Aconcagua “The Summit of the Americas”

Aconcagua is a mighty peak, standing at 22,841 ft, it is the second highest mountain of the Seven Summits after Everest and the tallest peak outside the Himalaya and in the Western Hemisphere. A true test, it straddles the Andes and is roughly equal distance between the stunning South American towns of Mendoza, Argentina and Santiago in Chile. A rugged challenge, the mountain sits in a predominately arid, hot climate which makes for stable summer climbing but still offers some snow and cramponing high on the peak. Not to be underestimated, the altitude, elevation gains and load carries make it unique and arduous but an amazing accomplishment for even the seasoned mountaineer.

Although we offer a variety of expedition options, our main guided teams will climb the mountain via a new variation on the False Polish route that CTSS Owner Mike Hamill helped develop. This route approaches the mountain through the Vacas and Relinchos Valleys and ties in higher on the mountain with the old upper Guanacos route. From here it uses one more camp then the typical False Polish climb. This route is less crowded and cleaner then the normal routes and we feel it is the best option on the mountain. Our climb finishes with a traverse and descent to Plaza de Mulas base camp. We chose this route as it offers a more direct descent from high camp and a shorter trek off the mountain.

This expedition will be organized and led by Mike Hamill, Owner of Climbing the Seven Summits. Mike has personally guided nearly 30 Aconcagua expeditions, 10 Mt. Everest expeditions, 23 X 8,000m expeditions, has 6 Everest summits, currently holds the record for most non-Sherpa summits of Cho Oyu, and has written the guide book to “Climbing the Seven Summits,” making him one of the most experienced guide on the mountain. Well over 150 summits have been notched on Aconcagua under Mike’s direct leadership. Climbing the Seven Summits expeditions are meticulously organized with the best logistics.

Climbing the Seven Summits is committed to providing the highest quality Aconcagua expedition.  You can be assured that it will be both challenging and fun, a true once in a lifetime experience. Rest assured that our professional priorities are first and foremost “Safety” and “Success” which we achieve by outfitting our teams with the best logistics and the most capable, qualified and seasoned guides in the world.

While this is a challenging peak, our Aconcagua program is designed to see you succeed. Expedition leader Mike has utilized his extensive knowledge and experience with over 30 expeditions on the mountain to achieve a 93% client success rate.

Aconcagua Climb Difficulty: Advanced Beginner to Intermediate

Climbing Aconcagua requires serious fitness, an ability to perform well at altitude, the mindset to be away from home for 3 weeks, and a desire for rugged adventure travel. The Andes are still a very remote and rugged place with few of the creature comforts we have come to expect. We try to give our climbers all of the creature comforts that we can but at the end of the day this is true adventure travel!

Climbers need solid cramponing skill and knowledge of self arrest technique and ice axe use are valuable but not a pre-requisite. If you want to join this expedition but don’t have these skills we can work with you to get you up to speed prior to the climbs. Please let us know how we can help!

Description of the Upper Vacas Valley route and Traverse:

Although we offer several expedition choices on Aconcagua, our main guided route is the Upper Vacas Valley and traverse. Our director, Mike Hamill, is perhaps the most experienced guide on this route and helped pioneer this route over a decade ago. It is our choice route because it offers us a wilderness experience while offering the easiest and safest climbing and the best chance of success. It is a breathtaking route with less traffic then the normal route, and great wild life (especially guanacos) viewing opportunities. The route one climbs in large part determines the experience and this route will give you by far the best climbing experience available on Aconcagua.

Despite being more pristine and less crowded then the normal route, it’s a relatively straight forward climb with few technical difficulties. There is some moderately steep, loose scree scrambling on our route as with all other routes but no technical climbing. We hike along well beaten mule paths all the way to Base Camp. From Base Camp to the summit our route varies between smooth hiking trails, loose scree, walking on snow and through “Penitentes”, and crossing small streams. This variety keeps our ascent interesting while never posing a real impediment to progress. Overall, this route is casual and enjoyable. Anyone with limited climbing experience should have little difficulty with the terrain.

All of our expeditions incorporate a slow acclimatization schedule to give you the best chance at continuing upwards without experiencing altitude illness. We employ the “carry high, sleep low”, principle of high altitude mountaineering by carrying up to our next camp and then returning to a lower altitude to sleep before moving to the higher camp the following day.

Although we offer a variety of expedition options, our main guided teams will climb the mountain via a new variation on the False Polish route that CTSS Owner Mike Hamill helped develop. This route approaches the mountain through the Vacas and Relinchos Valleys and ties in with the old upper Guanacos route. From here it uses one more camp then the typical False Polish climb. This route is less crowded and cleaner then the normal routes. Our climb finishes with a traverse and descent to Plaza de Mulas base camp. We chose this route as it offers a more direct descent from high camp and a shorter trek off the mountain.

Making a Traverse of Aconcagua:

Mike has had incredible success making a traverse of the mountain and people really enjoy this option. Traversing Aconcagua allows us to see both sides of the mountain, makes for an easier descent, and cuts a day off the trek back to the trail head. Overall, it’s a huge advantage! However, there are logistics that need to be considered to make the traverse run smoothly. Since we have an 18 mile (30km) trek out the last day of the trip on the opposite side of the mountain we need to have a day pack and footwear for this last day. We recommend that you bring a light pair of sneakers up the mountain as camp booties that you can hike out in the final day. Do not attempt to hike 18 miles in your climbing boots: your feet will be destroyed! As for a day pack, many climber’s top pouch on their packs turn into a hip pack, or they may be able to dump the contents of your big pack into a duffel bag and trek out with your pack. Also, since we traverse the mountain we won’t cache gear at camps on our way up the mountain since we won’t be descending the same route to recover these items. This means that climbers need to make sure they bring only the essentials up the mountain. We will leave duffels at Plaza Argentina base camp before ascending the mountain and this gear will meet you back at Penitentes (not base camp on the other side), so if you have a few comfort items like a book or cotton T shirt on the trek, you won’t need to haul this up and over the mountain. Making sense? The traverse is a great option and you will love it once you experience it. Your guide will give you a more detailed description of the traverse at the team meeting in Mendoza.

Aconcagua Team Expedition Climb Schedule: Upper Vacas Valley and Traverse

This itinerary is only a rough estimate and will be determined by weather and acclimatization. This is adventure travel meaning things rarely go as planned and this schedule will likely change. Climbers need to be adaptable and positive.

We always recommend climbers arrive in Mendoza one day early to avoid travel delays or issues with lost baggage. Added expenses (hotel/food/sightseeing) of this extra day are the clients responsibility. Please let us know if you want us to arrange logistics for early arrivals or for a single rooming option.

Speed Ascent: Aconcagua Normal Route Via Horcones

The following is a tentative itinerary for the Normal Route Private Guide Speed Ascent. We use the Normal route on this ascent option because it is shorter and faster option; perfect for someone looking to shave time and is already acclimatized. This itinerary is only a rough estimate and will be determined by weather and acclimatization. All climbers need to be adaptable and roll with the schedule if it changes.

We always recommend climbers arriving to town one day early to avoid travel delays or issues with lost baggage. Added expenses (hotel/food/sightseeing/etc) of this extra day are the clients responsibility. Please let us know if you want us to arrange logistics for you arriving a day early or for a single room.