Aconcagua Group
Stats
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Itinerary
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Total Distance: 75.6 miles
Total Elevation Gain: 23,290’
Days 1-2
I traveled from Grand Junction, CO to Mendoza via four flights. The highlight of the trip to Mendoza was visiting a friend during a layover in Miami. I was picked up and given a ride to get my permit, then drove up to Los Puquios where they offer free camping. I met Willy, a German mountain guide who was also attempting Aconcagua solo. We we were planning on starting the trek up to basecamp the following morning. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Los Penitentes Ski Area
Day 3
Willy and I hiked up left our gear to be carried up by the mules and were driven to Punta de Vacas to begin the hike up to Pampa de Leñas. The hike was rather easy and the weather was great. I was surprised to see no one else at the first camp along the approach to basecamp. Soon after, people started trickling in. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Lizard in the Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Mules in the Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Mule with my pack at Pampa de Leñas. Mules were blindfolded to prevent them from wandering off.d
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Mule with my rolling duffle at Pampa de Leñas
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Vacas Valley
Day 4
We started out the next morning in good weather, but near the end of the hike to the second camp along the approach to basecamp, the winds picked up and a large amount of dust was being blown down the valley. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Me on the bridge over the Vacas River
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Waterfall above the Vacas Valey
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking down the Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Willy hiking up the Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Willy taking a break in the Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking down the Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
High winds and a lot of dust just below Casa de Piedra
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
More dust
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking down the valley at the dust
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
The Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking down the Vacas Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Casa de Piedra
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Aconcagua
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Casa de Piedra
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking up the Vacas Valley from Casa de Piedra
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking northeast from Casa de Piedra
Day 5
The next morning we started out early and crossed the Vacas River barefoot since I forgot to bring sandals. My feet were in terrible pain from the cold by the time I got across. The hike up the Relinchos Valley was very pretty and soon we were at basecamp. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Willy hiking up the Relinchos Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking up the Relinchos Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Willy hiking up the Relinchos Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Ameghino
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Mules heading up the Relinchos Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino above the
Relichos River
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
The Relinchos Valley
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Ibañez
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Rico
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Colorado
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Helicopter above basecamp and Cerro Ameghino in the distance. The helicopter was picking up a climber strucken with altitude illness.
Day 6
I carried up to Camp I. It was interesting to see the Relinchos Glacier that was covered almost completely in dirt and rock. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Penintentes en route to Camp I
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
More Penitentes
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
The dirt and rock covered Relinchos Glacier
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
The dirt and rock covered Relinchos Glacier
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Plaza Argentina
Day 7
After speaking with some guides from Aymara earlier, I decided to climb Cerro Aconcagua. I saw some people heading up in the distance and tried to catch them. I managed to reach the summit just minutes after they arrived. The climb was primarily up a faint trail, then a class 3+ summit block. The views were great. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Aconcagua
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Aconcagua
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Plaza Argentina from Cerro Colorado
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Climbing the summit block of Cerro Colorado
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Rico from Cerro Colorado
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Plaza Argentina and Cerro Ameghino
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
El Castillo
Day 8
I moved up to Camp I. I spent a long time making my tent windproof. I was able to filter water here despite all the stories I heard about silt clogging filters. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
My tent at Camp I before extensive fortification
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
The water source at Camp I
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Camp I
Day 9
Rest |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Camp I
Day 10
I carried up to Camp I. This was the first time I really felt the altitude; I was breathing heavily and had a headache. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Camp I
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking northeast en route to Camp II
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking northeast en route to Camp II (zoom)
Day 11
Rest |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Ameghino
Day 12
I moved up to Camp II. Sertting up my tent was a great effort. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro Aconcagua from Camp II
Day 13
I walked up to about 20,000' to help acclimatize. The views were fantastic. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Camp II from the Polish Traverse
Day 14
Rest |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking northeast from the Polish Traverse
Day 15
I began hiking towards the summit and made it to Independencia Hut very quickly, but then began moving very slowly. I did not know if I was going to make the summit until I was about 30 feet from it. The views of the south summit were the highlight. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Independencia Hut, the highest refuge in the world
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Looking northeast from Windy Crest
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
The southern summit from Guanaco Ridge
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
The southern summit from the northern summit
Day 16
I hiked down to Plaza Argentina. Carrying all of my gear from Camp I to basecamp was the worst part.Day 17
I hiked all the way out to Punta de Vacas, the stayed at the Hosteria Puenta del Inca. It was nice to shower and sleep on a mattress. |
| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Hosteria Puenta del Inca
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Puenta del Inca
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Puente del Inca
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cementary from mountaineers
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Los Puquios
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Puenta del Inca
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Puente del Inca
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Plaza in Mendoza
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Plaza in Mendoza
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Hotel Petit
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Cerro de la Gloria Monument
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
View west from Cerro de la Gloria
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
View north from Cerro de la Gloria
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View east from Cerro de la Gloria
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Parrot at the zoo
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Strange animal at the zoo
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Cerro de la Gloria from the Road
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| From Cerro Aconcagua y Cerro Colorado |
Plaza Independencia
Images
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