Stats
|
Peak Name
|
Elevation
|
|
Cerro Aconcagua
|
22,841'
|
|
Cerro Colorado
|
15,939'
|
Itinerary
|
Date
|
Day
|
Location
|
Sleeping Elevation
|
Elevation Gain
|
Distance
|
|
1/30/2009
|
1
|
Travel to Argentina
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1/31/2009
|
2
|
Los Puquios
|
8,777'
|
-
|
-
|
|
2/01/2009
|
3
|
Pampa de Leñas
|
9,200'
|
1,310'
|
8.7 miles
|
|
2/02/2009
|
4
|
Casa de Piedra
|
10,500'
|
1,300'
|
9.3 miles
|
|
2/03/2009
|
5
|
Plaza Argentina
|
13,800'
|
3,300'
|
7.5 miles
|
|
2/04/2009
|
6
|
Carry to Camp I
|
13,800'
|
2,900'
|
3.2 miles
|
|
2/05/2009
|
7
|
Cerro Colorado
|
13,800'
|
2,139'
|
4 miles
|
|
2/06/2009
|
8
|
Camp I
|
16,700'
|
2,900'
|
1.6 miles
|
|
2/07/2009
|
9
|
Rest
|
16,700'
|
-
|
-
|
|
2/08/2009
|
10
|
Carry to Camp II
|
16,700'
|
2,500'
|
3.8 miles
|
|
2/09/2009
|
11
|
Rest
|
16,700'
|
-
|
-
|
|
2/10/2009
|
12
|
Camp II
|
19,200'
|
2,500'
|
1.9 miles
|
|
2/11/2009
|
13
|
Walk to 20,000'
|
19,200'
|
800'
|
2 miles
|
|
2/12/2009
|
14
|
Rest
|
19,200'
|
-
|
-
|
|
2/13/2009
|
15
|
Cerro Aconcagua
|
19,200'
|
3,641'
|
4.6 miles
|
|
2/14/2009
|
16
|
Plaza Argentina
|
13,800'
|
-5,400'
|
3.5 miles
|
|
2/15/2009
|
17
|
Punta de Vacas
|
7,900'
|
-5,900'
|
25.5 miles
|
Total Distance: 75.6 miles
Total Elevation Gain: 23,290’
Days 1-2
I traveled from Grand Junction, CO to Mendoza via four flights. The highlight of the trip to Mendoza was visiting a friend during a layover in Miami. I was picked up and given a ride to get my permit, then drove up to Los Puquios where they offer free camping. I happened to meet Willy, a German mountain guide who was also attempting Aconcagua solo. We were both planning on starting the trek up to basecamp the following morning.
 |
| Los Penitentes Ski Area |
Day 3
Willy and I hiked up & left our gear to be carried up by the mules and were driven to Punta de Vacas to begin the hike up to Pampa de Leñas. The hike was rather easy and the weather was great. I was surprised to see no one else at the first camp along the approach to basecamp. Soon after, people started trickling in.
 |
| Vacas Valley |
 |
| Lizard in the Vacas Valley |
 |
| Mules in the Vacas Valley |
 |
| Vacas Valley |
 |
| Vacas Valley |
 |
| Mule with my pack at Pampa de Leñas. Mules were blindfolded to prevent them from wandering off. |
 |
| Mule with my rolling duffel at Pampa de Leñas |
 |
| Vacas Valley |
Day 4
We started out the next morning in good weather, but near the end of the hike to the second camp along the approach to basecamp, the winds picked up and a large amount of dust was being blown down the valley.
 |
| Me on the bridge over the Vacas River |
 |
| Waterfall above the Vacas Valley |
 |
| Looking down the Vacas Valley |
 |
| Willy hiking up the Vacas Valley |
 |
| Willy taking a break in the Vacas Valley |
 |
| Looking down the Vacas Valley |
 |
| High winds and a lot of dust just below Casa de Piedra |
 |
| More dust |
 |
| Looking down the valley at the dust |
 |
| The Vacas Valley |
 |
| Looking down the Vacas Valley |
 |
| Casa de Piedra |
 |
| Cerro Aconcagua |
 |
| Casa de Piedra |
 |
| Looking up the Vacas Valley from Casa de Piedra |
 |
| Looking northeast from Casa de Piedra |
Day 5
The next morning we started out early and crossed the Vacas River barefoot since I forgot to bring sandals. My feet were in terrible pain from the cold by the time I got across. The hike up the Relinchos Valley was very pretty and soon we were at basecamp.
 |
| Willy hiking up the Relinchos Valley |
 |
| Looking up the Relinchos Valley |
 |
| Willy hiking up the Relinchos Valley |
 |
| Cerro Ameghino |
 |
| Cerro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino, from left to right |
 |
| Mules heading up the Relinchos Valley |
 |
| Cerro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino above the Relichos River |
 |
|
The Relinchos Valley
|
 |
| Cerro Aconcagua and Cerro Ameghino, from left to right |
 |
| Cerro Ibañez |
 |
|
Cerro Rico
|
 |
| Cerro Colorado |
 |
| Helicopter above basecamp and Cerro Ameghino in the distance. The helicopter was picking up a climber stricken with altitude illness. |
Day 6
I carried up to Camp I. It was interesting to see the Relinchos Glacier that was covered almost completely in dirt and rock.
 |
Penintentes en route to Camp I
|
 |
| More Penitentes |
 |
| The dirt and rock covered Relinchos Glacier |
 |
| The dirt and rock covered Relinchos Glacier |
 |
| Plaza Argentina |
Day 7
After speaking with some guides from Aymara earlier, I decided to climb Cerro Colorado. I saw some people heading up in the distance and tried to catch them. I managed to reach the summit just minutes after they arrived. The climb was primarily up a faint trail, then a class 3+ summit block. The views were great.
 |
| Cerro Aconcagua |
 |
| Cerro Aconcagua |
 |
| Plaza Argentina from Cerro Colorado |
 |
| Climbing the summit block of Cerro Colorado |
 |
|
Cerro Rico from Cerro Colorado
|
 |
| Plaza Argentina and Cerro Ameghino |
 |
| El Castillo |
Day 8
I moved up to Camp I. I spent a long time making my tent windproof. I was able to filter water here despite all the stories I heard about silt clogging filters.
 |
| My tent at Camp I before extensive fortification |
 |
| The water source at Camp I |
 |
| Camp I |
Day 9
Rest
 |
| Camp I |
Day 10
I carried up to Camp I. This was the first time I really felt the altitude; I was breathing heavily and had a headache.
 |
| Camp I |
 |
| Looking northeast en route to Camp II |
 |
| Looking northeast en route to Camp II (zoom) |
Day 11
Rest
 |
| Cerro Ameghino |
Day 12
I moved up to Camp II. Setting up my tent was a great effort.
 |
| Cerro Aconcagua from Camp II |
Day 13
I walked up to about 20,000' to help acclimatize. The views were fantastic.
 |
| Camp II from the Polish Traverse |
Day 14
Rest
 |
| Looking northeast from the Polish Traverse |
Day 15
I began hiking towards the summit and made it to Independencia Hut very quickly, but then began moving very slowly. I did not know if I was going to make the summit until I was about 30 feet from it. The views of the south summit were the highlight.
 |
| Independencia Hut, the highest refuge in the world |
 |
| Looking northeast from Windy Crest |
 |
| The southern summit from Guanaco Ridge |
 |
| The southern summit from the northern summit |
Day 16
I hiked down to Plaza Argentina. Carrying all of my gear from Camp I to basecamp was the worst part.
Day 17
I hiked all the way out to Punta de Vacas, then stayed at the Hosteria Puenta del Inca. It was nice to shower and sleep on a mattress.
 |
| Hosteria Puenta del Inca |
 |
| Puenta del Inca |
 |
| Puente del Inca |
 |
| Cemetary for mountaineers |
 |
| Los Puquios |
 |
Puenta del Inca
|
 |
| Puente del Inca |
 |
| Plaza in Mendoza |
 |
| Plaza in Mendoza |
 |
| Hotel Petit |
 |
| Cerro de la Gloria Monument |
 |
| View west from Cerro de la Gloria |
 |
| View north from Cerro de la Gloria |
 |
| View east from Cerro de la Gloria |
 |
| Parrot at the zoo |
 |
| Strange animal at the zoo |
 |
Cerro de la Gloria from the Road
|
 |
| Plaza Independencia |
|