Cerro Aconcagua

An irresistible magnet for climbers (and aspiring climbers) from around the world, Aconcagua also draws casual visitors in private motor vehicles and tour buses, as well as day-hikers and long-distance trekkers, to enjoy the big-sky views of the Andean high country.

Of the world’s highest summits, Aconcagua probably draws the most climbers because the main route requires no technical expertise—simply good conditioning (and willingness to acknowledge physical limitations), suitable equipment, and the readiness to recognize when conditions become dangerous. The extreme and changeable weather, in particular, has claimed the lives of even experienced mountaineers: in total, 108 have died on the mountain, and there are fatalities almost every year, including four in 2003.

In 1897, Swiss climber Mathias Zurbriggen made Aconcagua’s first confirmed ascent, but the 1985 discovery of an Inka mummy on the southwest face, at an altitude of 5,300 meters, demonstrated that pre-Columbian civilizations explored the wild high country of the central Andes. There is disagreement over the etymology of “Aconcagua”—some claim the word comes from the Quechua language and others from the Mapuche—but everyone recognizes its indigenous genesis. Geologically, the mountain consists of uplifted marine sediments covered by volcanic andesite.

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Flora and Fauna
Discussions of Aconcagua rarely mention flora and fauna, partly because the mountain’s sheer size and altitude overwhelm most other considerations, and partly because of the focus on climbing. Another reason is that, in the rain shadow of the Andean crest, the park is one of the most barren parts of the Andes, with only a discontinuous cover of prostrate shrubs and grasses. At the highest altitudes, it is almost pure scree and snow.

That does not mean it lacks wildlife, as the Andean condor soars above the ridges and summits, and lesser birds are also present along the watercourses that descend from its glaciers and snowfields. Mammals like guanacos and red foxes may be conspicuous, along with smaller rodents.

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Hiking and Climbing
The main sight is Aconcagua itself, which is visible from RN 7, but there are better views from Laguna Horcones, about two kilometers north of the highway and about 20 minutes from the ranger station (though probably a bit farther than the 400 meters the trail sign suggests).

For day-hikers, the best outing is Confluencia, about eight kilometers from the ranger station, at an elevation of 3,368 meters. For a three-day camping trip, the best option is to Plaza Francia, another 13 kilometers to the north, at an elevation of 4,500 meters. This is the base camp for Aconcagua’s highly difficult and technical Pared Sur (South Face), first ascended by a French group in 1954.

Most climbers take the longer but technically simpler Ruta Noroeste (Northwest Route) to Plaza de Mulas, 4230 meters above sea level, where there is camping and even a hotel, and then try for the summit. Hikers can go as far as Plaza de Mulas, for which it makes sense to have a seven-day permit.

An alternative approach, longer than the Ruta Noroeste but less technical than the Pared Sur, is the Ruta Glaciar de los Polacos (Polish Glacier route), pioneered by Polish nationals in 1934. Starting at Punta de Vacas, 15 kilometers southeast of Puente del Inca, this route is less crowded than the others but more time-consuming and expensive.

Note that there are variations on all these routes. By whatever route, Aconcagua is a serious mountain that requires excellent physical conditioning, time to adapt to the great altitude, and proper gear for snow, ice, wet, and cold. People have done the summit in as little as seven days from Puente del Inca, but at least an additional week is desirable.

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Other Practicalities
The main information post is at Los Horcones, where the rangers have good information and suggestions, and supply trash bags for climbers and trekkers; it’s open 8 a.m.–9 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturdays. There are also rangers at Confluencia, Plaza de Mulas, Las Leñas on the Polish route up the Río de las Vacas, and at Plaza Argentina, the last major base camp along the Polish route.

Both hikers and climbers must have permits; those with hiking permits may not continue beyond the base camps. In Mendoza, for most of the year, get permits from the provincial Dirección de Recursos Naturales Renovables (Avenida de los Plátanos s/n, tel. 0261/425-2090, aconcagua@mendoza.gov.com.ar, www.recursosnaturales.mendoza.gov.ar), just inside the gates of Parque San Martín. It’s open 8 a.m.–6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. weekends. In summer only, though, permits are available from the nearby Edificio Cuba, and in winter hiking permits are available at Los Horcones itself (though climbing permits are not).

In past years, though, they have been available through the provincial Subsecretaría de Turismo in Mendoza, and this could change again. For the most up-to-date information, check the park’s website (www.aconcagua.mendoza.gov.ar), in Spanish and very readable English as well. Climbers must present proof of their experience and show their equipment.

Permit prices depend on season and nationality (there is now a differential pricing system for Argentines and resident foreigners, and for non-Argentines). Low season runs from November 15–30 and February 21–March 15, mid-season December 1–14 and February 1–20, and high season December 15–January 31. Outside these seasons, fees are reduced.

There is no charge for the short hike to Laguna Horcones, but rangers collect a US$1.50 fee for the day hike to Confluencia. For non-Argentines, three-day hiking permits cost US$20 except in high season, when they cost US$30. Seven-day permits (more desirable for their greater flexibility) cost US$30 in low season, US$40 in mid-season, US$50 in high season; climbers pay US$100 in low season, US$200 in mid-season, and US$300 in high season. Argentines and resident foreigners pay around half the above numbers, but in Argentine pesos, so in practice they pay about one-sixth the U.S.-dollar price.

For more detail on hiking in the park and climbing Aconcagua, look for the improved fifth edition of Tim Burford’s Chile and Argentina: the Bradt Trekking Guide (Bradt Travel Guides, 2001), and for the second edition of R.J. Secor’s climbing guide Aconcagua (Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1999).

Buses from Mendoza to Uspallata continue to Penitentes, where most hikers and climbers stay. From Penitentes, it’s necessary to walk or hire a car to the trailhead at Horcones.