Aconcagua, Argentina 22,841 feet (6962 M)
Located in the Andes near the Chilean border, Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the world outside of the Asian continent.
Polish Variation Route
Team members fly over the Andes mountains into the city of Mendoza, Argentina, our staging area for our Aconcagua climbs and home of the famed Malbec grape. We'll spend a day in Mendoza gathering climbing permits and preparing gear before traveling to the trailhead at 2400m/7874'.
Over two nights and three days, we trek along the scenic and remote Vacas Valley, gradually introducing elevation as we close in on Base Camp at 4200m/13,779', our staging area for further acclimatization.
The next week, in between carrying loads we rest and establish camps at 5100m/16,732' and 5830m/19,127', offering time to acclimate and prepare for our summit bid.
The Polish Variation Route circles under the Polish Glacier and intersects the Normal Route at the Independencia Hut at 6400m/21,000'. The last 562m/1843' of the climb ascends the Canaleta chute, which on a clear day offers views of the famed South Face. Our descent retraces our steps back to High Camp. The next three days are devoted to descending the Vacas Valley, exiting the park gate, and returning to Mendoza.
Aconcagua requires participants to have previous experience with ice axe, cramponing, and rope travel skills and be in excellent physical shape. It is strongly recommended that climbers should have completed our Snow Travel Course and Mountaineering Skills Seminar.
NEXT TRIP:
Nov. 29 - Dec. 20, 2012
2013 TRIP DATES:
Dec. 26- Jan 17, 2013
Jan. 19 - Feb. 9, 2013
Cost: $4300.00
LAND COSTS INCLUDE:
Professional guides, hotels, breakfasts and dinners while on the mountains, all group equipment, private transportation to and from destinations on itinerary.
LAND COSTS DO NOT INCLUDE:
Airline tickets, climbing permit fees, meals in restaurants, lunch food, personal equipment and clothing, airport taxes, tips, luggage fees.
Polish Glacier
Aconcagua’s Polish Glacier is accessed from the same high camp as the Normal Route. The glacier is over 40 degrees steep, and can range from soft snow to hard ice. It requires climbers to be experienced in advanced snow, ice, and glacier travel techniques. The Polish Glacier is much more physically demanding than the Normal Route. We offer this climb to mountaineers with previous experience climbing above 20,000 feet.
See our Ice Climbing courses and Mountaineering Skills Seminar for more information about reviewing these skills!”
Date: TBA
Cost: $6500
Included: Professional guides, hotels, breakfasts and dinners while on the mountains, all group equipment including tents, stoves, ropes, hardware, and other camping gear, and transportation to and from Mendoza, mule support and mule driver.
Not included: Airline tickets, meals in restaurants, lunch food, personal equipment and clothing, climbing permit, airport taxes, and tips.