Aconcagua Expedition to summit

Proposal

Aquí tenés la traducción al inglés, manteniendo un tono profesional pero cercano, ideal para turismo de aventura. Corregí de manera fluida algunos detalles de redacción del original (como los paréntesis que se abren y no se cierran en el Día 15) para que quede impecable.

ACONCAGUA is one of the most visited mountains in the world, the roof of the Americas and the entire Western Hemisphere. The desire to crown its 6,962 meters attracts people from the most diverse corners of the planet. The climate and high-mountain conditions make this expedition a unique adventure of its kind.

Our Style - The Aconcagua Project

Year-round preparation: We form the group throughout the year, focusing on physical and psychological preparation, along with introductory mountain trips.
Pre-trip meetings: We hold previous group meetings featuring audiovisual materials and specific briefings.
Gear guidance: We advise you on your equipment during all the months leading up to the expedition.
Train from anywhere: It doesn’t matter if you don't live in the city of Buenos Aires (where the training sessions take place); we can still guide you through your preparation.
Acclimatization strategy: We propose an itinerary that includes progressive and staged acclimatization.
Included training: Up to 3 training sessions per week (with our groups in AMBA / Greater Buenos Aires).
In-person classes: We include up to 12 in-person training sessions per month in any of the groups we offer in Buenos Aires: Mondays and Wednesdays in Palermo, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Martínez, and Saturday mornings in Puerto Madero. For those who do not live in Buenos Aires, we send training materials, provide assistance, and evaluate progress remotely.
Exclusive discounts: We offer an extra discount on all annual trips in our calendar, which are also included in the planning as part of the training.
Facebook Community: Join the Grupo Proyectos Argentinos al Aconcagua on Facebook: CLICK

Distances and Altitude Gains - Trekkings and Summit Climb:

5 km from Puente del Inca to Horcones (entrance to Aconcagua Provincial Park). Included in all three programs: Short Trekking, Long Trekking, and Expedition.
28 km from Horcones to Plaza de Mulas Base Camp (56 km round trip). Included in the Long Trekking and Summit Expedition programs.
16 km round trip from Confluencia (intermediate camp) to the Plaza Francia viewpoint. Included in all three programs: Short Trekking, Long Trekking, and Summit Expedition.
8 km from Confluencia to Horcones. Included in the Short Trekking program.
8 km round trip from Plaza de Mulas Base Camp to Camp 1 Plaza Canadá. Included in the Long Trekking and Summit Expedition programs.
13 km from Plaza de Mulas Base Camp to the summit (26 km round trip); 2,600 meters of altitude gain from 4,350 masl. Included in the Summit Expedition program.

Itinerary

(We suggest arriving in Mendoza one day prior).

Day 1: Mendoza - Vallecitos: Meet in the city of Mendoza in the morning. Guide introductions, gear check, rental advice, permit printing, packing mule bags, etc. Last-minute purchases. Transfer to the Aconcagua Provincial Park office to apply and pay for climbing permits. In the afternoon: Transfer to Vallecitos (2,800 masl). Check-in at a mountain hostel. Rest, hydration, and overnight stay.
Day 2: Vallecitos (2,800 masl): We will begin our gradual acclimatization. Hikes to Las Veguitas and Las Veguitas Superior, or La Cadenita (3,800 masl). Return to the refuge. Rest.
Day 3: Las Veguitas Superior (3,400 masl): Breakfast. Free morning. After noon, we will begin the ascent to the Veguita Superior camp at 3,400 masl. Camp setup. Rest.
Day 4: Las Veguitas Superior (3,400 masl): Ascent to a mountain to be determined (San Bernardo, Calle, Stepanek, approx. 4,200 masl, etc.) and return to camp. Option for load carrying (portage) and acclimatization by climbing to El Salto camp (4,200 masl) and returning to camp.
Day 5: El Salto (4,200 masl): Ascent to El Salto camp at 4,200 masl. Rest.
Day 6: El Salto (4,200 masl): Acclimatization day above 4,000 meters. Hiking around the area. Night at El Salto camp.
Day 7: Ascent to Portezuelo Lomas Amarillas - Vallecitos or the summit of Cerro Vallecitos (5,400 masl). Descent to camp. Night at El Salto camp.
Day 8: Puente del Inca (2,850 masl): Breaking down camp and descent to the base of Vallecitos. Transfer to Puente del Inca. Overnight stay at a hostel. Shower. Asado (traditional BBQ). Rest.
Day 9: Entrance to Aconcagua Provincial Park: Trekking to Confluencia (3,400 masl). Medical check-up. Overnight stay in Confluencia.
Day 10: Trekking to Plaza de Mulas, Aconcagua's base camp (4,350 masl). Rest. Overnight stay.
Day 11: Rest at Plaza de Mulas.
Day 12: Portage to Nido de Cóndores and return to Plaza de Mulas (4,350 masl). Rest.
Day 13: Nido de Cóndores (5,550 masl): Ascent to Nido de Cóndores camp. Rest.
Day 14: Nido de Cóndores (5,550 masl): Rest around the camp or ascent to Berlín, high camp (5,900 masl).
Day 15: Aconcagua Summit (6,962 masl) - Nido de Cóndores (5,550 masl): Very early in the morning, we get ready to start the day we have been waiting for for a long time. We ascend to Independencia (6,300 masl), then cross the great traverse to the cave, and begin the final summit push through the famous Canaleta to the north and main summit of the highest mountain in the Americas. Photos and celebration. Then, we begin the long descent to Cólera or Nido camp. Rest.
Day 16: Plaza de Mulas (4,350 masl): Descent to Plaza de Mulas. Rest and recovery. Overnight stay.
Day 17: Plaza de Mulas - Horcones (2,900 masl): Descent trekking to Horcones with mule portage. Transfer to the hotel in the city of Mendoza. End of the expedition and our services.
Day 18: Extra day in case of bad weather or departure day in Mendoza.

Elevation Profile

Included Services

PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAIN GUIDES: Registered guides with great experience from the AEX staff. These same guides participate in other annual trips and treks included in the training plan and permanent assistance. This is how you can meet them during the year during your preparation.
TRAINING AND PREPARATION: Perhaps the most important point of our style and service. We include up to 4 weekly face-to-face training classes in AMBA (Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area) and material + remote monitoring, for those who live anywhere else in Argentina and the world.
ACCOMMODATION: Two (2) nights of accommodation in the city of Mendoza, in a 3 *** Hotel, double or triple base with breakfast. Does not include half board or drinks. One (1) night in a mountain hostel in the area of ??Puente del Incaa. Camps in the mountains: Every night of the expedition in double base tents and in domes with bunks and mattresses.
TRANSFERS: Included from the city of Mendoza to the start of the trek, round trip.
MEALS: All meals included on the mountain. Hot and cold meals (on the go); breakfasts and snacks. Energy and snacks. See menu options in the Menu section.
TRANSFER OF LOADS: We transport all your personal mountain equipment from Penitentes - Puente del Inca to Plaza de Mulas (Base Camp) round trip. Our responsibility and trustworthy service means getting your luggage on time and in perfect conditions.
DINING TENTS: The dining tents are fully equipped with tables, chairs, dishes and electricity, to provide maximum comfort and protection.
BEDROOM TENTS: High mountain tents for 2 and 3 people, in base camps and in high altitude camps.
BATHROOMS / SANITARIES: The use of bathrooms is included in the base camps.
WATER: We include drinking water (hot and cold) in the base and high camps. The water is obtained from meltwater streams + a purification and potabilization process.
EQUIPMENT DEPOSIT: In Puente del Inca and Plaza de Mulas you can leave your equipment in the care of the staff.
HIGH-ALTITUDE PORTERS: We include porterage for the general equipment to the high-altitude camps. These porters collaborate so that each one does not carry so much weight.
COMMUNICATION: We have permanent communication through VHF radio transmitters and satellite phones, in addition to the fact that there is usually mobile data in the base camp area and camp 1.
MEDICINE AND DOCTORS: In the Aconcagua Provincial Park there are controls and mandatory medical check-ups, so that each person is calm when it comes to continuing with the expedition. In addition, our guides are highly trained to resolve any emergency situation, in addition to the park´s helicopters, which can evacuate someone in the event of an eventual emergency situation.
PERMANENT ASSISTANCE: We offer you permanent assistance before and during the expedition. For the permits, for your equipment, for your training, for the previous departures and we make a diagnosis so that you know where you stand so that you can calmly undertake the general planning.
DISCOUNTS: Special discounts in stores, sales houses and rental of mountain equipment. Also on training expeditions, up to 30% off

Services NOT included

Transfers from the city of origin to the City of Mendoza.
Permit to enter the Aconcagua Provincial Park (prices to be defined by the Park).
Meals in the city of Mendoza.
Meals and accommodations extra than those specified in the program.
Personal porters.
Expenses caused by abandoning the program.
Expenses for evacuation and eventual transfer in different places of the Aconcagua Provincial Park.
Staff team. Consult for the same.
Tips.

Note

PAYMENT PLAN:

We can take your booking with an initial partial payment, through Paypal or with credit card. And the rest can be paid at the beggining of the expedition in cash. Ask us for more information.

EVACUATION SYSTEM AND ABANDONMENT OF EXPEDITION:

In the unlikely event of an accident or in the case one of the passengers can not continue with the expedition, the procedure we implement in our expeditions is the following:

During the first 4 days (until Confluencia camp), the passenger can be evacuated by our guides and helpers of the expedition. If necessary, we hire a mule.
In the section between Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas, the guides and assistants are able to descend the passenger. During the stay in Plaza de Mulas, the evacuation without cost is no longer responsibility of the company. We advise you and assist you during the procedure. The cost of helicopter, mule or guide-assistant, is at the expense of each passanger. Self-evacuation system is forbidden (descending by your own). However, in almost all our expeditions, on day 8, from Plaza de Mulas, we have a group of passengers from other groups that are descending . In this case, the person could descend with this group which is in charge of one of our guides.
In highest camps (last 8 days), evacuation on foot is included, with the assistance of a guide or assistant, to Plaza de Mulas base camp. Meals and tents in Plaza de Mulas are also included. Descent can be done with the rest of the group that tried the summit. Costs of animals or helicopters for evacuation are not included.

TRAINING PLAN

We have designed a schedule with different trips to the mountain that will prepare you to live up to this great goal. Every month we go out to the mountains focused on physical, psychological and technical training to be prepared for the opportunity to try great mountains such as Lanin-Tronador-Domuyo-Chañi and many others in Argentina.

You can check our calendar with all our trips with a special discount for Aconcagua expeditionists: CLICK HERE

Requirements to enter the Aconcagua Park season 2022 / 2023: We will have more information soon

March lunches (cold meals): Milanesa (tradional Argentine beef cut) and tomato sandwiches, sandwiches, snacks, salads, tapas, etc.
Dinners: Vegetable stews-bacon-red chorizo, chicken and vegetable casseroles, pasta with various sauces or stew, roasted meat, Chow Fan, chicken with rice, pizzas.
Breakfasts and snacks: Tea, Coffee, Cappuccino, Mate Cocido, Mate, Milk powder; bread, cookies, jam, honey, dulce de leche; cereals, fruit.
Individual bag with energetic snacks: Nougats, bars, nuts, chocolates, alfajores, candies, others.
It is necessary to complete the personal and medical file to clarify if

Where to sleep

First night in a 3-star hotel in Mendoza city. Second night in a mountain hostel in Puente del Inca. Then in mountain tents, with a sleeping bag and insulation + mattress.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I have never climbed a mountain, can I dream of reaching the highest summit in America?

As long as you are physically fit and you can take previous trekking and mountaineering trips with us or on your own. In case your experience is basic, it is essential that you take a long or two short trip to summits higher than 4000 m.a.s.l.

I do not have the equipment that is required, can I rent it? What should I buy?

We will advise you on this. Almost everything can be rented; in Mendoza there is a store which we work with that rents boots, jackets, pants, goggles, crampons, gloves of third layer,etc. There is equipment that should be purchased as underwear, footwear and trekking clothes, trekking poles, headlamp, gloves, among others.

How demanding is this expedition? How much do we walk per day?

We do not walk every day. The expedition length is due to the period of acclimatization to the height that our bodies need; there are days when we only rest. The longest days are: the day we walk from Confluencia to the Base Camp Plaza de Mulas, with a 10 hour-walk, and the day in which we attempt the summit, up to 20 hours of activity.

Where do we spend the night?

Overnight is in mountain camps in comfortable igloo tents, for 2, 3 or 4 people.

Do we need to carry a tent?

Tents are included in the service. We also include the dining tent with tables and chairs.

What is the minimum age to be part of the expedition?

From 18 years old.

How much does the backpack weigh?

Between 8 to 12 kilos to the base camp. 15 kilos from the base camp and on, except on the summit day when we will be carrying only water,food and headlamp.

Is there porter service?

We have a mule porter service, which will carry the general equipment and the personnel that you do not use until the base camp.

How is the evacuation system?

In the unlikely event of an accident or in the case one of the passengers cannot continue with the expedition, the procedure we implement in our expeditions is the following:

During the first four days (up to Confluencia camp), the passenger can be evacuated by our guides and helpers of the expedition. If necessary, we hire a mule.
In the section between Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas, the guides and assistants are able to descend the passenger. During the stay in Plaza de Mulas, the evacuation without cost is no longer responsibility of the company. We advise you and assist you during the procedure. The cost of helicopter, mule or guide-assistant, is at the expense of each passanger. Self-evacuation system is forbidden (descending by your own). However, in almost all our expeditions, on day 8, from Plaza de Mulas, we have a group of passenger from other groups that are descending . In this case, the person could descend with this group which is in charge of one of our guides.
In the highest camps (last 8 days), evacuation on foot is included, with the assistance of a guide or assistant, to Plaza de Mulas base camp. Meals and tents in Plaza de Mulas are also included. Descent can be done with the rest of the group that tried the summit. Costs of animals or helicopters for evacuation are not included.

What do we eat?

In all our expeditions we provide the meals service IN FULL BOARD PLAN. In this case, which is a long and high altitude expedition, the demands are great, so we intensify the intake of nuts and carbohydrates of rapid or medium digestion.

March lunches (cold meals): Milanesa (tradional Argentine beef cut) and tomato sandwiches, sandwiches, snacks, salads, tapas, etc.
Dinners: Vegetable stews-bacon-red chorizo, chicken and vegetable casseroles, pasta with various sauces or stew, roasted meat, Chow Fan, chicken with rice, pizzas.
Breakfasts and snacks: Tea, Coffee, Cappuccino, Mate Cocido, Mate, Milk powder; bread, cookies, jam, honey, dulce de leche; cereals, fruit.
Individual bag with energetic snacks: Nougats, bars, nuts, chocolates, alfajores, candies, others.

It is necessary to complete the personal and medical file to clarify if you have any special diet.

¿Para quién es Aconcagua Expedition to summit - Normal Route?

Aconcagua Expedition to summit - Normal Route es una expedición que la puede realizar cualquier aventurero con la preparación física, equipo y experiencia previa adecuada con salida desde Mendoza , en la región Cuyo, Argentina. Tiene una duración de 18 days. Todos nuestros programas incluyen guías de montaña certificados, logistica de expedición y seguro de accidentes personales.

¿Qué nivel físico se necesita para Aconcagua Expedition to summit - Normal Route?

Como medír la dificultad de un ascenso o una expedicion? es una pregunta que surge a menudo. Para esto desarrollamos un sistema de graduación que ayuda al participante a medir la dificultad, dado a que evaluamos 5 variables sobre la intensidad de cada propuesta.
• El peso de la mochila en relación a la duración de la jornada
• La exigencia física
• El nivel técnico del terreno y equipo requerido
• El grado de fortaleza psíquica necesaria
• La altura máxima que se alcanza
Hace click el botón y evalua vos mismo la dificultad ->:

¿Qué equipamiento necesito para participar del Aconcagua Expedition to summit - Normal Route?

En cada uno de nuestros programas vas encontrar un apartado de EQUIPO REQUERIDO. conta con nosotros para asesorarte y prepararlo de forma adeacuada para maximizar el disfrute de la actividad. Contamos con una tienda de alquiler, para resolver si te falta algo.
Chequealo ahora! ->

¿Qué incluye Aconcagua Expedition to summit - Normal Route?

PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAIN GUIDES: Registered guides with great experience from the AEX staff. These same guides participate in other annual trips and treks included in the training plan and permanent assistance. This is how you can meet them during the year during your preparation. TRAINING AND PREPARATION: Perhaps the most important point of our style and service. We include up to 4 weekly face-to-face training classes in AMBA (Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area) and material + remote monitoring, for those who live anywhere else in A

Difficulty Graduation System

Click on each indicator to see details

60%

Backpack (M)

Backpack: Weight / Duration of the Day.

Clic para detalles

100%

Physical (F)

Physical demand

Clic para detalles

40%

Technical (T)

Technician: Difficulty in the Field / Equipment.

Clic para detalles

100%

Psycho (P)

Psychological Strength

Clic para detalles

100%

Height (A)

Height Exposure

Clic para detalles

How to interpret these values?

Each aspect is evaluated from 20% to 100%, where:

20-40%: Basic or beginner level
60%: Intermediate level
80-100%: Advanced or expert level

Only for experienced adventurers

This adventure requires advanced experience and excellent physical condition.

Required equipment

GENERAL EQUIPMENT

Backpack for trekking (70 to 90 liters)
Large Bag (90 or more liters). It wiil be carried by the mules
Warm sleeping bag (-15 comfort degrees, eg 1000gms of feather or synthetic good).
Insulated sleeping pad (10 to 15mm).
Inflatable insulating mattress (optional)

FOOT WEAR

High mountain boots (synthetic or plastic double boots)
Trekking shoes
Light trekking shoes (trail-running type)

BASE LAYER (first skin)

Underwear.
Cotton shirts (to be in the camp and to sleep)
T-shirts and / or short-sleeved synthetic shirts
Synthetic shirts with long sleeves
Pants or leggings made of polypropylene or similar (not cotton). To wear as warm indoor pants
Thin gloves made of polypropylene or similar (not cotton)
Fleece cap
Pairs of synthetic thin socks (not cotton)
Buff neck

MIDDLE LAYER

Trekking socks (synthetic-thermal)
thick mountain socks
cotton or wool socks ( wool is for sleeping)
2 long trekking pants
Shorts
Sweatshirt (Fleece 100 or Fleece 200)
Thin - Feather duvet jacket
Thick feather-duvet jacket
Fleece gloves (with fingers)
Sun hat

OUTER LAYER

Waterproof jacket - parka (gore tex or similar)
Pants cover (gore tex or similar)
Waterproof and breathable gloves
Ski gloves
Mountain gaiters

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT

Crampons (possible to rent)
Climbing helmet
Trekking poles

PERSONAL ELEMENTS

Passport, ID card, ID.
Medical insurance
Medical and personal information completed, authorization.
Permit printed for payment.

OTHER ELEMENTS

Frontal flashlight with batteries (with spare batteries)
Sturdy plastic bags for storing clothes.

HEALTH & HYGIENE

Sun glasses with UV protection Category 4
Spare lenses (can be goggles, highly recommended)
Personal first-aid kit (medication with the relevant recipe)
Sunscreen, Lip balm
Soap, shampoo (small) and small towel.
Toilet paper. Baby wipes.

KITCHEN ITEMS

Containers to drink water, for at least 4 liters (2 bottles of 1 liter and 1 bag of hydration with hose of 2 lt.)
Small thermos
Personal dishes: Plate, glass / jug, cutlery

OPTIONAL, not mandatory (check space and weight)