SummitPost.org

douc wrote:Gone like that, what a great trip it was to attemp Aconcagua and meet up with other SPers down there. I am so exhausted at the time but had a great try at it. My problem was lack of a good tent and gloves and maybe going a bit to fast. Went Puenta de Inca to Ibanez (1 day), Ibanez to Canada (1 day), Canada to Berlin (1 day), and on the final day feeling exhausted on Indepencia I tried to rest in my $14 kiddie tent and was so out of I turned around. But I met some great people all around and in the park that I'm not at all mad or upset about it. It is a great mountain.....

Afraid to say that, judging by your previous posts, I absolutely knew this would be the outcome. If you only had another week, you'd've had a better chance. Waiting a bit longer, even to work up cash to pay for the extra needed gear, could have allowed you just one needed visit to the summit, and you could then go to other places. Pity, but you know your body a bit better now for sure.

douc wrote:Yes, and I will let others know who have not climbed Aconcagua yet...... "They Give You 20 Days to climb," so go slow and acclimate well along the way. I'm afraid I will have to return in order to move on to the greater himalayan mountains, true?

Well it all depends on how you feel on successively higher peaks. Some people (like I did) found going high quite easier than most (following acclimitization procedures and all that). I now know that I always feel crap at 3000-4000 for the first two days, then it goes and never comes back. I had to give up on a climb once to know that, tested it the next year and found out, yeah, this first one does go away.

Basically, 20 is the minimum anyone should spend climbing Aconcagua if they come from near sea level. As simple googling will tell one that and much more. Do go back someday, if at least to see the mountain fully after having got some altitude experience elsewhere. there are so many good peaks your side of the world: 14ers in colorado, Mexico and Ecuador, lots of 5800 and 6000+ in alaska. With a year or two doing choice peaks all around, like I see you've done, you'll enjoy aconcagua and defo have a shot at even bigger peaks. and here's another reason. himalayn peak climbing is ridiculously expensive if you get others to organize it for you. you want himalayn giants to climb? Use experience on 5000-7000m peaks around the world to get (a) experience and (b) contacts and personal experiences to do it self-organised with friends at a fraction of the cost. Then, you can do more than one

innuksuk wrote:Basically, 20 is the minimum anyone should spend climbing Aconcagua if they come from near sea level. As simple googling will tell one that and much more.

I do not think it should take 20 days to climb Aconcagua if you are in good physical condition. I climbed it in 12 days last year, and I do not consider myself an extraordinary climber. I'm just an over 40 corporate slave who loves to climb whenever I can. Two weeks should be enough time for the average climber to make the summit and back, assuming you are in good shape.

You definitely need a good tent though. You can freeze to death at high altitude if your tent blows away during extreme weather. It's a bit irresponsible really to go ill prepared where you have such a high likelihood to rely on others for help, possibly putting them at risk.

Alpinist wrote:

innuksuk wrote:Basically, 20 is the minimum anyone should spend climbing Aconcagua if they come from near sea level. As simple googling will tell one that and much more.

I do not think it should take 20 days to climb Aconcagua if you are in good physical condition. I climbed it in 12 days last year, and I do not consider myself an extraordinary climber. I'm just an over 40 corporate slave who loves to climb whenever I can. Two weeks should be enough time for the average climber to make the summit and back, assuming you are in good shape.

You definitely need a good tent though. You can freeze to death at high altitude if your tent blows away during extreme weather. It's a bit irresponsible really to go ill prepared where you have such a high likelihood to rely on others for help, possibly putting them at risk.

Whew! Had me nervous for a while with that 20-day-minimum thing. We have up to 17 days to do the round-trip from Puente del Inca. Es bueno, I hope.

Day Hiker wrote:We have up to 17 days to do the round-trip from Puente del Inca. Es bueno, I hope.

Espero que si, hombre. Hell, it took me under two weeks and I'm not in any kind of shape at all (ask cp how long it took my fat ass to limp out of that last climb)... and I took my time. Still, I'd say two weeks could be cutting it close because the weather might not cooperate.

Not sure what route you're taking Day Hiker, but my trip report outlines the schedule we followed for the Normal Route. I think it is an excellent acclimatization plan for the average climber. A few extra days for bad weather is obviously wise. Juh33 also wrote up a trip report for the other side of the mountain.

Alpinist wrote:Not sure what route you're taking Day Hiker, but my trip report outlines the schedule we followed for the Normal Route. I think it is an excellent acclimatization plan for the average climber. A few extra days for bad weather is obviously wise. Juh33 also wrote up a trip report for the other side of the mountain.

Thanks for the trip reports, Alpinist and juh33. I appreciate all the information. Our plan is similar. We are not planning to camp in Nido de Condores, though.

Alpinist, what electronics were you guys charging?

My climbing partner Peak Freak was toting a video camera.

Hey Jason, sorry you didn't make it to the summit but you probably had a great adventure. I think your climbing schedule was fairly agressive for a mountain of this size. On the Vacas Valley side like juh33 and we climbed last season a typical schedule would include:

Walk to BC - 3 days
Carry to C1, move to C1, rest at C1 - 3 days
Carry to C2, move to C2, rest at C2 - 3 days
Summit - 4 days
C2 to BC to La Lena to Trailhead - 3 days

Total - 16 days

Good luck on your next adventure. You might want to spend more like $30 for your next tent so you get a good 2-season unit.

Take care. We leave in 4 days.

Brad