Alex Hiker wrote:Day hiker, do you know why they require the Card Identification Number (additional security 3 digits) when pay by credit card? I used to work in credit card industry and feel a little bit uncomfortable with this request.

It's for security reasons. They request the three digit number to make sure that you are in physical possesion of the card when you place the order. The theory is that if someone steals your credit card number (but not your card), they won't know the three digit number that is only on the card. But if someone steals the card itself, then the three digit number isn't much of a security check.

Jeff, thank you!

Alex Hiker wrote:Day hiker, do you know why they require the Card Identification Number (additional security 3 digits) when pay by credit card? I used to work in credit card industry and feel a little bit uncomfortable with this request.

Me too, but I always remember that the credit card owner is quite protected against fraudulent charges. I have had experience with a couple of fraudulent charges in the past several years, and I have never had to pay anything for any of them. So be cautious but not too worried.

You can pick up a good topo map for Aconcagua at the Hotel Ayelen in Penitentes of from http://www.aconcaguathemap.com

The 1:100,000 scale is very nice, it shows most of the major routes on the topo including the treks in to BC, shows the major routes indicted on photos of each side of the mountain along wth their grades, lists over 40 very accurate GPS coordinates, provides a copy of the Lake Louise scale for assessing AMS and has a good city map of Mendoza.