Winter Mountaineering - Beginners - Ice climbing Course - Winter trekking - Vallecitos - Cordón del Plata, Mendoza

A mountaineering course in winter conditions with the comfort of spending the night in a mountain shelter

  • Start Date : 2024-Jul-23
    End Date: 2024-Jul-26
  • Hora Inicio: 10 am
    Hora Fin: 5 pm
  • Meeting Point:Mendoza City
    End point: Mendoza City
  • Duration:4 days
    Availability: 5 spots
US$ 560 US$ 450.- Cot Oficial 20 % Off

Special price booking until 05 de April!

Winter Mountaineering Course - Vallecitos, Mendoza

Proposal

The Mountaineering school

The Cordón del Plata, better known as Vallecitos, is a mountain range used as a mountaineering school. There are grouped mountains of different heights, valleys and ideal conditions for mountaineering enthusiasts of all levels.

In this course, we propose you to develop contents related to winter mountaineering, with opening of tracks, preparation of camps, climbing in snowfields, ice climbing, practice of glacier transit and even ascent to summits.

Course Contents:

 

  • Special care in winter: cold, sun, wind, nutrition-hydration. How to live in the snow
  • Snow: types, consistency, metamorphosis. Avalanches.
  • Snow trekking
  • Winter camping: armed, general considerations
  • First steps: Open trail, slopes, slopes, ascents-descents, self-arrest
  • Personal equipment, uses and characteristics: Canes, Pickaxe-Piolet, crampons
  • Security material, uses and characteristics: Anchors, stakes, screws, nails.
  • Safety rope: Ensemble, glacier roped. strings
  • Snow and ice climbing: Corridors, waterfalls (axe traction). Mixed climbing
2022 Dates of our winter Mountaineering Courses:

 

  • July 27th to 30th - Vallecitos, Mendoza
  • August 13th to 16th - Caviahue, Neuquén
  • September 5th to 9th - Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego

 

ITINERARY

Day 1: Transfer from Mendoza City to Vallecitos by charter vehicle (2 hour-trip). Preparation in the shelter. Initial talk of the equipment and basic notions. Walk with backpack, poles and snowshoes (if necessary). First practices. Dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Breakfast. Self arrest. First steps. Open footprint. Scenario reading. Nivology, snow types, cuts, slope analysis: avalanches. Lunch. Rope-in ??practice in assembly and glacier with rescue in crevasses. Pickaxe technique. Dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Breakfast. Crampon practice. Mixed climbing. Anchors in snow: stakes, anchors, mushrooms. Armed systems. Lunch. Special techniques with ice ax and crampons. Climbing pitches through corridors and rugged slopes. Ascent to summit to be defined. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Breakfast. Ice climbing (axe traction) in artificial waterfalls, if conditions allow it. Climbing option to the summit of Lomas Blancas. Lunch. Final content review. End of the course. Return in the afternoon to Mendoza City.

Note

Considerations

It is an intense experience in the middle of winter. It is important to know that contact with snow and cold is permanent and important. The equipment is essential to be of quality and complete.
You spend the night in a mountain refuge with basic amenities

Included Services
  • Transfers to and from Mendoza
  • Guided and permanent instruction. professional guides
  • General equipment: ropes, carabiners, cords, tapes, general group technical material
  • Communication: vhf radio - satellite phone
  • First aid team and lifeguards
  • 3 nights in a shelter with beds, bathroom and kitchen-dining room
  • The entire course and its contents, the 4 continuous days.
  • Guided ascent to the summit to be designated
  • Prior advice with meetings, audiovisual and others.
  • Personal accident insurance

Services NOT included
  • Trip to Mendoza (flight or bus tickets)
  • Meals (The idea is to shop together with the group and cooking a suitable menu for dinners and to take away during the activities.)
  • Personal equipment (clothing and technical: pickaxe, crampons, helmet, harness, rackets, etc) Ask us for the complete combo rental.

Photo and Video Gallery


Faq

What temperatures must be tolerated?

Although we spend the night in a shelter, temperatures can drop considerably below 0 degrees during the day. It is very important to have the right equipment and that it is of quality.

Also, protect yourself a lot from the sun with a hat-cap, neckerchiefs, sunscreen and category 4 mountain glasses.

What sleeping bag should I take?

The sleeping bag does not need to be too warm but also not too simple. The duvet material-goose down are the best, but the synthetic ones today also have modern materials and high performance. You can rent a sleeping bag with us.

How should I travel to the meeting point?

By flight or long distance bus to Mendoza City.

Is there anything you can tell me about the group?

In general, these are very heterogeneous groups (all kinds of people). Varied ages and sexes, people traveling alone, accompanied by a friend, couples, families, etc.

Where do you spend the night?

In a mountain shelter, shared rooms within the group, in beds + sleeping bag.

What physical condition should I have to be able to carry out this type of expedition?

It is not decisive that you are an updated athlete and that you train 4 times a week. But it is important that you know that the better you are physically, it will always be better. The idea of ??these adventures is that you can enjoy it and not suffer it. If you don't usually train, go for a run, bike or other aerobic activity, we recommend that you attend one of our weekly training classes associated with mountain activities. And if you start by going for a walk with a backpack loaded with no less than 8 kilograms and doing several kilometers per week and also going up and down stairs or slopes in series of 20 uninterrupted minutes.

From what age can they do this activity?

From 16 years of age with authorization or accompaniment of an adult.

How much does the backpack weigh?

Not too much, we carry out the activities and walks to and from the shelter. 5 kg maximum.

Difficulty graduation

Mochila: Peso / Duración de la Jornada.

Exigencia Física

Técnico: Dificultad en el Terreno / Equipo.

Fortaleza Psicológica

Exposición a la Altura

Backpack (M)

This point has to do with the weight that we must carry in our backpacks. Trekkings or crossings where we have pack animals allow us to bear less weight on our backs. And the multi-day journeys in Patagonia (without the option of having pack mules) generally make us carry more weight, especially in the early days.

20% Up to 5 Kilos: Short excursion walks / Trekking Talampaya

40% Up to 8/10 Kilos: Round-trip trekking / Vallecitos 3 and 4-day programs

60% Up to 12/15 kilos: Crossing trekking with porting / Crossing of the Andes Paso Portillo

80% More than 15/18 kilos: Cross-country trekkings with little or no portage / Trekkings in Patagonia (Paso Vuriloche, PN Lanin or Nahuel Huapi, etc)

100% More than 25 Kilos: With a lot of equipment on top and little or no porting / Continental Ice

Physical (F)

We consider physical demands to the wear that we can suffer both aerobic (climbs = possible shortness of breath) and muscle (resistance = many hours walking) and of legs and joints (descents = knees / ankles).

20% half a day or less with little unevenness.

40% more sustained slopes and longer days in the activity. 2-3 days / more than 6 hours per day.

60% Long ascents and descents with a longer duration. Ascents to more than 4000 meters in the central mountain range / intense 4-day trekking (Uruguayan plane)

80% Important work of legs in resistance. Very long days. Very long day ascents (Lanin - Domuyo) or more than 5000 meters. Ice courses.

100% Maximum demand. Aerobic work and constant effort on legs. Continental Ice, Aconcagua, mountains of more than 6000 meters.

Technical (T)

The technical difficulty is mainly based on the terrain. How much can it cost us to climb a slope, if it is very steep or if we have to use our hands in some section (simple climbing), both in rock and snow-ice, or materials such as crampons and pegs in other ascents.

20% flat land

40% trails with moderate ups and downs. General crossing trekkings . Sierra de la Ventana, Córdoba, Patagonia, Cuyo, north, others. Classic ascents

60% Steeper slopes and trails. Possible use of crampons. Domuyo, Cordón del Plata, Cordillera Central.

80% Mixed terrain, with snow or ice. Alvear, Lanin, Tronador. Bolivia, Peru.

100% Highly technical terrain. Glacial transit and climbing in sections. Hill climbing with sections on slopes of more than 60 ° inclination

Psycho (P)

We maintain that this point, the psychological factor, represents a relevant factor. Each one needs a factor of conviction, confidence, self-control and will power to achieve a goal. And depending on the attitude with which we face distances, slopes, terrain and many other objective factors, we can achieve performance with very different results.

20% We will not be much affected.

40% This is a normal level of attention.

60% We require more motivation, enthusiasm and concentration.

80% The activity will require us to be very connected and convinced.

100% Maximum control and emotional-psychological performance.

Adventures (A)

It is the factor that, the height above sea level, influences us depending on the activity we carry out. Managing and overcoming symptoms caused by altitude is the key to this point

0% + sea level.

20% Up to 2000 masl.

40% + 2000 masl.

60% + 4000 masl.

80% + 5000 masl.

100% + 6000 masl.

Gradual Adventure Activity Difficulty System designed by Leandro Scheurle.
Copyright Argentinaxtrema.com © 2009. All rights reserved.

Required equipment

GENERAL EQUIPMENT

 

  • Special backpack for trekking (40 to 60 litres)
  • Warm sleeping bag (0 degrees). Possible to rent
  • Trekking poles with snow rosette (possible to rent)
FOOTWEAR
  • 1 Medium-high mountain boots (they can be simple but warm boots or double synthetic or plastic boots). (possible to rent)
  • 1 spare trekking shoe
FIRST LAYER (First skin)
  • Underwear
  • Cotton shirts (to be in the camp and to sleep)
  • T-shirts and/or long-sleeved synthetic t-shirts
  • Polypropylene pants or leggings or similar (not cotton). To use as warm inner pants
  • Thin polypropylene gloves or similar (not cotton)
  • Warm hat
  • Pairs of thin synthetic socks or similar (not cotton)
  • Buff scarf neck
SECOND LAYER (Coat)
  • Trekking socks (synthetic-thermal)
  • Thick mountain socks
  • Cotton or wool socks (wool is good for sleeping)
  • Long pants replacement of the trouser cover (ski type)
  • Warm coat (100 fleece coverall or 200 fleece coverall)
  • Thick down-duvet jacket
  • Fleece gloves (with fingers or mittens)
  • Sun hat
THIRD LAYER (windproof and waterproof)
  • Waterproof jacket - parka (gore tex or similar)
  • Trouser cover (gore tex or similar)
  • Third layer gloves or mittens (waterproof and breathable)
  • Ski gloves (as a spare)
  • Mountain gaiters
INDIVIDUAL TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT

 

  • Crampons (possible to rent)
  • Climbing helmet (possible to rent)
  • Harness + self-securing strap + carabiners and safety plate (possible to rent)
  • Ice ax-traverse pickaxe (possible to rent)
  • Snowshoes (possible to rent), if necessary
PERSONAL ELEMENTS
  • Passport or ID.
  • Medical travel insurance
  • Complete medical and personal file
VARIOUS ELEMENTS
  • HEADLIGHT with batteries (with spare batteries)
  • Strong plastic bags to store clothes.
HEALTH & HYGIENE
  • Sunglasses with UV protection Category 4
  • Spare lenses (can be goggles, highly recommended)
  • Personal kit (medication with the relevant prescription)
  • High sunscreen, Lip balm
  • Soap, shampoo (small to share) and small towel.
  • Toilet paper. handkerchiefs Baby wipes.
KITCHEN & PERSONAL USE
  • Containers to drink water, for a minimum of 4 liters (2 1-liter bottles and 1 hydration bag with a 2-liter hose)
  • Personal crockery: Plastic deep plate, glass / jug, cutlery
OPTIONAL, not mandatory

 

  • SILVER TAPE, for blisters and repairs
  • Mate, bombilla and yerba.
  • Mini - sewing box
  • Telescope, monocle. Photographic or video equipment
  • Book, notebook, travel diary, pencil, pen.

Rental Equipment

Trekking sleeping bag

Booking in Advance

US$ 16 + options

Pair of Trekking Poles

Booking in Advance

US$ 10 + options

Rental mittens

Booking in Advance

US$ 8 + options

Pair of Crampons

Booking in Advance

US$ 15 + options

Rental : helmet, crampons and ice ax

Booking in Advance

US$ 36 + options

Combo Top: helmet, crampons, ice ax and full harness

Booking in Advance

US$ 50 + options

Category 3 sunglasses - Shepra Julbo Spectrom

Booking in Advance

US$ 5 + options

Backpack for trekking and mountaineering - Woman

Booking in Advance

US$ 10 + options

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