Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mit, 6962m Cerro Aconcagua. Passing motorists (and those who can time their buses
correctly) can stop to enjoy the view of the peak from
Laguna Los Horcones
, a 2km
walk from the parking lot just north of the highway.
During trekking season there are rangers stationed at: Laguna Los Horcones; the junc-
tion to Plaza Francia, about 5km north of Los Horcones; at Plaza de Mulas on the main
route to the peak; at Refugio Las Leñas, on the Polish Glacier Route up the Río de las
Vacas to the east; and at Plaza Argentina, the last major camping area along the Polish
Glacier Route.
Only highly experienced climbers should consider climbing Aconcagua without the re-
lative safety of an organized tour.
Cerro Aconcagua
Often called the 'roof of the Americas,' the volcanic summit of Aconcagua covers a base
of uplifted marine sediments. The origin of the name is unclear; one possibility is the
Quechua term Ackon-Cahuac, meaning 'stone sentinel,' while another is the Mapuche
phrase Acon-Hue, signifying 'that which comes from the other side.'
Italian-Swiss climber Mathias Zurbriggen made the first recorded ascent in 1897.
Since then, the peak has become a favorite destination for climbers from around the
world, even though it is technically less challenging than other nearby peaks. In 1985 the
Club Andinista Mendoza's discovery of an Incan mummy at 5300m on the mountain's
southwest face proved that the high peaks were a pre-Columbian funerary site.
Reaching the summit requires a commitment of at least 13 to 15 days, including accli-
matization time; some climbers prefer the longer but more scenic, less crowded and more
technical Polish Glacier Route.
Potential climbers should acquire RJ Secor's climbing guide
Aconcagua
(Seattle, The
Mountaineers, 1999). The website
www.aconcagua.com.ar
and Mendoza government's
website,
www.aconcagua.mendoza.gov.ar
,
are also helpful.
Nonclimbers can trek to
base camps
and
refugios
beneath the permanent snow line.
On the Northwest Route there is also the relatively luxurious Hotel Refugio Plaza de Mu-
las which has been plagued by ownership troubles over the years - if you'd like to stay
there, check with trekking operators if it's operating.
Permits
From December to March permits are obligatory for both trekking and climbing in
Parque Provincial Aconcagua; park rangers at Laguna Los Horcones will not permit vis-
itors to proceed up the Quebrada de los Horcones without one. Fees vary according to the
