Are the glaciers/crevasses on Aconcagua large enough to warrant 3 people on a rope, or would 2 be acceptable (reasonably safe)? In particular, am thinking of center or R variations of the Polish Glacier. Obviously, climbing off of the glacier would be hastened by fewer people. Let me know if you have any knowledge or even just suggestions. Thanks!

Last year the Polish Glacier Direct was in great condition due to the heavy snowfall the previous winter. Many climbers didn't even use a rope on the Polish Direct and several climbed it using only trekking poles. They also reported few, if any, crevasses on the route.

My wife and I climbed the Polish Traverse (late Dec 2005 - early Jan 2006) and didn't use a rope or even crampons but there was on small section that was very polished with enough objective hazard that we took a mountain ax just in case on summit day. Here are two shots of the Polish Direct route I took last January showing the "bottleneck" and "2nd rock band". The only crevasses I know of were near the crest at the top of the route as the remainder of the glacier was very thin and in compression. As you can see in the first shot there are not any crevasses. The pictures are pretty big so click on them to enlarge them so you can get a good look. On the second shot you can actually see the route heading up the right side of the glacier, through the bottleneck and straight up throu the second rock band.

http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/181476.JPG
http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/181479.JPG

And here is a shot of high camp from part way across the Polish Traverse.

http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/181480.JPG

For more info you could try contacting SP member Willian Marler who has been on this mountain with Laurie Skreslet since the late 1980s.

Thanks for the tips & pics, guys.

I was on Aconcagua this year in mid-January, and our intention was to climb the Polish Direct Route. As we heard about the great conditions. We actually met to schwiss climbers, who climbed it with just their walking poles.
However - when we reached basecamp Argentina, there had been heavy snowfall - and it continued as we moved up the mountain. So by the time we reached the glacier, the snow was deep (to my hips) and the glacier had become very steep (80-90%). We gave it up and went for the traverse route. Everything was covered in deep snow.

The left, classic, route is very crevassed. The Direct route is much better. You have to be careful at the bottleneck.

Good luck and enjoy
Helle

Varies as you can see from year to year and day to day. The above informations are correct. The Polish Direct in proper conditions is the best or least cravassed. Last year is the best I have seen the Glacier in 10 years maybe the best in 15. My memory gets foggy. Except for last year many groups each year bailed on the Polish and did the Traverse due to bad conditions or fatigue when arriving at camp 2. Both good reasons. But last year the glacier was inviting to all.
Good luck on your climb and Cheers William

Here's two pictures from January 22 this year, just to illustrate how fundamentally changed the conditions were. The first is the view from the door of my tent towards the traverse route. Number two is the Polish traverse route.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/helleh/222181979/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/helleh/222189815/


Cheers Helle

Good shots. Bad luck. 2 weeks before it was very good. Cheers William