Canadian Rockies : Trip Information

Aconcagua

You cannot stay on the mountain forever. you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. one descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.
-Rene Daumel

One supposes that the immense mass didn't go unnoticed by the primitive population since it stands out in the distance between its giant neighbors. Its name is evidently indigenous and according to those that affirm its Quechua roots, it is derived from "Ackon Cahuak" and is translated as "The Stone Sentinel".

Those that attribute it to Arauca roots affirm that it comes from "Aconca-Hue", a Mapuche expression applied to the river of the same name, which in Chile means "Comes from the other side" since the ancients supposed that the Aconcagua River was born in the foothills of the mountain with the same name.

Aconcagua is entirely located within the Republic of Argentina, province of Mendoza, Department of Las Heras. It does not create an international boundary. Its coordinates are 69-59 Longitude West and 32-39 Latitude South. It is situated within the Provincial Park of Aconcagua. It limits to the West and Southwest with the Valle of the Lower Horcones. On the East and North it is limited with the Valley of Cows (Valle de las Vacas).
Around Aconcagua various peaks rise and surpass 5000 meters. In the Valle of the Upper Horcones (Valle de los Horcones Superior): Mt. Cuerno (5450m), Mt. Catedral (5200m), Mt. Bonete (5100m) , and Mt. De los Dedos (5000m) are found in the Valle of the Lower Horcones: Mt. Mirador (5800m), Mt. Ibañes (5200m), and Mt. Almacenes (4800m) . and in the Valley of the Cows (Valle de las Vacas) Mt. Ameghino (5800m), Mt. Fitz Gerald (5300m), and Mt. Santa María (5100) and all of the mountains that form the "Cordón de los Penitentes" are found.

Geology

The region of Aconcagua, as well as its prolongation to the north in the group of the Ramada, constitutes a key area to analyze the geological evolution of the principal mountain range.
The highest elevations don't correspond to constructions by active volcanoes such as Tupungato, but the present height is the result of the tectonic lifting of the mountain range.
The tectonic characteristics are controlled by the interaction of the Nazca and Southamerican plates, and the geometry of the zone of subduction. (Wadati-Benioff).
Some works show that the geometry of the interaction between the Nazca and Southamerican plates constitute discrete segments with different inclinations that control some geologic characteristics.
The lack of volcanic quartenary (rock) over 27 degrees and 33.30 degrees of the almost horizontal subduction calls attention. The seismic characteristics are concentrated in a thin strip the length of the western border, which coincides with the neotectonically most active zone where the largest earthquakes occur . This zone is found between the cities of San Juan and Mendoza and the root of the pre mountain range (and mark the interaction between the front of the active movement of the fault line and the movement of the upper Cenozoic and the structure of the base of the Pampean Hills). The present geometric and tectonic styles of the different morphostructural Cenozoic entities, together with the lack of volcanic activity, elevated in the last 10 million years.
South of 33°30´ the principal and frontal pre-mountain ranges are well developed, but the pre-mountain range and the Pampean Sierras disappear. In the other part an active arc of volcanoes is present, from Tupungato volcano towards the south and beginning there with an important retroarc volcano. (Payunia, Llancanelo).

The base of the Andes at the studied latitude present a complex history of accretion and collisions between different terrains such as the Pampa, Cuania, the Chilean pre-mountain range, during the Upper Protozioc and Paleozoic periods. The seams between the different blocks and their different characteristics have regulated the later geological evolution. At the same time the group of discontinuities between the different blocks controlled the development of the different centers of disposition, such as the Cuyana Valley (system of rifts). The deposits and exposed rocks of the region of Aconcagua can be grouped in three basic sequences: a base that developed before the Jurassic period, Mesozoic sequences, and coverings from the Cenozoic period. The base is constituted by deposits highly deformed by granitoides permicos and in discordance under the potent volcanic sequence at the end of the Paleozoic Period--beginnings of the Mesozoic correspond to the Choiyoi group. The Mesozoic sequences are characterized by continental deposits from the Triassic Age to the Basal Jurassic age, above those that support marine sequences of the inferior to middle Jurassic age. Culminating the Jurassic cycle one finds evaporative deposits of the Fm Auquico and the continentals of the Fm. Tordillo. The levels of gabros and dioritas present in France Plaza enlighten in the sequences of the Fm. Auquilco and are possibly from the Superior Crustacean age. The Cretaceous Group of Mendoza is represented by different marine entities. They recognize volcanic levels where they dominate to the west. On the top one finds continental entities corresponding to the epiclastic, volcanoclastic and piroclastic stages. The Cenozoic rocks are basically represented by the small volcanoes of the Fm. Farallones in the Chilean sector, those that mark the beginning of the magmatic Miocene arc, that migrates to the Argentine territory during the mid Miocene Period. The Volcanic complex Aconcagua represents the small volcanoes of the period. The volcanic rocks of anesitica composition, have a series of intrusions and subvolcanic bodies of differing compositions. The quartenary deposits have a limited extension where you find glacial deposits, movements of masses such as glaciers, rivers, and lakes.

The Principal Mountain Range is 70 kilometers wide to the south of the Diamante River (Diamond river) and continues getting smaller to the north, until around 30 kilometers in the region under considerations. In inverse form, the altitude diminishes from north to the south from more than 6000 meters to around 3500 meters. One aspect to emphasize is the presence of the glaciers. From the Quaternary a series of glacial advances took place, those that are locally important, but regionally speaking, these advances became the fluvial processes and mass motion. The studied zone can be considered as a system of high mountains with variations of altitude higher than 1000 meters in less than 5 kilometers of distance. Like the rest of the mountainous systems of the world, the region exhibits a great morphodynamic variability. The high rates of erosion and sedimentation are products of the episodic events in the time and discontinuities of space. The landscape is determined by the structure, with the layering of lithological structures. The elevation, which at its lowest level is 2500 meters, which principally determines the characteristics of the climate, is an important influence of the distinct geomorphic acting processes. The magnitude and the relatively recentness of the Andean orogeny, has given place to the important relative relief and steep slopes.

The breaking of the diaclasm of the rocks is also important. It is added to the climactic characteristics of the high mountain and the presence of the limited vegetation covering have facilitated a marked physical meteorization, especially by the breaking caused by freezing constituting an active source of debris. The ice has had a determinant role in the modeling of the landscape. The glacial action was much more active in the past and the rock forms that resulted from this action are now found modified by the action of the other processes mainly mass removal and the actions of the rivers. The glaciations in the principal pre-mountain range don't reach the level of the glaciers of Patagonia due to the reigning arid conditions and the intense tectonic activity. The action of the ice took the characteristics of the valley glaciations, forming caps in the high mountain only united at the highest elevations, such as Aconcagua, Plomo Juncal, and the Ramada Range. Comparatively, the moraine deposits don't reach the great dimensions and are found restricted to the principal valleys and the areas close the actual glaciers.
In the zone of Aconcagua one finds a series of glaciers. Among those that stand out are the Lower Glacier Horcones that have their birth at the foot of Mt Aconcagua and the Upper Horcones.
A series of important glacial tongues developed in the past. All the deposits and morphological production of the advance of an ancient glacier dominate the moraine. Espizua (1993) pointed out referring to the Horcones drift: "a current of ice some 50 meters of thickness occupies the valleys of the Lower Horcones Rivers and the Upper Horcones, extending for some 20 kilometers from Mt. Aconcagua as far as Puente del Inca (Inca Bridge), at 2750 meters, where it finds the last moraine."

The advance of this tongue, breaking in to the Valle of Las Cuevas (the Caves), provoked the damning of a river, forming a small lake, in which glacial sediments are deposited.
The Horcones moraine belongs to the last glaciation. The Almacenes moraine extends through the valley of the lower Horcones until an altitude of 3250 meters. Model deposits on the bottom and sides are found in numerous places. These are found preserved in the Confluencia area where the masses of ice from the crack of the lower Horcones and the western Tolosa Crevasse converge.
In general, the glaciers present in the mountain range are classified as glaciers of a valley, glaciers of the mountain, and foothills of snow and comprise discovered glaciers, glaciers covered by waste, and glaciers of rubble.

Records

First Ascension
First absolute ascension of the Aconcagua The English alpinist Edward Fitz Gerald, during the meridional summer of 1897 led an expedition that climbed the sentinel of stone for the first time . Fitz Gerald's group acceded to the stony slope of the Northwest side of the mountain after following upstream the Horcones River. After some hard tries, the Swiss Mathias Zurbriggen reached the summit alone January 14th, 1897. afew days later , Nicholas Lanti and Stuart Vines, members of the same expedition, made the second absolute climbing following the same route.

First Argentine Ascension
Lieutenant Nicholas Plantamura of the Argentine Army reached the summit in 1934 in company of the Italian alpinists P Ceresa, P Ghiglione, R Chabod and the Chilean rancher Mariano Pasten. They climbed along the normal Route.

First Ascension of the polish glacier
In March 1934, The Polish V. Otrowski, K Narkiewicz, S Daszinski and S Osiecki opened a new itinerary to the summit along the beautiful Northeast Glacier, achieving at the same time the eighth absolute ascension of the mountain. Since then the glacier is called the Polish Glacier.

First Absolute Femenine Ascension
It was done by the French Adrienne Bance, the 7th of March of 1940, in company of the German Lopez Link and Members of the Andinist Club of Mendoza, Pablo Franke, P Etura, D Lopez and J Semper

First Ascension of the Southern Summit
The German T Koop and L Herold reached the Southern Summit of mount Aconcagua for the first time in January 1947. They followed the Normal Routeas far as the middle of the Canaleta , then they turned to the right (west).

First Winter Climbing of the Aconcagua
By the normal Route the Argentines E Huerta, H Vasalla and F Godoy made the first winter climbing between September 11th and 15th of 1953.

First Climbing of the South Wall
The very important first climbing of international repercussion, was done by the French Paragot ,Poulet, Dagory, Berandini, Lesseur and Denis. At the end of February 1954 they reached the summit after seven hard climbing days.

First Ascension of the East Glacier (English Glacier)
During February 1978 climbing in alpine style, the Argentines Vieiro (+) , Porcelana (+) and Jasson , opened a new route to the summit with important technical difficulties. It is called Argentine Route.

First Traverse from the Southern to Northern Summit
During the meridional winter of 1980, the Catalans Serrat and Villena with the support of a team, reached the summit climbing the Polish Glacier. They used skis on a major part of the itinerary.

First Descending in Delta Wing
The prestigious French alpinist J M Boivin Flew a double plaza delta wing with L Marchal, descending in 30 minutes to Plaza de Mulas. They climbed three times to the summit until the climatological conditions were acceptable for the flight. This was in January of 1981.

First Solo Climbing of the South Wall.
The French Ivan Girardini, in four days, following the French Route/54 and taking the Messner's variation, reached the summit in January of 1981 making this remarkable premier.

First Winter Climbing of the South Wall
A Japanese expedition made this difficult and hard premier in August 1981. Hasegawa reached the summit alone after choosing the Messner's exit.

First Female Climbing of the South Wall
The northamerican Titonne Bouchard and her husband, following the French 54/ Messner Route climbed the South Wall, becoming the first woman in ascending this difficult face of the Mountain.

First Descending in Parapente
The 11th of February of 1985, the Captain of the French Air Force A Steves, unfolded his light parapente about 200m below the summit. By catchingascending currents he went up about 20 meters above it. He arrived to Plaza de Mulas 25 minutes later.

First Local Climbing of the South Wall
The Mendocinian D Alvarez, M Sanchez, D Rodriguez, the Colombian M Barrios and Alejandro Randis, reached the summit the 23 of February of 1986. The climbing was done in alpine style following the original French/54 route.

First Descending of the South Wall without using ropes
The strong Slovenian alpinist Slavko Sveticic descended in ten hours from Del Guanaco Col until Plaza Francia without carrying a rope. Previously he climbed with M Romic a new variation of the Southwest Ridge, making the first ascension of the Aconcagua's Pyramid (6000m) by the South Pillar. January 1988.

First Climbing of the West Wall
A team from Mendoza, integrated by Daniel Rodriguez an a fellow, achieved the climbing of this defeating wall of the Aconcagua in four days. The route goes through the center of the great wall of 2800m and end in the Southwest Ridge, very close to the Southern Summit. They surpassed some steep ice cascades and difficult rock passages.

Flash Climbing of the Normal Route
January 1987 L. Cichy, Poland 9 hours
January 1987 A. Randis, Argentina 8,7 hours
February 1987 D. Alessio, Argentina 7,48 hours
February 1987 M. Sanchez, Argentina 6,32 hours
January 1989 M. Dacher, Germany 6,15 hours
January 1989 M.Schmidt , USA 6,13 hours
December 1991 D. Porsche, Germany 5,45 hours.

First Ascension of the two summits in one day
The 6th of February of 1991, Alejandro Randis accomplished the climbing of the two summits in one day departing from Plaza de Mulas and returning to the same place. Total Time, base camp +Southern summit + Northern summit + Base camp : 14 hours.

First Climbing of the Polish Glacier in one day
In February 1992, the climber Miguel Lito Sanchez, from Mendoza, became the first alpinist in ascending the Polish Glacier departing from Plaza de Mulas and returning to the same place (by the normal route) in the same day.

First Ascension of the "Via de los Guías Mendocinos"
In February of 1994 R. Gabrielli (ex Governer of The Province of Mendoza); A. Lafalla (ex Governer of the Province of Mendoza); J. Guiaquinta; D. Alvarez; C. Santilli; D. Rodriguez; O. Brusadin and Alejandro Randis opened a new Route that is situated at the right of the "Gran Acarreo".

Statistics

Official reports, the total incoming people to the Provincial Park Aconcagua during the season 2004/2005 was the following:

People entered for ascent to the summit: 4206

People entered for trekking until the base camps: 2284

The 73,71% were foreigners and 26,29% were Argentinean.
United States was the foreing country that more people contributed for the ascents, followed then by Germany and England in the third place.

The percentage of personal ascents to the summit was the following: through North or Normal route, 54,6% and through the Glacier of Poles Route or the False Poles Route, 45,4%.

As for the ascents of groups, nearly 60% of them succeeded in putting at least one member on the summit of America.

People entering the park by country of origin - Season 2004/2005
Argentina	1706	Greece	14
United States	691	Ecuador	13
Germany	460	Scotland	12
England	409	Malasya	11
Spain	395	Slovakia	10
France	359	Estonia	10
Canada	238	Hungary	10
Brazil	214	Finland	9
Italy	186	Gibraltar	9
Swiss	182	Peru	9
Austria	129	Latvia	8
Chile	119	Bolivia	7
Japan	107	Colombia	7
Australia	106	Andorra	6
Poland	98	Croatia	6
Czech Republic	97	Portugal	6
Holland	95	Hong Kong	3
Israel	90	Panama	3
Sweden	88	Ukraine	3
Norway	82	Cyprus	2
Belgium	71	Costa Rica	2
Ireland	66	India	2
Mexico	54	Lithuania	2
Slovenia	42	Nepal	2
South Africa	42	Turkey	2
Russia	38	China	1
Denmark	34	Egypt	1
Yugoslavia	26	Philippines	1
New Zealand	22	Guatemala	1
Venezuela	20	Macedonia	1
Korea	18	Monaco	1
Bulgaria	15	Rumania	1
Uruguay	15	Turmekistan	1

Historical record of visitors
Month	2000/2001	2001/2002	2002/2003	2003/2004	2004/2005
Nov.	264	355	365	430	377
Dec.	1306	1283	1414	2036	1711
Jan.	1941	1836	2527	2746	2580
Feb.	800	936	1082	1567	1478
Mar.	43	157	0	215	344
Total	4354	4567	5388	6994	6490

Visitors by activity season 2004/05
Activity	Visitors
Climbing	4206
One day and Short Trekking	1753
Long Trekking	531
Total	6490

Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text. Paragraph text.

Aconcagua

Sports

Recent Trips

Clubs

Guides

Aconcagua

Records

Statistics