Argentina - Aconcagua - Polish Traverse

Argentina

Polish Traverse Via Vacas Valley

Cerro Aconcagua (22,841')

Overview

Difficulty Rating: Aconcagua, F
Experience Level: Advanced Beginner
Duration: 23 days
Climbers: 6-8
Guides: 3
Land Cost: $4600

Expedition Code

AGPV-10-01080130

Dates

Jan 8 - Jan 30, 2010

Expedition Goals

Cerro Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemisphere, the highest mountain outside of Asia, and one of the Seven Summits. Our route is the Polish Glacier Traverse via the Vacas Valley approach. The Polish Traverse is the more challenging of this technically forgiving mountain’s two normal routes, offering plenty of moderate glacier travel and steep climbing at high altitude.

Prerequisites

Participation in this climbing expedition requires intermediate mountaineering skills. You must have a good working knowledge of the techniques for staying warm and dry while climbing, traveling and camping in extremely cold conditions, and the proper use of ice axe and crampons. Additionally, you must be comfortable moving over steep snow and ice up to 70-degrees, following grade 3 ice, and be proficient in commonly accepted belay techniques. High altitude experience up to 14,000 feet, glacier travel experience, and technical ice climbing experience are required. For reasons of personal and team safety and success, it is imperative you arrive for this climb in excellent physical condition.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive in Argentina; transfer from airport; hotel check-in; administration & logistics. Arrive in Mendoza (2,600’), where an Expedition-Logistics guide will be waiting to greet you. After a gear inventory and hotel check-in, take some time to relax or explore the city. This evening, get to know your guides and teammates at the welcome dinner and expedition briefing.

Day 2 — Early wake-up; transfer to Penitentes. This morning we pick up our climbing permits, and then load into vans for the three-hour drive to the town of Los Penitentes (8,000’). Penitentes is a ski resort located in a beautiful valley, and typically boasts a number of amenities. However, it is summer here below the equator, and this time of year Penitentes resembles a ghost town more than a busy ski resort. In the late afternoon we organize our gear into mule-loads and prepare for tomorrow’s start of the approach hike to basecamp.

Day 3 — Casual wake-up; transfer to Punta de Vacas; trek to Pampa de Lenas. This morning we load into 4x4s for the short drive to Punta de Vacas (7,645’), where we load our gear onto mules and begin our three day approach hike along the Quebrada de Vacas, the Vacas Valley, to Aconcagua basecamp. On the horizon, the snow-covered peaks of the Andes stand in stark contrast to this morning’s section of high desert trail along the Rio de las Vacas. We arrive at Pampa de Lenas (9,100’) in the afternoon, register with the park staff and set up camp for the night.

Day 4 — Casual wake-up; trek to Casa de Piedras. This morning we awaken to cold temps and frozen water bottles on day two of our approach hike. After breakfast we load the mules and once again make our way along the Rio de las Vacas. Arriving at our overnight camp at Casa de Piedras (10,450’) 5-6 hours later, we get our first look at Aconcagua’s east face up the Quebrada Relinchos.

Day 5 — Early wake-up; trek to Aconcagua basecamp. Today is the day we finally hike into basecamp, leaving the Vacas Valley and turning up the ever-steepening Quebrada Relinchos. Before we get there, however, we have a couple of icy, cold, and character-building stream crossings as we. This is also the day many people begin really feeling the altitude. But with every step the view becomes increasingly stunning, and before we know it we arrive at the base of the Relinchos Glacier and basecamp at Plaza Argentina (13,800’). After six hours of strenuous hiking, we reach the terminal moraine of the Relinchos Glacier and Plaza Argentina. Aconcagua basecamp is a cold, barren and windy place. Nevertheless, it is also an impressive multinational mountaineering assembly – it is not unusual to find climbers here representing 10-12 different countries – and even has vendors in tents hawking pizza, beer and spirits.

Day 6 — Casual wake-up; mandatory rest day. Today is a rest day to promote recovery and allow for proper acclimatization. It is important to remember that rest and recuperation are vital to the acclimatization process and the prevention of altitude sickness. Our well thought-out and proven system of active acclimatization – incremental increases in altitude and exertion in combination with sufficient recovery time and proper nutrition – has paid off time and again with a consistently high success rate summit days. We will use our time reviewing skills, exploring the surrounding area and organizing food and gear for tomorrow’s carry to Camp 1.

Day 7 — Early wake-up; carry to Camp 1; return to basecamp. This morning we shoulder packs loaded with food, fuel, climbing gear and other items we’ll need in the coming days as we climb higher up the mountain, and make a carry to Camp 1. Our route takes us over the glacier’s moraine and through an area of penitentes – many as tall as a man – which is actually quite fun to negotiate. Penitentes are formed through the action of the sun, and if you’ve never experienced them, it’s similar to navigating your way through a maze. After 5-6 hours worth of steep hiking we arrive at Camp 1 (16,400’) and cache our loads. We take a short break to eat, hydrate and catch our breath, then descend to basecamp to recuperate. Our strategy is the time-proven adage “climb high; sleep low,” and is the cornerstone of our system of active acclimatization.

Day 8 — Casual wake-up; mandatory rest day. Today is a rest day to promote recovery and allow for proper acclimatization. We will use this time to organize additional loads to carry during tomorrow’s move to Camp 1. Our climb of this massive mountain requires more food, fuel and gear than we could ever fit into our packs on one carry; a problem solved by this system of leap-frogging loads ever higher up the mountain.

Day 9 — Early wake-up; move to Camp 1. This morning we once again shoulder loads, negotiate the penitentes and move to Camp 1. We set up camp behind a moraine and spend the remainder of the day organizing gear and recuperating, and enjoying views of the upper reaches of Aconcagua.

Day 10 — Casual wake-up; mandatory rest day in Camp 1. Today is a rest day to promote recovery and allow for proper acclimatization.

Day 11 — Early wake-up; carry to Camp 2; return to Camp 1. This morning we make another carry, climbing to the Ameghino Col (17,645’) and then on to Camp 2 (19,300’) below the Polish Glacier. Here we cache our gear, and, after a short break to recover from our six hour climb, descend to Camp 1.

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