Aconcagua Climbing Guide: Without guide but with mule service
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE?
- Insurance
You need to have insurance that covers high altitude hiking and helicopter evacuation. They did not check this when we got our permit BUT if you don’t have before you leave the UK then it costs a lot more to get. The mountain has a 30% success rate so probably best to be safe! Mine cost about £120. I used True Traveller
o True Traveller – https://www.truetraveller.com/
o World Nomads – https://www.worldnomads.com/
o Big Cat insurance – https://bigcattravelinsurance.com/
- Hotel Suggestions
o Hostel Alamo – www.hostelalamo.com
o Urbana hotel – http://www.urbanaclasshotel.com/
o Park Hyatt – https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/argentina/park-hyatt-mendoza-hotel-casino-and-spa/menph
- Packing hints
Items such as crampons, ice axe and double boots take up a lot of space. They are all available to rent in Mendoza (see separate cost list). You really want to keep your kit to 23kg as it will cost you about £280 (RTN) for an extra bag. If you have a 100l duffel bag take it and pack your backpack inside. This will be the bag you use to cache and carry your stuff up the mountain from plaza. If you want good food on the mountain then buy it un Europe. I would recommend about 14 dehydrated meals (www.firepotfood.com) and Quaker porridge sachets. You can buy food at El Refugio but it is heavier and not nearly as nice!
- UBER – Uber works in Mendoza and is a lot cheaper!
- Cash – I think you can take out about 4000pesos ($110) per day. You need $800+ for the permit so best to take dollars. El Refugio (Kit rental) also takes US dollars so any extra cash is useful. US dollars are also used on the mountain.
WHAT TO DO WHEN IN MENDOZA?
- Permit – This video tells you everything you need to know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PDW00CtomI
This is the link to the website: http://www.aconcagua.mendoza.gov.ar/
- Rent kit – El Refugio (photo of price list in gallery below) – http://www.elrefugioaconcagua.com/info.html
We went to a few shops and this is by far the best. The rental guys are amazing and the kit was all in pretty good condition. I opted for plastic double boots but if it is cold then spending more on the La Sportiva ones is probably worth it.
GETTING FROM MENDOZA TO LOS PENITENTES:
There is a bus from the Mendoza bus terminal run by a company called Buttini. They leave at about 6am and 10am each day and it takes about 3.5hours to Los Penitentes. If using Grajales for logistics, they will give you a lift (included in price) from Los Penitentes to the trailhead where you need to sign in with the park rangers. If you get the 10am bus, there is sufficient time to trek to Confluencia on the same day.
On the return, you need to contact Grajales at tent before you leave Plaza de Mulas to book a transfer back to Los Penitentes where you can collect your bags from the mules and get the bus back to Mendoza (leaves at 8pm). This taxi costs $30.
A SUGGESTED ITINERARY
o Fly Direct to Mondoza
o Day 1: Mendoza – Permit
o Day 2: Mendoza – Kit Rental
o Day 3: Transfer to Los Penitentes, hike to Confluencia
o Day 4: Acclimatisation hike to Camp Franzia (sleep at Confluencia)
o Day 5: Hike to Plaza Las Mulas
o Day 6: Rest at Plaza de Mulas
o Day 7: Acclimatisation hike up Moretti
o Day 8: Cache & Carry to Camp Canada (sleep at Las Mulas) *Check the Weather forecast here to find your window – https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Aconcagua/forecasts/6962
o Day 9: Hike to Camp Canada
o Day 10: Cache & Carry to Nido de Condores (Sleep at Camp Canada)
o Day 11: Hike to Nido de Condores – Hike higher to acclimatise but return to Nido to sleep)
o Day 12: Hike to Camp Colera
o Day 13: Summit Day
ACCLIMATISATION
I had to learn a lot about acclimatisation, mainly from my climbing partner @Al_Hogarth. At sea level the effective oxygen % is 20.9%. At the summit of Aconcagua it is about 8.7% so you really need to respect that difference and prepare your body as best as possible.
[there is a chart in gallery below – credit to https://www.higherpeak.com/altitudechart.html)
My main take outs are:
- Climb slowly
- Spend as many days as possible at lower camps to give you the best chance at higher ones
- Trek High- Sleep Low
- Don’t climb more than 1000m in one day
- drink 4.5l of water a day (add electrolytes)
- Don’t lie down or be inactive for too long – You could get headaches
- Make sure you eat – even if you don’t feel hungry
Our climbing schedule was as below (see a clearer image in the gallery below)
Please note that we would have ideally spent an extra night a Camp Nido but due to feeling strong and a positive weather window we cut a day out. Also note that this was our strategy, you may need more or less time.
To help with acclimatisation you could climb a couple of smaller mountains before entering the national park
Other mountains you can climb near by to get acclimatisation for free!
o Cerro Vallecitos (5470m)
o Cerro El Plata (5968m)
When you are in the Park you can do the following (included in our plan)
o Plaza Francia (4200m) – hike from Confluencia, great views of the South Face
o Cerro Bonete (5004m) – hike from Plaza de Mulas
MULES & LOGISTIC SERVICES
When you pay for a mule you get a lot more (we used Grajales). It cost $250 for a mule to take from los Penitentes to Plaza de Mulas. This allows you access to clean water and toilets at Confluencia and Plaza de Mulas. There are also “chill out” tents, and you can store bags at plaze de Mulas. They also have nice tent pitches available. If you want to splash out, you can buy a meal. (3 course meal at Confluencia is $40 & $50 at Mulas). There are also separate camping spaces at Canada, Nido and Colera.
Grajales – https://grajales.net/
WHAT’S AT PLAZA DE MULAS?
Plaza de Mulas is a bustling space. There are restaurants, bars, hot showers, phone charging spots and even an art gallery. Beware everything costs a lot of money! Hot shower or Beer = $10
TOILETS ON THE MOUNTAINS?
There are facilities at Confluencia and Mulas. Higher than that you need to do your business into a plastic bag provided by the park rangers. You need to carry this with you and have it checked when you get off the mountain. It sounds horrible but hopefully it freezes and it does prevent the mountain turning into one big toilet. MY TIP, take extra bags to poo into, place them in orange bag and then put the whole thing in a large (IKEA) ziplock bag!
WATER ON THE MOUNTAINS?
If you are using Grajales or a similar company, you should have access to water at Confluencia and Mulas. Above Mulas you will be melting snow. Take electrolytes (water very nutrient poor) and water purification tablets.
