Trip Reports

Aconcagua - 29 Nov to 21 Dec '14

Written by Leader Olan Parkinson, December 2014

If you examine the statistics with regards the success rate (summiting) on Aconcagua, they are not particularly encouraging. In fact, if you examine the statistics on people just turning up and going through with the expedition in the first place, the figures are equally discouraging. After this expedition my admiration is with all those who have reached the summit or even attempted Aconcagua and my sympathies are with those who decided not to try. Succinctly put, Aconcagua is awesome; many people wax lyrical about the Nepalese Himalaya, and rightly so, I love Nepal, have done since the first time I went on expedition there. However, Argentina and Aconcagua in particular are so different; it is such a different challenge, that as an experience it could not fail to leave an impression.

From the two hour-something drive from Mendoza along an incongruously well-constructed road through amazingly arid roots of old mountains, to the first views of Aconcagua which form the backdrop beyond the grassy(ish) entrance to the National Park, one begins to get an idea of the journey that is now facing you for the next 15 days.

Going back a few days, our trip started with a flavour that certainly did not reflect the grandeur to come. We had to negotiate with (probably) the most ignorant check-in lady I have had the misfortune to deal with, having a bad day does not even begin to come close to what I can only assume this woman was going through. I am surprised I had any tongue left once we were finished, but finish we did and in the end it was nothing that a few beers and a chat with the team couldnít resolve. With a range of experience, collectively, I was sure that the 6 team members had what it would take to deal with the rigours of an expedition of this nature. If enthusiasm alone was the pre-requisite, then we were certainly in good standing.

After 3 nights at Confluencia, the walk to base camp, while long, went smoothly and pretty much to ëguide bookí time. The compulsory doctor visits at Confluencia also went without complication and it seemed everyone was acclimatising quite well. Base Camp is at 4,400m - a little lower than many base camps on big mountains, but nevertheless it is remote and feels quite high. Surrounded by the rock walls and glaciers of Aconcagua and the lesser peaks including Bonete Peak, it is a spectacular spot and we had a week here with which to execute our acclimatisation schedule. After an initial rest day we climbed Bonete Peak (5,100m) in good time and everyone felt good on top, with clear skies and great views of Aconcaguaís summit and approach slopes.

But the holiday had to end eventually...the stocking of camps 1, 2 and 3 was not going to happen itself. Carrying loads at sea level is one thing, but carrying loads above 5,000m is a completely different story. For most of the team, carrying camp supplies on a big mountain was the part of the challenge that was causing the most apprehension, and the challenge didnít disappoint. Progress was slow, and the loads seemed to get heavier with every metre of altitude gained. But as with all toil of this nature, it doesnít last forever and by 9 December camps 1 and 2 had been stocked and high altitude equipment deposited. We were ready to make the move to camp 1.

The next few days were a combination of walking, sleeping, eating and waiting on weather forecasts. We had three potential summit days, the first being on 15 December. However, the winds on the summit had been very strong (upwards of 60kph) and it was difficult to ascertain when a realistic window was going to appear.

At Nido De Condores, Camp 2 (5,550m) you start to get a real sense of just how big Aconcagua actually is. In the Himalaya, every large peak is looking at another large peak. There are impressive steep snowy rock faces everywhere you look, (not that that is a bad thing) but here, Aconcagua stands far above and looks out across dark blue-black peaks that stretch south-westwards to the Chile border and northwards along the whole spine of the Andes. In the quieter moments when the wind stops, camp 2 is a very tranquil place. The summit doesnít loom above you but in fact appears quite inviting, looks almost close, belying the fact that in reality it is a further 14 hours climb. But then the wind starts again. On Aconcagua the wind is an almost constant companion. If it is not the buffeting on the walk-ins, then it is the blast-furnace tones from 6,000m and above. It is always there.

We stayed an extra night at camp 2 to aid acclimatisation and to wait out the winds higher up but eventually we made the move to camp 3 at 6,002m. Having a small team meant we could tuck the camp in behind some rock outcrops and shelter from the worst of the wind that now seemed to harass us every night. We were hoping that the winds would abate as the night progressed and that by 6am we would be on our way to attempting the summit.

At 4.30am I wandered over to talk to our guide Lucas in his tent; the sky was incredible, so clear. I smiled at the familiar constellations in their upside-down configurations, but the smile didnít last long as I listened to the wind blowing higher up. I have never heard wind blow so strong and so continuously. Even before I spoke to Lucas I knew we would be going nowhere. I had explained to the team that if I was not shaking their tents at 4.30am that they were to assume we were not going up. But the wind was so loud, sounded so ominous that I doubt any explanation would have been necessary; in the end, we got a forecast later that morning and the winds were predicted to be even stronger the next day, which was our last potential summit day. We were going down.

And so it was back to base camp and on to Mendoza. Meeting the fresh clothed non wind-burnt faces of Mattís team on the way out to challenge themselves on the mountain, they would soon all look as dusty as we did. Mendoza greeted us with warm temperatures, great steak and full flavoured Malbecs. But we werenít drowning sorrows; we were celebrating a great trip. Thoughts were already turning to next adventures, indeed some even musing on a return trip to Aconcagua. You see Aconcagua isnít just a mountain to climb. In fact, I canít even remember the ëSeven Summitsí being mentioned. Aconcagua is a whole place, an environment, itís an experience; and although not successful in reaching the summit, no-one felt empty or defeated. I think we all felt lucky to have been there, given it a real shot. We all learned something. I think Aconcagua will be tugging at the emotions for a while yet.

Thanks to a great team for rising to the challenge, for being good people and getting on with the job at hand. Thanks to Lucas and Nico.

Huge thanks to Jagged Globe for the opportunity, excellent support and logistics.

Olan Parkinson
Leader Aconcagua Dec 2014. « Previous report | Next report »

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