Just curious if anybody has any thoughts on outfitters? A couple of us who met on an Elbrus climb a few months ago are hoping to head up in Dec 2011. I read the list on the Summitpost site but thought some of you might have more thoughts on who to choose?

Specifically, on Kili we all took Zara and on Elbrus we all took Pilgrim - the "budget" operators which turned out to be absoutely fantastic at a fraction of the cost compared to the 7-summit type companies. Is there anything similar on Aconcagua which might save us a few dollars?

Cheers

Do you need a guide or are you just looking for someone to take care of all the logistics? If it's the latter it's not that difficult to organize and it would be the cheapest way to go. If you want the info email me.

If you're looking for a guide try Aymara Expeditions.

http://www.aymara.com.ar/

Hardest part for me is getting the flights set up. What a royal pain the airline industry is these days!

sjarelkwint wrote:

Brad Marshall wrote:Do you need a guide or are you just looking for someone to take care of all the logistics? If it's the latter it's not that difficult to organize and it would be the cheapest way to go. If you want the info email me.

If you're looking for a guide try Aymara Expeditions.

http://www.aymara.com.ar/

Brad, byusy typing an email about you for aconcagua 2011-2012 season ...

Reply sent. Hope it helps and let me know what you think of the info.

ScottyP wrote:Hardest part for me is getting the flights set up. What a royal pain the airline industry is these days!

Hi Scott, did you try Expedia?

Brad Marshall wrote:If you're looking for a guide try Aymara Expeditions.

http://www.aymara.com.ar/

I do not have any experience with them but found this:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g312781-i5017-k3458420-Beware_of_Aymara_expeditions_and_adventures-Mendoza_Province_of_Mendoza_Cuyo.html

Februari 2011 is reserved for Kilimanjaro, but in December 2011/January 2012 I'm also planning to get up Aconcagua.

WouterB wrote:Februari 2011 is reserved for Kilimanjaro, but in December 2011/January 2012 I'm also planning to get up Aconcagua.

WouterB! waXology and I (along with a few others from the Elbrus group you bumped into) are thinking the same timing!

mstender wrote:

Brad Marshall wrote:If you're looking for a guide try Aymara Expeditions.

http://www.aymara.com.ar/

I do not have any experience with them but found this:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g312781-i5017-k3458420-Beware_of_Aymara_expeditions_and_adventures-Mendoza_Province_of_Mendoza_Cuyo.html

i'm not too fussed, so if they're materially cheaper than others, i'm ok with a few kinks in their service. anybody have other suggestions?

I've never been on a guided trip, but I did use Aymara in February 2010, just for mules, a tent site at Plaza de Mulas, toilet etc, plus a night at Confluencia on the way in with dinner and breakfast. It was just me and my girlfriend. They were fine, very easy and helpful in booking the mules (in their office in town). Only glitch was they didn't have enough tents at Confluencia so I carried our tent in to there, used it, then put it on the right mules the next morning. This was a non-standard thing to do, thus providing the opportunity for things to get messed up, but the Aymara staff at Confluencia made sure this happened correctly, and their breakfast and dinner were fine.

I did not eat at Plaza de Mulas or use their services in any other way. The toilet was a bit dirty, but from what I've seen most of the companies are the same. Climbers not shitting all over the floor would help a lot. Back at Puenta del Inca the Aymara staff handled our mule bags in and out with no hitches, did what they said they would do, roughly when they said they would do it. I had no complaints and would use them again.

I'm not surprised that any company there would have kinks and glitches. There are a number of companies trying to service a market that is often looking for the lowest price, but in an area, and for a task, that is often difficult and sometimes dangerous. I saw some good guides, I saw some bad guides - from every company. Some are too quick to turn around, some not quick enough. I saw people who were obviously trying to skimp on their guided trip when really they needed a bit more assistance - and time - than what they'd wanted to pay for.

Guiding on Aconcagua is a very variable and imperfect situation. It can be great, or terrible. Anyone using these local services, or handing off the job of running a trip to a mountain like this to any company, or individual, needs to do their research and accept a level of uncertainty. You could have a good or bad experience with any one of Aymara, Inka, Grajales etc etc. The more you can look after yourself and reduce the reliance on these companies, the better off you will be.

D

Was planning on Acon as well but Denali (West Rib) is going to trump it.
I'd rather go back to Alaska anyway.

Maybe December of 2011.

benjaminwu wrote:

WouterB wrote:Februari 2011 is reserved for Kilimanjaro, but in December 2011/January 2012 I'm also planning to get up Aconcagua.

WouterB! waXology and I (along with a few others from the Elbrus group you bumped into) are thinking the same timing!

Benjamin, I'm guessing that quite a few SP'ers will go for a (joint?) ascend during that period. For about a year now, a couple of people on this site have pronounced their interest in climbing together in January 2012. I'm now too busy with work/kilimanjaro and a possible move to Switzerland, but I'm keeping my eyes and ears open. There's no doubt in my mind that I will be in Argentina in January 2012. I'll keep you posted of my progress.

aconcagua xperience does a fantastic job. They are the guide service with the huge dome tent at Confluencia.

aqua wrote:aconcagua xperience does a fantastic job. They are the guide service with the huge dome tent at Confluencia.

Eduardo Soler did a great job arranging everything for us in 2006 but at that time they didn't provide logistics to Plaza Argentina for the Polish Routes so they subbed it out to Inka. Looks like they might now though according to their site. They also have wine tours organized with Zuccardi if you're interested and they were based out of the Independencia Hostel on Av. Mitre right downtown which was nice.

In case anyone is interested I'm putting together a guide for those wanting to plan their own private expeditions to Aconcagua. It contains some info that isn't really available in guide books but I don't know if I should write it as an article itself or as a TR so it could be attached to Bill Marler's Aconcagua page. Any suggestions? Anyone know if an article can be attached to such a page?