| New speed record in Aconcagua Article |
| New speed record in Aconcagua   | 
| Page Type: Article Activities: Mountaineering | Page By: Holmesbp Created/Edited: Feb 13, 2006 / Feb 13, 2006 Object ID: 171412 Hits: 1161  Loading... Page Score: 57.72% - 3 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
New speed record in AconcaguaA new world speed record in Aconcagua was established by the andinist and Peruvian mountain guide Holmes Pantoja Bayona on the 3th of February. He climbed 4.112 meters of desnivel in only 13 hours.
The attempt consisted in reaching the roof of America, 6.962 m, from the valley Horcones at 2.850. Moreover, the Peruvian guy returned to the same place after 20 hours 35min. without having a rest. The previous record was held by the well known mountain guide Willy Benegas of the North Face Team, who did the same trail in a little more than 23 hours.
Most of mountaineers who attempt to break the speed record, try this from the Base Camp Plaza de Mulas at 4.200 meters, but few of them try to do the entire trail, which starts from the entrance of the National Park Aconcagua.
First, the Peruvian guide of 28 years old, climbed Cerro Penitentes (4.800m) together with his colleague to acclimate. The next day they passed the whole day hydrating and resting till 22:45 pm, when they left for the inmense valley of Horcones, with the minimum of mountain equipment, to protect them from the cold.
Only what is most necessary
For this speed ascent, they only wore sport shoes and the minimum of necessary clothes. Further more they carried some chocolate bars, a discman and water for the entire way. They choose to do the normal route or the northwest face of the mountain, where temperatures reach minus 18 degrees and parts of the trail are covered with frozen snow at higher altitudes.
At 12:35 on the 3 of February, Holmes Pantoja reached the summit of the Aconcagua and communicated his arrival to the Park Guards. His colleague, with whom he started the ascent, accompanied him till Camp Canadá at 4.800 meters.
Holmes immediately started to descend and reached very quickly the Base Camp Plaza de Mulas, from where he continued descending to his starting point, where he arrived at 19:26 pm. That's how he managed to set a new record for this route.
Some participants of the Andinist Club of Buenos Aires were witness to the event, which has also been registered in the Book of the Park Guards.
www.apuperuvian.com
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