aconcagua expeditions 2011-2012

8/13/2019 Aconcagua Expeditions 2011-2012

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ACONCAGUA EXPEDITIONS 2011 - 2012

AVENTURAS PATAGONICAS - MOUNTAIN GUIDES13O3 SUMAC AVENUE - BOULDER COLORADO - 80304 USA

Toll Free: 1 - 888 - 203 - 9354 Phone: (303) 447 - [email protected] www.patagonicas.com


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AVENTURAS PATAGONICAS MOUNTAIN GUIDES

[email protected] - www.patagonicas.com

ContentsFROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ADVENTUREAn award that resembles our commitment to our clients

3

SUCCESS RATEDetailed information on clients success rate

4

YOUR ACONCAGUA EXPEDITIONOverview of your expedition

5 - 8

ROUTES

The Aconcagua Traverse for all routes

9 - 11

SUMMIT DAY

The challenge of reaching the summit

RATIO/EXPEDITION FOOD

11 - 12

13 - 14

ACONCAGUA HISTORY AND ROUTESGetting to know the Mountain

15 - 16

HISTORY OF AVENTURAS PATAGONICASSuccess and Experience

17 - 18

AMEGHINO VALLEY / UPPER GUANACOS TRAVERSE with

PORTER OPTIONExpedition itinerary

19 - 22

POLISH GLACIER ROUTEExpedition itinerary

23 - 26

NORMAL ROUTE with PORTERSExpedition itinerary

27 - 30

GUANACOS VALLEY AND TRAVERSEExpedition itinerary

31 - 34

ACONCAGUA EQUIPMENT LISTEverything you will need for your Aconcagua expedition

35 - 40

REFERENCESContact list of previous clients

41 - 43

AVENTURAS PATAGONICAS CLIENT COMMENTSPast clients comments and experiences

44 - 48

TRAININGTraining tips for your expedition

49 - 50


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From National GeographicAdventure:

"For the second time in as many years, weveconducted an unprecedented survey of adven-ture travel companies, based on the idea that atravelers most important decision is not alwayswhere to go but who to go with. For the 2009edition, we spoke to more guide servicesandtheir clientsthan ever before (248 in all). Wecontacted companies that lead 85,000 people ayear and those that cater to a hundred. We sur-veyed paddling outtters, trekking guides, safari

specialists, and the ones that do it all. We evalu-ated companies that will take you places youveonly dreamed of (the Tibetan Plateau, the Seren-geti on foot) and those that specialize in your ownbackyard (the Grand Canyon, the Grand Tetons).

And after asking them the tough questions (Haveyou tested your risk management strategies?

Are your guides trained to "leave no trace"?),we scored each one using criteria synonymouswith National Geographicenvironmental aware-ness, reliable service, local knowledge. Becausein a time when travel dollars are stretched, itsessential that an outtter deliver the trip of a life-time, the rst time. These are the worlds leading

travel specialists."

National Geographic Adventure Magazine

has named Aventuras Patagonicas one of

the Best Adventure Travel Companies on

Earth as of February 2009.

At Aventuras Patagonicas we are honoredto be rated a 96.67 Client Satisfactionscore, this is one of the highest among allMountain Guide Services.


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Success Rate

Number of Aventuras Patagonicas Aconcagua Expeditions and Clients since 1984

Expeditions and Clients Summit Success Rate Since 1984

Number of Clients

NumberofExpeditions

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1998

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

140

112

84

56

28

0

120

16

12

8

4

0

NumberofClients

Number of Expeditions

Cliemts`SuccessRate

Ameghino / Guanacos Valley Expedition Success Rate (line) Normal Route Expedition Client Success Rate

Normal Route Expedition Success Rate (line) Plaza Argentina Relinchos Expedition Client Success Rate

Plaza Argentina Relinchos Expedition Success Rate (line) Ameghino / Guanacos Valley Expedition Client Success Rate

110

80

66

44

20

0

Expeditions`s

SuccessRate

110

80

66

44

20

0

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010


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YOUR ACONCAGUA EXPEDITION OVERVIEW / YOUR EXPEDITION

The expedition begins and ends in the city of Mendoza, Argentina. Mendoza is a charming city

of wide boulevards, sidewalk cafes, lush colorful parks, and friendly locals. It is bustling with

summertime activity and is a perfect city for walking. You will be staying at the Mendoza Park

Hyatt, a ve star hotel, for the rst night of the expedition.

The rst step of your expedition will be for yourguide to check your gear in your hotel room,ideally, after you have rested from crossing theglobe. Gear check is a critical step. It is importantto pare down to the essential items you will needto climb to the Top of the Americas. Often at gearcheck we discover someone has brought gearthat is not warmenough. Morethan one expe-rienced climberhas forgotten theessential expedi-tion parka! It is

difcult to procuregear in SouthAmerica. Al-though times arechanging, do notcount on beingable to nd what

you need onceyou get to Argen-tina. Mendoza is

your best bet to buy or rent gear, although it is notalways easy to nd at the last minute. Make sure

you leave home with everything on your equip-ment list. If you are having serious difculty nd-ing a particular item, please let us know beforeyou leave for South America. We have a limitedamount of rental equipment, which needs to berented ahead of time.

A group meeting will follow gear check. We willintroduce your guides and team members andtalk about several aspects of your expedition.

We will discuss the philosophy and style of theexpedition, the effects of Diamox and prescrip-tion medications at altitude, sanitation, watertreatment, teamwork, and the art of climbing big

mountains. Dinnerwill take place im-mediately afterthe meeting at ane Mendoza res-taurant, a pleas-ant walk from

the hotel. We willhave a chance totaste gourmet Ar-gentinean cuisine,fresh beef anddelicious wines(there are plentyof alternatives fornon-drinkers andvegetarians in the

group as well). Be prepared for a late dinner. Din-nertime in Argentina begins at 9:00 PM!

First thing the next morning our van will take us

to Penitentes, a ski area on the Argentinean sideof the rugged Andes Mountain Range. This is aspectacular 3 to 4 hour drive, from Mendoza, as-cending over 10,000 feet through dramatic moun-


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tain scenery. Approximately 100 miles after leav-

ing Mendoza, driving west through the expansiveCentral Valley, we reach Uspallata, a small agri-cultural town. Here we stop for lunch, then con-tinue heading west towards the Cordillera de LosAndes (the Andes Mountain Range). We followthe Mendoza Valley, gaining altitude as we drivedeep into the jagged Andes.

Imposing peaks and profound valleys line ourroute as we approach Penitentes. Once in Peni-

tentes we do our last minute packing, arrangemule loads, and then have a free afternoon to en-joy a hike or just to relax.

Penitentes is the beginning of our acclimatizationprocess, and although we are at only 8,500, thetime spent here is essential to our slow buildingprocess of reaching 22,834. Our body is a highperformance machine and it starts compensat-ing right away to the lower oxygen environment,

even in Penitentes, producing more red blood

cells, which is exactly what we want it to do.

The next three days will be spent approach-ing Plaza Argentina Base Camp, which is at13,800. Mules and their muleteers will carry allof our gear to Base Camp except for our day-packs, which we carry daily with food, water, anda change of warm clothes. We have access toour mules and gear every night on the approach.This makes our hike in very enjoyable. Our ap-

proach will involve 45 kilometers of spectacular,colorful, high desert scenery. Normally it getsvery hot and dry during the day. Occasionally, athundershower will pass by and have us quicklychanging from shorts to warm clothes. After a 4-5hour hike the rst day, we will camp at Pampa

de Lenas at 8,910 (meaning grassy area with

rewood), unload the mules, set up camp, drink

matte (a tea served in a gourd with a metalstraw) with the local gauchos, and get our per-mits checked at the ranger station. Early morningwe start the day crossing the Vacas River thenslowly gain altitude up the Vacas Valley, headingnorth. The Valley opens up revealing the geogra-phy of these high mountains, possible sightingsof guanacos (cousin to the llama) and condors,and incredible geological features, a perfect set-ting for a western movie.

At the end of our days hike, after a 5-6 hourwalk, we reach Casa de Piedra at 10,230

(meaning Stone House) and get our rst view of

the mountain. From this camp, Aconcagua, theStone Sentinel, appears more magnicent and

intimidating than ever, with its giant face, thesteep and majestic Polish Glacier. This is oneof the nicest camps of the expedition. With our

rst breathtaking view of Aconcagua and the ex-citement of getting closer to this colossal peakmounting, Casa de Piedra is a memorable placethroughout the expedition. In the morning, we get

our dose of cold glacial water by crossing the Va-cas River again, this time a knee deep wade. OurGuanacos Valley approach took us much closerto the rivers source here as we continued up theVacas Valley. For the Ameghino / Upper Gua-nacos and Polish Glacier Expeditions we turn

toward Aconcagua and begin the climb up theAmeghino Valley (a.k.a. the Relinchos Valley).

The Aconcagua Park Service has restricted ac-cess to the lower Guanacos Valley to protect thesensitive guanaco herds.

We had an excellent chance of seeingherds of guanacos on this route. When


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Rodrigo did an exploratory trip to this region, he

encountered several hundred, counting 80 in onesighting alone! These magnicent mammals are

well camouaged, extremely elusive, and a rare

sight in the Aconcagua region. The chance of see-ing other expeditions in the Guanacos Valley was

more remote, increasing the chance of seeingnumerous wildlife. Spectacular glaciers contrast-ing with a desert backdrop made this approachboth surreal and unforgettable. Whichever routeyou are using to approach Aconcagua, be sure to

have your camera ready for some amazing pho-tos as we wind up the valley, getting closer andcloser to the mountain. This day is important toour acclimatization. By the end of our days hike,after 6-7 hours of walking, most of us will feelthe altitude as we arrive at Plaza Argentina, our13,800 Base Camp.

We will spend a minimum of 3 nights inBase Camp. We want everyone to havethe best possible chance to acclimatize andmake the Summit. The most effective way todo this is to take the time to acclimatize to thelow oxygen environment. Occasionally a person

does not acclimatize properly and is susceptibleto pulmonary or cerebral edema. These are se-rious conditions that require immediate descent.All precautions will be taken to ensure your safety.We will incorporate rest days into our scheduleand climb in traditional expedition style. We will

be carrying loads up to the next camp and return-

ing to sleep below at the previous camp. Carryhigh and sleep low. The next day we will move to

the higher camp.

The rst day in Base Camp is always a rest dayand a good occasion to take a bath and gofor a short walk. We will divide expedition loads

to carry up to the next camp; community gear,

fuel, food and individual lunches. Often our loadsare not heavier than 40 - 50 lbs. In combinationwith high altitude this weight can be a consider-able challenge to anyone. Make sure your pack isabout 6000 cubic inches capacity, since you willneed this much space for the high traverse (tothe Normal Route) for our Traverse expeditions.

Often, for the descent to Plaza de Mulas BaseCamp, on the west side of Aconcagua, the packsare huge, since we carry everything at once. At

this point in the trip, our food and fuel supply islow. Everything else that we have been doublecarrying or caching, including our garbage, hasto go down in one carry.

On the ascent, after our rest in Plaza ArgentinaBase Camp, we will do a carry to Camp I, at ap-proximately 16,300. This is a challenging day

where we gain 2,500 with a heavy load up easy,but sometimes tricky, loose terrain. We will em-phasize breathing in rhythm with our pace usingpower breathing, rest step, and other techniquesthat will help save energy at these elevations. Wewill incorporate a rest about every hour, and abreather (a short standing break) every 20 min-utes or so. As we go higher, this simple breatherwill become our best friend. Breathers will also betaken more often as we get higher, especially onSummit Day. Breathers are an essential part ofhigh altitude climbing allowing you to keep goingfor long periods of time.

At Camp I, we will cache our loads and de-scend to Base Camp with empty packs tospend the night. The following morning could bea possible rest day, or a denite move to Camp

I. This will depend on how the group did the pre-vious day, how the group is doing now, and on


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the weather. On most expeditions, we do stay an

extra day in Base Camp. This has proven to bea great idea. Base Camp is one of the last com-fortable places we will be for a while. If you donttake the opportunity to get acclimatized at BaseCamp, you may end up taking another rest day(or days) in a more uncomfortable camp higherup on the mountain, possibly jeopardizing yourchance to summit. More than a needed rest, thistime in Base Camp is an essential acclimatizationperiod before tackling the peak!

The move to Camp I is always exciting. Leaving

behind the comfort of Base Camp, we begin ourclimb of the highest peak in the Western Hemi-sphere. At Camp I, teamwork is key, building rockwalls to protect our tents from the wind, makinglevel platforms to place our tents on, fetchingsnow or water for cooking, organizing our gear,

etc. It is endless work, campcrafting at high alti-tude.

Our next step is to establish our Camp II, at ap-proximately 17,500, with rst a carry, then a

move. We will have fantastic views of the Andes

from this camp. The route is straightforward, non-

technical hiking to reach this camp. Our mainchallenge is the altitude. The load seems to getheavier and heavier at these elevations. If need-ed, we can take rest days or weather days. Wehave planned for this in our schedule, and extra

food and fuel will be carried for this purpose.

The next step will be a carry to Camp III, at 17,800

(5,400 mts), and then a move to Camp III, hope-fully the next day. Camp III has overwhelmingly

fantastic views. Here you will feel that you are uphigh in altitude!

To attain our High Camp, Piedras Blancas(White Rocks) at 19,200, we follow the sameprocedure; make our carry to High Camp, return

to sleep below at Camp III, then move up to High

Camp. There will be more scree, patches of snow,and thinner air on our daily menu with incrediblevistas of the Central Andes. We will be surround-ed by 20,000 giants. At 19,200 building camp islaborious and takes a group effort. From here on,the route will be depend on which Aventuras Pa-tagonicas expedition you are on.


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ROUTES

For our Polish Glacier and Ameghino / UpperGuanacos Valley Traverse Routes the itiner-ary is basically the same, until Summit Day. PolishGlacier parties will climb up the challenging andconstantly changing Polish Glacier, which beginsat 19,200. All parties will traverse at 19,200 to-wards the Normal Route to White Rocks (Piedras

Blancas). After summiting, all of our expeditionsreturn to High Camp, then descend Aconcaguavia the standard Normal Route, on the north side.

ACONCAGUA GUANACOS VALLEY TRAVERSE

EXPEDITION

Our Guanacos Valley Traverse Route wasa relatively untouched approach to Acon-cagua with calculated elevation gain betweencamps, allowing for efcient acclimatization. Ac-climatization is the key element to summiting thehighest peak in the Western Hemisphere andour excellent success rate has been improved

by climbing Aconcagua via the Vacas Valley. OurGuanacos Valley Route was named by AventurasPatagonicas for the large guanaco herds encoun-tered in this valley, a rare sight in the Aconcaguaregion. It was the last untouched route on Acon-

cagua and we were pleased to have been able

to share this scenic new route with our clients.Many of our clients were fortunate to be amongthe few people to climb Aconcagua via this route!We have guided on Aconcagua for over 25 years,and guided in the Guanacos Valley for elevenyears. We approached Aconcagua via the pris-tine Guanacos Valley, meeting up with our longtime favorite traverse to the summit, descendingvia the Normal Route of Aconcagua, circumnavi-gating the mountain, and exploring several val-

leys with views of four different spectacular facesof Aconcagua. The Guanacos Valley Route wasa true luxury on Aconcagua. The last season the

lower Guanacos Valley was open, only 256 peo-ple entered the Guanacos Valley, versus morethan 4,000 people on the Normal Route. Out ofthose 256, 174 were Aventuras Patagonicas cli-ents and guides. We guided this route almost ex-clusively, since we rst began guiding Aconcagua

via the Guanacos Valley in 1997.

Note: The Aconcagua Park Authorities have

closed the lower Guanacos Valley until further

notice. While the closure persists we will be using

the Ameghino Valley and Upper Guanacos Valley

Route until the Lower Guanacos Valley access

issue can be resolved.


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GREAT NEWS 2011!!ACONCAGUA AMEGHINO VALLEY / UPPER

GUANACOS TRAVERSE EXPEDITION

This is our clients favorite new route on themountain! It approaches Aconcagua via our pre-viously established route (up the Relinchos Val-

ley), which we have named the Ameghino Valley,after the striking Ameghino Peak (19,530) thatsurrounds us during the entire trip, and to differ-entiate our approach from our Guanacos ValleyRoute. After Camp 1 we reconnect with our longtime favorite Guanacos Valley Route (Upper Gua-nacos), offering the best of both routes; a route

less remote than the pristine Guanacos Valley, anexcellent approach for proper acclimatization, the

comfort of an established Base Camp, accessto porters in Base Camp, if needed, a doctor oncall, etc. The Ameghino Valley & Upper Guana-cos Traverse starts with the same approach asthe Guanacos Valley for the rst 2 days, then we

take the beautiful Ameghino Valley. Even today,this eastern approach to the mountain is not asheavily traveled as the Normal Route. After three

days of spectacular, colorful, high desert scenerywe reach our Base Camp at 13,800.

Note: The Aconcagua Park Authorities have

closed the lower Guanacos Valley until further

notice. This closure does NOT affect the Ameghi-

no / Upper Guanacos Route.


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THE ACONCAGUA TRAVERSE FORALL ROUTES

The traverse has proven to be a favoritemethod of climbing Aconcagua for Aventu-ras Patagonicas, after having successfully guidedAconcagua this way for many years. This is oneof the most interesting and exciting ways to climb

Aconcagua. All of our Aconcagua expeditions tra-verse the mountain, (except our Normal Route

expedition) ascending the spectacular Guanacos

Valley Route (the lower Valley is presently closed)or our newest route the Ameghino Valley & UpperGuanacos Route, and after summiting, we returnto our previously established High Camp, thentraverse the mountain and quickly descend theNormal Route. Mules carry our gear from Plazade Mulas Base Camp back to Penitentes whilewe hike out to civilization with a light pack. This

allows us to experience the entire mountain. Wetravel through three immense river valleys, andview each of the four tremendous main faces ofAconcagua.

Important Note:Access to the lower Guanacos Val-

ley is presently restricted by the Aconcagua Park

Service. We are offering our Ameghino Valley / Up-

per Guanacos Traverse Route as an excellent alter-

native, while the access issue to the lower Guanacos

Valley is being resolved.

Summit Day on Aconcagua is a tremendous chal-lenge no matter which route you are on. Reach-ing Aconcaguas 22,834 summit, especially thenal 3,600 to the summit, for many of you will

be one of the toughest physical and mental chal-lenges you will ever encounter. It is the most

demanding and serious day of the expedition. It

is here where taking the time to properly accli-matize by ferrying loads and taking extra days in

Base Camp will pay off. It is here where you willbe glad you carefully followed the equipment list.It is here where you will feel that you are gettingyour moneys worth by having expert high alti-tude guides guiding and pacing you, assessinghow your body is coping with the altitude. A goodwindow of weather is needed for Summit Day.We have several days for the summit set aside

on our itinerary. A calm, windless day is optimal.

SUMMIT DAY- AMEGHINO / UPPER GUANACOS VALLEY

TRAVERSE ROUTE

After an early start it is not unusual to spend12 hrs climbing up to the summit, leavingcamp with headlamps on from Piedras Blancas,at 19,200. An hour later we connect with theNormal Route trail, often a cold morning with alight breeze, where -20 F is not unusual for Sum-mit Day before the sun comes up. Gentle slopeswill take us to Independencia, an old abandonedwooden hut at 20,790. Normally the sun shineshere for the rst time that day. It is pleasant but still

very cold. The next section is called El Paso del

Viento (meaning the Pass of the Wind), where

often there is a strong breeze even on calm days.This pass is entirely in shadow this time of day,and it is critical to move with efciency through

this section to avoid frostbite, and worse casescenario, to abort our summit attempt due to se-vere cold or weather.


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The next section is called the Canaleta, at

21,450. This can be the crux of the entire climbdepending on conditions. Sometimes it can becovered with hard packed snow. Snow in the Ca-naleta is ideal. Sometimes the slope is dry withloose boulders and scree. Pacing yourself be-comes difcult due to altitude and the loose scree

and boulders underfoot, making upward progressfrustrating and challenging. We may rope peopleup through some sections where a potential longslip could occur. Note: remember that you DO

NOT need a harness for this route. Your guide(s)will carry a rope and webbing to quickly rig a har-ness, if needed. After the Canaleta we reach theSummit Ridge, just 300 from the Summit. Thislast section takes normally up to 1 hour. From theSummit Ridge you can look down the spectacu-lar South Face of Aconcagua, a gigantic 10,000face of rock, snow, and ice. The South Face isone of the hardest and most renowned routes inthe Andes, a serious undertaking for even the ex-

pert climber.

After summiting, we return to High Camp and takea well-deserved rest. The next day we descend

the Normal Route to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp.Here we will spend the night and arrange ourgear for the mules to carry out. The next day is a

one-day walk out to the trailhead where transportwill meet us and take us back to Penitentes. Aftera night in Penitentes, we will return to Mendozawhere a fun celebration dinner awaits us!

SUMMIT DAYPOLISH GLACIER ROUTE

For this route we need an early start. At about1:00 AM our stoves will be running for ourPolish Glacier climb. We have a very demandingand long day ahead. An 18-hour day is very pos-sible while climbing the Polish Glacier. The linewe choose will depend on conditions. If a lot of

penitentes (snow pinnacles formed by direct sun-light) are encountered in the lower section of theglacier we will start by climbing through the screeand rock on the right hand side. The steeper Pol-ish Glacier Direct Route has been the choiceroute in recent years. Although steeper, it is saferand easier due to fewer icy and exposed travers-es than on the old Polish route. On this spectacu-lar, steep snow and ice climb, we will use severalrunning belays. In steeper icy sections, we will

climb pitches instead of using running belays, be-laying and regrouping at every anchor. A long dayof climbing will take us to the Summit Ridge, at22,000, after the last steep pitch; a 55-60 degree

narrow gully with the entire glacier below. The -nal ridge is very long and gentle. After summit-ing, we descend quickly down the Normal Route,where at Independencia (20,790) we traverseeast back to our High Camp at 19,200. After anexhausting day, we sleep late the next morning,

then descend to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp forthe night. The next day we have a one-day hike

out to Penitentes.


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RATIO

For non-technical routes we take an averagemaximum of 10 clients and 3 or 4 guides.For the Polish Glacier we can take a maximum

of 6 clients and 2 guides. Normally on the PolishRoute, we will take 4 clients and 2 guides.

FOOD

Our menus are some of the best expeditionmenus out there. They have been devel-oped thoughtfully, evaluating calories per day,carbohydrates, weight, taste and variety. We arevery proud of our menus. Rodrigo has used them

on his Alaskan expeditions to Denali. Most of our

dinners and breakfasts are carbohydrates. Forthe approach and our stay at Base Camp, webring fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and sh,

a variety of fresh appetizers, and wine. Dinnersup high are complemented with freeze-dried veg-etables. We may eat freeze-dried meals only atour high camps for a maximum of 1-3 days per

expedition. Freeze-dried is not the best choice

except where weight and cooking time is a factor

up high. They have many preservatives, are not

the best energy source, and can be sometimeshard to digest. The freeze-dried meals we havechosen are our favorite and you may nd them

delicious!

For the rest of our meals we use food such asrice, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese,


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cous-cous, tortellini, pastas, etc, complemented

with freeze-dried vegetables and sauces for a-vor and variety. Our lunches have lots of high-en-ergy calories, ber, and complex carbohydrates,

changing according to the altitude we are at. Weemphasize tremendously on staying hydratedand bringing plenty of all kinds of tea, juice, co-coa, etc. We have soup every night of the expe-dition with dinner, except for the rst night. One

of the most important aspects of our menu is theway we pack our food. Although not related to the

taste of the food, it is logistically one of the keysto our success. We carefully measure everythingin specic amounts. Everything is carefully pre-packaged, labeled by day, and waterproofed totake the abuse of a 3-day mule ride. Finally, thesmall amount of garbage that we produce dur-ing the expedition is an indication of our careful

packing process. We will also bring fresh fruit andvegetables, carried by mules, all the way to BaseCamp. Please let us know when you sign up for

an expedition if you are vegetarian or have anyfood allergies, so we can pack food accordinglyfor the expedition.


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ACONCAGUA HISTORY AND ROUTES

Cerro Aconcagua, 22,834 (6,959 meters) hasthe distinction of being the highest mountainin both the Western and Southern Hemispheres,

making it also the highest mountain in the worldoutside of Asia. Its name is native in origin andmay come from the Inca word Ackon Cahuakwhich means Stone Sentinel. This spectacularmountain is located in the heart of the Chilean-Argentine Central Andes, at a latitude of 32 de-grees 40 minutes south.

Aconcagua was rst climbed in 1897, up the

Northwest side of the mountain by Swiss Moun-tain Guide Matthias Zurbriggen. This route hasbecome the most popular way to climb the moun-tain, and is known as the Ruta Normal or Nor-mal Route. The extreme altitude, severe winds,

and cold temperatures make an ascent by this, orany other route on this mountain, very challeng-ing. In 1934, a second route was pioneered upthe east side of the mountain by a Polish team.The Polish approached the mountain up the Va-cas and Relinchos Valleys to Plaza Argentina,and summited via what is known today as thePolish Glacier.


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POLISH GLACIER AND TRAVERSE EXPEDITIONS

Our Polish Glacier and Ameghino / UpperGuanacos Valley Traverse Expeditions fol-low the 1934 Polish Expedition Route for the rst

two days. Our approach of Aconcagua continuesvia the less traveled Vacas and Relinchos Val-leys. We have designated this route our Ameghi-no / Upper Guanacos Valley Route to differentiate

it from our former Guanacos Valley route. From

our Base Camp, Plaza Argentina, at 13,800, weascend gentle slopes to Camp I, II, and III. OurPolish and Ameghino / Upper Guanacos Routes

continue along the same route all the way to ourHigh Camp at 19,200. From here, our Polish Gla-cier Expedition will climb to the Summit via the

Polish Glacier and our Ameghino / Upper Guana-cos Valley Traverse Expedition will traverse to the

north side of the mountain, connecting with thestandard Normal Route to the Summit.

Our Ameghino / Upper Guanacos Valley Traverse

Route is not technically difcult, although high al-titude, cold temperatures and strong winds canmake any route on Aconcagua very challenging.Participants must be in excellent physical condi-tion, able to carry a heavy pack, and have basicmountaineering skills.

Polish Glacier Route: People signing up for thePolish Glacier Route should have previous high

altitude experience, and be very familiar with theuse of ice axe, crampons, and belaying tech-niques. Many expeditions attempt the Polish

Glacier Route, although it is rarely successfullyclimbed. The climb is non-technical to the baseof the Polish Glacier, at 19,200, but from 19,200on, the climbing changes dramatically. Due to

steep snow and ice climbing at high altitude, and

a very long day, we only consider taking our stron-ger clients, who are properly acclimatized for thistechnical route to the summit, weather, conditionof the route, and other important factors also de-termining whether we will attempt this route withour clients. Our key for success has been hon-esty on the difculty of the climb. The route has

been getting harder every year. We have noticedchanges over the past 10 years, which may be at-tributed to global warming. We have found more

bare ice on the glacier, making it more technicalthan in the past. There are often penitentes atthe base of the glacier which create an obstacle,making the rst few hours of climbing the Polish

much more difcult and laborious. We will climb

the steeper Polish Glacier Direct route, versusthe regular Polish Glacier route, thus avoidingseveral traverses on icy slopes. Our descriptionof this ne and spectacular route is not intended

to intimidate, but to be realistic. If you sign up for

the Polish Glacier Route, we make the nal de-cision at 19,200 whether you have acclimatizedand are strong enough for the attempt. Travers-ing to the north side and tackling the Summit viathe Normal Route, as we have done in the past,is always an option.


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HISTORY OF AVENTURAS PATAGONICAS

Aventuras Patagonicas is the culmination ofmany years of mountain guiding experiencein the Andes, the Alps, Antarctica, and Alaska,and the desire to provide a mountain guiding ser-vice with superb standards in a competitive eld.

We bring genuine experience to Aconcagua, un-equaled by other guiding companies. Our com-pany is very proud to be guiding in spectacular

places such as Alaska, Antarctica, Europe, Pata-gonia, and other parts of South America. We haveguided over 200 Aconcagua expeditions in the

last two decades, and hundreds of expeditions

worldwide. We have an impeccable safety recordand a very high success rate. The guides work-ing for Aventuras Patagonicas are carefully cho-sen for their dedication to the guiding professionand extensive international guiding experience.

Our lead guides are predominantly North Ameri-

can AMGA or UIAGM / IFMGA Certied MountainGuides. This is the highest level of certication for

professional mountain guides, setting worldwidetraining and certication standards for mountain

guiding. Our North and South American assistantguides are exceptionally well trained and experi-enced mountain guides. Please refer to our web-site for a description of our mountain guides.

Aventuras Patagonicas is a small and dynamicguiding company. A combination of our high guid-ing standards, unique regional knowledge, andspecial attention to small details, prepare us tooffer you a remarkable and safe mountain experi-ence. With Aventuras Patagonicas you will haveone of the best possible chances of summitingAconcagua, combined with a genuine experience

of the region. We provide you with the absolute

highest quality and most personalized mountainguiding service available on Aconcagua.

As Chief Guide and founder of Aventuras Pata-gonicas, I have personally guided 28 AconcaguaExpeditions, summiting on 24 of these expedi-tions, and getting most (if not all) of my clients tothe summit on each of these expeditions. I have

also guided 23 Denali (Mt McKinley) Expeditions,

summiting on 20 of those expeditions, again get-

ting most of my clients to the summit. I have beenguiding in the Swiss and French Alps for over adecade. Altogether, I have guided over 85 high-altitude climbing expeditions around the world,

including Europe and Antarctica. One of the mainreasons for our high success rate has been dueto excellent leadership, careful logistics, con-sistent acclimatization methods, experience on

the mountain, and timing with the weather. Wealso attribute our success to our terric clientele

who have taken their expedition seriously from

the moment they sign up, preparing physicallyand mentally before and during the trip, havinga positive attitude, proper tness, and plenty of

determination.


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Ihave guided Aconcagua Expeditions since theearly 80s, when few guided on Aconcagua,and there was only one other North Americanguiding company. I truly feel that with our expe-rience, Aventuras Patagonicas is uniquely quali-

ed to offer Aconcagua Expeditions. Growingup 150 miles from this Andean giant, I spent myyouth and early mountaineering career climbingthroughout the Andes, exposed to high altitude

guiding before I was 20 years old. I traveled toEurope to explore my career as a mountain guide

in the French Alps, studying guiding as a profes-sion. In the mid 80s and throughout the 90s, Idedicated myself to guiding on Denali (Mt McKin-ley), living in Alaska, and returning to the Andes

to guide in winter. At present, I am dedicated toour busy South American climbing season in thewinter (Southern Hemisphere summer) and guid-ing in the Alps, the Tetons, and worldwide dur-ing the Northern Hemisphere summer climbingseason, and to our new world class heliski/board

guide service, Powder South, in the Chilean An-

des during the Southern Hemisphere winter sea-son.

I urge you to check our references,particularlyin this new millennium when there are so many

new guiding companies on Aconcagua. We havethe most Aconcagua experience in the profession.

Call the American Mountain Guides Association,(303) 271-0984, the nest guiding organization in

the USA, dedicated to high standards in mountainguiding, and an excellent source of information.

Ask them who specializes in Aconcagua and theAndes, and whom they would recommend. Wehave attached a list of previous Aventuras Pata-gonicas clients for references. Take this aspect

of choosing the guiding company you will climbwith seriously. The success and quality of yourAconcagua expedition experience depends

upon your choice of guiding companies.

Rodrigo Mujica

Owner / Director of Aventuras Patagonicas


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Aconcagua Ameghino Valley - UpperGuanacos Traverse with porter option

ACONCAGUA EXPEDITION ITINERARY

COST INCLUDES

Professional Mountain Guides 2 nights hotel accommodation in Mendoza, at thenight at the beginning of the expedition and 1 night atthe end of the expedition) 2 nights hotel accommodation, breakfasts and dinnersin Penitentes All land transportation Mules All expedition food Allcommunity gear such as; tents, stoves, state ofthe art Base Camp, cooking gear, medical kits, satel-lite phones, radios, gamow bag, pulse-oximeters, etc.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Aconcagua climbing permit fee (which you will pay inMendoza, in cash, accompanied by your guide, creditcards not accepted) Meals in Mendoza,

Personal equipment,

Passport,

Personal items and services (laundry, snacks, drinks,tips, etc.), Expenses incurred in the case of a rescue or earlydeparture from the expedition,

SAT phone charges.

*Porter fee (If hire porters)

DATES OF TRIP 2011 / 2012NOV DEC JAN FEBNov 26 - Dec 15 Dec 3 - 22 Jan 4 - 23 February 4 - 23

Dec 10 - 29 Jan 7 - 26 February 11 - Mar 2

Dec 15- Jan 3 Jan 9 - 28 February 15 - Mar 6

Dec 18 - Jan 6 Jan 10 - 29

Dec 27 - Jan 15 Jan 14 - Feb 2

Jan 21 - Feb 9

Jan 28 - Feb 16

DURATION: 20 days

COST OF TRIP: $4,100

DEPOSIT DUE TO RESERVE A POSITION:$700

BALANCE AMOUNT:$3,400

BALANCE DUE:75 days before departure

*PORTERS ARE AVAILABLE, FOR HIRE IN BASE CAMP, THE COST OF PORTERS IS NOT INCLUDED INYOUR TRIP COST, IF YOU WISH A PORTER WE WILL ARRANGE THEM FOR YOU IN BASE CAMP. .Porters cost from $150 to $350 per load carry depending on altitude of the camp load is carried to. You will need amaximum of 5 to 6 load carries from Base Camp to High Camp and back down to Base Camp again (about $1,000USD), if you choose to have a porter for each carry, move to the next camp, and for the descent of the mountain.


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NEW! AMEGHINO VALLEYUPPER GUANACOS ROUTE

AMEGHINO VALLEY / UPPER GUANACOS TRAVERSE

EXPEDITION

This is the best route on the mountain nextto our Guanacos Valley route (the lower

Guanacos Valley is presently closed by the Acon-cagua Park Service). This route uses our previ-ously established route (Relinchos Valley route),combined with the upper portion of our Guana-cos Valley route. We have named the AmeghinoValley Route after the striking Ameghino Peak(19,530) surrounding the route and to differenti-ate this route from both the Relinchos route and

the original Guanacos Valley route. After Camp1 we reconnect with our long time favorite Gua-nacos Valley, offering the best of both worlds; a

less remote route than the pristine lower Guana-cos Valley, the comfort of an established BaseCamp, access to porters if needed, a doctor oncall, etc. The Ameghino Valley / Upper Guana-cos Traverse starts with the same approach as

the Guanacos Valley for the rst 2 days, then we

take the beautiful Ameghino Valley. Even today,this eastern approach to the mountain is not asheavily traveled as the Normal Route. After three

days of spectacular, colorful, high desert scenerywe reach our Base Camp at 13,800. Then we as-cend to Camp 1 and traverse to the Upper Gua-nacos route, again rejoining our long time favoriteGuanacos Valley Route.

The traverse after Camp 1 brings us to HighCamp. Upon summiting, we descend the NormalRoute, offering you an entire experience of the

mountain, traveling through three different rivervalleys, the Vacas, Ameghino, and Horcones,

and past the four tremendous main faces ofAconcagua.

Note:The Aconcagua Park Authorities have closed

the lower Guanacos Valley Route until further notice.

This closure does NOT affect our Ameghino Valley /

Upper Guanacos Route in any way.


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NEW! AMEGHINO VALLEY / UPPER GUANACOS TRAVERSE ACONCAGUA EXPEDITION ITINERARY

DAY 1: Group meets in Mendoza, Argentina atthe Mendoza Park-Hyatt Hotel. Please be at thehotel by 3 pm. Afternoon or evening team meet-ing at the hotel, individual equipment check withyour guides. For dinner we will have a chance totaste the ne Argentinean cuisine and wine.

DAY 2: Get our permits at the Aconcagua ParkService ofce. Drive west from Mendoza to Peni-tentes ski area at 8,500.

Lunch stop in Uspallata on the way. Our drivewinds along the Rio Mendoza deep into the heartof the rugged Andes Mountains, where we beginour acclimatization in Penitentes. Afternoon hikeis recommended.

DAY 3, 4, 5: Approach to Base Camp. Hike upthe Vacas and Ameghino Valleys to Base Camp.Mules will carry our gear.

Here we begin the route, which was established

in 1934 by a Polish Expedition. Even today thiseastern approach to the mountain is not as heav-ily traveled as the Normal Route. After three daysof spectacular, colorful, high desert scenery,we reach our Base Camp, Plaza Argentina, at13,800. The hike to Base Camp is approximately

40 kilometers and gives us the perfect chance tobegin our acclimatization.

DAY 6: Rest and acclimatization day at BaseCamp. We want everyone to have the best pos-

sible chance to make the summit. The most ef-fective way to do this is to take the time to ac-climatize to the low oxygen environment. We will

incorporate rest days into our schedule and climbin traditional expedition style. We will be carry-ing loads up to the next camp, returning to sleep

below at the previous camp. The next day we

will move to the higher camp. This is an excel-lent method of acclimatization, our main focusthroughout your expedition.

DAY 7: Carry a load to Camp I, at 16,300. Theroute goes up a gentle trail on the rocky moraine-covered Relinchos Glacier situated between Cer-ro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino. Here we willbe able to see Nieve Penitentes, unique snowand ice formations created by the direct sun. Re-

turn to Base Camp.DAY 8: Organize for upper mountain. Possiblerest and acclimatization day in Base Camp, ifneeded. Otherwise, leave Base Camp. Move toCamp I.

DAY 9: Carry a load to Camp II, at 17,500.Fantastic view of the Polish Glacier. We ascendscree slopes to a broad ridge crest where we willestablish Camp II. Here we reconnect with our

Upper Guanacos Valley route. After reaching theAmeghino saddle, a gentle easy traverse takesus to Camp II.

DAY 10: Move to Camp II. From Base Camp on,there may be changes to the itinerary as needed,depending on the weather, group, and acclimati-zation. As on any Aventuras Patagonicas moun-taineering expedition, exibility and adaptation

are key to success. Your guide may elect to havean extra rest day at Base Camp, before moving to

CI, a rest day at Camp I or Camp II, or skip CampII and move straight to Camp III, depending onthe group. This style and tactic creates one of thebest upper mountain acclimatization possibilitieson Aconcagua. The results are a team well ac-climatized.


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DAY 11: Move to Camp III, at 17,800. A carrywill not be needed today, since we have alreadydone our short carry most likely the day before.This is an easy day. We traverse from the saddleto the upper Guanacos, elevation gain is mini-mum.

DAY 12: Carry to High Camp, Piedras Blancas(White Rocks), at 19,200.

DAY 13: Move to High Camp, from where wewill tackle the summit the next day.

DAY 14, 15, 16, 17: Summit! Weather permit-ting. We leave several days for summit day incase of bad weather. Some of these weather orrest days may be used at lower camps for betteracclimatization.

DAY 18: Descend the Normal Route, on thewest side of Aconcagua, all the way to Plaza deMulas Base Camp, at 13,800.

This is a more direct descent than our approachof the east side of Aconcagua.

DAY 19: Hike out the Horcones Valley with itsimpressive views of Aconcaguas South Face.Mules carry our gear. Spend the night in Peni-tentes. If extra weather and acclimatization days

are not used on your expedition, you and your

team may arrive a day or two earlier to Peni-tentes.

DAY 20: Drive back to Mendoza. Evening ban-quet with your team. Spend night in Mendoza.Your team banquet and stay at the Hyatt will beon the rst night you and your team return to

Mendoza.

NEXT DAY: Fly home or continue traveling inSouth America.

Important Note: This itinerary is intended to be a

guideline only. Weather days and rest days are al-

ways a possibility while on a climbing expedition.

Rest days may be taken at any of the camps, due to

weather, acclimatization, or team logistics.

If no weather/acclimatization days are used, your

team may arrive one or two days earlier to Penitentes

and Mendoza. Wecover only lodging on the rst night

into Mendoza. We do not cover any extra nights in

Mendoza. Due to this variability,please allow for ex-

ibility in your schedule at the end of your expedition.

*Important: Plan to arrive in Mendoza by 3 pm, the

1st day of your expedition. Plan to depart Mendoza

the day AFTER the last day of your expedition. You

may choose to arrive in Mendoza a day or two ear-

lier than the rst day of your expedition to rest from

your ight, enjoy summertime in Mendoza, and/or get

a few last minute equipment items. We do NOT coverany of the expense of spending extra days/nights in

Mendoza.


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POLISH GLACIER ROUTE ACONCAGUA EXPEDITION ITINERARY

P0LISH GLACIER ROUTE WITH APPROACH VIA AMEGHINO VALLEY AND TRAVERSE

COST INCLUDES

Professional Mountain Guides.

2 nights hotel accommodation in Mendoza, at the

night at the beginning of the expedition and 1 night atthe end of the expedition) 2 nights hotel accommodation, breakfasts and dinnersin Penitentes. All land transportation. Mules. All expedition food. All community gear; tents, stoves, state of the artBase Camp, cooking gear, medical kits, satellitephone, radios, gamow bag, pulse oximeters, etc.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Aconcagua climbing permit fee (which you will pay inMendoza, accompanied by your guide) Meals in Mendoza. Personal equipment. Passport. Personal items and services (laundry, snacks, drinks,tips, etc.) Expenses incurred in the case of a rescue or earlydeparture from the expedition,

SAT phone charges.

Important: Plan to arrive in Mendoza by 3 pm,the 1st day of your expedition. Plan to departMendoza the day AFTER the last day of yourexpedition. You may choose to arrive in Mendozaa day or two earlier than your expedition start

in Mendoza, and/or get a few last minute equip-ment items. We do NOT cover any of the ex-pense of spending extra days/nights in Mendoza.

DATES OF TRIP 2011 / 2012NOV DEC JAN FEBNov 26 - Dec 15 Dec 3 - 22 Jan 4 - 23 February 4 - 23

Dec 10 - 29 Jan 7 - 26 February 11 - Mar 2

Dec 15- Jan 3 Jan 14 - Feb 2 February 15 - Mar 6

Dec 18 - Jan 6 Jan 21 - Feb 9

Dec 27 - Jan 15 Jan 28 - Feb 16

DURATION: 20 days

COST OF TRIP: $4,300

DEPOSIT DUE TO RESERVE A POSITION:$800

BALANCE AMOUNT:$3,500

BALANCE DUE:75 days before departure


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POLISH GLACIER ROUTE AND TRAVERSEVia Ameghino - Upper Guanacos Valleys

W

e approach the Polish Glacier via our

Ameghino Upper Guanacos Valleyroute, traverse the mountain, and descend viathe Normal Route. If you are signing up for thePolish Glacier Route you need to have previoushigh altitude experience, and be very familiar

with the use of ice axe, crampons, and belaying

techniques. The line we choose will depend onconditions. If a lot of penitentes (snow pinnaclesformed by direct sunlight) are encountered in thelower section of the glacier, we will start by climb-

ing through the scree and rock on the right handside. The steeper Polish Glacier Direct Route hasbeen the choice route in recent years. Althoughsteeper, it is safer and easier due to fewer icy andexposed traverses than on the old Polish Route.

On this spectacular, steep snow and ice climb wewill use

several running belays. In steeper icy sections wewill climb pitches instead of using running belays,

belaying and regrouping at every anchor. A longday of climbing will take us to the Summit Ridgeat 22,000 after the last steep pitch; a 55-60 de-gree narrow gully with the entire glacier below ourfeet. The nal ridge is very long and gentle. After

summiting, we descend quickly down the NormalRoute to Independencia (20,790), where we de-scend to our High Camp at 19,200 to rest andspend the night. The next day we descend the

Normal Route.


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POLISH GLACIER ROUTE AND TRAVERSE

DAY 1: Group meets in Mendoza, Argentina atthe Mendoza Park-Hyatt Hotel. Please be at thehotel by 3 pm.

Afternoon or evening team meeting at the hotel,individual equipment check with your guides. Fordinner we have a chance to taste the ne Argen-tinean cuisine and wine.

DAY 2: Get our permits at the Aconcagua ParkService ofce. Drive west from Mendoza to Peni-tentes ski area at 8,500. Lunch stop in Uspallata

on the way. Our drive winds along the Rio Men-doza deep into the heart of the rugged AndesMountains, where we begin our acclimatizationin Penitentes. Afternoon hike is recommended

DAY 3, 4, 5: Approach to Base Camp. Hike upthe Vacas and Ameghino Valleys to Base Camp.Mules will carry our gear and meet us at campeach night. Here we begin the route, which wasestablished in 1934 by a Polish Expedition. Even

today this eastern approach to the mountain isnot as heavily traveled as the Normal Route.

After three days of spectacular, colorful, high des-ert scenery we reach our Base Camp, at 13,800.The hike to Base Camp is approximately 40 kilo-meters and gives us the perfect chance to beginour acclimatization.

DAY 6: Rest and acclimatization day at BaseCamp. We want everyone to have the best pos-

sible chance to make the summit. The most ef-fective way to do this is to take the time to ac-climatize to the low oxygen environment. We will

incorporate rest days into our schedule and climbin traditional expedition style. We will be carry-ing loads up to the next camp, returning to sleep

below at the previous camp. The next day we

will move to the higher camp. This is an excel-

lent method of acclimatization, our main focusthroughout your expedition.

DAY 7: Carry a load to Camp I, at 16,300. Theroute goes up a gentle trail on the rocky moraine-covered Relinchos Glacier situated between Cer-ro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino. Here we willbe able to see Nieve Penitentes, unique snowand ice formations created by the direct sun. Re-turn to Base Camp.

DAY 8: Leave Base Camp. Move to Camp I.

DAY 9: Carry a load to Camp II, at 17,500.Fantastic view of the Polish Glacier. We ascendscree slopes to a broad ridge crest where we willestablish Camp II. Today we reconnect with ourUpper Guanacos Valley route.

After reaching the Ameghino saddle, a gentleeasy traverse takes us to Camp II.

DAY 10: Move to Camp II.DAY 11: Move to Camp III, at 17,800. A carrywill not be needed today, since we have alreadydone our short carry most likely the day before.This is an easy day, where we traverse from thesaddle to the upper

Guanacos, elevation gain is minimum. This campand tactic are key for our success. On this par-ticular day,

This route creates one of the best upper moun-tain acclimatization possibilities on Aconcagua.The results are overwhelmingly positive: a teamwell acclimatized.


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DAY 12: Carry to High Camp, Piedras Blancas(White Rocks), at 19,200. We will establish thiscamp at the base of the Polish Glacier.

DAY 13: Move to High Camp, from where wewill tackle the summit the next day.

DAY 14, 15, 16, 17: Summit! Weather permit-ting. We leave several days for our summit day incase of poor weather. Some of these weather orrest days may be used at lower camps for better

acclimatization.DAY 18: Descend via the Normal Route, onthe west side of Aconcagua, all the way down toPlaza de Mulas Base Camp, at 13,800. This isa more direct descent than our approach of theeast side of Aconcagua.

DAY 19: Hike out the Horcones Valley with itsimpressive views of Aconcaguas South Face.Mules carry our gear. Spend the night in Peni-

tentes. If extra weather and acclimatization daysare not used on your expedition, you and your

team may arrive a day or two earlier to Peni-tentes.

DAY 20: Drive back to Mendoza. Evening ban-quet with your team. Spend night in Mendoza.Your team banquet and stay at the Hyatt will beon the rst night you and your team return to

Mendoza.

NEXT DAY: Fly home or continue traveling inSouth America.

Note: This itinerary is intended to be a guideline only.

Weather days and rest days are always a possibil-

ity while on a climbing expedition. Rest days may be

taken at any of the camps due to weather, acclimati-

zation, or team logistics. Teams may combine Camps

II and III, if needed. If no weather/acclimatization days

are used, your team may arrive one or two days earli-

er to Penitentes and Mendoza. We do not cover extra

nights in Mendoza.

Due to this variability, please allow for exibility in

your schedule at the end of your expedition.


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NORMAL ROUTE WITH PORTERS

Our Normal Route expedition with Porters,is a variation of our original Aventuras Pa-tagonicas expedition offered over a decade and

a half ago. Although our Guanacos Valley Route

to-date, remains the most pristine route on themountain, we have received many requests for ashorter route on Aconcagua, with the option of aporter assist. To satisfy these requests, we nowoffer the option of ascending the Normal Routeof Aconcagua with porters to carry loads fromBase Camp to High Camp, as needed. Over thepast few seasons we purposely have chosen notto guide the Normal Route for aesthetic reasonsdue to the routes overuse causing the route ingeneral to be unappealing. We began exploring

other options on the mountain, to offer fresh alter-natives and challenges to our clients, resulting inour Guanacos Valley and Traverse Route, whichwas extremely successful and well received, until

it was closed by the Park Service to protect thesensitive Guanacos herds. If you are not both-ered by the overcrowding of the Normal Route,

seeing many other climbers while climbing, enjoythe social aspect of Base Camp (meeting climb-ers of all nationalities), and feel regular loads (45to 50 lbs) are too heavy for you, then our Normal

Route with Porters expedition is for you! We havedesigned this trip so that at Base Camp you maydecide how many carries you will need a porter.You may choose to use a porter for every carry, toalternate days, or experiment as you go.

Now we offer an excellent alternative to thestandard Normal Route. Please considerour Ameghino / Upper Guanacos Traverse Route

(with porter option) which combines an approachwhich provides better acclimatization to improve

your chance of summit success, availability ofporters in Base Camp, AND a more aesthetic ap-proach to the mountain, including a traverse ofAconcagua so you will know both sides of thehighest mountain in the Western Hemisphere!


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DAY 1: Group meets in Mendoza, Argentina.Equipment check and afternoon brieng at the

hotel. For dinner we will have a chance to tastethe ne Argentinean cuisine and wine.

DAY 2:Drive west from Mendoza to Penitentesski area, at 8,500. Our drive winds along the RioMendoza, deep into the heart of the rugged An-des Mountains, where we begin our acclimatiza-tion in Penitentes. An optional afternoon hike isrecommended.

DAY 3: We will begin our approach to BaseCamp. This 25-mile approach gives us thechance to begin our acclimatization. We followthe Horcones Valley, and camp our rst night in

Conuencia, at 10,900 Mules carry our gear.

DAY 4: Hike to the base of the majestic SouthFace of Aconcagua, at 13,000, toward PlazaFrancia. Return to Conuencia to spend our 2nd

night, before heading to Base Camp the next day.

This hike will facilitate our acclimatization pro-cess.

DAY 5: After 3 days of hiking through colorfuldesert landscape we reach our Base Camp, Pla-za de Mulas, at 13,800.

DAY 6: Rest and acclimatization day at BaseCamp. We want everyone to have the best pos-sible chance to make the summit. The most ef-fective way to do this is to take the time to ac-

climatize to the low oxygen environment. We willincorporate rest days into our schedule and climbin traditional expedition style. We will be carry-ing loads up to our next camp, and returning to

sleep below at the previous camp. The next day

we will move to the higher camp. This day (Day

6) we will practice snow and ice techniques on

the Nieve Penitentes, unique snow and ice for-mations created by direct sunlight.

DAY 7:Carry a load to Camp I, Plaza Canada,at 16,170. Return to Base Camp

DAY 8: Leave Base Camp. Move to Camp I.Beautiful campsite with impressive views of thenorth side of Aconcagua and alpine Cerro Cu-erno.

DAY 9:Carry a load to Camp II, Nido de Cn-dores, at 17,820.

DAY 10:Leave Camp I. Move to Camp II.

DAY 11:Carry a load to Camp III, Piedras Blan-cas (High Camp) at 19,200.

DAY 12:Move to Camp III. This unique spot willbe our High Camp where we will spend at least2 nights. Here we are surrounded by interesting

rock formations only a day from the summit.

DAY 13, 14, 15: Summit! Weather permitting.We allow a window for our Summit Day in caseof poor weather and depending on how group isacclimatizing.

DAY 16: Descend from High Camp to BaseCamp.

DAY 17:Hike out the Horcones Valley with its

impressive views of Aconcaguas South Face.Mules carry out our gear. Spend the night in Pen-itentes.

NORMAL ROUTE WITH PORTERSACONCAGUA EXPEDITION ITINERARY


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DAY 18: Drive to Mendoza. Enjoy deliciousevening banquet with your team. Spend night inMendoza.

Next Day: Fly home or continue traveling inSouth America.

Note:This itinerary is intended to be a guideline only,

weather days and rest days are always a possibility

while on a climbing expedition


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GUANACOS VALLEY AND TRAVERSE ROUTE

This route, our favorite route on Aconcagua,is a newly discovered, non-technical routeexplored by Aventuras Patagonicas in 1997. Thisis the least traveled and most remote route onAconcagua. It has gradual elevation gain be-tween camps allowing for easier acclimatizationthan other routes. Acclimatization is the key ele-ment to summiting the highest peak in the West-ern Hemisphere. Our excellent success rate has

been further improved by climbing Aconcagua viathe Guanacos Valley. We named this route theGuanacos Route. During the exploration of this

valley, we encountered large herds of wild gua-naco, a rare sight in the Aconcagua region. Veryfew people were encountered on this route, giv-ing this route a true sense of adventure.

Our Traverse has been popular among ourclients. Climbing Aconcagua via this non-technical route and descending the shorter Nor-mal Route gives you a full experience of the

mountain. You will travel through three differentvalleys, the Vacas, Guanacos and Horcones, andpass four huge faces of this tremendous moun-tain. On all of these expeditions, mules take our

gear to Base Camp, Plaza Guanacos or PlazaArgentina, depending on our route, on the eastside of the mountain. After the Summit, we returnto High Camp, then the next day, we descend the

north side of Aconcagua via the Normal Route,

to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp. Mules then carryour gear from Plaza de Mulas back to Penitentes,while we hike out to civilization with a light pack.

We ascend via the Ameghino or the Guanacos

Valley and traverse to the Normal Route for the

descent.

TRAVERSE


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GUANACOS VALLEY AND TRAVERSE ROUTE

DAY 1: Group meets in Mendoza, Argentina.Equipment check and afternoon brieng at the

hotel. Dinner will be a chance to taste ne Argen-tinean cuisine and wine.

DAY 2:Drive west from Mendoza to Penitentesski area at 8,500. Our drive winds along the RioMendoza deep into the heart of the rugged AndesMountains where we begin our acclimatization inPenitentes. Optional afternoon hike.

DAY 3, 4, 5:Approach to Plaza Guanacos BaseCamp. Mules carry our gear. This approximately35-mile approach is essential to our acclimatiza-tion. Our rst two days we follow the same route

as our Vacas and Relinchos Valley Expeditions.

The third day begins our new approach. Wecontinue up the Vacas Valley passing the Relin-chos Valley. The chance of seeing other expedi-tions on this new exciting route is remote. The

chance of seeing wildlife is much more probable.Spectacular glaciers contrasting with a desertbackdrop make this approach both surreal andunforgettable. We have an excellent chance of

seeing herds of guanacos. When Rodrigo did anexploratory trip to the region he encountered sev-eral hundred guanacos, counting 80 in one sight-ing alone! These magnicent mammals are well

camouaged, extremely elusive, and a rare sight

in the Aconcagua region.

DAY 6: Plaza Guanaco Base Camp at 13,000.

Rest and acclimatization day at Base Camp. Wewant everyone to have the best possible chanceto make the summit. The most effective way todo this is to take the time to acclimatize to thelow oxygen environment. We will incorporate rest

days into our schedule and climb in traditionalexpedition style. We will be carrying loads up to

the next camp and returning to sleep below at the

previous camp. The next day we will move to thehigher camp.

DAY 7:Carry a load to Camp I at approximate-ly 15,200. The route goes up the narrow valleybetween the north side of Cerro Ameghino andCerro San Francisco. Here we will be able to seeNieve Penitentes, unique snow and ice forma-tions created by the direct sun. Return to BaseCamp.

DAY 8:Leave Base Camp. Move to Camp I.

DAY 9: Carry a load to Camp II at 16,500, apleasant, well-protected area with tremendousviews of Cerro Mercedario, Cerro Mano, and oth-er Andean giants. Return to Camp I.

DAY 10: Move to Camp II.

DAY 11: Carry a load to Camp III below the Pol-ish Glacier, at 17,800.

DAY 12: Move to Camp III depending on howgroup is doing.

DAY 13: Carry to High Camp, Piedras Blancas(White Rocks), at 19,200.

DAY 14: Move to High Camp.

DAY 15, 16, 17:Summit! Weather permitting.We allow several days for our Summit Day in

case of poor weather.DAY 18: Descend the Normal Route to Plazade Mulas Base Camp. This will be quite exciting

since we descend a different side of the moun-tain.


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DAY 19:Hike out the Horcones Valley, with itsimpressive views of Aconcaguas South Face.Mules carry our gear. Spend the night in Peni-tentes.

DAY 20: Drive to Mendoza. In the evening,enjoy a delicious team banquet! Spend night inMendoza.

Next Day: Fly home or continue traveling inSouth America.

This itinerary is intended to be a guideline only, weath-

er days and rest days are always a possibility while on

a climbing expedition.

Note:The Aconcagua Park Authorities have closed

the lower Guanacos Valley until further notice. While

the closure persists we will be using our next favor-

ite route on Aconcagua, which provides an excellent

opportunity for acclimatization, our Ameghino Valley

/ Upper Guanacos Traverse Route, until the Lower

Guanacos Valley access issue can be resolved.


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FEET

Socks 3 or 4 pair thick outer socks, synthetic orwool, 3 pair thin inner liner socks, silk or synthetic,(combo of 1 pr thick & 1 pr thin or 2 pair thick & 1 prthin), AND 2 pair cotton socks (for approach hike)

Plastic or synthetic-leather double mountaineering

boots for above Base Camp, NOT SINGLE BOOTS Lightweight hiking boots or sturdy approach shoes forhike to Base Camp

Gaitors (for scree, goretex type work well - NOToverboots)

One pair velcro-strapped rubber sole sandals (suchas tevas or chacos) OR old tennis/running shoes for

river crossings

Lightweight running shoes for hike out last day (canalso be used for river crossings on approach hike)

UPPER BODYwear in layers

Lightweight synthetic turtleneck 2 Expedition weight synthetic shirt 1 (or 2 midweightshirts)

Heavy eece jacket (or similar weight synthetic ordown jacket)

Breathable windproof outerjacket, such as goretex orevent fabric, with hood

Heavyweight down or polarguard expedition parkawith insulated hood (-20 F)

Cotton or synthetic t-shirts for approach 2 Lightweight, breathable, long sleeved shirt for sun-protection on approach hike

ACONCAGUA EQUIPMENT LIST EVERYTHING YOUWILL NEED FOR YOUR ACONCAGUA EXPEDITION


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LOWER BODYwear in layers

Synthetic or nylon briefs or underwear - 3 pair Lightweight synthetic or capilene long underwearbottoms - 1 pair

Expedition weight synthetic or capilene long under-wear bottoms - 1 pair

Midweight eece pants or synthetic guide/schollerpants for midmountain 1 pair (optional)

Fleece pants (full length side zippers recommended)for camp and summit day

Breathable windproof pants or bibs such as Goretex(full length side zippers recommended)

Shorts - 1 pair for approach hike Lightweight cotton or synthetic breathable pants forsun protection on approach

HANDS

2 pair thin gloves, polypropylene or capilene - forlower mountain

1 pair insulated, windproof, ngered gloves, such asski gloves, with longer cuff for upper mountain

1 pair insulated overmitts for summit day OR substitute for insulated mitts above: a combination

of 2 pair mitts (eece, or wool Dachstein) to t oneinside the other with room AND 1 pair Goretex wind

shells to wear over mitts


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ACONCAGUA EQUIPMENT LISTEVERYTHING YOU WILL NEED FOR YOUR ACONCAGUA EXPEDITION

HEAD Ski hat, wool or eece Balaclava, wool, eece or capilene

Baseball cap for sun

SLEEPING GEAR Down or polarguard sleeping bag rated to -20 F /

-29C with compression stuff sack

1 closed cell foam pad and/or 1 inatable thermarestpad (full length). BOTH recommended.


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PACK Expedition Backpack, 5000 - 6000 cubic inch / 80-100

liter capacity

Day and a half pack for approach, approx 2000 - 3000cubic inch / 30-50 liter capacity

Extra large strong duffel bag w/ LOCK (about 7000cubic inches/140 liter). THIS IS YOUR MULE BAG.

Must be able to t full expedition pack & double bootsin this bag for mule to carry on approach

1 compression stuff sack w/ straps or lightweightdaypack (15 liter) to use as daypack for hike out

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT Ice axe 70 cm. approx. Standing with arm relaxed atside, ice axe should reach from the palm of hand tothe ground. For Polish Glacier Route it can be 5-10cm shorter (60-65 cm)

Crampons, 12 points non-rigid recommended. ForPolish Glacier Route: rigid OK

Ski poles or sturdy trekking poles - adjustablepreferred


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sion sack to use as daypack on hike out)

Iodine or similar water purication tablets 2 to 3small new bottles $300-$400 USD cash ($1 to $10 bills) for extra meals,drinks, tips, emergencies, (more if hiring porters)

OPTIONALS(some of these items may be left in Base Campwill be taken back to Penitentes by mules)

1 pair Vapor Barrier Liner (VBL) socks Booties, down or polarguard w/cordura soles (for

camp & tent, above Base Camp)HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Sleeping bag liner (if renting sleeping bag) Camera, batteries, small solar charger plug adaptor for hotels

Journal, pen/pencil, book, games, i-pod Small towel and soap, baby wipes, foot powder (wetwipes are very handy)

Cotton bandana or buff for sun protection, neck gaitorfor warmth

Pee bottle -1 liter capacity, wide mouth, plastic nal-gene-type bottle with lid (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

for upper mountain, label w/permanent marker)

1 lightweight, metal, mini thermos, 1/2 - 3/4 litercapacity, HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDfor summit day

Your favorite energy bars (we provide full lunches), inoriginal package for customs

Hydrating system, 2-quart capacity (i.e. camelbak)Does not replace water bottles CAMELBAKSFREEZE, for approach hike only

portable water purication system (be prepared toshare this item with your team) i.e. Katadyn, steripen

2 large plastic garbage bags to use in sleeping bagstuff sack

neoprene or windstopper facemask (for cold summitday)

warm vest Light synthetic or nylon bag to use to protect pack onmules for hike out last day

straps for outside of pack to carry crampons & othergear (essential if pack is smaller than recommended)


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REFERENCESPlease feel free to contact any of these previous

Aventuras Patagonicas clients. Nick Winberg, Neutral Bay Australia +61 403000968,[email protected]

Johnny Bergius, London, UK 0044 (0) 207 823 2126,0044 (0) 7887 985 900, [email protected]

James Kroupa, Brecksville, [email protected]

Fred Bacher, Louisville, CO [email protected] Jose Ramos, Lafayette, Indiana [email protected] Pete Youngwerth, Colorado Springs CO, (719)3317574 [email protected]

Tony Nowak, Janesville, WI [email protected]

David Chamberlin, Evergreen, [email protected]

Mike Danaher, Littleton, [email protected]

Louise McEvoy, Orange County, [email protected]

Simon James, London, [email protected]

Michael Hannon, Salt Lake City, [email protected]

Brett Habegger, San Francisco, CA (510) [email protected]

Megan Delehanty, Faireld, [email protected]

Jim Lumberg, Chicago, [email protected]

Mark Lepick, Honolulu, [email protected]

Chad Gilpin, Minneapolis, [email protected]

Emily Reis, Boulder, CO [email protected] Ryan Burke, Salt Lake City, UT

[email protected] Amy KleinerRoberts Golden, CO, (303) [email protected]

Graham Pitcairn, Philadelphia, PA (215) [email protected]

Rick Miller, Atlanta, GA [email protected] Mark Horrell, London, UK [email protected]

Mark Thompson, Boise, ID (208) [email protected]

Howard Jones, Scottsdale, AZ (480) [email protected]

Sterling & Sue Foreman Grants Pass, OR (541)4749894 [email protected]

Russell Paquette, Seattle, WA (253) [email protected]

Ryan Childs, Austin, TX (978) [email protected]

David Bickford, Haverford, PA (610) [email protected]

Steve Smith, Vista, CA [email protected] Joel Klay, Cheseauxslausanne Switzerland++41 79 958 30 12

David Bernheimer, Santa Monica [email protected]

Yvan Auger, Windsor, Ontario [email protected]

Sandro Grigio, Toronto, [email protected]

Robert Guthrie, Niwot, CO (720) [email protected]

Badri Vijayaraghavan, Chennai India, (9144) 9841095710 [email protected]

Richard Murrell, Hertfordshire, UK 07764 [email protected]

Ryan Gunasekera, Melbourne Australia+61401678617 [email protected]

Mark Kettle, London, UK [email protected] Joe Bates, Stratford Upon Avon, UK0044 17976 298838

[email protected]

David Earle, Springeld, MA (413) [email protected]

Julie Bayly, Fort Kent, ME (207) 834 [email protected]

Hubertus Guenther, Seattle, [email protected]

Brian Ward, Beverly Hills, CA (310) 717 [email protected]


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AVENTURAS PATAGONICAS CLIENT COMMENTSThe experiences and comments of our past clients show the dedication of

Aventuras Patagonicas

In my book, you could not fnd a more quali-

fed company.I am certain, there are other goodones, but no other company knows Aconcaguaas well. They own that mountain! The people arerst-class and I am sure you will have a wonderful

experience, but most of all a safe one. Should you

have any further questions, feel free to contactme. -Hubertus Guenther, Spokane, Washington.

Both Aconcagua and the Vinson Massif withAventuras Patagonicas. The guides are excel-lent, and the whole organization is well orga-nized, especially on Aconcagua, which is basi-cally their home court. Have fun. -Hank Skade,Tiburon, California

I personally recommend using Aventuras Pata-gonicas for your Aconcagua expedition for the

following reasons: They have great logisticson the mountain, and logistics is key to suc-

cess. Being ill prepared on this mountain notonly decreases your chances, but as historykeeps repeating, it can be fatal. It is not worth us-ing a cheaper company or compromising gearto save $500. Up there you need everything to

your advantage. Everything from their meal plan-ning to packing to mule provisioning to the highlyskilled American guides they used was excellent.

Just a quick look at other companies on the hillwas all that was needed to tell we were the bestprepared and provisioned team up there. We hadthe cool Mountain Hardware tents; got morning


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blood-oxy readings daily..and the Guanacos

Route, in my personal opinion, is superior for ac-climatization.

Your success on Aconcagua depends on manyfactors, the least of which are certainly not yourpre-trip physical prep, mental preparedness andfortitude, the quality of your gear and some seri-ous luck with the weather. Because there are somany complications that can deny you the sum-mit which may be out of your control, it certainly

makes sense to max out on the things whichyou can control; because for the price you pay

for guided expeditions, it is always a real shame

to come down off the mountain with failure, whenproblems you may have had could have beenavoided by better planning. Using A.P. is part ofgreat planning and I am not too proud to admitthat my success in February 03 of summiting waspartly because of their great program. Come pre-pared and take the pre-departure gear check inMendoza seriously. Augment their food by takingsome of your favorite nutritious lunch snacks withyou (like beef jerky, tuna and high-protein energybars); the lunch snacks available in Argentina are

marginal, especially for your high days when yourappetite will be pretty awful. Most of all enjoy thestark beautiful Andes; summit or not I am sure

you will have the adventure of a lifetime. If I canbe of more assistance, feel free to call. - BrianWard, Marina del Rey, California.

Great trip! Great company! Great Guides!Great Mountain! I lost a fair amount of weighton the mountain and probably put twice as muchback on after spending a week and a half in Chileafter the climb. If I didnt nd every great restau-rant in Santiago, I cant begin to guess whereanother one would be hiding. The country was

super. The people were wonderful. Its been a trip

that will be tough to beat (although Ill continuetrying). I have roughly 400 pictures of the climband some events leading up to it and following iton CD. I will gladly make a copy of that CD andsend it to anyone wanting it. I hope to see all ofyou on other mountains in the future.

I have climbed with a number of companies inthe past and found my experience with Aven-turas Patagonicas to be the best. Honestly, the

services received from others has been good,but Patagonicas had (1) great, highly skilled, per-sonable, and knowledgeable guides, (2) greatfood through advance base camp - after that, itsgood old high altitude grub (3) a super ability toread and adapt to clients, (4) a wonderful climb-ing route (knowing what I know now - if the Nor-mal route were my only option, I wouldnt climbthe mountain) and (5) very strong organizationaland logistical skills. If I were to climb Aconcaguaagain, they would undoubtedly be my rst choice.

Howard Jones, Show Low, Arizona.

I think Rodrigo and Bonnie have done a great jobof putting together a very professional and highlycompetent team and organization. And though Ihave heard and am sure that Rodrigo himself aswell as other AP staff are great guides as well, Iwas lucky enough to go with lead guide Jim Wil-liams, who is not only fun but also one of the most(worldwide) experienced guides out there any-

where. I would not do the Normal Route -- sinceRodrigos circuit, going out on the Normal Route,is such a great circumnavigation of the mountain,that I would not recommend it any other way ifpossible. -Mauricio Jaramillo, Ketchum, Idaho

Rodrigo - I had the time of my life on Aconcagua.


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The trip was absolutely incredible, two weeks

that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Whilst Ienjoyed Orion and Zoe, and think they are high-ly competant, I have to say that Mike made thetrip. Even though he is young, he just inspirescondence and security. I knew no matter what

happened up there, he could x it for us. I would

climb anything with him. In fact, does he climbDenali? Well done Rodrigo - I would recommendAventuras Patagonicas without hesitation. Hopeto climb with you again soon. - Nicky Messner,

USA.

Overall, I was very impressed with the Guana-cos Valley Route and much preferred it from thenormal route after our descent on the latter. Ad-ditionally, I was impressed with the quality andexperience of the guides and was very happy

that the weather turned in our favor so that I wasable to summit. Finally, I was pleased that ourgroup chemistry worked out as well as it did ...nonegative incidences whatsoever. Thanks for yourhelp with everything. Keep up the good work andI hope to climb with your outt again someday

soon. - Dave Markwell, San Francisco, California.

Hi Rodrigo (and Bonnie), Just wanted you to knowthat I had a great time on Aconcagua. The tripwas everything I had hoped it would be. Summit-ing was denitely the high point. Overall I thought

the expedition was excellent. I really thought

the guides were excellent. I especially enjoyed

spending time with Mike and Zoe. I didnt get toknow Orion as well because he had to come outwith sick clients fairly early in the trip. Martin is oneof the strongest people Ive ever met. He helpedcarry my pack down from the summit when I wasstarting to get really tired later in the day.

That was incredibly appreciated! - Nathan Dol-

beare, Normal, Illinois.

I have traveled a lot all over the world and haveused many different guide companies, but nonereally stand out as excellent, except Rodrigo and

his company. I just did 2 wks. in Patagonia withhim. They are really good with the details, safety,food, and fun. Any extra cost will be well worth it.

The whole experience is going to be great with

this company! Good luck on your climb and feel

free to contact me. - Frank Brummer, Teutopolis,Illinois.

Thanks again for the experience!! You truly man-age a class outt!!! - Dan Kammann, Champlin,

Minnesota.

Overall it was a fantastic trip, it was everything Iwanted and more. The guides and clients workedvery well together which helped to make it an ex-cellent trip. -Jim Considine, Chicago, Illinois.

Overall it was a great trip that Id highly recom-mend to others. Should be doing Denali withAventuras Patagonicas next April / May. - Wayne

Morris, United Kingdom.

It was truly a great

aconcagua expeditions 2011-2012

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