Aconcagua and the Southern Andes - A Trekker's Guidebook

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Further Reading

The mountain of Aconcagua in the southern Andes is the highest peak in the world outside the Himalayas. It is the highest of the seven continental summits after Everest and it offers the climber the best value in terms of altitude gained for effort expended.

The purist might contend that climbing in double plastic boots, with crampons and an ice axe, in temperatures of -20ºC, can hardly be classified as a ‘trek’. Nevertheless, Aconcagua does require very little technical expertise and it provides valuable high altitude experience for non-climbers.

In recent years the pursuit of climbing and hill walking has attracted more and more enthusiasts. Travel to far off places has become more popular and easier to arrange. Mountain guides clog the internet with advertisements for their adventure holidays. For those who tire of the commonplace, goals such as Kilimanjaro, Island Peak and Aconcagua are there to provide the adventure.

Aconcagua is seen as an essential stepping-stone for those with eyes on the big prize – Everest. However, the serious alpinist will have to rub shoulders with the adventurous trekker. As for any mountain, there are numerous routes up Aconcagua. The majority are categorised as extremely difficult, but two routes are available that require minimal technical expertise and they are the routes described in detail here.

The area of South America in which Aconcagua is situated is quite civilised, transport is good, and there is an established infrastructure for mountain access. There are no nasties in the region, such as snakes, mosquitoes or wild cats. The people are friendly, food is great and language is not a particular barrier. The region has many other attractions, such as the vineyards of Chile and Mendoza, white water rafting, the beach at Viña del Mar, rodeos and numerous other scenic and cultural items of interest.

Lest the impression be conveyed that Aconcagua is a bed of roses the following caution is appropriate. The mountain is bleak and harsh. The winds on Aconcagua can be unrelenting and the temperatures severe. The incidence of failure as a result of altitude sickness and weather is particularly high. Many climbers arrive unprepared for the cold and the altitude and have to make return visits for second attempts.

There are no less than 164 peaks in the Himalayas that have greater altitudes than Aconcagua. In the Americas, however, Aconcagua tops a list of 43 peaks, all in South America, ahead of Denali (Mount McKinley) in North America.

Alpinists consider Aconcagua to be much more difficult than a large proportion of its Himalayan cousins. This they attribute to its harsh environment, its unpredictable weather, the dreaded Canaleta scree slope that must be overcome at 6800m and its long distance to basecamp. The relative distance of Aconcagua from the equator, compared to the Himalayas, is considered to be a factor in terms of weather and altitude. The further one travels from the equator the thinner is the earth’s atmosphere.