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I have seen the word "Calero" used for the high camp on the normal route. The correct name is Coléra, sometimes spelled Choléra (scary name )

There may be new rules coming up for next year. A proposal from the government states that it wants to minimize the number of agencies in the park. Obviously it will only be five admitted into the park next season and all the other ones will be sub-contractors. I have no idea how this will affect the situation for the climbing community, but there are fears that the costs for services will rise a lot.

Permit fees may also be higher for next season and the off season climbing may be heavily restricted.

Nothing is written in stone yet, but this was the last I heard when leaving Argentina.

Corax wrote:I have seen the word "Calero" used for the high camp on the normal route. The correct name is Coléra, sometimes spelled Choléra (scary name )

Thanks for the correction Janne. I am the one guilty of proliferating the incorrect spelling. I actually did not see this camp mentioned in any guidebook or on SP prior to my recent trip, though it may be listed by its alternate name "Lower White Rocks" in some places. I corrected the spelling on my SP additions.

Thanks again.

Alpinist wrote:Thanks for the correction Janne. I am the one guilty of proliferating the incorrect spelling. I actually did not see this camp mentioned in any guidebook or on SP prior to my recent trip, though it may be listed by its alternate name "Lower White Rocks" in some places. I corrected the spelling on my SP additions.Thanks again.

I think this might be a relatively new camp? I was there in 2000 and descended the normal route and I don't remember seeing any camp above Berlin. I first heard the name Colera last year.

Camp Calera is higher than Berlin, but it is not directly above it. If you took the trail from Berlin towards the summit, you would not have seen Calera. There is a different trail that goes from Berlin to Calera on the left side just before you reach the first hut at Camp Berlin. The trail cuts back to the left and traverses towards the top of the ridge that you were climbing to reach Berlin. The trail continues from Calera towards the summit and joins the trail coming up from Berlin at about 19,700'.

Hi Corax,
Thanks for the info. I'm just wondering how reliable your info is and if you think these restrictions will happen? I'm just looking ahead to next year. I climb the Guanacos route so the rules there are already a little different than the other routes. When I was there this year I talked to a Park Ranger and he told me that there will be some restrictions such as only using approved guides and everyone has to pack out human waste but not what like what you're mentioning.

naturalhighalpine wrote:Hi Corax,
I'm just wondering how reliable your info is and if you think these restrictions will happen? When I was there this year I talked to a Park Ranger and he told me that there will be some restrictions such as only using approved guides and everyone has to pack out human waste but not what like what you're mentioning.

The info about only five main companies comes from two different sources. I consider them both very reliable, as one is a part-owner of one of the main companies and the other is a person working for Mendoza tourism development (not sure about the correct name).
How much it will affect the climbers, the persons couldn't judge, but one of them hoped the change wouldn't be noticed at all. For the companies which organize climbs the changes will be huge I guess and it was one of the sub-contractors that feared higher costs. Also some climbers who listened to the discussion, but they as well as I can only speculate.
And so far it's only a proposal. We have yet to see if it'll accepted.

I also heard about the approved guides thing, but as I got it, it was so far only a wish from the ranger's side.

Hi Corax,
Thanks for the info. I'll guess I'll do some more research as I do run Aconcagua trips. I'll keep you posted on what I find out if you want. thanks again.
Mike