Mount Aconcagua 7 Summit Climbing Expedition

Aconcagua Climbing Expedition - Highest Peak In All Of The Americas

Please click one of the links below to view that section of our introductory information or just scroll down. (photo right by Ted Alexander: team trekking into Aconcagua basecamp).

Aconcagua Climbing Expedition Program Description:

Aconcagua (6962 metres/22,841 feet) is the highest mountain in all of the Americas and one of the "7 Summits". This magnificent Andean peak offers a high altitude adventure; a chance to walk or climb on a big mountain expedition for a relatively low cost and in a short amount of time. Walking or climbing Aconcagua should qualify you for Everest from Tibet or Everest from Nepal (photo right by Ted Alexander: team trekking into Aconcagua basecamp).

The Normal Route is the easiest route on Aconcagua . Walk along good trails and scree slopes (sometimes with snow) to reach a very high but attainable summit. We have chosen this route because it allows us to approach through the beautiful Horcones Valley on the lower part of the mountain, making for an easy and enjoyable ascent back to top

• Leader and staff: During the trek and climb, our experienced leader will be there to make sure everything is going well and ascend the mountain with the team. Meals along the trek are prepared as a group and once we reach basecamp, fresh, tasty food and hot drinks are prepared as a group in a full kitchen and dining tent. The leaders help make sure members cook and fill water bottles above basecamp. Photo Right: Approaching Camp 1 - Plaza Canada - Max Kausch
  

• Aconcagua National Park: One of the most spectacular protected areas in the Republic of Argentina. The 71,000 hectare park is located in the Province of Mendoza a few kilometres east of the border of Chile. The park was founded in 1983 in order to preserve the beauty of the landscape, flora, fauna, and archaeological material. The road near Aconcagua is surrounded by Andean peaks and has been an ancient passage for travelers since before the Spaniards arrival. back to top 
  
  
• Trek to basecamp: We walk along gradually ascending wide trails to basecamp. Mules are loaded and carry all of your personal equipment, as well as group equipment , so you do not have to carry a heavy rucksack. Along the walk there are spectacular views of the rising glacial peaks surrounding us, local flora, fauna, and wildlife, such as amazing condors and guanacos (wild llamas). During our approach to basecamp at "Plaza de Mulas", we gradually ascend 1500 metres/5000 feet, over 3 days. This helps us to acclimate to the altitude and prepare for our summit attempt (photo: the final steep hike up the 'canaleta' is normally a rocky trail, it could be interesting with snow, so we ask you to bring your ice axe and crampons for this part (Ted Alexander).
  
  
• Walking to the high camp: Above basecamp we walk carefully and slowly to cross volcanic slopes on good trails to reach the high camp (5900 metres/19,400 feet). We spend several days making 4-7 hour acclimatization hikes up and down the mountain, as well as resting. The higher we go, the better the views of the surrounding Andean peaks, and the camps are relatively comfortable for the few days we reside there.
  
  
• Summit attempt: From the high camp we traverse scree slopes to the "normal route", following the well-trodden path through the "Canaleta", a steep valley between two ridges piled with large rocks. Then we walk across boulders and ledges, occasionally dusted with snow, to reach the highest summit in all of the Americas. Photo right: Team at Summit. Photo Mike
  

• Who is this trip for?
  
• Our expedition is open to men and women of all ages from around the world who may never have been on a big mountain and wish to test themselves at high altitude. Most of our members join as individuals, our team dynamics work well, and we are able to build successful and safe groups of people who enjoy walking and climbing together. We encourage you to come as an individual team member or with another person, whether that is your spouse, partner, friends, sibling, clients, colleagues, or bring your own group (photo: Basecamp with light. Photo Max)
  
• You should be a fit and active walker in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment.
  
• During the expedition we teach all of the mountain skills you need. back to top

Aconcagua Cost

* Our “full-service” expedition includes:

• Leader: Cost includes a very experienced and qualified British, European, or American leader;
• Hotels and meals in Pentitentes on a twin sharing basis in tourist class hotel; 
• Private transfer to and from Pentitentes and Park Gate; 
• Assistant guides and cooks; 
• 5 days of hot delicious meals and tents at BC and 2 days at Confluencia; 
• Mules for group and personal gear (25 kg/45 pounds, personal) to and from BC; 
• All meals on the mountain; 
• Camping equipment including tents, stoves, etcetera; 
• Group climbing equipment. 
• Transfer from Mendoza airport to Mendoza hotel is included.
  

• Personal climbing permit. About: for January U$ 860 & for February U$ 625;**
• Hotel and meals in Mendoza,hotels are $95/double room and meals about $30 USD/day;
• Items of personal nature, individual travel costs, delays, taxis, etc.;
• Personal Argentina entry visas if applicable;
• Staff and leader tips (about $200 is recommended)
• Duffle bags for packing your personal equipment on mules;
• Recommended travel Insurance;
• Personal clothing or equipment;
• Alcoholic drinks and personal snacks; 
• International flights to Mendoza and back to your home country
• Any extra costs related to an early leave of the expedition due to medical or personal reasons;
• Staff gratuities.
• Porters - they are available for a daily fee of:
• P. Mulas- Canadá:                               US $ 145
• P. Mulas- Nido de Cóndores:                US $ 220
• P. Mulas- Cólera:                                US $ 270
• Cólera- P. Mulas:                                US $ 270

* Note: These prices are per porter to ascent the equipment. The same prices are to descent. Porters carry up to 20kg each. They all go back to Base Camp. Payment is for every tract. Rates are accumulative. For more details please Click Here

** Note: The permit price can and probably will increase next season. Aconcagua National Park has control on this and they won't reveal the permit price until November 15th. This is why we don't include the permit in the expedition total price.

Equipment Transport: Our expedition includes transport of all of your equipment from Mendoza to our destination, and returned to Mendoza. While trekking to basecamp, we DO NOT ask our full-service members to carry heavy group equipment (although it is an option if you really want to), such as tents, rope, fuel, food, etcetera. We have mules to carry personal and group equipment to basecamp. Above basecamp, we may ask you to carry a portion of the group equipment, depending opn your strength and body weight.

Here is our mule driver, Rafael Sosa, on the trail to basecamp. These people are colorful characters, and do a good job of delivering our equipment and supplies to basecamp. Aconcagua is visible in the background (Daniel Mazur).

Cooks and Food: Meals along the trek and at basecamp are prepared by our staff so you don't have to cook. Fresh, tasty food and hot drinks are prepared for you in a full kitchen. We normally have a whole dining tent for ourselves. The leaders help making sure all members are fed properly and fill water bottles above basecamp. For more about where we stay and what we shall eat,  please click here .

Group Equipment: We provide a plethora of top-quality, and time-tested equipment, group gear, and supplies, including: rope, ice, rock, and snow anchor protection; basecamp, advanced basecamp and altitude tents; cookers, fuel, walkie-talkie radios, etcetera. Please see the above EQUIPMENT link, to study what we bring for your use and safety. back to top

Staff: Our staff, working together through local agencies, are hospitality experts and have, for many years, been arranging overland tours, safaris, raft trips, treks, mountain climbs, trek support staff, cooks, peak climbing permits, satellite phone permits, video and film-making permits, translators, liaison officers, porters, helicopter flights, air tickets, equipment purchase/hire, storage, import/export, shipping, customs clearance, transport bookings, advance hotel bookings, visas, repatriations, and permits.

Safety: BOTH full-service and basic expeditions are allowed access to our extensive communications equipment, medical supplies, first-aid kits, and medical oxygen in case of emergency. Thank you for being a well-prepared and safe team member! back to top

Aconcagua Climbing Expedition Itinerary

All members must arrive on the first day of the scheduled itinerary and plan on staying until the last day (unless you have made special arrangements).

Please also visit our Aconcagua route description for more about what to expect on the drive from Mendoza, the trek to basecamp, during the climb itself, etcetera.

Note: This is a proposed schedule, which has been developed through previous trips. The actual itinerary of your trip can differ depending on such factors as weather and local conditions. For example, the trip may finish earlier than these dates, or we may need every single day of the schedule. Thank you for being patient and flexible when coming to a foreign country like Argentina.

• Day 1 – Arrival to Mendoza – 900meter / 2,950 foot
  
  One member of our staff will welcome you at the airport and bring you to the hotel. In the evening all expedition members will meet for dinner. Depending upon your arrival time, we will assist you to buy or rent all equipment you need. Included: Transport and hotel.
  
  
• Day 2 – Permissions and drive to Penitentes – 2300meter / 7,550 foot
  
  We will have morning meeting about logistics and all expedition aspects as well as answering any questions you might have. We will also check all your personal equipment, assist you for rentals and purchases and sort out all climbing permits so you can legally climb Aconcagua. Included: Transport, hotel and dinner.

• Day 3 – Penitentes – Confluencia – 3300meter / 10,830 foot
  

Our luggage is carried by mules at 5am to Confluencia so we will have everything packed in the previous night. After taking breakfast at our hotel in Penitentes we’ll take a private transport to Horcones where we entry Aconcagua Provincial Park. We’ll stop for lunch at Puente del Inca and at 2pm we’ll start the 3-4 hour trek to Confluencia. Our staff will wait for us with a reception meal at our dinning tent. In the evening we will have dinner and sleep in tents. Included: Private transport, breakfast, lunch at Puente del Inca, reception meal in Confluencia and dinner.

• Day 4 – Confluencia – Plaza Francia – Confluencia – 4150meter / 13,615 foot
  

This is one of our acclimatisation days. We’ll walk carrying a basic rucksack with water, jacket, gloves, trekking poles, sunscreen, etc. and walk very slowly to the base of the south face of Aconcagua. The views are are absolutely stunning! We might even see some avalanches falling from the souther steep slopes of Aconcagua. Included: Double tents with mattress, Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Day 5 – Confluencia – Plaza de Mulas – 4300meter / 14,110 foot
  

Today is the longest day. The 18km walk to BC might take us from 5 to 8 hours. We’ll carry a very light rucksack and have lunch at the base of a huge rock named Ibañez. The landscape here is very dry so you might want to bring a good hat. At the end of the huge open valley named Horcones we will arrive to Plaza de Mulas, our basecamp. Included: Double tents with mattress, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Day 6 – Rest – 4300meter / 14,110 foot
  

Rest day at Plaza de Mulas. Depending on the state of the entire team, we can take a short walk to a nearby glacier. Included: Double tents with mattress, Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Day 7 – Acclimatization Walk to Plaza Canada – 4900 meter / 16,050 foot
  

About 4 hour walk to 4900 metres (600 metre altitude gain) taking part of our personal climbing equipment. We’ll return to sleep at BC in the same day. Included: Double tents with mattress, Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Day 8 – Rest – 4300meter / 14,110 foot

Rest day at Plaza de Mulas. We recommend you to do absolutely nothing today. Included: Double tents with mattress, Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• 9 – Plaza de Mulas – Plaza Canada – 4900meter / 16,050 foot

Four hour walk to Plaza Canada after a nice breakfast at BC. Included: Double tents, Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Day 10 – Plaza Canada – Nido de Condores – 5600meter / 18,370 foot

Five hour walk to Nido de Condores, our second camp. Included: Double tents, Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Day 11 – Rest at Nido de Condores – 5600meter / 18,370 foot

Light walks around camp to improve acclimatisation. Included: Double tents, Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Day 12 – Nido de Condores – Colera – 5950 meter / 19, 500 foot

3 to 4 hour walk with carrying climbing equipment (wearing most of it) to Colera, our last camp at almost 6000 metres.
Included: Double tents, Breakfast and lunch.

• Day 13 – Colera – Summit – Colera – 6962meter / 22,850

Early start to the first summit attempt (2 or 3am). We’ll hidrate as much as we can and leave camp at around 4am for the 12 hour round trip to the summit (average time) Included: Double tents and water melting

• Day 14 – Colera – Plaza de Mulas – 4300meter / 14,110 foot

We’ll walk down through all camps arriving at BC at around 4pm. Included: Double tents with mattress, Breakfast, lunch and celebration dinner.

• Day 15 – Plaza de Mulas, Confluencia, Mendoza – 4300m / 14,110 foot

After an 8am breakfast we’ll pack our duffels and send them to Horcones on mules and start the 8 hour walk to Horcones. On the way we’ll stop at Confluencia for food and a short break. Our private transport will wait for us at Horcones and take us to Penitentes so we can take another private transport to Mendoza. On the way we’ll stop at Uspallata for a steak dinner. Included: Breakfast, pack lunch, snack food in Confluencia, private transport and celebration steak dinner. Hotel in Mendoza not included in cost.

• Day 16 – Flight out – 900meter / 2, 950 foot

You will be taken to the airport 2-3 hours before your flight. Included: breakfast and private transport.

• Day 17 – Spare acclimatisation day or weather day.

** The above itinerary is subject to change due weather conditions, performance of the group, political / administrative problems and any other events not described. back to top

Thank you for joining our Aconcagua expedition.

Aconcagua Climbing Expedition Route Description

Please click one of the links below to view that section for the route on Aconcagua, or scroll down.

• Itinerary
• Arriving in Mendoza
• Trekking to Basecamp
• Moving to the High Camps
• Climbing the Normal Route

Itinerary-

The proposed itinerary allows enough time for proper acclimatization, rest days, and several returns to base camp where the kitchen and base camp staff can look after all of your needs, and quell your appetite. The weather at this time of year is normally quite good and stable. However, we all know the global weather is changing, and in case of storms, you will note the proposed itinerary includes extra days as well. In previous expeditions, half of those who reached the summit needed every single "extra" day (photo right by Ted Alexander: team members trekking up towards Aconcagua basecamp). back to top

Arriving in Mendoza-

The trip begins in the charming city of Mendoza (740 metres/2428 feet). Our staff will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. That night we will have a welcome dinner together to meet the team and go over plans for the coming weeks.

Mendoza is clean and modern, comparable to cities in certain parts of Europe. There are over 1.5 million people inhabiting this bustling, wine-producing and fruit-farming centre, where the ambiance is a bit more casual than other cities in Argentina. There is plenty to experience with the sidewalk cafes, great restaurants, fine & inexpensive wines, Argentine beef, and plethora of shops. Members may wish to visit the local alpine club, "Club Andinista Mendoza", where they can purchase topographic maps, memorabilia, and learn more about the Andes and Aconcagua from the local climbers (Photo right by Ted Alexander: team walking up between camp 1 and camp 2).

The day after you arrive we will sort equipment and visit the Permit Office in Mendoza (please plan on having approximately $700, £450, €530 or $1000 Pesos Argentine, in cash for your permit). After picking up the permits we will have private transport to Los Pentitentes (2720 metres/8,900 feet), where we will sleep in a comfortable hotel. back to top

Trekking to Basecamp-

Aconcagua National Park is one of the most spectacular protected areas in the Republic of Argentina. The 71,000 hectare park is located in the Province of Mendoza a few kilometres east of the border of Chile. The park was founded in 1983 in order to preserve the beauty of the landscape, flora, fauna, and archaeological material. The road near Aconcagua is surrounded by Andean peaks and has been an ancient passage for travelers since before the Spaniards arrival.

Our approach to the mountain is the majestic Horcones Valley route. We walk along gradually ascending wide trails to basecamp. Mules are loaded and carry all of your personal equipment, as well as group equipment , so you do not have to carry a heavy rucksack during the trek. There are spectacular views of the rising glacial peaks surrounding us, local flora, fauna, and wildlife, such as amazing condors and guanacos (wild llamas). During our approach to basecamp at "Plaza de Mulas", we gradually ascend 1500 metres/5000 feet, over 3 days. This helps us to acclimate to the altitude and prepare for our summit attempt. back to top

We commence by driving to the small town of Penitentes (2720 metres/8,900 feet) and begin our trek to basecamp, hiking up the west side of the Horcones River to Confluencia (3320 metres/10,900 feet). The Aconcagua Provincial Park rangers check permits here and issue rubbish bags. We will camp here for the night.

Here is our mule driver, Rafael Sosa, on the trail to basecamp. These people are colorful characters, and do a good job of delivering our equipment and supplies to basecamp. Aconcagua is visible in the background (Daniel Mazur).

The next day we take an acclimatization hike to Plaza Francia, which sits beneath the impressive 3000 metre/10,000 foot South Face of Aconcagua, one of the world's most difficult alpine climbs. The path climbs gradually up this impressive valley on the lateral moraine of a beautiful glacial flow from the south face of Aconcagua. This is a fun acclimatization walk and affords spectacular views of one of the most impressive rock and ice faces in the world. We then return to camp at Confluencia.

The third day of our trek we walk to basecamp, "Plaza de Mulas" (4360 metres/14,300 feet). We leave Confluencia, crossing several streams and desert landscapes on a 14 mile walk to basecamp. Basecamp is actually a rock covered glacier, where water can be obtained from pools of ice on the surface. We will rest here before beginning our ascent to the high camps. back to top

Plaza Argentina, our basecamp for both routes, is located at 4200 meters/13,800 feet. The trail to Camp 1, at 5000 meters/16,400 feet, is visible in the obvious notch, just to the right of center (Daniel Mazur).

Moving to the High Camps-

From "Plaza de Mulas" we carry loads for acclimatization up to the first camp named Plaza Canada (4,900 metres/16,000 feet). Several trails lead up from basecamp to there over the moraine of the Horcones Glacier. The trails are very well marked and usually very easy to follow. Plaza Canada is about half way of a huge ramp that starts at basecamp. The trail taking to the first camp can be seen from lower down. It turns to the right, almost stuck to the west face.

Camp 1 at 5000 meters/16,400 feet. Mark Pearson is on the left and Paul Jensen on the right. You can see the trail to Camp 2 on the gravel slope behind camp (Daniel Mazur). Camp 2 at 5900 meters/19,400 feet. It is sheltered by a huge boulder. Here is where we climb to the summit from. We can go to the Polish Glacier from here, or traverse over to the Normal Route (Daniel Mazur).

From Plaza Canada, we head up to the second camp named Nido de Condores (5,500 metres/18,000 feet). Walking on scree with rocks along a gradual slope, we attain to a huge platform with a very light slope. Here is Nido de Condores and we have views to several mountains at the north side of Aconcagu.

From Nido de Condores we plan to ascend towards either 1 of the camps: Berlin or Colera (5,950 metres/19,550). This is a very short day but we’ll only touch one of these high camps during our summit push.back to top

Climbing the Normal Route-

The Berlin Camp consists of the three huts: Nicolas Plantamura (built in 1946), Libertad (renamed "Eva Peron" after it was built in 1951), and the Berlin Hut (constructed by climbers from Berlin in honor of a friend who passed away on Aconcagua ).

The route heads up the vague ridge to the right above Campo Berlin, passing a campsite known as "White Rocks" (6000 metres/19,700 feet). Continuing up and to the right leads to Refugio Independencia at 6546 metres/21,476 feet, which is reportedly the highest alpine refuge in the world (built in 1951).

The final traverse between Campo Berlin (5950 metres/19,550 feet) and the Canaleta, which begins around 6600 meters/19,700 feet. It is an easy hike. Sometimes there is snow (Daniel Mazur). In the top of the Canaleta (Ryan Waters).

Crossing the Cresta del Viento (Windy Crest), we head up the upper Gran Acarreo to the famous Canaleta, which may be the most interesting part of the route, being a steep valley between two ridges piled with large rocks. The Canaleta ends atop the Cresta del Guanaco, the ridge that connects the lower South with the higher North Summit of Aconcagua. Following the ridge crest we end up on the slightly sloping summit plateau on top of the highest peak in all of the Americas. An aluminum cross marks the top of the mountain.

Dave Elmore and Ryan Waters on the summit (Dan Mazur). Looking into the Canaleta from just below the summit (6900 meters/22,600 feet). You can see all of the Canaleta. Guanaco Ridge is on the left, and in the notch at the bottom of the Canaleta, is the Nido de Condores area around 5000 meters/16,400 feet ( Daniel Mazur). back to top

Thank You for joining our Aconcagua Expedition.

Aconcagua Climbing Expedition Leadership

This expedition to Aconcagua maximizes many years of accumulated wisdom of the higher ranges of the world, a strong record of reaching the top of 8,000ers: Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho-Oyu, Shishapangma, and many other summits, in addition to more than 50 South American & Himalayan expeditions, in all safety, along with an intimate knowledge of the Argentine officials who regulate the permit system. We have conducted countless 7000 metre peak expeditions, and consider ourselves specialists in leading, organizing, and getting teams safely to the summit and back down. We have been running trips to Aconcagua since 1990 and we know all of the bureaucratic officials, liaison officers, mule drivers, and hoteliers/restaurateurs personally.

Leadership: During this full-service expedition, you will benefit from the leadership provided by Max Kaush.

Max Kausch is a fluent English, Spanish, and Portuguese speaker, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam leader, and technical expert. He is a relaxed, considerate and thoughtful person; an expert leader and a highly-skilled professional who specializes in getting people to the summit and back down in 100 percent safety (photo right: Max on Cho Oyu).

Organizer: Your expedition is organized by our British, European, and American, office personnel working on-the-ground together as well as in your home-country. For example, one of our lead organizers is the very experienced Dan Mazur, Aconcagua summitter/leader and climber-leader-organizer of Everest, K2, and 12 "eight-thousand-metre-peaks". He is a relaxed, friendly and well organized person, and a highly-skilled professional with 25 years experience in helping people explore the mountains, with the highest attention to detail, comfort, and safety.

Aconcagua - Your Experience & Training

Please "click" one of the links below to go directly to that information or scroll down.

• Team member Experience
• Fitness and Health
• Training Prior to the Expedition
• Training During the Expedition

For the Normal Route it is not necessary for you to have previous climbing experience. We will teach you all of the mountain skills you need to know during the trip. You should be a fit and active walker in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment.

Our goal is to work together as a team so that all members reach the top safely. We do not expect you to be expert (although some members are) but, nor are we a climbing school (although we do conduct one or two days of training at the beginning of each expedition, please see below). If you feel you need fundamental technical training, and snow and ice experience, we urge you to participate in our Glacier School held each spring and autumn. Members need to have experience in being part of a team, working toward a common goal, and be ready to work with the group and be a good "team-player".

Our leaders are there to ensure (for our full-service members) you make it up to the summit and back down safely. Team members are expected to be able to care for themselves in a winter-camping and climbing environment. Obviously when climbing the highest mountain in the Americas, there are hazards present, and members must have experience (for Polish Direct) in roped rock and ice climbing techniques (to protect from falling), and have winter-condition climbing experience in the greater ranges of the world, including placing and retrieving anchors, belaying, abseiling, glacier rescue and avalanche awareness. It is also required that all members will have knowledge of altitude sickness, frostbite, and the recognition of their symptoms, prevention, and treatment. When traveling above basecamp, all members must climb with another team member or leader at all times.

Neither solo climbing, nor descending, are allowed above basecamp. However, we welcome you to join our expedition as an individual and most of our members do. The main expectation is that members will be prepared to climb with a team member or leader at all times above basecamp. This practice ensures that the entire team has a fun, successful, and safe time on the mountain. back to top

 

Fitness and Health:

To participate in this expedition you must be a very fit and active winter-walker-climber in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment. Prior to joining our group, please see your doctor and obtain the necessary permission and advice, as well as medications for travel in extremes of altitude, and also for exotic locales.

If you do not wish to or are unable to carry your personal equipment on the mountain, porters are available to hire for $150-$250, £95-£160, or €110-€185 per day. They may be hired in basecamp upon your arrival, as it is staffed all season back to top

 

Training Prior to the Expedition:

• Firstly, you should always consult your doctor before starting a rigorous exercise plan.
• In the beginning, to see how you handle the training, and to avoid muscle strains that could slow your training down, you may wish to use shorter more frequent but less taxing workouts, and take more rest. After you get "up to speed" as it were, you could increase the rigour. Older climbers and walkers please take note of the latter. Also remember that swimming is an excellent form of training because it does not put stress upon your joints. Thank you.
• In order to train well for your trip you should work toward excercising 3 to 4 times a week for between 40 minutes and an hour and a half each time. You should expect to work hard, and try to keep your heartrate quite high and your breathing quite heavy.
• Adequate rest and a well balanced diet are also essential to avoid injury and illness before the expedition. You should sleep at least 8 hours per night, and eat 3 nutritious meals a day. Don't forget that you will perspire when you train, so try to drink at least 4 litres/quarts of water a day.
• Utilising both gym equipment and the great outdoors will provide a more balanced exercise programme. You should try to accomplish at least half of your workouts outside. This could include walking and running (On stairs and hills too) and cycling, but above all should be fun! Hillwalking and climbing with a pack weighing 5-10 Kilos/10-20 pounds is essential. If you don't have hills, why not go for stairs, bleachers, viewing stands, stadiums, even the stairways in tall buildings? Don't forget to spend time directly working the muscles of the legs, back and shoulders, and remember that your own body weight can be just as effective as weights, or machines.
• About 6 weeks before the expedition departure date, you may wish to do 1 full day each week of hill walking, climbing or an equivalent, with a light rucksack. On that day, you would want to eventually work toward six-eight hours of continuous walking or climbing up and down hill, with 4 to 6 separate ten minute breaks and a 1/2 to 1 hour lunch break midway through.
• To minimize the chance of injuring yourself, consider starting with a half day and then if you do well, increase to 2/3, then eventually to a full day, once a week.
• We want you to arrive for your expedition in top shape, so please take plenty of rest and do not over-do it.
• Hint: when carrying a rucksack while descending, walking, or climbing down-hill, try carrying a bit less in your rucksack in order to save your knees. Many trainers advise carrying water bottles up the hill then emptying them at the top so your rucksack is lightened for the trip down. back to top

Training During the Expedition:

back to top

We hope that you will arrive for your Aconcagua Expedition in good health, both mentally and physically prepared, so we can work together as a team and have a successful expedition.

Aconcagua Climbing Expedition - Personal & Team Equipment

Below is a detailed list of equipment you need to bring for Aconcagua and at the bottom is a description of team equipment that we bring for you.

All of this equipment is needed for both the Normal Traverse and Polish Direct, except for the second to last category below, "Equipment needed for Polish Direct (not Normal Traverse)".

• Goretex jacket U$67.00
  
• Trekking poles (pair) U$30.00
  
• Double plastic boots U$115.00
  
• Hiking boots U$55.00
  
• Duffel bag U$30.00
  
• Fleece Jacket U$30.00
  
• Down Jacket U$97.00
  
• Mattress U$24.00
  
• Crampons U$49.00
  
• Gloves polartec U$15.00
  
• Mountain sunglasses U$30.00
  
• Mitens U$42.00
  
• Rucksack U$55.00
  
• Pants polartec U$30.00
  
• Pants goretex U$55.00
  
• Piolet/Ice axe U$49.00
  
• Gaiters U$24.00
  
• Down Sleeping bag -30C U$127.00
  

(Click link below to go directly to that section of the equipment list or just scroll down):

• Upper Body
• Hands
• Head
• Lower Body
• Feet
• Sleeping
• Rucksack
• Personal Hygiene
• Medical
• Personal Food
• Practical
• Climbing
  
• Group Equipment

Please go to our personal & team equipment section of the "Aconcagua Questions" for additional information and detailed discussion of the equipment lists below.

Upper Body-

• Upper Body-
  
• Wind/waterproof/breathable jacket;
  
• 1  very warm heavy down/duvet jacket or synthetic fill jacket with insulated hood;
  
• 1 warm fleece jacket;
  
• 3 long sleeve polypropylene shirt. Lightweight, light colored better for sun;
  
• 1 polypropylene t-shirt;
  
• Womens sports bras. Synthetic. Cotton is not appropriate. back to top

Hands-

• 1 pair very warm mittens, consists of 1 water proof (gore-tex) over mitt matched with the very warm polar fleece mitt liner,
  
• 2 pairs of hand-warmers. These are chemical pouches which warm up in contact with oxygen
  
• 1 pair of windproof all day gloves; back to top

Head-

• Helmet for Polish Direct Route members;
  
• 1 balaclava;
  
• 1 light weight warm hat wool or synthetic;
  
• 2 buffs or bandanas;
  
• Visor or sun cap;
  
• Glacier glasses. 100% UV protection with side shields and a hard-sided storage case;
  
• Ski goggles for on the mountain;
  
• Headlamp with extra batteries & bulbs. Must be reliable with a strong beam. LEDs and Halogen Combos are good. back to top

Lower Body-

• 1 pr wind/waterproof/breathable (gore-tex) trousers, salopettes, or bibs. Mid-heavy weight with side zips; Make sure multiple layers fit underneath;
• 1 pr medium weight polar fleece trousers; No windproof materials, but warm pile fabric;
• 1 pr medium weight polypropylene/thermal leggings;
• 1 pr lightweight polypropylene/thermal leggings;
• 1 pr non-cotton walking trousers;
• 2 pair lightweight long underwear. Polypropylene or capilene;
• 1 pair nylon shorts. Quick-drying type for hiking, please no cotton. back to top

Feet-

• Double plastic boots (koflach) or One-Sport Millet Everest boots or equivalent. The boots must fit with one thick and one thin pair of socks with room to spare, not too tight;
• Crampons - must fit boots perfectly. Steel crampons with anti-balling (anti-bot) plates are the best;
• Light hiking shoes or trail shoes. For the hike to base camp and acclimatization hikes;
• Gaiters, make sure they will fit over plastic boots;
• 1 pair sandals are optional, nice for town or basecamp;
• 2 pair of liner socks;
• vapour barrier liner socks or plastic bread-bags;
• 3 pair heavy wool/synthetic socks. back to top

Sleeping-

• Sleeping bag. Rated to at least -10 to - 15 C / 0 to 15 F;
• Sleeping pad. 1 full length closed cell foam. back to top

Rucksack-

• Internal frame rucksack, large (80 litre/5000 cubic inches);
• 1 daypack for the approach hike, possible use on summit day and carry-on pack. If you plan to use it for your summit pack it must be large enough for your down jacket, misc. clothes, food and water;
• Travel, kit, or duffel bag with lock, (80‑100 litre/5,000-6,000 cubic inches). Your porter will carry this large bag;
• Medium size travel, kit, duffel bag (with locks) for storage at the hotel in Mendoza. back to top

Personal Hygiene-

• Female or male hygiene supplies;
• Personal toiletry kit;
• Hand wipes and camp towel;
• 2 Lip balm. Make sure it is sun-proof;
• Sunscreen. At least SPF 40. back to top

Medical-

• Small personal first-aid kit. (Simple and Light), blister repair kit, waterproof first-aid tape, athletic tape, plasters, Band-Aids, personal medications, etc. The leaders will have extensive first-aid kits, so leave anything extra behind. Please let your leader know about any medical issues before the climb;
  
• 10 anti-diarrhea pills (Imodium, Loperamide);
  
• 10 anti-headache pills (Paracetamol, Tylenol);
  
• 10 anti-inflamatory pills (Ibuprofen);
  
• 20 cough lozenges, cough sweets, Strepsils, Halls;
  
• 1 small bottle anti-altitude sickness pills: Diamox, Acetylzolamide;
  
• 10 stomach antibiotic pills: (Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin);
  
• 6 broad spectrum antiobiotic pills: (Azithromycin);
  
• Do not bring sleeping pills. They are a respiratory depressant;
  
• 1 Steripen, or bottle of water purification tablets or water filter;
  
• 1 set earplugs;
  
• 1 small bottle of hand-sanitizer suncream for skin and lips. minimum factor 20 back to top

Meals along the trek are provided by the leaders and once we reach basecamp, fresh, tasty food and hot drinks are prepared by our logistics staff in a full kitchen and dining tent. The leaders cook and fill water bottles above basecamp.

• Favorite snack foods. 1 kg / 2 pounds is a good amount (you may buy these in Mendoza);
• 4 dehydrated meals (freeze-dried dinners) for the high camp. back to top

Practical-

• 3 lightweight thermos bottles and water bottles. Nalgene type (1 is a pee bottle);
• Plastic mug. Nice for hot drinks;
• Bowl and spoon. Plastic, small tupperware works well;
• Pocket knife;
• 3 large plastic bags/rubbish sacks. For keeping miscellaneous gear dry;
• Nylon stuff sacks. For food and gear storage and large ziplocs;
• Extra Cotton Shirts, lighters, candy bars or power bars;
• Bandanas;
• Thermos (optional);
• Basecamp entertainment. For example: paperback books, playing cards, ipod mp3 player, short-wave radio, small sturdy musical instruments, etc.;
• Camera (you will need to sleep with your camera at night and keep it in your jacket during the day);
• Cash for hotels, visas, small items and gratuities. Credit cards, traveler's cheques, bank/atm cards. Use an "under the trousers" money belt, not one of those round‑the‑neck jobs or bum‑bags that are really more of a sign showing where the money is;
• Passport, proof of insurance card, flight ticket. Keep all in plastic bag;
• Town clothes are recommended in addition to this list above;
• Please be sure and bring your patience and try to keep an open, relaxed, positive and friendly attitude as travelling in this part of the world may be very different than what you are used to, but things always seem to fall into place at the last moment. Thank you. back to top

Climbing-

• Ice axe with leash, lightweight;
• Adjustable trekking poles. back to top

Group Equipment- We provide a plethora of top-quality, and time-tested equipment, group gear, and supplies, including rope and rock protection, tents, etcetera. Please see the group EQUIPMENT link, in the menu bars above to study what we bring for your use and safety. back to top

Please submit any equipment questions or concerns to: info@summitclimb.com

Aconcagua Questions

• A) How do I join and prepare for this trip?
  • Raising Funds and SponsorshipOpen in a new window
    1. You can raise funds by finding members for our expeditions. When you refer members to us, who join our teams, we send you a cash commission as a "Thank You" for your efforts. If you were able to send us numerous people during any calendar year, you could earn upwards of $30,000, £15,500 (GBP), €24,690 (Euro).
     
    2. We offer discounts for groups if you have any friends who wish to join us:
    5% discount for groups of 2-3      
    10% discount for groups of 4-6
    
    3. You could sell small items such as embroidered ties, screen-printed t-shirts, embroidered caps, embroidered day-sacks, embroidered jackets, emblazoned tea-mugs, tie-tacks, cufflinks, earrings, etcetera. Two former and current expedition members have been logo-designers and professional screen-printers and embroiderers for many years. They are Scott and Becky, and their email address is: barylski@sbcglobal.net A KEY FACTOR in this kind of fund-raising is the cost of producing the items. You should obtain costs and prices for production in Britain, Europe, the States, and Nepal. For example, the cost of producing 100 embroidered cotton "T-shirts" per item in Britain might be 5 pounds each, but in Kathmandu it would be just 2 pounds. Plan carefully how you will be marketing these items before ordering them.
    
    4. Hosting a fundraising lecture, dance, concert, play, ball, race, car wash, or other event in your community. Many of our past and current members have used these methods. During the above events, additional funds can be raised with auctions and raffles of donated outdoor mountain equipment, etc;
     
    5. Doing charity non-profit fundraising as part of fundraising for your team-membership. This is one of the most common ways to raise funds, and your team-membership can become a very valuable way to raise funds for important and needed charities and non profits;
     
    6. Finding a corporate sponsor to offset costs and provide equipment in return for marketing and name recognition. This may be one large sponsor, or it might be several smaller ones. These sponsors often like to see their logo sewn on clothing, screenprinted on tents, mentioned in media stories, advertising, etc;
     
    7. Organizing an "expedition-support-trek" to accompany you on the expedition. This can be a popular way to raise funds where the donors have an exciting experience, and you "add-on" a bit to cover your own costs and perhaps also an included donation to a selected charity;
     
    8. Leading donors on walks, climbs, and outings in your local mountains and hills. Often overlooked, these local outings with donors may be a good way for them to get involved, meet you personally, and can be given as gifts to friends, etcetera.
     
    9. We do provide assistance with managing funds your sponsors provide. It is often the case that a large sponsor will not pay you the funds directly, rather, they insist the funds be sent to us. Perhaps they are concerned that the monies might be used incorrectly if they were sent to you, so sending the money to us ensures that funds are used only for the expedition. Whatever the case, in case your sponsor has "overpaid" us, by sending more monies than are required, we can reimburse you by posting you a cheque, making a deposit into an account you designate, etcetera.
  • How shall I join the team? Request information and application materials.Open in a new window
    Please fill out our online request information form . Please be sure and tell us which expeditions you are interested in and mention your experience, qualifications, etcetera . Please send us your email, postal address, and telephone number (which will remain absolutely confidential, we never share your addresses, phone numbers, or any personal details).
     
    Complete the international or US climbing application form.
     
    Firstly, carefully read all of the associated information here on the website, ask questions and discuss it with us, print out your application from this website, then complete, sign, and post the application forms, and additional required documents immediately. Include your 10 percent refundable deposit, passport photocopy, 2 passport size photos (name printed on reverse), proof of insurance, and other required documents such as flight itinerary (may be sent now or follow later).
     
    Here is a checklist of what we need to have in your file at least two months before the trip begins. We encourage you to send an electronic scan of all of the below documents, please be sure they are signed. Thank you:
    
    [ ] Completed Payment. Please restate payments you made and what those payments were for, ie full vs basic, etc.
    [ ] Trip Registration Form (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] Signed Participant Release and Acknowledgement of Risk (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] Signed Terms and Conditions of Booking (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] Signed Medical Form (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] 1 Passport sized photo, which is a simple, very clear picture of your face, sent as an email scan. (We simply require a picture of your face against a white background. You can take it yourself for free with your own digital camera or smart phone),
    [ ] Exact photocopy of passport identification pages,
    [ ] Exact photocopy of complete flight itinerary,
    [ ] Proof of mountain rescue and repatriation insurance,
    [ ] Proof of travel, accident, and repatriation insurance (cancellation insurance is advised).
    
    Please do let us know what further questions you may have about the registration process, or anything else for that matter. Thank you.
  • Is this a guided trip?Open in a new window
    We are friendly and highly experienced expedition leaders, climbers, trekkers and organizers, with a 17+ year track record of building high-quality, safe, friendly and fun climbing & trekking teams and succesfully placing our team members on the summit, helping them achieve their goals, and getting home safely. Our leaders are some of the most qualified high altitude mountain specialists available. We are there to assist the entire group. This is a team effort. Our leaders are there to help all members safely and successfully climb within their abilities; including an equal chance at the summit for everyone in the team.
  • What sort of experience should I have?Open in a new window

    For the Normal Traverse Route it is not necessary for you to have previous climbing experience. We will teach you all of the mountain skills you need to know during the trip. You should be a fit and active walker in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment.

    The Polish Direct Route requires some moderately technical climbing experience. Members should be able to climb 25-48+ degree firm-snow (sometimes a bit icy), roped to your guide using an ice-axe, crampons and rope. You should be a fit and active climber in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment.

     

     

    Our goal is to work together as a team so that all members reach the top safely. We do not expect you to be expert (although some members are) but, nor are we a climbing school (although we do conduct one or two days of training at the beginning of each expedition).

    If you need fundamental technical training, and snow and ice experience, we urge you to participate in our GLACIER SCHOOL held each spring and autumn.

    Members need to have experience in being part of a team, working toward a common goal, and be ready to work with the group and be a good "team-player".

     

    Our leaders are there to ensure (for our full-service members) you make it up to the summit and back down safely. Team members are expected to be able to care for themselves in a winter-camping and climbing environment. Obviously when climbing the highest mountain in the Americas, there are hazards present, and members must have experience (for Polish Direct) in roped rock and ice climbing techniques (to protect from falling down the mountain or into crevasses), and have winter-condition climbing experience in the greater ranges of the world, including placing and retrieving anchors, belaying, abseiling, glacier rescue and avalanche awareness. It is also required that all members will have knowledge of altitude sickness, frostbite, and the recognition of their symptoms, prevention, and treatment. When traveling above basecamp, all members must climb with another team member or leader at all times.

    We welcome you to join our expedition as an individual and most of our members do.

    We welcome you to join our expedition as an individual and most of our members do. We plan to assemble our team members into groups so you should not have to climb alone, although occasionally it may happen. By the way, we are unable to accommodate 'soloists' who are not willing to climb together with other team members or sherpas from our team. The main expectation is that members will be prepared to climb with a team member or sherpa above basecamp if possible. This practice ensures that the entire team has a fun, successful, and safe time on the mountain.

    This practice ensures that the entire team has a fun, successful, and safe time on the mountain.
  • What sort of training should I pursue if I join the expedition?Open in a new window
    Firstly, you should always consult your doctor before starting a rigorous exercise plan.
    • In the beginning, to see how you handle the training, and to avoid muscle strains that could slow your training down, you may wish to use shorter more frequent but less taxing workouts, and take more rest. After you get "up to speed" as it were, you could increase the rigour. Older climbers and walkers please take note of the latter. Also remember that swimming is an excellent form of training because it does not put stress upon your joints. Thank you.
    • In order to train well for your trip you should work toward excercising 3 to 4 times a week for between 40 minutes and an hour and a half each time. You should expect to work hard, and try to keep your heartrate quite high and your breathing quite heavy.
    • Adequate rest and a well balanced diet are also essential to avoid injury and illness before the expedition. You should sleep at least 8 hours per night, and eat 3 nutritious meals a day. Don't forget that you will perspire when you train, so try to drink at least 4 litres/quarts of water a day.
    • You may wish to engage the services of a personal trainer, who could help you to fine tune your fitness to a higher level while minimizing strain and maximising your potential in ways you might not have imagined. Personal trainers can also be a great motivator, as you and the trainer have your weekly session, thus you will feel an incentive to complete your planned fitness programme for that week.
    • Please allow us to introduce you to our friend Ben Palmer. Ben is nice person and an avid climber, on rock, ice, in Scotland, the Alps and the Himalaya. Ben is uniquely qualified as a personal trainer, with four years experience as a Premier Global Level III Personal Trainer (The highest qualification available).
    • For more information on how to train for the expedition or for a detailed exercise regime please email Ben: ben@benpalmerfitness.co.uk . Thank you very much.
    • Utilising both gym equipment and the great outdoors will provide a more balanced exercise programme. You should try to accomplish at least half of your workouts outside. This could include walking and running (On stairs and hills too) and cycling, but above all should be fun! Hillwalking and climbing with a pack weighing 5-10 Kilos/10-20 pounds is essential. If you don't have hills, why not go for stairs, bleachers, viewing stands, stadiums, even the stairways in tall buildings? Don't forget to spend time directly working the muscles of the legs, back and shoulders, and remember that your own body weight can be just as effective as weights, or machines.
    • About 6 weeks before the expedition departure date, you may wish to do 1 full day each week of hill walking, climbing or an equivalent, with a light rucksack. On that day, you would want to eventually work toward six-eight hours of continuous walking or climbing up and down hill, with 4 to 6 separate ten minute breaks and a 1/2 to 1 hour lunch break midway through.
    • To minimize the chance of injuring yourself, consider starting with a half day and then if you do well, increase to 2/3, then eventually to a full day, once a week.
    • We want you to arrive for your expedition in top shape, so please take plenty of rest and do not over-do it.
    • Hint: when carrying a rucksack while descending, walking, or climbing down-hill, try carrying a bit less in your rucksack in order to save your knees. Many trainers advise carrying water bottles up the hill then emptying them at the top so your rucksack is lightened for the trip down.
  • Where should I purchase my equipment?Open in a new window
    We help you buy and rent inexpensive mountain climbing, trekking, hiking, and walking gear, equipment, clothing, boots, shoes for sale, purchase and hire at affordable, cheap, low prices. 
    • We recommend that you shop carefully and frugally for your clothing and climbing equipment. Below we have listed some of the least expensive shops we know about in Kathmandu, UK, Seattle, Canada, Chamonix, and Hong Kong. If you hear of any others, we would like to know about them, as we wish to tell our members where they can purchase equipment affordably.
      
    • Kathmandu has a wide variety of inexpensive used and competitively priced equipment, boots, shoes, and clothing; In over 50 well-stocked mountaineering and trekking shops. We recommend you purchase your Millet Everest One-sport boots and crampons in Kathmandu, where a very wide selection is available for reasonable prices. We also recommend you purchase your down/duvet jacket, trousers and suit there as well, again for some of the best selection and prices to be found anywhere. Also, be sure to purchase your closed cell kari-mat foam mattresses in Kathmandu. Why bring duffle bags of foam mats on your international flight? Please send us an email to request a Kathmandu price list. If you need a pair of high altitude mitts, we don't recommend Kathmandu, but rather suggest you check out mittens by Wild Country or Outdoor Research (the OR Alti has been popular with our Cho Oyu, Everest, and Lhotse summitters).
    • For prices at Kathmandu shops, please "click here" . For information about using your credit, bank, cash, ATM card in Nepal, please "click here" . For more information about how much cash to bring for an Everest expedition, please "click here" .
    • Below we have listed several inexpensive shops around the world. It may be best to telephone them directly with your questions, as they are very busy and do not always answer email enquiries in a timely manner. When you do contact them, always be sure to mention your name and the name of our company and expedition leaders to them, as we send them many customers and they often give our members substantial discounts. You may or may not choose to purchase the product from them, but it should give you a good idea of what the fair price for the equipment should be. We especially recommend Second Ascent in Seattle, as it has a very large selection of second hand, discontinued, and rental mountain climbing equipment and clothing.
    • One strategy our members often pursue is to visit Seattle for one of our Glacier Schools, and then during time set aside during the course, work together with our leaders to try-on, compare, and purchase and hire the equipment they need at one of the least expensive mountaineering shops in Seattle. It is rare to find such a good selection of equipment and clothing in one shop, but Seattle is known for its large glaciated peaks, and large community of mountaineers.

    Mount Everest Summiter's Shop - Kathmandu - (For hardwear like Millet Everest Onesport boots, plastic boots, trekking boots, ice axes, crampons, ascenders, helmets, and harnesses) E-mail: evecom@mos.com.np, Tel: (9771) 4468775 (Res), (9771) 4219404 (Shop), (977) 9841237504 (Mob)

    Shona's Shop - Kathmandu - (Manufactures down duvet clothing. Hundreds of their jackets, trousers, and suits have reached the summit of Everest) e-mail: shonasrentals@hotmail.com , phone: (9771) 4265120

    Everest Hardwear - Kathmandu - (Manufactures down duvet clothing. Hundreds of their jackets, trousers, and suits have reached the summit of Everest. A bit better quality than Shona's.) e-mail angsonam25@yahoo.com , tel (9771) 4230399, mobile (977) 98510 45706

    Peglers - UK

    www.peglers.co.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 1903 883375
    Pegler's have the largest selection of inexpensive clothing and equipment in the UK.

    Second Ascent - Seattle

    www.secondascent.com, Tel: +1 206 545 8810
    

    Check out their new online shopping store for used and discontinued equipment, clothing, and boots.

    
    

    Mountain Equipment Co-op - Canada
    http://www.mec.ca/, Tel: +1 888 847 0770
    

    MEC have the largest selection of inexpensive clothing and equipment in the Canada.

    Snell Sports - Chamonix
    
    Tel. : + 33 4 50 53 02 17, email: snell@cham3s.com

    Decathlon - France

    

    http://www.decathlon.fr/FR/index.html

     

     

    Au Vieux Campeur - France

    

     

    www.au-vieux-campeur.fr

     

     

    Chamonix Alpine Equipment - Hong Kong

    
    www.hongkongclimbing.com/chamonix/chamonix.htm
    Tel: +852 2388 3626, +852 2374 0924

     

    Everestgear.com - Online

    

      www.everestgear.com 

     

  • What is the difference between the Normal Traverse Route and Polish Direct?Open in a new window

    The Normal Traverse Route is a non-technical route and can be accomplished with little mountaineering experience.

    The Polish Direct Route requires some mountaineering experience, as it is a moderately technical route.

    For more about the routes, please click here .

  • When must I decide?Open in a new window
    Please post your 10% refundable deposit now, to reserve your membership in our team. If you decide not to go, we send your money back, subject to our refund policy . Complete your payment two months prior to departure, unless you make special arrangements with us.
  • May I join this expedition as an individual?Open in a new window
    We encourage you to join us as an individual team member. Most of our members join as individuals, our team dynamics work well, and we are able to build successful and safe groups of people that enjoy climbing together.
  • May I bring my friends, family, colleagues, and clients with me on this trip?Open in a new window

    Because there are a group of you, you can benefit from our group discounts:

    2-3 persons receive a five percent discount. 4-5 persons receive a ten percent discount, and 6-8 members receive a 15 percent discount (we also provide discounts for doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners, returning members and combining trips). If you would be so kind as to send the email and postal addresses of the other person(s) in the group, we would be glad to send them the information and a colour card as well. Thanks.

  • May I bring a trekker(s) with me on the climb?Open in a new window
    It is a good idea to bring friends, family, colleagues, and clients along as trekkers.
  • What sort of contact will I have with the team before the trip?Open in a new window
    We send out a newsletter with all of the logistics for your arrival in Argentina approximately one month prior to the expedition. At this point, we usually share your email address with the other team members, so you may meet one another.
  • What will the weather and temperature be like?Open in a new window
    Like most big mountains, Aconcagua generates and attracts its own weather, making it unpredictable at times. A wide range of temperatures, from freezing nights, snowy and windy conditions, and bright sunshine intensified by the high altitude, may occur on the expedition. It can get very cold in the high camps on Aconcagua, with average temperatures 0º C/32º F during the day and -25º C/-13º F at night. Climbers on our December to January trips, may find snowfields high on the mountain, while on our February trips, members will encounter less snow and more dry, rocky terrain.
    The best time to climb Aconcagua is from December to early March, during the Southern Hemisphere's summer. Days of clear sunny skies are quite normal on Aconcagua, but the mountain does receive occasional storms during the climbing season due to the muggy, humid winds blowing west off the Pacific Ocean. When this air rises over the slopes of the Andes, its speed increases and it condenses to form lenticular clouds on the summit, known as white wind (viento blanco). Southern winds are usually an auspicious sign of good weather.
    In Mendoza and the lower areas along the trek, the Southern hemisphere summer temperatures fluctuate between 18-33º C/65-90º F, with warm days and cool nights.
  • How shall I organize my visa?Open in a new window
    At this time, Argentina does not require visitors to acquire a visa for stays up to 90 days in their country.
  • Which vaccinations and immunizations will I need?Open in a new window
    Many medical precautions are advised, including vaccinations. Please see your local tropical/travel medicine clinic, physician, or general practitioner. There are also numerous immunization resources on the internet.
  • How shall I pay?Open in a new window

    We accept credit card, cheque, electronic bank transfer, cash, traveler's cheque, etcetera. You may post us cheques, pay in cash on arrival (initial payment required), send a bank wire, etcetera.

    If you wish to make a bank to bank transfer, please request our bank details via email.

    If you wish, we are able to take your credit card details and charge your card.

    In that case, please send:

    Type of card: Visa, Amex, Mastercard, Discover;
    • Card number;
    • Expiration date;
    • Card security code: 3 digits on back of Visa, 4 on front of Amex;
    • Name as it appears on the card;
    • Billing address for the card;
    • Email address;
    • Telephone number.
      

    Please send these details to us via email to info@SummitClimb.com (perhaps safer to divide this information into two emails) or via phone or post when you are ready to pay.

    When sending your details, would you please include the name of  the trip, month and year of the trip, and amount you wish to pay, ie: "refundable deposit" or "full-payment", etcetera. Thank you.

    Here are our phone details:

    • UK phone: +44 (0) 7810375400 (evenings are best)
    • USA phone: +1 360.570.0715
    • Skype: SummitClimb

    In case you wish to use paypal, our paypal address is info@SummitClimb.com .
    

    Our postal addresses are:

    •  30 Downfield Lodge, Downfield Road, Clifton
      

    Bristol BS8 2TQ, ENGLAND 
    

    OR:
    • POB 123
    • Lakebay, WA
    • 98351 USA
    Please send us any questions and comments you may have about the payment process or anything else. Thank you very much and welcome to our team.
  • What if I decide to cancel my membership?Open in a new window
    If you decide to cancel your membership, your payment will be refunded according to the refund policy contained in the registration forms. We urge you to purchase cancellation insurance whenever possible. We are able to hold your payment with no penalty, if you decide to go on another trip at a later date.
  • Is there a chance this trip will be cancelled?Open in a new window
    Only in the rarest of circumstances has a trip ever been cancelled. If we decide to cancel the trip, 100 percent of your payment shall be returned.
  • What is your refund policy?Open in a new window

    We have not canceled a trip before. If we decide to cancel the trip, 100 percent of your payment shall be returned.

    Due to the nature and heavy costs of government and operator permits, and the harsh "no-refund" policies of third-world tour operators and government mountaineering offices, We must adhere to a stringent refund policy. PARTICIPANTS ARE ADVISED TO PURCHASE TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE. Specific cancellation and refund policies may supersede those enumerated below. If you cancel your trip membership 60 or more days before scheduled departure, this will result in an 75% refund. 59-30 days before scheduled departure will result in a 50% refund. 29-14 days before scheduled departure will result in a 25% refund, 13 or less days before scheduled departure results in zero refund.

• B) Who are the leaders and staff?
  • Who will be leading the expedition?Open in a new window

    The leader of your expedition is a very experienced and qualified British, European, or American leader.

    Please view our Aconcagua leadership page for more about our leaders, organizer, and staff.
  • How can I meet the leader(s) of the expedition?Open in a new window
    We encourage you to meet with the expedition leader(s) during our Lecture Tour . Each year our leaders tour the world and present slide and video lectures detailing their recent climbs in order to raise money for charities/non-profits, such as the MountEverestFoundation.org . Please enquire as to the possibility of hosting or attending such a presentation in your locale.

    In addition, we urge you to participate in our GLACIER SCHOOL held each spring and autumn, where you can meet and climb together with the leader(s).

  • Who will be organizing the expedition?Open in a new window
    Your expedition is organized by our British, European, and American, office personnel working on-the-ground together as well as in your home-country. For example, one of our lead organizers is the very experienced Dan Mazur, trekking around the world since 1986 and climber-leader-organizer of Everest, K2, and 12 "eight-thousand-metre-peaks". He is a relaxed, friendly and well organized person, and a highly-skilled professional with 25 years experience in helping people explore the mountains, with the highest attention to detail, comfort, and safety. For more about organizers, leaders, and staff, please "click" here .
  • Who are the staff of the expedition?Open in a new window
    Our very loyal and hard-working staff are made up of guides, basecamp managers, mule drivers, wait staff, kitchen assistants, cooks, bus, truck, and jeep drivers, local agents, tour-operators, and government liaison officers and ministry officials. For more about organizers, leaders, and staff, please "click" here .
  • Do I need to tip our staff?Open in a new window
    We simply ask that if you feel that the leaders have done a good job you can provide a staff gratuity of $200/member. All other transports and local staff tips are taken care of by leaders.
  • May I hire a porter to carry my personal equipment while on the mountain?Open in a new window

    Porters - they are available for a daily fee of:

    P. Mulas- Canadá: US $ 145
    • P. Mulas- Nido de Cóndores: US $ 220
    • P. Mulas- Cólera: US $ 270
    • Cólera- P. Mulas: US $ 270

    * Note: These prices are per porter to ascent the equipment. The same prices are to descent. Porters carry up to 20kg each. They all go back to Base Camp. Payment is for every tract. Rates are accumulative.

• C) Who are the members?
  • What type of team members will be on the expedition?Open in a new window

    Members are men and women of all ages from around the world who enjoy touring, walking, climbing, camping, and being in the mountains with friends. Our youngest member was age 23, and our oldest 71 years of age. The average age is 36, with many members in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. We have neither a lower nor an upper limit on group size.

    PLEASE NOTE: We seek out members who can bring to this expedition a friendly spirit of team-work, as high altitude climbing and trekking are all about cooperation and working together and getting on with your team-mates.

  • How can I meet the other members of the expedition?Open in a new window
    Quite often, during our lecture tours, we organize meets of our team-members. Please enquire as to the possibility of this in your area. Also, in our GLACIER SCHOOLS past, present, future, and prospective members are able to meet and climb together. Approximately one month prior to the expedition we send out a newsletter with all of the logistics for your arrival in Argentina. At this point, we usually share your email address with the other team members, so you may meet one another.
  • Who will I be trekking and climbing with during the expedition?Open in a new window

    We have been told that our members and groups get along extremely well, and members are pleased to learn how enjoyable our expeditions are, and often say how pleasantly surprised they are by how well our team members and staff and leaders function together.

    If you did not join together with other friends (many members join as individuals), you will have ample opportunity, during the training, trekking, and first expedition days to determine who you would prefer to climb with. Depending upon the variable speed with which everyone is moving, these groups and partnerships can form and recombine several times throughout our expedition, where the pace is slow and careful.

  • Will I be sharing a room or tent with anyone?Open in a new window
    Most members prefer a single room while in Mendoza. Our hotel in Los Penitentes is based on sharing in twin double rooms. Single rooms may be arranged at your expense. Our trek-tents and high-altitude tents are based on sharing.
  • How large will the group be?Open in a new window
    The average group has probably been 6 people, with half of all expeditions having less, and half having more members. As we add members to our team, we hire more mules and drivers, bring additional supplies and equipment, and add additional leaders, assistant-leaders, and leaders-in-training.
  • What is the minimum number of members needed to run the expedition?Open in a new window
    The minimum number of members needed is 3, although sometimes we will still run an expedition with less than 3 people. For the Polish Route the minimum number is 1.
  • May I join this expedition as an individual?Open in a new window
    We encourage you to join us as an individual team member. Most of our members join as individuals, our team dynamics work well, and we are able to build successful and safe groups of people that enjoy climbing together.
  • May I bring my friends, family, colleagues, and clients with me on this trip?Open in a new window

    Because there are a group of you, you can benefit from our group discounts:

    2-3 persons receive a five percent discount. 4-5 persons receive a ten percent discount, and 6-8 members receive a 15 percent discount (we also provide discounts for doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners, returning members and combining trips). If you would be so kind as to send the email and postal addresses of the other person(s) in the group, we would be glad to send them the information and a colour card as well. Thanks.

  • Can I earn a commission for referring my friends, colleagues, clients, or a group?Open in a new window

    We offer a 5% cash "finders-fee", paid to you for each of your friends and colleagues who become a member of our team.

    Often, someone is well-placed as a guide, lecturer, eminent community figure, travel agent or tour operator, etcetera. We are glad to offer increasing commissions based on multiple referrals to any of our various trips and classes in any calendar year:

    5% commission for the first 1,2, and 3 people who you refer;

    10% commission for the next 4-8 people you refer;

    15% for the next 9-15 people;

    20% for 16 or more.

• D) What the cost includes.
  • Porters Cost Open in a new window
    A porter currently charges U$ 270 to take a 20kg load (if weights less than 20kg, they´ll charge it as 20kg). And also costs U$ 270 to take it from Camp 3 (Berlin or Colera) to BC. The problem is that porters in Aconcagua DO NOT take the load in YOUR speed, they go very fast and do it as fast as 3.5 hours!
    • If you need a person who carries a backpack for you (on your side) at all times then maybe you are looking for a personal guide (I´m sorry Argentineans don´t work like the Tanzanians or Nepalis). From BC-Summit-BC they charge around U$1600-2800 but this might change until next season.
    • If a porter can´t lift your load due to weather, than they will tell us by radio and arrange it for another day. If they already started carrying it and they can´t get there due to weather, then yes you will get charged for it anyway.
    • As last year we started using group porters who carry everything that is used for the group and not individuals, for example:
    • tents=GROUP
    • food=GROUP (Food for camp3 is on you, please check the gear list regarding this)
    • gas=GROUP
    • mats=INDIVIDUAL GEAR
    • sleeping bags=INDIVIDUAL GEAR
    • We never MAKE anyone carry group gear, we only ask if anyone is willing to help us to do so, that´s all... Sounds like you need a personal guide to go with you. If you only want a person to carry your pack and walk with you up and down the mountain until camp 3, we can try to reduce that U$1600-2800.
    • No. The guides carry 1x3lt O2 cilynder + 3 x 1lt thermos of hot tea + 1kg medical kit + emergency sleeping bag, etc. this totals about 10 to 12 kg and they cannot help you with personal gear. If you have any doubts about this you should hire a personal guide to assist you in advance.
    • We do allow them to rest. But remember that Aconcagua is a 7000m peak and people don´t have the same pace. If most of the group is faster than you, we´ll adapt to them. If most of the group is slower than you, then we´ll adapt to them.
    • We coordinate the rests and drinking breaks so everyone stops together. In a normal summit push we stop about 10 to 15 times for 2 minute breaks and 3 times for 20 min breaks.
    • Sounds like you might need to hire a personal guide to assist you to the summit. We can arrange this easily for you. The service will be only from BC-summit-BC, meaning that every time you are above BC the guide will be with you carrying your pack. I´m not sure what are the rates for next year, but please expect to pay U$1600-2800
    • Sometimes. Most of the times we´ll set the tents when the whole group gets there.
    • We don´t provide toilets above BC. From C1 and above we´ll provide you black bags so you can fill them, close them with a knot and put them on a common toilet bags pile. At the end of the trip we´ll carry them down for you as this is "group gear"
    • Depends on which month. In january costs about U$700 then in Feb it drops to U$500. But this will increase next year and we have no way to know for how much. I believe it will go as high as U$1300 but i´m not sure
    • SummitClimb.com covers any cost of a climbs or trek as a group. If you have a heath issue and have to be rescued (approved by a doctor) this is included in your climbing permit. If you leave the mountain because you don´t feel like climbing or is just too tired to keep going. One of our guides will take you to the nearest camp. In the case you want to leave the mountain you will have to cover the costs:
    • Guide from Camp 2 - BC = U$300 (as the rest of our guides might be busy with the rest of the group. In the case the are NOT busy, then no problem, it will cost you nothing)
    • Guide from BC - Horcones (road) = U$400
    • Mule from BC to Horcones = U$180
    • Private transport from Horcones to Mendoza = U$200
    • Please have in mind these costs might change next year
    • We melt snow for you and provide you with cold or hot water during the whole expedition. This is free
    • Usually not. If its a very complex rescue then yes, it might cost you something. A rescue from a summit attempt for example involves 30 people carrying you from 6700 (average) to BC or camp 2 (where a heli can land). I was personally involved on 12 of those rescues and we brought all these people alive to the nearest heli pad. All of these were free.
    • No, at the moment the route had many landslides and is longer than the normal route.
    • I prefer the less technical, shortest and easiest (not as steep) to the higher camps.
    • Sounds like the Normal route will suit you very well. It has a lot of switch-back trails and is not steep at all. The higher slope has 35 degrees and its 10 feet tall.
  • Why are the prices of these trips low?Open in a new window

    Our prices reflect our honesty, integrity, efficiency, and emphasis on providing a safe, high quality expedition for a fair price, as our company was founded 17 years ago by climbers for climbers, and we still have some of the original founders with us and strive to maintain these priorities. In addition, we have very long experience and deep connections with the mountaineering authorities in Nepal and Tibet, and we are fortunate to receive favourable prices and better treatment. Even though our prices are less, our approach reflects the best possible value for money and emphasizes effective team building within our own expedition, as well as good relations with everyone on the mountain.

    This is neither a luxury nor a 5-star expedition.  
    
    • We are dedicated to a philosophy of encouraging mountaineering by keeping costs to a minimum and welcome team members who are willing to share in achieving our objectives. All of our European, British, or US staff and leaders began their Himalayan climbing careers as paying team members. Thus, we never charge more for a trip than we would be willing to pay ourselves. We have excellent relations with the government authorities who regulate the world of mountain climbing permits, liaison officers, yak drivers, etcetera.
    • Additionally, our staff of more than 23 Sherpas are very long term, loyal, hard-working, and honest employees. We take good care of our staff and their families, and they work for a fair wage in return for steady employment. We help our Sherpa's families in many ways, and have been building schools and hospitals in their villages, and helping to protect their local environments for several years.
    • We have 1 hard-working group sherpa per each 3-4 members (if you would like more sherpas, please hire one of our excellent 'personal sherpas'.
    • Our leaders are hard working and friendly British, American, European, or Australian expedition-leaders. They are not licensed 'mountain-guides' who have taken an expensive six year course and exams.
    • Our methods are basic, simple, and proven over more than 50 Himalayan expeditions.
    • Our equipment is good, simple, sturdy, time-tested and has been used before. We re-use our equipment and re-hire our staff over many expeditions.
    • Our agents and local on-the-ground operators are long term employees and they provide services at a competitive cost, in return for fair compensation and our return business, year-after-year. 
    • Our food is well prepared, abundant, and nutritious, but we do not use expensive imported foods.
    • We neither print nor post expensive brochures.
  • What does the price include?Open in a new window
    Leadership: Doug Sandok. 10 years leading climbs in the Himalaya & South America, experienced leaders of Ama Dablam, Kilimanjaro, and Aconcagua, highly-skilled, friendly English & Spanish speaking professional who specialize in getting people to the summit and back down safely;
    • Transfer from Mendoza airport or bus terminal to and from hotel;
    • Hotels and meals in Pentitentes on a twin sharing basis in tourist class hotel;
    • Private transfer to and from Pentitentes and Aconcagua Park Gate;
    • Assistant guides and cooks;
    • Mules for group and personal gear (25 kg/45 pounds, personal) to and from BC;
    • All meals on the trek and basecamp;
    • Camping equipment including tents, tables, and chairs;
    • Group climbing equipment.
  • What is not included in the "Full Service" price?Open in a new window
    Personal Aconcagua Climbing Permit Approx. $460 USD;
    • Hotel and meals in Mendoza;
      
    • Items of personal nature, individual travel costs, delays, taxis, etc.;
    • Personal Argentina entry visas if applicable;
    • Recommended travel Insurance;
    • Personal clothing or equipment;
    • Alcoholic drinks and personal snacks;
    • Staff gratuities.

    Also not included are: International flights, personal clothing and equipment (sleeping bag, boots, ice axe, etc.),visas, vaccinations, health, travel and rescue insurance, snack-energy food, gratuities, drinks on the road or in town, expenses of a personal nature, changes to the pre-planned itinerary (such as early departure), and expenses while traveling away from the group or leader. Not included are unexpected expenses, such as expenses due to emergencies, rescues, weather, political situations, transport delays, etc.

• E) Details of the itinerary, route, and weather.
  • What are the details for the itinerary?Open in a new window
    For a detailed itinerary of the expedition, please "click here".
  • What are the details of the route?Open in a new window

    For a detailed description of both routes, please "click here" .

  • What will the weather and temperature be like?Open in a new window
    Like most big mountains, Aconcagua generates and attracts its own weather, making it unpredictable at times. A wide range of temperatures, from freezing nights, snowy and windy conditions, and bright sunshine intensified by the high altitude, may occur on the expedition. It can get very cold in the high camps on Aconcagua, with average temperatures 0º C/32º F during the day and -25º C/-13º F at night. Climbers on our December to January trips, may find snowfields high on the mountain, while on our February trips, members will encounter less snow and more dry, rocky terrain.
    The best time to climb Aconcagua is from December to early March, during the Southern Hemisphere's summer. Days of clear sunny skies are quite normal on Aconcagua, but the mountain does receive occasional storms during the climbing season due to the muggy, humid winds blowing west off the Pacific Ocean. When this air rises over the slopes of the Andes, its speed increases and it condenses to form lenticular clouds on the summit, known as white wind (viento blanco). Southern winds are usually an auspicious sign of good weather.
    In Mendoza and the lower areas along the trek, the Southern hemisphere summer temperatures fluctuate between 18-33º C/65-90º F, with warm days and cool nights.
• F) What qualifications, experience, fitness, & training do I need?
  • What sort of experience should I have?Open in a new window

    For the Normal Traverse Route it is not necessary for you to have previous climbing experience. We will teach you all of the mountain skills you need to know during the trip. You should be a fit and active walker in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment.

    Our goal is to work together as a team so that all members reach the top safely. We do not expect you to be expert (although some members are) but, nor are we a climbing school (although we do conduct one or two days of training at the beginning of each expedition).

    If you need fundamental technical training, and snow and ice experience, we urge you to participate in our GLACIER SCHOOL held each spring and autumn.

    Members need to have experience in being part of a team, working toward a common goal, and be ready to work with the group and be a good "team-player".

     

    Our leaders are there to ensure (for our full-service members) you make it up to the summit and back down safely. Team members are expected to be able to care for themselves in a winter-camping and climbing environment. Obviously when climbing the highest mountain in the Americas, there are hazards present, and members must have experience (for Polish Direct) in roped rock and ice climbing techniques (to protect from falling down the mountain or into crevasses), and have winter-condition climbing experience in the greater ranges of the world, including placing and retrieving anchors, belaying, abseiling, glacier rescue and avalanche awareness. It is also required that all members will have knowledge of altitude sickness, frostbite, and the recognition of their symptoms, prevention, and treatment. When traveling above basecamp, all members must climb with another team member or leader at all times.

    We welcome you to join our expedition as an individual and most of our members do.

    We welcome you to join our expedition as an individual and most of our members do. We plan to assemble our team members into groups so you should not have to climb alone, although occasionally it may happen. By the way, we are unable to accommodate 'soloists' who are not willing to climb together with other team members or sherpas from our team. The main expectation is that members will be prepared to climb with a team member or sherpa above basecamp if possible. This practice ensures that the entire team has a fun, successful, and safe time on the mountain.

    This practice ensures that the entire team has a fun, successful, and safe time on the mountain.
  • Where can I obtain the experience I need to qualify?Open in a new window

    For the Normal Traverse Route it is not necessary for you to have previous climbing experience. We will teach you all of the mountain skills you need to know during the trip. You should be a fit and active walker in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment.

    The Polish Direct Route requires some moderately technical climbing experience. Members should be able to climb 25-48+ degree firm-snow (sometimes a bit icy), roped to your guide using an ice-axe, crampons and rope. You should be a fit and active climber in good health able to carry (to the high camp, but not the summit) a rucksack containing your sleeping bag, clothing, food, water, and for the stronger members, some group equipment.

    If you feel you need technical training we recommend the following course of study:
    

     

     

    Begin with a look at our websites and literature, and read a book about mountain climbing, to familiarize yourself with the basics of ropes, anchors, clothing, etcetera ("Freedom of the Hills" is one such title).
    • You may wish attend a "climbing-class" at an "adventure-centre" or a "rock-gym" in your home town, where you can learn the basics of "how-to-tie-in", handle the rope and harness and carabiner and descender/abseil-rappel device, and see if you enjoy the thrill of safe climbing and cautious descending on a rope. Or, perhaps you can have a climbing-friend show you the basics.
    • We suggest you attend one of our leader's LECTURES to view videos and slides and listen to and discuss our previous expeditions, and learn about our teams, staff, see the equipment in action, study the routes, etcetera. Please visit our LECTURE site to view our upcoming lecture schedule.
    • Next, you may wish to join one of our Glacier-Schools, where you will be able to hire and purchase the necessary equipment inexpensively , if you do not have it already. You will have an opportunity to experience for yourself: snow-camping, ice-climbing, glacier-travel, crevasse-rescue, placing and retrieving anchors, rope-ascending, rope-descending, and summiting peaks of moderate altitude (4000 metres, 13,000 feet) in glacial conditions.
    • Now, if you are fit and healthy, you could be ready for a climb of Aconcagua, where you can test your ability to handle altitude climbing, on an extended alpine expedition.
  • How healthy and fit do I need to be?Open in a new window

    To participate in this expedition you must be a very fit and active winter-walker and climber in good health. Make sure you have physically trained yourself very thoroughly before joining this climb.

    Prior to joining our group, please see your doctor and obtain the necessary permission and advice, as well as medications for travel in extremes of altitude, and also for exotic locales.
  • What sort of training will I need to pursue?Open in a new window
    Firstly, you should always consult your doctor before starting a rigorous exercise plan.
    • In the beginning, to see how you handle the training, and to avoid muscle strains that could slow your training down, you may wish to use shorter more frequent but less taxing workouts, and take more rest. After you get "up to speed" as it were, you could increase the rigour. Older climbers and walkers please take note of the latter. Also remember that swimming is an excellent form of training because it does not put stress upon your joints. Thank you.
    • In order to train well for your trip you should work toward excercising 3 to 4 times a week for between 40 minutes and an hour and a half each time. You should expect to work hard, and try to keep your heartrate quite high and your breathing quite heavy.
    • Adequate rest and a well balanced diet are also essential to avoid injury and illness before the expedition. You should sleep at least 8 hours per night, and eat 3 nutritious meals a day. Don't forget that you will perspire when you train, so try to drink at least 4 litres/quarts of water a day.
    • You may wish to engage the services of a personal trainer, who could help you to fine tune your fitness to a higher level while minimizing strain and maximising your potential in ways you might not have imagined. Personal trainers can also be a great motivator, as you and the trainer have your weekly session, thus you will feel an incentive to complete your planned fitness programme for that week.
    • Utilising both gym equipment and the great outdoors will provide a more balanced exercise programme. You should try to accomplish at least half of your workouts outside. This could include walking and running (On stairs and hills too) and cycling, but above all should be fun! Hillwalking and climbing with a pack weighing 5-10 Kilos/10-20 pounds is essential. If you don't have hills, why not go for stairs, bleachers, viewing stands, stadiums, even the stairways in tall buildings? Don't forget to spend time directly working the muscles of the legs, back and shoulders, and remember that your own body weight can be just as effective as weights, or machines.
    • About 6 weeks before the expedition departure date, you may wish to do 1 full day each week of hill walking, climbing or an equivalent, with a light rucksack. On that day, you would want to eventually work toward six-eight hours of continuous walking or climbing up and down hill, with 4 to 6 separate ten minute breaks and a 1/2 to 1 hour lunch break midway through.
    • To minimize the chance of injuring yourself, consider starting with a half day and then if you do well, increase to 2/3, then eventually to a full day, once a week.
    • We want you to arrive for your expedition in top shape, so please take plenty of rest and do not over-do it.
    • Hint: when carrying a rucksack while descending, walking, or climbing down-hill, try carrying a bit less in your rucksack in order to save your knees. Many trainers advise carrying water bottles up the hill then emptying them at the top so your rucksack is lightened for the trip down.
  • Do you recommend a personal trainer?Open in a new window

    You may wish to engage the services of a personal trainer, who could help you to fine tune your fitness to a higher level while minimizing strain and maximizing your potential in ways you might not have imagined. Personal trainers can also be a great motivator, as you and the trainer have your weekly session, thus you will feel an incentive to complete your planned fitness programme for that week.

  • Will I participate in training during the expedition?Open in a new window
    Upon arrival in Mendoza and in the base camp, ALL full-service and basic-climb members are requested to participate an orientation to how the trip will be operated. There will be plenty of time for discussion, question answering, and for equipment review and possible purchasing/renting. Training will be conducted both in Mendoza and in basecamp in the areas (depending on which route you are doing) of basic climbing techniques, glacier travel, rope fixing, ascending, descending, safety techniques, rappels (abseils), belaying, medical equipment and procedures, communications equipment, camping techniques and high-altitude cooking. For the expert and beginner alike, it is important to review these techniques in order to enhance skills, ensure safety-awareness, and work together as a team.
  • Is there an age limit?Open in a new window

    We encourage climbers of all ages to consider joining our team.

    The youngest summitter we have had on Aconcagua was 23.

    The oldest climber we have had was 71 years old. We notice that people who are older may need more rest, acclimatization, and a careful attention to nutrition and hydration.

    We don’t want to sound pessimistic, rather we strive for realism, but there may be a certain debacle in encouraging trekkers who are older. All of us, no matter what age, race, or gendre, can push ourselves beyond our limits and "hit the wall", become exhausted, etcetera. Let's face up to it, the "wall" might come up a bit more rapidly for those of us who are a bit older, than for the youngsters in our midst. Its important to be well trained physically and mentally, and know how to maintain one's health and stamina throughout the trek.

  • Must I carry a heavy rucksack?Open in a new window

    Our expedition includes transport of all of your equipment from Mendoza to your destination, and returned to Mendoza. While trekking, we DO NOT ask our full-service members to carry heavy group equipment (although it is an option if you really want to), such as tents, rope, fuel, food, etcetera. We use high-altitude mules to carry group equipment and supplies.

    On the mountain, members are expected to carry their personal gear and some group gear up to the high camps and back down again. Generally, your pack will weigh 15-20 kg/35-40 pounds. It is recommended that a person carry no more than a 1/4 of their body weight, so as not to over-exert or injure themselves.

    If you do not wish to or are unable to carry your personal equipment on the mountain, porters are available to hire for $100-$150, £50-£100, or €70-€100 per day. They may be hired in basecamp upon your arrival, as it is staffed all season.

• G) Personal & team equipment and what I need to bring.
  • What personal equipment should I bring?Open in a new window

    Please see the Equipment link , to study what is needed. If you are not familiar with the necessary equipment, we suggest you attend one of our Glacier Schools , to learn about it and buy it affordably .

  • Where should I purchase my equipment?Open in a new window
    Renting or buying mountain equipment in Mendoza is very easy. There are several shops in town and if your sizes aren't too different than normal you shouldn't have a problem. These CANNOT be paid by credit card due to argentine foreign card restrictions. Please add up the equipment you want to rent based on the list below and bring enough US DOLLARS for this. Prices vary a lot but this is roughly what we had last season (the price is for the 18-20 day itinerary):
    

    • Trekking poles U$25
      
    • Crampons U$40
      
    • Plastic Boots* U$95
      
    • Sleeping mattress U$20
      
    • 70 litre rucksack U$45
      
    • Sleeping bag U$105
      
    • Long ice axe U$40
      
    • Down jacket U$80
      
    • Goretex jacket U$55
      
    • Trekking boots U$45
      
    • Duffel bag U$30
      
    • Fleece jacket U$25
      
    • Fleece gloves U$15
      
    • Mittens U$35   
      
    • Fleece pants U$25
      
    • Goretex pants U$45
      
    • Gaiters U$20
      

    * Please note that if your boot size is larger or smaller than normal we might need extra time to find your boots. Please let us know in advance

    • Below we have listed several inexpensive shops around the world. It may be best to telephone them directly with your questions, as they are very busy and do not always answer email enquiries in a timely manner. When you do contact them, always be sure to mention your name and the name of our company and expedition leaders to them, as we send them many customers and they often give our members substantial discounts. You may or may not choose to purchase the product from them, but it should give you a good idea of what the fair price for the equipment should be. We especially recommend Second Ascent in Seattle, as it has a very large selection of second hand, discontinued, and rental mountain climbing equipment and clothing.

    • One strategy our members often pursue is to visit Seattle for one of our Glacier Schools, and then during time set aside during the course, work together with our leaders to try-on, compare, and purchase and hire the equipment they need at one of the least expensive mountaineering shops in Seattle. It is rare to find such a good selection of equipment and clothing in one shop, but Seattle is known for its large glaciated peaks, and large community of mountaineers.

    Peglers - UK

    www.peglers.co.uk, Tel: +44 (0) 1903 883375
    Pegler's have the largest selection of inexpensive clothing and equipment in the UK.

    Second Ascent - Seattle

    www.secondascent.com, Tel: +1 206 545 8810
    

    Check out their new online shopping store for used and discontinued equipment, clothing, and boots.

    Mountain Equipment Co-op - Canada
    http://www.mec.ca/, Tel: +1 888 847 0770
    

    MEC have the largest selection of inexpensive clothing and equipment in the Canada.

    Snell Sports - Chamonix
    
    Tel. : + 33 4 50 53 02 17, email: snell@cham3s.com

    Decathlon - France

    

    http://www.decathlon.fr/FR/index.html

     

     

    Au Vieux Campeur - France

    

     

    www.au-vieux-campeur.fr

     

     

    Chamonix Alpine Equipment - Hong Kong

    
    www.hongkongclimbing.com/chamonix/chamonix.htm
    Tel: +852 2388 3626, +852 2374 0924

     

    Everestgear.com - Online

    

      www.everestgear.com

     

  • What sort of equipment will the organizers bring?Open in a new window
    Please see the climbing and mountaineering group EQUIPMENT link , to study what we bring for your use and safety.
  • Do you use fixed rope for this expedition?Open in a new window

    Rope is not fixed on the Normal Traverse Route or Polish Direct. For more information regarding the routes, please "click here" .

  • How much cash should I bring?Open in a new window

    Please remember to bring enough cash (at least $900) for your Aconcagua personal climbing permit. Please also bring plenty of cash for tips + gratuities, for shopping, drinks, etcetera. You will be paying for your own hotel and meals in Mendoza. There are good cash/atm machines and traveler's cheques will work. Members who don't bring enough cash are often found sitting on their hands in a dark and cold hotel room or tent while the rest of the team are out having fun enjoying the night life that is surprisingly exciting and even funny, the sometimes fun restaurants and shopping. Meals in Mendoza are fairly inexpensive, where you can eat well on $30-$40 per day.

  • Can I use my credit, bank, cash, ATM card in Argentina?Open in a new window
    Argentina is currently suffering several financial restrictions and it is very hard for foreign people to withdrawal money over a daily limit of U$250. Paying goods using credit and debit cards could also be a problem depending on your card. So we recommend you to bring US dollars for your expense money in Mendoza.
    
    
  • Bringing equipment and supplies as checked luggage on my international flight.Open in a new window

    Most of our members carry their personal equipment and snack foods in their checked and carry-on luggage on their international flight.

    In Britain, Europe, Australia, and other parts of the world, your baggage allowance may be as low as: 23 kilos/50 pounds of checked baggage, plus a small carry-on bag of 15 kilos/33 pounds (don't show the counter staff this much carry-on luggage upon check-in), for a total of 40 kilos/88 pounds. First ring your airline and request their "sport baggage allowance". Many airlines allow it, and often provide this for golfers, bicyclists, surfers and skiers. Quite often they extend it to climbers. Some of our members have had good luck bringing a ski bag and filling it with climbing equipment. WARNING: They might not give the same allowance on the inbound portion. Be sure to check this and request it if not given, or you could incur high baggage charges when coming home. The documentation of this allowance may take the form of a letter from the baggage officer at the airlines, or the allowance may be printed on the ticket itself (the best form of documentation by far).

    If you are unable to attain a sport baggage allowance, obviously, those members coming from these countries will either be faced with wearing their climbing boots, helmet, duvet-clothing, etcetera onto the plane (this is normal procedure for many Australian, British, and European team-members), or paying excess baggage charges, or purchasing/hiring a portion of their equipment or daily snacks in Kathmandu, which is now becoming more and more of a viable option. If you chose to pay the airline's excess baggage charges, you might be faced with $20 per kilogram/2.2 pounds, of excess. Be sure to make full telephone and email inquiries before checking your bags at the airport.

    Those members flying from North America are currently allowed 2 checked bags weighing 50 pounds/23 kilos each, plus one small carry-on weighing 30 pounds/13 kilos, for a total allowance of 130 pounds, or 60 kilograms. Baggage allowances change frequently. Before departure, you must ring your airline to verify the exact amount.

    In North America it may be possible to pay an additional $120 per extra 70 pound/32 kilo bag, up to a total of ten or so extra bags, on flights bound for Nepal or China, but not for flights returning from there. However, be sure to ask about such "extra-bags" policies carefully before booking, and be sure to check with ALL of the airlines on your itinerary, as some of these airlines may try to "double-charge" you.

  • Do I need to bring my own snack energy and dehydrated food?Open in a new window
    On the trek and in basecamp, our logistics staff prepare plenty of food and cook 3 hot meals each day. This food will consist of soup, local cheese & sausage, imported items, biscuits, eggs, toast, cereals, dried noodles, potatoes, rice, porridge, butter, dried and tinned vegetables, fruit, meats, and fish, tea with milk and sugar, powdered juice drink, and drinking chocolate. Up in the high camps, our guides will prepare hot water for members to eat quick energy dehydrated meals before going for the summit.
     
    We ask members to bring 4 dehydrated meals (freeze-dried dinners) for camp 2 on the mountain.
    
    
    
    We do not provide cold “snack” food such as chocolate or "energy-bars". We ask that you bring or buy your own "snack" or daily cold energy food, 1 kilo /2 pounds is a good amount. There many places to purchase these items in Mendoza and we will have ample time to go shopping.
  • Should I plan to take Diamox, Acetylzolamide for this expedition?Open in a new window

    There is a difference of opinion. However, if you have not been to high altitude often, we suggest you consider trying Diamox. You may wish to start with one half of a tablet in Mendoza to see how you react to the medication and if you have any side effects. During the approach  to basecamp, as well as once we are on the mountain, we suggest you consider taking one to two tablets per day, depending upon your body weight, rate of ascent, and your reaction to the medication.

    We encourage members who are going to high-altitude for their first time to try Diamox. During our expedition, we can often tell which team members are using Diamox and which are not according to their level of activity vs. lethargy. Those trying Diamox are often seen laughing, playing cards, and throwing frisbees in basecamp, while those who are not are often seen hunched over their tea in the dining tent, holding their heads and grumbling about a headache. The non-users may also not be seen at all, as they are in their tent lying in their sleeping bag suffering a migraine-like headache.

    Whatever your opinion is, Diamox is a very vital part of any high altitude climbers medical kit, used in the prevention of mountain sickness, also known as high altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS). It's a very old drug, originally developed for cardiac patients in the 1930s. It is the most well known and tested of all of the high altitude drugs. It works well as a preventative medication, taken in advance of symptoms, proactively. It also works acutely in first-aid situations to reduce the severity of symptoms once high-altitude sickness ensues. Common dosage is a half tablet (tablets are 250mg) before AMS occurs, to see if any severe side effects occur. Common side effects include tingling, 'pins and needles' and excessive urination. If no severe side effects occur, it's common to take one 250 mg tablet per day. Up to 2 or even three tablets may be taken per day, depending upon body weight (smaller people need to take less, and larger people more). Be sure to drink enough water, as Diamox is a diuretic (increases urination and thus dehydration).

    Diamox increases your body's uptake of carbon dioxide through a ph change in the blood, so as an indirect reaction of your body, it causes you to breath (exhale) more to get rid of the extra CO2. The other mechanism your body uses to get rid of extra CO2 is to urinate more. Breathing more causes you not only to exhale more CO2, but also to take in more oxygen. Your body responds to all of this fresh new oxygen by making your red blood cell count increase. This is what you need to become acclimatized to the higher altitude, more red blood cells to carry more oxygen. Whether you take Diamox or not, this red blood cell increase happens naturally as you slowly ascend to higher altitudes. Diamox just causes the red blood cells to multiply a little faster because you are breathing a bit more. Some people say you can do this yourself without taking Diamox, just hyperventilate all of the time!

  • What medicines do I need to bring?Open in a new window

    Please visit the medical section of the Aconcagua Personal & Team Equipment link to view a full list of the medicines we recommend you purchase. Our leaders bring an extensive first-aid kit as well.

  • May I hire-rent purchase my boots, equipment, and clothing in Mendoza?Open in a new window

    Renting or buying mountain equipment in Mendoza is very easy. There are several shops in town and if your sizes aren't too different than normal you shouldn't have a problem. Prices vary a lot but this is roughly what we had last season (the price is for the 18-20 day itinerary):
    

    Trekking poles U$25
    • Crampons U$45
    • Plastic Boots U$120
    • Sleeping mattress U$15
    • 70 litre rucksack U$60
    • Sleeping bag U$150
    • Long ice axe U$50
    • Down Jacket U$80
  • What is the best photo or video camera to use?Open in a new window
    Any small and light camera will be fine. Many people use digital cameras now, and download their photos on our laptop in basecamp (our laptop works at high altitude, while yours might not, so check carefully before bringing your own laptop).
    • There are new digital video cameras that are small and light and work well. Many peoples bring them and there has been some very good quality movies made by our members. Some members have even edited their own feature length films from video they took with one of these good-quality small 'handi-cams'.
    • Our members take great photos and we might ask your permission to use them in news stories on our news website. Of course you will be credited as the photographer.
      
    • If you are planning to download your photos, then you have to bring your own lead/cable and your own software, if available. Digital cameras also have the advantage of being able to take small video clips. We love seeing your video clips on our site and they really add to the excitement of telling the story of your climb. There are some good digital cameras that will work well in the $200, £100, or €135 range.
    • Be sure you always keep your camera in a plastic bag in the inside pocket of your jacket and you will have to sleep with it at night. You never want it to become cold or be exposed to wind, snow, dust, moisture or rain.
    • With any camera, make sure you have your battery/charging system well-thought-out before you leave home, as options to figure this out in the mountains will be limited.
  • What paperwork and information do I need to provide before arrival?Open in a new window
    Here is a checklist of what we need to have in your file at least two months before the trip begins. We encourage you to send an electronic scan of all of the below documents, please be sure they are signed. Please bring all of the originals with you to Mendoza if you send them in electronically. Thank you:
    
    [ ] Completed Payment.
    [ ] Trip Registration Form (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] Signed Participant Release and Acknowledgement of Risk (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] Signed Terms and Conditions of Booking (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] Signed Medical Form (part of 4 page form),
    [ ] 2 Passport-Sized Photos (name printed on back side),
    [ ] Exact photocopy of passport identification pages,
    [ ] Exact photocopy of complete flight itinerary,
    [ ] Proof of mountain rescue and repatriation insurance,
    [ ] Proof of travel, accident, and repatriation insurance (cancellation insurance is advised).
    
    Please do let us know what further questions you may have about the registration process, or anything else for that matter. Thank you.
• H) Flying from home country, welcome to Mendoza.
  • What is the best way to purchase my international air ticket?Open in a new window

    It's best to purchase your international air ticket several months before trip departure. Although, surprisingly inexpensive air tickets may be available on short notice only a few weeks before the trip begins. However, for some busier times of year known as "high season", it might be best to purchase your air tickets 4-5 months before flying, or, if you are trying to use frequent flyer or air miles, 6-12 months prior to the beginning of the trip.

    We can recommend agencies and airlines that offer the lowest prices and best service. Please shop around to get the best possible price for your airfare.
    
    Flights from UK or Europe to Mendoza currently ranges in cost.
    
    Many Europeans prefer to fly to London first, to take advantage of the inexpensive flights. Flying from London, to begin, may we recommend you contact Toby or anyone at Trailfinders on 0207 9383939. Also, please ring the Flight Centre in London on: 08705 666627, or 0207 9356669. Please also try Jane and Marion at PIA-Bristol: 01179 272788. First ring your airline and request their "sport baggage allowance". Many airlines allow it, and often provide this for golfers, bicyclists, surfers and skiers. Quite often they extend it to climbers. Some of our members have had good luck bringing a ski bag and filling it with climbing equipment. Before arranging cargo shipping, ring your airline and explain what you are climbing/trekking and need to bring extra food/equipment, etcetera. Airlines often allow you to carry extra bags when you fly for a reduced charge, when you arrange it all in advance. The big advantage is that the bags should travel with you all of the time, don't have to be cleared through customs, etcetera.

    WARNING: They might not give the same allowance on the inbound portion. Be sure to check this and request it if not given, or you could incur high baggage charges when coming home. The documentation of this allowance may take the form of a letter from the baggage officer at the airlines, or the allowance may be printed on the ticket itself (the best form of documentation by far).
    

    Be sure to mention that you are one of our members when you ring your travel agent, as the above companies arrange quite a few of our flights and they may give a discount or provide extra baggage allowance.
    
    Flights from North America to Mendoza currently range in cost.
    

    For starters, we recommend you check the internet. Internet flight shopping is easy: www.Expedia.com often has inexpensive flights. Also try other websites such as www.Orbitz.com , www.Kayak.com , etc.  If you would like to work with a travel agent,  please contact Sue at Unique Travel: 503-221-1719. Another travel agency you may wish to check prices with is: Himalayan Treasures and Travels 800-223-1813, or Bootsnall.com 503-528-1005. Be sure to mention that you are one of our members when you ring your travel agent, as the above companies arrange quite a few of our flights and they may give a discount or provide extra baggage allowance. By the way, before booking your ticket, please check the itinerary carefully and check how much baggage they will allow. In case you have excess baggage, you may wish to ring your airline and request their "sport baggage allowance". Many airlines allow it, and often provide this for golfers, bicyclists, surfers and skiers. Quite often they extend it to climbers. Some of our members have had good luck bringing a ski bag and filling it with climbing equipment. Before arranging cargo shipping, ring your airline and explain what you are climbing/trekking and need to bring extra food/equipment, etcetera. Airlines often allow you to carry extra bags when you fly for a reduced charge, when you arrange it all in advance. The big advantage is that the bags should travel with you all of the time, don't have to be cleared through customs, etcetera. BAGGAGE WARNING: They might not give the same allowance on the inbound portion. Be sure to check this and request it if not given, or you could incur high baggage charges when coming home. The documentation of this allowance may take the form of a letter from the baggage officer at the airlines, or the allowance may be printed on the ticket itself (the best form of documentation by far).
  • What day do I need to arrive and what day may I leave the expedition?Open in a new window

    All members must be present on the first day of our scheduled itinerary in Mendoza unless you have made special arrangements. We need to obtain the permit for you to go to the mountains, as well as quite a bit of intensive orientation and training before setting off for the mountains, in the next day or two. Of course it is fine if you wish to arrive earlier than the first day of our scheduled itinerary.

    In addition, we need you to stay until the last day of the expedition unless you have made special arrangements. Its OK if you want to leave a bit earlier, but schedule your flight for the final day in any case. You never know when bad weather or route conditions can slow you down and cause you to need each and every day. Of course it's fine if you want to stay on after the expedition ends.
  • Will someone be there to meet me at the airport?Open in a new window

    Yes and the cost is included in your registration fee. In fact, during our 2007 and 2008 expeditions, we were able to meet 100 percent of our member's scheduled flights, and bring the team to our hotel. Please make sure we have your complete flight itinerary. Upon picking up your bags and exiting the customs area and walking out into the arrivals hall, be sure to move slowly and look for the person carrying a sign with your name written upon it. Normally, this sign will bear your surname (last or family name), but occasionally they might have written your first or given name on the sign. The sign may also simply say, "SummitClimb".

    Our staff in Mendoza are available to assist you 24 hours per day, seven days per week. It does not matter which day nor at what time you arrive or depart Mendoza, they will meet your flight, take you to the hotel, help you find essential things like money changing, shopping, arrange tours of the city, etcetera.
    

  • Will my hotel be booked in advance & will someone take me to my hotel?Open in a new window
    We will book your hotel in advance. One of our staff will be able to take you to your hotel upon arrival.
  • Must I pay for my hotels & meals in Mendoza?Open in a new window

    Hotels and food in Mendoza only, but not out on the trek or expedition, are your responsibility (this is a minimal cost). While in Mendoza, meals and alcoholic drinks are at your expense, as well as any extra night in hotels you request at the end of the trip. Most members prefer a single room in Mendoza. Hotels will be booked as double rooms and are based on sharing. If you wish to book a single room at a slightly higher price, please let us know in advance. We will book your hotel for you. Please let us know if you require any extra accommodation. The hotel we are using currently is around $95 per night for a double room, so you would pay half of that.

    Meals in Mendoza are fairly inexpensive, where you can eat well on $30-$40 per day. Please review how much cash to bring for the expedition. Thank you.

  • Will there be a day of orientation in Mendoza, to meet the members, leaders, & check my equipment?Open in a new window

    All members must be present on the first day of our scheduled itinerary in Mendoza unless you have made special arrangements. We will have an orientation to meet one another and go over the logistics of how the trip will be operated..

    We plan to depart Mendoza the morning after after sorting gear and receiving our permits.
  • Bringing equipment and supplies as checked luggage on my international flight.Open in a new window

    Most of our members carry their personal equipment and snack foods in their checked and carry-on luggage on their international flight.

    In Britain, Europe, Australia, and other parts of the world, your baggage allowance may be as low as: 23 kilos/50 pounds of checked baggage, plus a small carry-on bag of 15 kilos/33 pounds (don't show the counter staff this much carry-on luggage upon check-in), for a total of 40 kilos/88 pounds. First ring your airline and request their "sport baggage allowance". Many airlines allow it, and often provide this for golfers, bicyclists, surfers and skiers. Quite often they extend it to climbers. Some of our members have had good luck bringing a ski bag and filling it with climbing equipment. WARNING: They might not give the same allowance on the inbound portion. Be sure to check this and request it if not given, or you could incur high baggage charges when coming home. The documentation of this allowance may take the form of a letter from the baggage officer at the airlines, or the allowance may be printed on the ticket itself (the best form of documentation by far).

    If you are unable to attain a sport baggage allowance, obviously, those members coming from these countries will either be faced with wearing their climbing boots, helmet, duvet-clothing, etcetera onto the plane (this is normal procedure for many Australian, British, and European team-members), or paying excess baggage charges, or purchasing/hiring a portion of their equipment or daily snacks in Kathmandu, which is now becoming more and more of a viable option. If you chose to pay the airline's excess baggage charges, you might be faced with $20 per kilogram/2.2 pounds, of excess. Be sure to make full telephone and email inquiries before checking your bags at the airport.

    Those members flying from North America are currently allowed 2 checked bags weighing 50 pounds/23 kilos each, plus one small carry-on weighing 30 pounds/13 kilos, for a total allowance of 130 pounds, or 60 kilograms. Baggage allowances change frequently. Before departure, you must ring your airline to verify the exact amount.

    In North America it may be possible to pay an additional $120 per extra 70 pound/32 kilo bag, up to a total of ten or so extra bags, on flights bound for Nepal or China, but not for flights returning from there. However, be sure to ask about such "extra-bags" policies carefully before booking, and be sure to check with ALL of the airlines on your itinerary, as some of these airlines may try to "double-charge" you.

  • Can I use my credit, bank, cash, ATM card in Mendoza?Open in a new window

    Mendoza has no shortage of banks with ATM machines.

    There are branches everywhere, most with ATM cash machines and efficient, helpful service. 

  • How shall I organize my visa?Open in a new window
    At this time, Argentina does not require visitors to acquire a visa for stays up to 90 days in their country.
• I) Insurance and safety.
  • How shall I organize my mountain-climbing-trekking and travel insurances?Open in a new window

    Nearly all developed countries have agents who offer travel and mountain climbing insurance at a reasonable price. Full-coverage insurance is essential, because it not only covers mountain climbing, but also travel to and from the mountain. This could cover you for lost bags, a car accident on the way to the airport, etcetera. When you see what high-quality insurance covers, you will realize that it is a very good value. BEFORE PURCHASING, BE SURE TO REQUEST A COPY OF THE POLICY AND BE SURE TO READ AND UNDERSTAND IT. Please enclose proof of insurance with your final team-membership payment. If you are one of the unfortunates who come from a country where such insurance is not available, we will accept an authorization letter and your credit card. You must be covered for travel, full domestic rescue, helicopter (where available) and international rescue and repatriation expenses. NO CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION = NO EXPEDITION MEMBERSHIP.
    
    In UK, Europe, South America, Asia, the Antipodes, etcetera, many of our members are now using a company called Global Rescue, http://www.globalrescue.com   , which can be combined with a standard travel policy, such as InsureMyTrip.com , CSAtravelprotection.com , or TravelInsuranceDirect.com.au .
    
    Here are some other options our members have used successfully:
    
    https://www.ingleinternational.com/   (with "sports rider" coverage)
    
    (Get the "Adventurer Plus Pak". This Pak is required to receive medical and evacuation coverage for mountaineering and a rental allowance in the event your gear is lost. To receive this benefit, your policy and Pak must be purchased within 21 days of initial trip deposit.
    
    http://www.snowcard.co.uk/    for UK members only (this only covers mountaineering up to 7500 metres if you get "expedition" coverage).
    
    http://www.hccmis.com/  (with sports rider added on)
    
    http://www.dogtag.co.uk
    
    In the US and Canada, your total full-coverage insurance package may vary, depending on trip duration and amount of coverage. We have seen several companies that offer comprehensive plans for travel and mountain rescue. A company called Global rescue is worth checking out; http://www.globalrescue.com   , which can be combined with a standard travel policy.
    
    Those who wish to shop further, or have higher incomes and/or assets to protect may also be interested in: Access America, Travelex, Travel Guard, etc. Be sure to check what the policy covers before you buy.
    
    Also it's worth checking out https://www.dogtag.com/
    

  • What sort of safety precautions are to be taken?Open in a new window
    The most important precaution while trekking peaks of this altitude is to be aware of proper acclimatization and to be sure that you are well adapted to the altitude before moving up the mountain. If you have never been to such a high altitude before, we encourage you to try Diamox .
     
    Members are allowed access to our extensive medical supplies. Our methods and equipment used in expedition climbing and trekking are time-tested over more than 20 years. We do not spare expense and have a complete range of equipment and very in-depth knowledge and experience in the use of lead and fixing ropes, rock-ice-snow anchors, rescue equipment, communications equipment, full-climbing equipment for safe ascent and descent, cookers, fuels, cooking equipment, proper and nutritious foods, hydration supplies and techniques, a vast array of tents (both used and used), high-altitude camping equipment. Our philosophy is one of "It is better too bring too much than not enough". We believe that our philosophy of being extra prepared is one of the key factors in our long tradition of successful ascents.
  • Will there be a doctor present?Open in a new window
    Our leaders have wilderness medical training certification, are highly trained and extremely experienced in diagnosing and treating illness and injury in the mountains, and are well equipped with extensive medical kits. Hopefully, a doctor or medical professional will be present. We encourage doctors and medical professionals who climb and trek to join our teams, in return for a 5 % discount. Out of our last nine expeditions, six had a doctor, and two had more than one doctor. However, please remember that these people are here to get away from their normal hospital routine, and have come to climb and trek, and they are not here to operate an "expedition health clinic". Thank you.
  • What if I need a rescue?Open in a new window

    In case of emergency, God forbid, our leader and staff would help apply first aid, provide medicines and assistance, then we would transport you quickly to basecamp where an evacuation would take place. Normally this evacuation would be by helicopter.

    Note: When you buy your climbing permit in Mendoza, it includes helicopter rescue insurance.
     
    BE SURE TO PURCHASE GOOD QUALITY CLIMBING, TRIP INTERRUPTION AND TRAVEL INSURANCE.
  • What are the risks of sustaining an injury?Open in a new window

    Only in extremely rare cases do such things happen, but, lets be honest, risks are present when trekking and traveling. However, optimists will tell you that your chances of being involved in an auto-accident on the way to or from the airport might be greater than during the actual trek itself.

    Note: When you buy your climbing permit in Mendoza, it includes helicopter rescue insurance.
    

    BE SURE TO PURCHASE GOOD QUALITY CLIMBING, TRIP INTERRUPTION AND TRAVEL INSURANCE.

• J) Where do we stay and what shall we eat?
  • Where do we stay in Mendoza?Open in a new window
    On this expedition we are staying in a local basic hotel in Mendoza. This year we are using the Montanas Azulas Hotel. Hotels will be booked as double rooms and are based on sharing, unless you wish to have a single room at a slightly higher expense, please let us know in advance. We will book your hotel in advance. One of our staff will be able to take you to your hotel upon arrival.
  • What do we eat in Mendoza?Open in a new window
    In Mendoza, for a few days only, at the beginning and the end of the trip, you pay for your own meals . There are a wide variety of tasty restaurants in Mendoza serving continental and local food. Prices are much less than what you would pay at home, depending on how much alcohol you wish to drink with each meal. We do not encourage our members to drink too much. For example, maybe 15+ US dollars, 7+ pounds, 10+ euros, a day should be enough for all of your meals. Please review how much cash to bring for the expedition. Thank you.
  • Where do we stay on the trek?Open in a new window

    On the trek to basecamp we camp in our trekking tents on the approach to the mountain. Here is some text from the Aconcagua itinerary page :

    Driving and Hiking to Basecamp:

    3) Drive to Punta de Vacas. Walk 8 kilometers/5 miles, to Las Lenas (2,700 metres/8,800 feet). Easy trail walking; mules carry baggage. Camping;

    4) Walk 18 kilometers/11 miles, to Casa de Piedra (3,200 metres/10,500 feet). Easy trail walking; mules carry baggage. Camping;

    5) Walk 15 kilometers/9 miles, to basecamp, "Plaza Argentina" (4,200 metres/13,800 feet). Trail walking; mules carry baggage. Camping;

    6) Rest in basecamp;

     

  • What do we eat on the trek and on the mountain?Open in a new window
    On the trek and in basecamp, our logistics staff provides plenty of food for members to cook 3 hot meals each day. This food will consist of soup, local cheese & sausage, imported items, biscuits, eggs, toast, cereals, dried noodles, potatoes, rice, porridge, butter, dried and tinned vegetables, fruit, meats, and fish, tea with milk and sugar, powdered juice drink, and drinking chocolate. Up in the high camps, our guides instruct members to cook hot water to eat quick energy dehydrated meals before going for the summit. If you are a vegetarian, be sure and tell us, so we can instruct the cooks to provide vegetarian dishes, no problem.
  • Where do we stay on the mountain?Open in a new window
    We stay in basecamp for much of the expedtion. Then we climb the mountain using camps 1, and 2. Camp 2 is our high camp. Tents in basecamp and camps 1 and 2 will be shared. Go to our Group Equipment section to learn more about what we bring for you, including sleeping, kitchen, and dining tents.
  • Do I need to bring my own snack energy and dehydrated food?Open in a new window
    On the trek and in basecamp, our logistics staff prepare plenty of food and cook 3 hot meals each day. This food will consist of soup, local cheese & sausage, imported items, biscuits, eggs, toast, cereals, dried noodles, potatoes, rice, porridge, butter, dried and tinned vegetables, fruit, meats, and fish, tea with milk and sugar, powdered juice drink, and drinking chocolate. Up in the high camps, our guides will prepare hot water for members to eat quick energy dehydrated meals before going for the summit.
     
    We ask members to bring 4 dehydrated meals (freeze-dried dinners) for camp 2 on the mountain.
    
    
    
    We do not provide cold “snack” food such as chocolate or "energy-bars". We ask that you bring or buy your own "snack" or daily cold energy food, 1 kilo /2 pounds is a good amount. There many places to purchase these items in Mendoza and we will have ample time to go shopping.
• K) Communications and electronics for Aconcagua.
  • Will there be a website dedicated to this expedition?Open in a new window
    Yes. Your friends, family, and colleagues can view the updated dispatches in our recent news section of SummitClimb.com. Updates will be posted 2-3 times a week.
    
  • Will people be able to contact me while I am on the expedition?Open in a new window
    We have a satellite telephone members can use for incoming and outgoing calls for $3 a minute. In addition, members can receive short text messages/SMS for $3 a message from their friends and family. We will also have a logistical coordinator in basecamp to receive messages and relay them to higher camps on the mountain.
  • How much will it cost to use the satellite telephone?Open in a new window
    Members wishing to use the telephone will contribute $3 per minute of use, whether the call is incoming or outgoing.
  • What sort of 2-way-radios and satellite telephones will the organizers bring?Open in a new window
    We bring one 2-way-radio for each camp, UHF radios, and a satellite telephone for international voice telephone calls.
  • May I bring a laptop, ipod, mp3 player, and/or digital camera?Open in a new window

    Laptops work well up to about 4000 metres/13,000 feet. Altitude can destroy or wipe hard drives bigger than 7 - 10 GB above this altitude, or hard drives that have a moving disk. There are several options out on the market for non moving hard drives that work well in altitude. Panasonic makes a special laptop called a "Toughbook"; it is expensive, but I once chipped one out of the ice in a tent at 7500 metres and it still worked.
    

    Note: Some early ipod and mp3 players have this problem as well. Check to make sure your ipod does not have a moving drive, especially before you turn it on above 4000 metres. We have had several instances where these were wiped or crashed.

    Digital cameras work well. We recommend that you keep them in your jacket during the day and in your sleeping bag at night.
  • Will I be able to charge my laptop, ipod, mp3 player, and/or digital camera?Open in a new window

    Many members do bring their laptop, ipod, mp3 player, and/or digital camera.
    

    Bring the "wall charger" for your appliance.

  • Will my wall charger work in Mendoza?Open in a new window
    In Argentina, electricity comes from the mains in your hotel at 220 volts with a Western C style plug or sometimes a three-round-pin plug I style. Please be sure to read the back of your appliance or charger to make sure it does the voltage conversion automatically. There are a wide variety of travel adapters available for your appliances that convert voltage and have changeable pin options.
  • What is the best photo or video camera to use?Open in a new window
    Any small and light camera will be fine. Many people use digital cameras now, and download their photos on our laptop in basecamp (our laptop works at high altitude, while yours might not, so check carefully before bringing your own laptop).
    • There are new digital video cameras that are small and light and work well. Many peoples bring them and there has been some very good quality movies made by our members. Some members have even edited their own feature length films from video they took with one of these good-quality small 'handi-cams'.
    • Our members take great photos and we might ask your permission to use them in news stories on our news website. Of course you will be credited as the photographer.
      
    • If you are planning to download your photos, then you have to bring your own lead/cable and your own software, if available. Digital cameras also have the advantage of being able to take small video clips. We love seeing your video clips on our site and they really add to the excitement of telling the story of your climb. There are some good digital cameras that will work well in the $200, £100, or €135 range.
    • Be sure you always keep your camera in a plastic bag in the inside pocket of your jacket and you will have to sleep with it at night. You never want it to become cold or be exposed to wind, snow, dust, moisture or rain.
    • With any camera, make sure you have your battery/charging system well-thought-out before you leave home, as options to figure this out in the mountains will be limited.
• L) Notes for basic members.
  • What is the difference between "Full-Service" and "Basic-Climb?Open in a new window

    "Full Service" expeditions feature almost every imaginable service. "Basic-Climbs" feature the lowest possible prices. Please read down through the questions to learn more.

    NOTE: Our Basic climb is open to groups of two or more. We welcome you to join the basic-climb as an individual and hire a climbing guide or join our full-service programme. Our full service climbs are open to members joining as individuals and groups of two or more.

  • What does the "Basic-Climb" price include?Open in a new window
    Private pickup at Mendoza airport or bus station;
    • Transport to hotel in Mendoza;
    • Private transport minibus to and from Pentitentes and to trailhead;
    • Hotel in Pentitentes based on double occupancy;
    • A walkie-talkie radio is provided to stay linked-in with the leader of the full service expedition while on the mountain;
    • Mules for personal equipment to and from Plaza Argentina up to 30kg per person;
    • Professional American organizer that is bi-lingual and manages all transport, logistics and BC;
    • Access to organizer for climbing strategy, route information, and advice.

    NOTE: Our Basic climb is open to groups of two or more. We welcome you to join the basic-climb as an individual and hire a climbing guide or join our full-service programme. Our full service climbs are open to members joining as individuals and groups of two or more.

  • Will I participate in training during the expedition?Open in a new window
    Upon arrival in Mendoza and in the base camp, ALL full-service and basic-climb members are requested to participate an orientation to how the trip will be operated. There will be plenty of time for discussion, question answering, and for equipment review and possible purchasing/renting. Training will be conducted both in Mendoza and in basecamp in the areas (depending on which route you are doing) of basic climbing techniques, glacier travel, rope fixing, ascending, descending, safety techniques, rappels (abseils), belaying, medical equipment and procedures, communications equipment, camping techniques and high-altitude cooking. For the expert and beginner alike, it is important to review these techniques in order to enhance skills, ensure safety-awareness, and work together as a team.
  • Can basic members purchase fuel in Mendoza? Open in a new window
    Both epi gas and liquid cartridges are available to purchase in Mendoza for your camping stoves. The epi gas threaded cylinders come in 250 gram cannisters.
    
  • Will our basic team be able to stay in contact with the leader of the full service expedition while on the mountain?Open in a new window
    A walkie-talkie radio is provided for every basic team to stay linked-in with the leader and full service expedition while on the mountain.

Aconcagua Photo Gallery

Dan Mazur	Dan Mazur	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander
Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander
Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander
Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander
Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander	Ted Alexander

Aconcagua Video Clips

• Click here to view - Short clip of the route heading up to camp 1 (by littlebigadventurer).
• Click here to view - Normal Traverse Route (by eriegler).
• Click here to view - Looking down on the Canaleta (by eriegler).
• Click here to view - Canaleta to the summit (by assynthbob).
• Click here to view - Camp 2 (by littlebigadventurer).

You will need "Quick Time" to see it. To down load quick time, please click here:

If you wish to purchase our mountain climbing and trekking films, please contact Videoland Productions.

You can can go to their site www.videolandproductions.com and email info@videolandproductions.com or call (+1)360-491-1332 to buy any and all of the mountain climbing and trekking films we have. Please tell them we said hi!

Aconcagua News

Please click here for Archive News:

Please click here for Recent News:

Aconcagua - International Members Application

What questions do you have? Please ask as many questions as possible. This helps us to have a proper conversation so we can better understand one-another's expectations, so you will have a very safe, enjoyable, and successful expedition. Please view our "Aconcagua Questions" page to find trip specific information about the climb.Thank you.

Below you should find a pdf or MS document containing the application pro forma. Are you able to read it? When all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction, please print out the application and return it to us with your refundable ten-percent deposit, to hold your place in our team. Would you please just post it to us at the mailing address you will find on the form? Thank you very much. If you decide not to go, your deposit will be refunded according to our refund policy. Your registration and the final payment must be completed two months prior to the expedition starting date. Thank you very much.

Click here to download the PDF Form for International Applicants

If you don't have a PDF reader please get it by clicking here

Aconcagua - US Members Application

What questions do you have? Please ask as many questions as possible. This helps us to have a proper conversation so we can better understand one-another's expectations, so you will have a very safe, enjoyable, and successful expedition. Please view our "Aconcagua Questions" page to find trip specific information about the climb. Thank you.

Below you should find a pdf or MS document containing the application pro forma. Are you able to read it? When all of your questions have been answered to your satisfaction, please print out the application and return it to us with your refundable ten-percent deposit, to hold your place in our team. Would you please just post it to us at the mailing address you will find on the form? Thank you very much. If you decide not to go, your deposit will be refunded according to our refund policy. Your registration and the final payment must be completed two months prior to the expedition starting date. Thank you very much.

Click here to download the PDF Form for US Aconcagua Applicants

If you don't have a PDF reader please get it by clicking here

Pre Trip Newsletter

Hi there

Please read the below pre-trip information so your arrival to Argentina goes as smooth as possible:

The main thing you need to know is that at SummitClimb.com our first priority is to HAVE FUN. To be in a place like Aconcagua is a privilege and the summit is just a bonus. So try to enjoy and relax. Don´t get stressed, you pay us to stress for you!

In Mendoza:

1 - If you fly to Mendoza, there will be someone from Inka Expeditions (our local logistic company) holding a sign with your name on it. They will take you to our hotel even if your flight is a little late.

2 - If your flight is very late or for some reason you don´t see the Inka staff, please call me at:

• Calling with a foreign phone: +54 9 261 660 6650
• From a local landline: 0261 15 660 6650
• From a local mobile: 660 6650

Aconcagua Review

Please scroll down to read our Reviews

Here is what Steve says: I have one regret in the last 6 years of mountaineering and that is trusting another company on my Aconcague trip. I should of gone with you guys. -Steve

Here is what Joe says:  I really enjoyed meeting you and climbing with you.

Thanks for everything you did for me and the group in getting 10/11 to the top.  It was an incredible experience. Take care and let's keep in touch. You will always be welcomed at our home . -Joe

Here is what Damon has to say:

Dear SummitClimb,

Thanks for your concern. I was up there at Nido waiting for the wind to calm down for 2 days before the Summit attempt.

I have to say that your organization is really..really well organized. As it seems like everyone was connected to know each member's status. Such small details make the trip worth while.

By the way... Don't ride mules for 4.5 hours. You can't imagine what that will do to your body. I'm still in bed now...recovering.

Happy New Year Damon"

Walking up above camp 2. Photo Ted Alexander. Team trekking the last few metres up to Aconcagua basecamp. Photo  Ted Alexander.  Back to top

Aconcagua Climbing Expedition Itinerary

Please click one of the links below to view that section of our Everest Nepal daily itinerary or scroll down

• Short Itinerary
• Full Itinerary
• What's included
• What's NOT included
• Link for PHOTOS

• Day 1 – Arrival to Mendoza – 900m
• Day 2 – Drive to Vallecitos – 2900m
• Day 3 – Hike to Piedra Grande – 3550m
• Day 4 – Piedra Grande – Salto BC – 4300m
• Day 5 – Rest – 4300m
• Day 6 – Salto – Hoyada – Salto – 4700m
• Day 7 – Rest – 4300m
• Day 8 – Salto – Hoyada – 4700m
• Day 9 – Hoyada – Summit – Hoyada – 5943m
• Day 10 – Hoyada – Mendoza – 900m
• Day 11 - Rest at Mendoza and permits - 900m
• Day 12 – Drive to Penitentes and trek to Confluencia – 3300m
• Day 13 – Confluencia – Plaza de Mulas – 4300m
• Day 14 – Rest – 4300m
• Day 15 – Plaza de Mulas – Plaza Canada – 4900m
• Day 16 – Plaza Canada – Nido de Condores – 5600m
• Day 17 – Rest at Nido de Condores – 5600m
• Day 18 – Nido de Condores – Colera – 5950m
• Day 19 – Colera – Summit – Colera – 6962m
• Day 20 - Spare summit day
• Day 21 – Colera – Plaza de Mulas – 4300m
• Day 22 – Plaza de Mulas, Confluencia, Mendoza – 4300m
• Day 23 – Flight out – 900m Back to top
  

• Leadership of Maximo Kausch on Aconcagua, world record holder on number of 6000 metre peaks;
• English speaking guide with at least 5 years experience guiding Plata;
• 1 or 2 assistant mountain guides (EPGAMT/AAGM certification) depending upon number or clients (client per guide ratio = 2/3);
• Help on purchasing and equipment rental in Mendoza;
• Transport from/to airport;
• Transport from/to Vallecitos;
• Night at mountain hut in Vallecitos;
• 4 days of full pension at Plaza de Mulas (breakfast, lunch, dinner, tents, dinning tent, mattresses, etc);
• Full pension at Confluencia (breakfast, lunch, dinner, tents, dinning tent, mattresses, etc);
• 4 nights in a 4 star hotel with breakfast included in Mendoza – rooms are shared by every 2 clients;
• Transport from/to Penitentes;
• Lunch at Puente del Inca;
• Transport from/to Horcones;
• Mule transport of a 20kg load to/from Plaza de Mulas;
• Mule transport of a 20kg load to/from Salto (BC at Plata);
• Transport/assembly of tents, pots, gas, food, water in all camps in Aconcagua and Plata;
• Steak dinner at Uspallata;
• Usage of dinning dome tent, toilets tents, personal tents, mountain tents, medical oxygen, gamow bag and medical kit in all camps;
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner, packed lunch, treated water in the whole Aconcagua and Plata;
• Gas stoves and pots and cups in all camps at Aconcagua and Plata;
• We even include Malbec wine for dinner at Plaza de Mulas! Back to top
  

• Flights from/to Mendoza;
• Climbing permit (it varies according to the time of the year and your nationality, check FAQ);
• Personal climbing equipment (check equipment tab);
• Money return in case you abandon the expedition;
• International travel insurance;
• Porters for you personal equipment (can be arranged in advanced);
• Any costs caused by excess luggage (over 20kg);
• Lunches and dinners at Mendoza;
• Reimbursement for loss or damage of your personal equipment. Back to top