Aconcagua

Aconcagua <tr><td style="border-top:1px solid #999966; text-align: center;" colspan=2> Aconcagua, January 2005</td></tr>
Elevation	6,962 m (22,841 feet)
Location	112 km WbN of Mendoza, Argentina <tr><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; border-right: 1px solid #999966; background: #e7dcc3; width: 85px">Range</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; width: 220px">Andes</td></tr><tr><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; border-right: 1px solid #999966; background: #e7dcc3; width: 85px">Prominence</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; width: 220px">6,962 m Ranked 2nd</td></tr><tr><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; border-right: 1px solid #999966; background: #e7dcc3; width: 85px">First ascent</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; width: 220px">1897 by M. Zurbriggen</td></tr><tr><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; border-right: 1px solid #999966; background: #e7dcc3; width: 85px">Easiest route</td><td style="border-top: 1px solid #999966; width: 220px">scramble (North)</td></tr>

The Cerro Aconcagua is located in Argentina and is the highest mountain in The Americas and the Southern Hemisphere, as well as the highest peak outside of Asia and one of the Seven Summits.

This member of the Andes Range is bounded by the Valle de las Vacas to the north and east and the Valle de los Horcones Inferior to the West and South. The mountain and its surroundings are part of the Aconcagua Provincial Park. The mountain has a number of glaciers. The most substantial are the north-eastern or Polish Glacier and the eastern or English Glacier.

The Aconcagua River rises on the southern slope and flows west, meeting the Pacific Ocean 20 km north of Valparaíso, Chile.

The mountain was created by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American plate during the geologically recent Andean orogeny, however it is not a volcano. The origin of the name is contested, it is either from the Arauca Aconca-Hue or the Quechua Ackon Cahuak, meaning 'Stone Sentinel'.

Routes

In mountaineering terms, Aconcagua is technically an easy mountain if approached from the North, the 'Normal route'. Although the effects of altitude are severe (atmospheric pressure is 40% of sea-level at the summit), the use of supplemental oxygen is not required. The record for the Normal route is 5 h and 45 min, set in 1991.

The second most common route is the Polish Glacier Traverse route. This approaches the mountain through the Vacas valley, ascends up to the base of the Polish Glacier, then traverses across to the Normal Route for the final ascent to the summit.

The routes to the peak from the Southern and Southwest ridges are more demanding and the Southern face climb is considered very difficult.

The first recorded ascent was in 1897 by an expedition led by the Briton Edward Fitzgerald. The summit was reached by the Swiss Matthias Zurbriggen on January 14 and by two other expedition members a few days later.

Before attempting the mountain climbers need to purchase a permit from the Aconcagua Provincial Park authority in Mendoza. Prices vary depending on the season.

To reach the summit via the normal route at least one night in the following camp sites is usual. (altitudes are approximate)

Normal Route to Summit

• Puente Del Inca 8,900ft (2,725m) - start point of the ascenct, with facilities including a hotel.
• Confluencia 11,450ft (3,500m)
• Plaza de Mulas 14,000ft (4,370m)
• Plaza Canada 16,100ft (4,910m)
• Nido de Cóndores 17,600ft (5,380m)
• Berlín 18,900ft (5,780m)
• Summit 22,840ft (6,962m)

External links

Aerial view

• Aconcauga on TierraWiki.org
• Aconcagua on summitpost
• Highest peaks
• trip report 2003-2005
• trip report 2004
• trip report 1996
• trip report 1997
• trip report from 1993
• Cordillera de los Andes (in Spanish)

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