Ballyvaughan Fanore Walking Club Mt. Aconcagua Expedition January 24th February 14th 2015

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1 Ballyvaughan Fanore Walking Club Mt. Aconcagua Expedition January 24th February 14th 2015 Club Leader Gerry Reidy Number three of the seven summits. Mt Aconcagua is the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern hemispheres. Towering over all at the heart of the Andes mountain range, Mt Aconcagua is an impressive 6,962m (22,841ft) high. Aconcagua (6962m) is extremely tough. Classified as a trekking peak, it involves no technical mountaineering however it is far from easy. The complexities of proper acclimatisation, high winds, extreme cold and a long summit day make Aconcagua a formidable challenge. Although it is not

2 essential, it is recommend that all participants should have previous experience at high altitude (>5000m). Participants should have a high level of fitness The 21 day itinerary allows for proper acclimatisation and has the flexibility to accommodate bad weather, maximising your chances of reaching the summit. The trek will be through the Vacas valley and descent along the normal route offering the best of both routes. The trail through the Vacas valley is slightly longer but is much better for acclimatisation as it ascends more gradually. From Plaza Argentina base camp, the Polish route, the Ameghino traverse, Upper Guanaco and the Normal route will all be combined, giving us the best possible experience of Aconcagua. Passing through indigenous forests, remote villages, flower filled meadows and cross some rivers The area also has some amazing wildlife with puma, condor, mora eagle and a wild variety of other bird life found in Mt Aconcagua Provincial Park. Temperatures & Climate: Temperatures on the expedition may vary from 0 to 30 degrees during the day and -20 to 10 degrees at night. Aconcagua Expedition Itinerary: Day 1: Saturday Jan 24th; Dublin to Santiago. Depart Dublin in the morning on a two stop flight itinerary to Santiago. Overnight flight. Day 2: Sunday Jan 25th; Arrive in Mendoza (760m). Arrive in Santiago airport in the early morning and transfer by private bus to our hotel in Mendoza. This journey takes approximately six hours. Later in the day we will have an expedition meeting where you will be introduced to the local guides and support team. Overnight hotel. Day 3: Monday Jan 26th; Drive from Mendoza to Penitentes (2700m). After breakfast we organise the individual entrance permits and ascent permits for Aconcagua. Once this is done we drive to Penitentes and check into a locally run hotel. In the afternoon organise and prepare your equipment to be loaded on the mules for tomorrows trek. Overnight hotel. Day 4: Tuesday Jan 27th; Penitentes to Pampa de Lenas (2950m), 5 hrs trekking. We start the day by driving to Punta de Vacas the starting point of our trek. Once we have our permits checked at the rangers station we start our three day walk to base camp. Our route up the Vacas Valley is very beautiful with plenty of flora and fauna. It is the approach route with the most gentle elevation gain which is key for acclimatisation. Its roughly a 5 hour walk to Pampa de Lenas.

3 Day 5: Wednesday Jan 28th; Pampa de Lenas to Casa de Piedra (3240m), 7 hrs trekking. Another beautiful trek today as we continue to gain height gradually. We get our first views of the western face of Aconcagua looming large, a special moment. We arrive in Casa de Piedra in the early afternoon, our last camp below the tree line. Day 6: Thursday Jan 29th; Casa de Piedra to Plaza Argentina (4200m), 6 hrs trekking. Today's walk is quite tough as we gain almost 1000 metres to reach Plaza Argentina, one of Aconcagua's base camps. We ascend a steep slope called Relicho taking us above the tree line and into Plaza de Argentina. Day 7: Friday Jan 30th; Rest day at Plaza Argentina. We take a rest day for acclimatization and preparation for Day 8. Enjoy a hot shower and explore the area. In the afternoon we review and reorganise our equipment for tomorrows carry. Day 8: Saturday Jan 31st; Carry to Camp 1 (5000m) and return Plaza Argentina, 6 hrs trekking. Today we carry equipment to camp 1 and then return to Plaza Argentina. There are two reasons for the carry method. Firstly to half the load we are carrying each day reducing the strain on our bodies. The second is for acclimatisation. There is a well-established theory known as 'climb high sleep low' which supports the idea that one should climb to a higher elevation and then descend to a lower height to sleep. Your body experiences a higher elevation for a short while and then returns to a more comfortable elevation. Day 9: Sunday Feb 1st; Plaza Argentina to Camp 1, 5 hrs trekking. We ascend to Camp 1 which is the first part of the Polish route. Today is a shorter day as we don't ascend back to Plaza Argentina. Upon arrival we set up camp and in the afternoon we prepare the equipment for tomorrows carry. Day 10: Monday Feb 2nd; Carry to Camp 2 (5500m) and return to Camp 1, 6 hrs trekking. We continue with our gradual acclimatisation with a gain of 500m to Camp 2. It's a tough day but the terrain is very easy for trekking. We drop off our equipment and rest for a while before returning to Camp 1. Day 11: Tuesday Feb 3rd; Rest day at Camp 1. Rest day for acclimatisation and preparation. We focus on hydration, food intake and discuss the plan for the upcoming days. Day 12: Wednesday Feb 4th; Camp 1 to Camp 2, 5 hrs trekking. Today we leave Camp 1 with our remaining equipment using the Amghino Traverse

4 Route. Like Day 9 we set up camp and prepare the equipment for tomorrows carry. Day 13: Thursday Feb 5th; Carry to Colera (6000m) and return to Camp 2, 4 hrs trekking. Today we gain another 500 metres to reach Colera. We focus on keeping the pace very slow allowing our bodies plenty of time to acclimatise. After dropping our equipment and some rest we descend back to Camp 2. Day 14: Friday Feb 6th; Camp 2 to Colera, 3 hrs trekking. After breakfast we break up camp and gradually ascend back to Colera. This campsite is ideally placed offering good wind protection. Spend the afternoon resting and taking on plenty of food and water in preparation for the summit day tomorrow. Overnight camp. Day 15: Saturday Feb 7th; Summit Day, 10 hrs trekking. By far the most demanding but rewarding day on the expedition. The ascent to Aconcagua (6962m 22841') along the last part of the Normal route is very tough. We ascend through the Portezuelo del Viento, climb La Canaleta, and pass through the Filo del Guanaco, leading us to the summit. The reward of reaching the roof of the Americas and the highest point outside the Himalayas makes it all worthwhile. A 360 view of the Andes and a sense of achievement that can only be experienced when reaching the summit of a giant such as Aconcagua. Return to Colera. Day 16: Sunday Feb 8th; Spare Summit Day. Spare day to account for bad weather, further acclimatisation and rest. Day 17: Monday Feb 9th; Spare Summit Day. Spare day to account for bad weather, further acclimatisation and rest. Day 18: Tuesday Feb 10th; Colera to Plaza de Mulas (4260m), 6 hrs trekking. We descend to Plaza de Mulas experiencing the other side of the mountain. Enjoy the thick air of sub 5000m Enjoy a celebratory meal in the evening. Day 19: Wednesday Feb 11th; Plaza de Mulas to Mendoza, 4 hrs trekking. After a relaxed breakfast we descend to Penitentes and then drive to Mendoza. In the evening we have a special celebratory dinner. Overnight hotel. Day 20: Thursday Feb 12th; Mendoza to Santiago. After a relaxed morning drive back to Santiago arriving at the airport in the evening. Overnight flight. Day 21: Friday Feb 13th; Santiago to Dublin. Day spent travelling back to Dublin on a two stop flight itinerary.

5 Day 22: Saturday Feb 14th; Arrive in Dublin. Arrive back in Dublin in the early morning. Expedition ends. Cost & Payment: deposit at the time of booking & 4700 balance payment due before November 24th, Total If you are unable to make payment, you will forfeit your place on the expedition and lose your deposit payment, which is non-refundable. What's Included: International return flights from Dublin to Santiago, economy class. All transport in Argentina & Chile. All accommodation in hotels and camping for the duration of the itinerary based on two people sharing. All meals and drinking water for the duration of the itinerary except in Mendoza where accommodation is based on B&B. Expedition Leader, local guides and a full support team. All group gear consisting of first aid kits, mountaineering equipment, cooking equipment etc. A celebratory dinner at the end of the expedition. What's Excluded: Park entrance fees which must be paid for in person at the time of entry. At the time of writing entrance fees were 4,200 Peso ( 600). Transfers to and from Dublin airport. Expenses of a personal nature like laundry, phone calls, alcohol, cigarettes, tips and any costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, landslides, road conditions and any other circumstances beyond our control. Personal equipment, medical vaccinations, travel insurance and a tourist visa. Please contact Gerry Reidy on if you are interested in being part of this expedition. Places are limited to 6 club members. Names before March 31st.

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