Aconcagua 2017 360 Route
3-25 February 2027
Join us this season as a member of our high altitude Mountaineering expedition to one of the great mountains of the world! Let us help you stand on the top of Aconcagua, the highest summit in the Western Hemisphere! We will be ascending the 360 Traverse route starting on the south-eastern side of Aconcagua.
Our 22-day schedule allows enough time to comfortably acclimatize while on the mountain to give us the best chance of reaching the summit while also being able to actually enjoy the ascent! This schedule includes 4 travel days, 8 days for ascending and moving camps, 2 rest days, a 3-day window for summit attempts, 3 days to descend and, 2 extra days are added in case of inclement weather, if extra rest days are required, to extend the summit window, to deal with potential logistical “glitches” and other unforeseen events, or to do some extra side trips along the way.
Itinerary
Arrival Day, The team will meet in Mendoza and relax, sort & confirm gear, etc. This night you will sleep low at 2,430′. All team members should plan on being in Mendoza no later than January 3rd, though ideally arriving 1 to 2 days earlier will allow you to deal with unforeseen glitches – lost baggage, delayed flights, etc.
Day 1 – Everyone will head to the Park Office in Mendoza in order to obtain the Parks Permit required to enter Aconcagua Park. Each person must be there in person to get their permit. After this is done, the group will drive to Los Penitentes with a private van. This drive is approx. 4 hours on good roads. Everyone will sleep at a hotel in Los Penitentes at 8,800′ – the first night of acclimatization. Los Penitentes is close to the crest of the Andes, and a few miles from the Chilean/Argentinean border. In the afternoon there are opportunities to go on a short hike to view the SW side of Aconcagua from the trailhead of the Normal route.
Day 2 – This morning you will load all your gear up on the mules. Each mule carries up to 60 kg’s of food, communal gear and personal equipment. Utilizing the mules spares team members from 3 days of carrying heavy loads, a crucial element to preserving strength for the upper mountain. The group will have a short drive to the Punta de Vacas trailhead at 7,630′. You will then begin the 3-day hike up the Rio Vacas valley towards our Base Camp at Plaza Argentina. This first hiking day you will travel approx. 12 km to the first camp at Pampas de Las Lenas. This hike is approx. 4-6 hours. The gear travels with the mules and you will have access to it once you arrive at the camp. Your camp that night is at 8,860′.
Day 3 – The team will spend the 2nd approach day hiking up the spectacular Vacas valley for 14 km’s to the confluence of the Relinchos and Vacas rivers. Here you will camp at Casa Piedra, the “Stone House”. This hike will be approx. 6-8 hours. Again, the gear travels with the mules between camps. Your camp this night will be at 10,500′, in an area known for its abundance of wild Guanacos, a smaller version of the Andean Llama.
Day 4 – This day you will start off with a crossing of the Vacas River, either by foot or on a mule. After this exciting start to the day, you will hike up the Relinchos Valley to Plaza Argentina (PA) at 13,780’. This hike will be approx. 10 km and takes 6-8 hours. This will be the last day that your gear is carried by mules!
Day 5 – This is a very welcomed rest day at a well serviced base camp and allows time to sort gear and prep for the upper mountain. You will sleep at PA at 13,780′.
Day 6 – This day is used as a carry-day to move gear and food up to Camp 1 at 16,400′. You will sleep at PA at 13,780′
Day 7 – Move to Camp 1 approx. 4 hours (optional extra rest day used at PA). You will sleep at Camp 1 at 16,400′.
Day 8 – This day is a rest day at Camp 1. You will sleep at Camp 1 at 16,400′.
Day 9 – Carry to Camp 2. This is a long day, approx. 8 hours return. You will sleep at Camp 1 at 16,400′.
Day 10 – Move to Camp 2. This is a shorter day with approx. 4 hours of travel. You will sleep at Camp 2 at 17,200′.
Day 11 – This is the final moving day, you will head directly to Camp 3. This is again a short day with approx. 4 hours of travel. You will sleep at Camp 3 at 18,900’.
Day 12 – Summit day! You will get up at 2:30 am and have a light meal, fill your water bottles with hot fluids, and head out by 4 am. This day is a long day, approximately 12-14 hours return and 4,000’ (1,200 meters) of vertical climbing. You will possibly begin the day wearing crampons as the initial sections of the climb crosses a small ice-field. On your return you will sleep at Camp 2 at 18,900′.
Day 13 – This day will be your first descent day, though it is a challenging one! You will need to get all of the gear back to Plaza de Mulas base camp in one haul. Once at PM, you will celebrate with a good meal while enjoying the “thick” air back down low! You will spend this night at PM at 14,400’.
Day 14 – You will start your hike back out the Horcones Valley to Los Penitentes. On this day you will hike from Plaza Argentina to the Park Boundary and get driven back to Los Penitentes.
Day 15 – Your final day will start with a drive back to your hotel in Mendoza! We will have a celebration dinner at one of the fine Mendoza restaurants on this night as well.
This itinerary is of course dependent on many different factors, including weather, acclimatization rates, conditions on the mountain and other factors beyond the control of the guides or of the team. Please remember that this is only a guideline, the actual schedule on the mountain may vary, including camp locations and timing.