Category: Aconcagua Guided Climb

Aconcagua Climbing – Adventures in the Cordillera

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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.

Aconcagua Climbing – Total experience in Aconcagua

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For anyone interested in mountaineering, Aconcagua 360 Route is a great name. Every year, the highest mountain outside the Himalayas attracts people from all over the world during its climbing season, which runs from November to March. Anyone looking for a mountain challenge sooner or later faces Aconcagua.

That is what happened to Miroslav, a Russian living in Scotland. The sporty, running guy is always looking for a challenge, call it a marathon or an Aconcagua guided climb. Since his childhood, the mountains were part of his life when he spent several vacations in ​​Mount Elbrus and the summit at the age of 14. For this reason, since the idea of ​​Aconcagua first crossed his mind, he put all his efforts into reaching the top.

In preparation, he climbed Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, three months before going to Argentina. He did well with the physical challenge, and the high altitude was not a problem for him. The next step was the final stretch to make the Aconcagua dream come true. And for that, he needed to find the perfect mountain guide to take him to the top.

Here the mountain guide Juan Gomez enters the scene. He found his profile while browsing Explore-Share and wrote to him. It was the end of November 2015, and 2 months later, they were already at the Mendoza airport to go to the ‘Stone Sentinel,’ the Rock Sentinel, as Aconcagua is often called. How to climb Aconcagua?

But Juan is not just another guide. He is one of the central historical figures of Chilean mountaineering. He was part of the first Chilean expedition to the Himalayas in 1979, and when he went with Oleksii, it was his 36th time on the “roof of America.” The kind of guy that kids who are getting into the world of guides look up to, and not just in Chile. This year, he plans to ascend Mount Cho Oyu, one of the 8000-meter peaks in Nepal.

So it’s not a bad start if you want your Aconcagua experience to be a good one. Gastón picked up Oleksii at the airport and, after processing the permits, they headed directly to Penitentes. In this small ski resort, most people spend the night before starting the expedition. They were lucky enough to avoid a landslide that blocked the road a few hours after their passage, so good luck was on their side. The group was of 3: Oleksii, Juan, and Francisca, a student of Juan who was there as an assistant and to learn in the field, and according to Oleksii, he was a great help and a critical factor in the success of the expedition.

Aconcagua Climbing – The Best Experience Ever

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We define it as the activity that makes us work on cardiovascular endurance, which makes us reach the limit with lung capacity and high pulsations in a prolonged period of no less than 30 continuous minutes — examples: running, swimming, cycling.

Power-strength: Exercises that give us specific work. Spinal, push-ups, etc.

Backpack: Training while carrying an expedition backpack is always cheerful. Fundamental for a good  Aconcagua Guided Climb

It is convenient to start with no less than 7 kg + the backpack’s weight, but the most significant thing is to know how to adjust the straps well and the correct size. The backpack is not the same for a woman or man who weighs less than 50 kg and measures 1.60 than for a man of 85 kg and 1.80; remember that it is vital to get backpacks for everyone’s body. These exercises may be done on stairs.

Technical: we can include everything related to the terrain (ideal for an  Aconcagua 360 Route), walk on an unstable slope, with loose stones such as hauling, with snow or ice, with sections of rock or exposed edges. Also, work with the balance of the body. This will give us much more security when walking down the slopes and gutters of Aconcagua or any other mountain. Output: It provides us with the practice we need and see where we stand with the training process. Take a walk in the mountains, the forests of Patagonia, the slopes of Mendoza and San Juan, or any other undulating place that will allow us to close the circle. One of the 5 points that I usually present as a difficulty for activities in the mountains is psychological or mental. It is not easy to spend 18 days without knowing almost anything about your loved ones and living with people who do not have the customs or habits.

Several situations in an expedition can condition our performance and throw away the exhaustive preparation work of weeks and months.

The feeling of loneliness when we ask ourselves  How to climb Aconcagua , the tiny connection with those of my group, the contact with the unknown, missing your loved ones, the rules of coexistence in a hostile environment, the extended overnight stay in a tent, an Alone or in the company of someone “forced” and mainly the negative sensations that the climate may cause me, such as height, wind, and extreme cold. We have to work on the previous one with our head, so the exits that I can add before will be very useful for this.

Aconcagua Climbing – Learn to trust yourself at 7000 meters

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With more than 6,962 meters high, Aconcagua Argentina is the most imposing mountain in the range. This does not go unnoticed since almost from anywhere in Mendoza; you can see its top. Climbing Aconcagua is an extreme sport and a challenge for professional athletes who spend years training. However, this is not an impediment for you to see it up close. You can visit the Aconcagua Provincial Park, reach its base, and enter one of its trails surrounded by nature. This is one of the activities in Mendoza that will leave you open-mouthed and wanting to take thousands of photos. Climbing this mountain can mean the magical entrance to this select group of Dreams to Fulfill.

Mount Aconcagua is the giant mountain in America, the Southern Hemisphere, and the Western Hemisphere. Beyond these mere numerical and statistical descriptions that also caress the 7000 meters above sea level, this prominent elevation keeps countless beautiful landscapes and stories that can become part of some of the most significant and extraordinary paragraphs of our life. Do you want to get closer to knowing her? Do you want to prepare to live it? Do you want to relight your enthusiasm? Do you want to get on a challenge that will mark you forever?

I present to your stages, moments, keys, or simply points that can collaborate and definitively clarify the path. In the previous one, to reach the day you find yourself delivering the ascent permit at the Horcones or Punta de Vacas section, there is the genesis of your expedition so dreamed of. It is always essential to have some experience in having ever been in the mountains, although the most important thing first is to walk on different terrains with loose stones such as hauling, rather than forcing yourself to go up.

First, the basics put on a backpack and trekking for two or more days, then move on to the altitude ascent. Perhaps some will be reached with a couple of outings, maybe others need a few more, and perhaps some privileged (never recommended) can ascend the Colossus of America without ever having done a trek to Sierra de la Ventana in their lives. One of the tips to success in the mountains always has to do with being physically well. We have just mentioned the technical in the previous point, which is trained by going out on the field and not at home, in the park, or the gym.

After several experiences in the preparation of large expeditions and, as my own experience, I can recommend a system that generally adapts well to anyone with a basic level of physical-mental training. The idea is to get to do a personalized follow-up on Aconcagua, with a table, where we can dump the process of each of the areas worked: aerobic, power or specific training in exercises, backpack work, the technician and the training carried out specifically in the field (outing to the mountain). The system is designed in a pyramid shape; it starts with a low demand until reaching the highest point and sustains for three months, finally descending again and ending with 10 to 12 days of complete rest, where it is prioritized to eat hydrate well.

Aconcagua Climbing – Hydration is Essential

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Humidity is relatively scarce, oxygen is low, and powerful winds are produced that are at the same time responsible for making essential storms in the place. The technical equipment necessary to perform the Aconcagua Ascents is one of the most critical points to face this challenge. In most cases, it avoids injuries and health problems that could prevent you from meeting your goal of reaching the summit.

That is why when choosing the clothing for the Aconcagua Treks, keep in mind to bring the following items:

– First skin: This clothing is in direct contact with the skin, and its function is to evacuate sweat, keeping the skin dry. Clothing of this type has two characteristics: it maintains body heat but is permeable to air, allowing for a feeling of freshness. Ideally, the material of this layer is polyester. The use of cotton garments is not recommended, as they maintain moisture and help lower body temperature. The first skin garments are pants, shirts, gloves, and socks.

Second-skin: This clothing is placed on the 1st skin. Its principal function is thermal insulation, maintaining the heat generated by the body and favoring the evacuation of moisture. This skin is made up of different types of tissues, the most common being polar. The garments of this layer are pants, jacket or pullover, vest, hat, gloves, and stockings. It is essential to carry out Aconcagua mountain guides

Third skin: This layer must be completely waterproof, breathable, and windproof. The combination of these qualities will ensure that, in a storm or river crossing, the water does not penetrate the garments but, at the same time, allows the sweat to escape. In mountain settings, staying dry and warm will be synonymous with comfort and health. The garments of this skin are pants, a jacket, a hat, and gloves.

Remember that 30% of body heat is lost through the head, so it is essential to have good warm hats, balaclavas (polypropylene or Capilene), and neckerchiefs.

Fourth skin: This last layer is, precisely, a thermal insulator. The clothing can be filled with feathers or fiber and is used in freezing temperatures (-10 ° C to -35 ° C). The garments of this skin can be a jacket, vest, or overalls.