Trip Reports

Aconcagua 13 December '12 - 4 January '13

Written by Leader Andrew Chapman, January 2013

The Jagged Globe expedition of Victoria, Barbara, Nick, Rachael, Richard, Tim, Madeline, Edward, Sandy, Andrew N and Andy P arrived in Argentina on Saturday and Sunday 16th December. After checking gear and dealing with paperwork for the Aconcagua Park Authorities, we journey off to Los Penitents after eating a large meal of mostly Steak - one of us managed Baby Beef 600 grams of meat! We started our adventure by entering the park and walking to Base Camp know as Plaza de Mules, in the company of local guide Khali, Bruno and Nicolas.

We walked to a windy confluence camp and after two nights there acclimatising we had an epic walk to Base Camp; snow wind and full Antarctic conditions at base - this is Argentina's summer! Thankfully after a rest day, the weather became a bit more normal.

On Friday 21st December, we set off for our first objective; Bonete Peak in 4 ½ hrs up 5,000m and 2 hrs down. After another rest day, we established camp one at 5,050m, spending the night there. The next day, we carried loads to camp 2 at 5,550m before returning to base camp for another well-earned rest and showers at Base Camp on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day and the forecast was for 50 kph winds so we delayed a day and set off for our summit push on 26th. The plan was one night at Camp 1, two nights at Camp 2 and two nights at Camp 3 summiting on 30th December. We followed the plan as the weather forecast was holding for 30th December. We experienced some amazingly strong winds at Base Camp during the nights of 24th and 25th; it was rather like an express train hitting us!

After a relative calm night, all 11 members left high camp at 6.08 am a good sensible speed was established. Sadly for Tim he turned around after 90 minuets, disappointed but happy with a fine effort he returned to high camp. The rest continued to Independence hut at 9 am, Barbara suffering from cold descended with Bruno our local guide. By this point, the weather was warming us a little and we continued on some awkward ground. Sadly the final member to drop out was Sandy; again a fine effort for him, and he descended to High camp in the company of the ever reliable Argentinean guide Nicolas.

The first 4 hrs took us to Independence Hut and after a break to re-hydrate and stock up on energy with chocolate and sweets, we continued to the traverse towards the infamous Canaletto, which some people consider the most difficult part of the climb. At mid day we started the climb and three hard hours later we found ourselves on the summit of the highest mountain in south America; a new high point record for Ed, Rachael, Richard, Andy P, Nick, Victoria, Andy and Madeline. We were quiet possible the highest people in the world at that moment. Anyone higher than us must be in Asia and climbing at 7000m in winter and I don’t think a lot of people will be doing that! Ed treated us to some amazing Opera singing, I don’t honestly know what he was singing about but it was just fabulous. It was a great moment for all after a huge amount of effort over many weeks on the mountain the largest group I have had on the summit. This was my 4th ascent of Aconcagua, coming 13 years to the day and almost the minute from my first ascent in the closing hours of the 1990s with one member of the expedition, Brenda Topliss.

After a pleasant 30 minutes on top we started a descent that was for many very exhausting, Victoria did well and with help was not the last to high camp. I can safely say that it was one of the toughest summit days for many members and we continued our descent to Base Camp arriving on News Years Eve to celebrations, food, wine, steak and rock salt for Vickie! After a few minor hangovers, we walked out to the road head and traveled back for rest day in Mendoza before our long trip home to UK after a fantastic time in Argentina.

Andrew Chapman 7th January 2013 « Previous report | Next report »

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