Aconcagua, Argentina

• Located in Argentina, South America
• Get there by flying into the beautiful town of Mendoza. From there, travel by bus to trailhead at Punta de Vacas.
• At 22,829ft, Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America and the highest mountain outside of Asia.
• Most climbers follow the Vacas Valley Route… which involves a 30 mile trek in before then climbing upwards through a progressively higher set of camps.
• The climb is not technical, although some cramponing is involved. The more technical ‘Polish Glacier’ option is available near the summit for intermediate / advanced climbers.
• Despite the non technical nature of the climb, it is physically demanding… you are carrying a heavy backpack at very high altitude of long periods of time; for most climbs, there is no porter support.
• I travelled w/ Alpine Ascents… they provided top notch service throughout the expedition.
• Summit date: January 2003
• Most memorable moments
  • Shortly after arriving at base camp, we heard a dragging sound coming from higher up on the mountain; soon, we saw a few rangers, dragging two body bags in plastic children’s sleds behind them. We learned that these were the bodies to two German climbers that fell to their death while attempting the Polish Glacier. The next morning, the team woke to see the deceased climbers lifted out of base camp by helicopter. This was at the start of our climb… quite the eye-opening introduction to this massive, and deadly, mountain.
  • A couple days later, my tent mate, a guy I was just getting to know, also had to be lifted off of the mountain by helicopter. Asthma, absent from childhood, had again appeared… dangerous breathing complications occurred… and a quick descent was necessary.
  • Reaching the summit with my fellow climbers, in particular JD with whom I shared a tent with during the rest of the trip.
  • Hiking back off the mountain, and spending one night around the fire we the mule handlers; we had wine and steak (easily the best in my life) cooked over an open fire.
  • Coming off the mountain and seeing a car for the first time in weeks… was weird… if felt really strange to see it… almost like it was a spaceship.
  • The long, long shower I took once I was finally back in Mendoza.
• Souvenir: a case of Malbec wine (my favorite ever sense the trip)… of course, the wine was gone shortly after bringing it home!