Parque Provincial Aconcagua
protects 71,000 hectares of wild high country surrounding the
Western Hemisphere's highest summit, 6962 metres (nearly 23,000 feet) Cerro
Aconcagua.
http://www.aconcagua.org/index-e.htm
Reaching the summit requires a
commitment of at least 13 to 15 days, including time for acclimatisation.
Organised treks to the base camps at Plaza Francia and Plaza de Mulas are
possible.
It was out of the climbing and trekking season but I was lucky enough (with
Jimmy's help) to secure the services of a guide from Argentina Mountain to trek
to Plaza Francia 4,100 metres (13,300 feet).
http://www.lagunadeldiamante.com/e_index.html
It was supposed to be a 3 day
and 2 night trek but the day before we drove to the area the
first snow fall of the winter happened. So it was one night in a ski lodge and
then 2 days and 1 night on the mountain. Walking in 2 days what we would have
done in 3 .... and with deep snow in places.
To say I was a little tired on our return is the understatement of the century
... especially
with the rare air that makes it very difficult to cry.
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| Welcome to the
highest mountain in The Americas! |
Laguna Horcones - the day after the first snow fall of the season. | My guide Geraldo and his girlfriend Victoria. Geraldo is a professional guide and has climbed Aconcagua dozens of times. Victoria works on the mountain too - as a porter! |
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| Our camp site near Confluencia. It was way below freezing at night. | It may have been cold but the sun was relentless. | The South Face
(3000 metres of rock and ice) with the Glacier in the foreground. |
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| Smile please ! | The happy trio! | As we leave the mountain the weather closes in. Winter has arrived. |
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| One last look. | The
guardaparques got a little bored and made a new friend. |
My trek to a base camp
of Aconcagua will remain one of the highlights of our trip ....
until I go back and climb all the way?
