Hiking up to base camp with Polish Glacier clear.

Aconcagua is a beautiful mountain in Argentina on the border with Chile. We hiked in from the South and East to base camp at Plaza Argentina (13,780' (4,200m) with the goal of climbing the technical Polish Glacier route. However, we were not successful in 2007 due to weather, and in my case, illness. The hike in and out was made significantly easier with mules carrying all our gear - up to 60 kgs each mule.

Summary

• Cerro Aconcagua, Argentina
• Range: Andes
• Height: 22, 841' (6992m)
• Noteworthy: highest in the Americas and one of the 7 Summits
• Route attempted: Polish Glacier (AD, AI3)
• Date: February 2007
• Altitude reached: 15,000' (weather and illness)

Ryan Waters making dinner at base camp.

Books about Aconcagua

The following will give you a good idea of what is involved in climbing Aconcagua. This one just happens to have ended up on my bookshelf. There are many others out there to read.

• Aconcagua: A Climbing Guide by RJ Secor, The Mountaineers, 1994 - a comprehensive look at a variety of climbing routes on Aconcagua.