in 1985 of the “Niño del Aconcagua”. At just over 5,000 m.a.s.l. An Inca burial was found with an Inca child around 7 to 8 years old, in which a sacred ritual consisting of the sacrifice of the child had been practiced during the Inca Period (1400 to 1532 AD).

We make available for download the Aconcagua Mountain Guides digital elevation model (DEM) corresponding to the captured area, which allows a three-dimensional view of the place. Mount Aconcagua or Cerro Aconcagua, is a mountain located in the western province of Mendoza, in the center-west of Argentina, on the border with Chile. It is the highest point that can be found in the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered one of the mountains that are included in the group of the Seven Summits, a group that corresponds to the highest mountains that exist on the continents. In 1994, blind climbers managed to climb to the north summit. Aconcagua Ascents

In 1986, a climber of Chilean origin carried a table on his back. The objective was to reach the top, set the table to achieve a little more height and thus be the person who climbed the highest in the world.

In 1982, Norman Croucher Obe, of English origin, managed to reach 5,300 meters above sea level at the age of 40. with his prosthetic legs. Aconcagua Treks

In 1947 Cop and Herold, both of German origin, set out with the aim of reaching the summit of the mountain and halfway there they found a guanaco skeleton on the rocks. Since then, this edge has been known as the “Guanaco Edge” Today at the National University of Cuyo, the IGN released the result of the exhaustive investigation of the group of scientists gathered in the SIGMA Program, who worked for two years in a complex study that managed to elucidate the exact height of the Colossus of America. The current value is 6960.8 meters above mean sea level. It was determined based on geodetic GPS and gravimetry measurement campaigns carried out during the years 2011 and 2012.

The results of the measurements were presented at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the National University of Cuyo (Mendoza), with the presence of authorities from the IGN, the Rector’s Office of the University and the Provincial Government.

This new height value does not imply a relationship with the previous one, since the first one was determined in 1956 by the Institute of Geodesy of the University of Buenos Aires, with measurement techniques and instruments of that time. The current value was achieved with new measurement techniques and state-of-the-art instruments. Thanks to the installation of the permanent GPS stations, located in the NICO refuge and the summit, the Cerro will be able to be monitored annually and its future vertical movement will be determined.

The work was carried out jointly between the IGN, the SIGMA Program, the National University of Cuyo, the National University of Rosario and the National University of San Juan.

Aconcagua Argentina – It is always good to return to Aconcagua

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In the Cordillera de los Andes -in the province of Mendoza- is the Aconcagua hill, the highest elevation in America. Framed by a spectacular natural environment, it integrates one of the most beautiful landscapes in Argentina. In the geological constitution of this Andean sector, it is recognized: a pre-Jurassic basement, formed between 320 and 205 million years; Mesozoic sequences made up of marine and continental rocks, aged between 170 and 80 million years; Neogene sediments and volcanoes formed between 20 and 8 million years ago, and a cover of recent sediments. The geological evolution of the Aconcagüina region is a magnificent example of mountain-generating processes, which began in a marine basin in the Jurassic and reached the formation of a massif that reaches 7 kilometers in height today. South of Aconcagua, the Cuevas River valley has been a crossing point for the Andes since pre-Columbian times, and that is why there are historical remains from different eras scattered throughout the area. Currently, Aconcagua is a privileged tourist destination, especially for lovers of mountain sports.

Cerro Aconcagua is a mountain in the Cordillera de los Andes, located in the province of Mendoza, 185 km. from its capital and 15 kilometers from the border with Chile, in the Department of Las Heras. With an altitude of 6,962 meters above sea level, it is the highest peak in America.

On February 28, 2017, the MSI sensor on board the Sentinel-2A satellite obtained an image of Cerro Aconcagua with a spatial resolution of 10 meters. Aconcagua 360 Route

In the image in natural color combination, the surface covered by eternal snow and the numerous glaciers such as the Polacos on the northeastern slope can be identified in white, which contrasts with the brown of the bare soil and exposed rocks of the environment. In this high-altitude area, the climate is cold, dry and windy, so no development of vegetation is seen in the image.

This hill is located within the Aconcagua Provincial Park, declared a Provincial Park in 1983 with 71,000 hectares. This protected area has one of the most valuable natural resources on the planet, fresh water, which is contained mainly in glaciers. Likewise, it houses an important animal and plant diversity adapted to adverse environmental conditions (low temperatures and great aridity), characteristics of the high Andean phytogeographic region. How to Climb Aconcagua

Cerro Aconcagua, which gives its name to the reserve, is its main tourist attraction, capturing the attention of climbers and hikers from the most diverse places in the world. Aconcagua Guided Climb

The most recognized conception of the word “Aconcagua” comes from the Quechua language Akon – Kahuak which means “Stone Sentinel”. In the Aymara language, the words Kon – Kawa can be translated as “Monte Nevado”.