Aconcagua Vallecitos 2011 - 2nd Report

Thursday, Dec. 22nd 2011 – Plaza Argentina/Camp I (4940m)

A rather restless night – having to drink lots to support the acclimatisation process has its disadvantages too... After breakfast, including scrambled eggs, start for camp I at 09:10 to carry up our material. After 2 hours and 600m of altitude, short break at 4800m. The last leg of the way led us over a snow field full of snow penitents. At 12:40 we finally arrived 4940m, where we had to empty our backpacks. After a short picnic we again headed back down at 13:00; it took us one hour to get back to Plaza Argentina. After a little snack (cheese, sausage and bread) we had time to do some reading or just to doze a little. NB: in the neighbouring camp you could buy a six-pack of beer for $50, one Pepsi cost $10. In the evening, the meal was phenomenal: lamb with potato wedges and squash. It’s already pitch dark at um 21:15 and the wind is blowing the dust even through the zippers of our tents! 

Friday, Dec. 23^rd 2011 – Plaza Argentina/Camp I (4940m)

Today we started at 10 o’clock and again climbed up to camp I, guided by Mauricio and Javier. Kari waited for the participants of the other Kobler expedition group (Aconcagua short) and followed later. It only took him half the time we needed –bravo, Kari!). Even though our backpacks were heavier this time and we wore our heavy expedition boots, it took us nearly as long to get up as yesterday and so we arrived at 12:30. Porters had carried the tents, the food and the fuel for cooking and when we came up, some of the tents were already pitched. The rest of the day was spent reading and dozing. In the evening we ate our first packet soup, shivering out in the bitter cold, the self-made vegetable soup was later on brought directly to our tents. The heavy wind tore relentlessly at our tents; wearing earplugs couldn’t even drown the noise!

Saturday, Dec. 24^th 2011/ Christmas Eve – Camp I (4940m)/ Camp II (5353m*)

Breakfast outside in the wind, again after a rather restless night (nature’s calls, again…). Well, at least the sun was out. And speaking of toilets, since there are no toilets at this height, all the waste has to be brought down again – kinda like dog poo bags. At 09:15 we start for the first material transport to camp II. It was very windy; at Collado Ameghino (5800m) it was almost a full-blown storm! I was very thankful for my Gore-Tex trousers indeed! At midday we finally arrived at camp II and, like two days before, we now had to empty our packs before we sat down for picnic. It took us only one hour to descend, so we were back at camp I at 13.30. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and reading. From 15:30 onwards, some of us Swiss guys will be thinking of their loved ones at home – Christmas Eve! At 18:30 it suddenly got cold, so Mario’s Christmas dinner was very welcome: steaks and mashed potatoes, of course served directly at our private tents. Eating dinner in bed, or rather the sleeping bag, what a luxury! Less wind than yesterday and, thus, a much quieter night.

Sunday, Dec. 25^th 2011/ Christmas – Camp I (4940m)/ Camp II (5353m*)

Thank good for my urine bottle! The litres of water we’re drinking during the day, still mostly have to get out again at night, and having the bottle kept me from having to go outside into the freezing cold. In the morning, one of the first things we had to do is applying sunscreen, which was absolutely necessary at this height. The way to camp II we already knew from yesterday. After packing our stuff and striking our tents, we had a short breakfast, before taking off at 09:15. The conditions were much better than yesterday (almost no wind) and, as a result, we reached camp II at 12:45. All tent except one were already put up, the sun was shining, what an idyll! Next to the campsite was a large snowfield, and a little current of melt water trickled gently at its end. I walked barefoot over the warm rocks and pebbles; inside the tents it was a good 30 degrees! The rest of the day was reserved for reading, chilling, listening to music and writing my diary. Mauricio excelled himself once again when it came to our dinner: chicken filled with egg and vegetables with a side of rice – simply mouth-watering!

Monday, Dec. 26^th 2011/ Boxing Day – Camp II (5353m*) – Camp III (Colera, 5803m*)

Today was the hardest leg of way. We had to pack all our equipment, which, to my astonishment, I managed at first try – almost 20 kg worth of material. Most participants gave a part of their equipment to a porter. At 09:15 we started at a moderate pace and we arrived at 12:45 (after 2 hrs and 50min) at camp III. At this altitude, the air is already considerably thinner. It’s not yet shortness of breath you’re suffering from, but you notice that it takes longer to do tasks like pitching up tents or inflating a mattress. Being one day ahead of the originally planned programme, a solution had to be found for the extra night in Valparaiso, since the hotel we chose for this charged $1000 per person! In the end, we spent two nights in cabanas in Vina del Mar. The last meal before summit day was a plate of Spaghetti. Kari and I were already in our tent at 18:30 – his comment:  «tomorrow will be a piece of cake, I promise!» I had to step outside at 21:00 and the sight was fantastic: sunset, no wind…absolutely unique.

Tuesday, Dec. 27^th 2011/ Summit Day – Camp III (Colera, 5803m*) – Summit (6962m)

I haerd Mauricio and Javier use the fuel stoves at 03:00, melting loads of snow and ice to have enough hot water for later. Our breakfast today was panettone and tea (eaten in the tent). We started on time at 05:00 and we soon saw that we were the first on the way, but not the only ones! The pace was slow, but regular, steadily climbing up. After one hour the sun went up. We used this occasion to have a short break. After a total time of three hours, we arrived at the Refugio Independencia at 6350m. Here we put on our crampons, In the meantime, two other groups caught up with us. From time to time we were able to see some of the neighbouring mountains through the clouds – however, this would be the last time today. After two more hours we reached the entrance of the Canaleta (a 400m high, steep couloir). We left our backpacks here, and Kari and Javier took our thermos bottles instead. Now it was time to struggle through this! In the end, my rhythm was three breaths, one step, etc. Two hours more and we were on the summit (12:30)!!! «We» being Christa & Peter, Doris & Thomas, Oliver, Jürg, Klaus and both guides Javier and Kari. What a feeling, what a success! Unfortunately, we had no views whatsoever. The summit plateau is very wide, almost as big as a football pitch, sporting some summit crosses now and then. We took some pictures, then rested and ate something. We started descending at 13:00, right when another group made it to the summit. It had begun to snow and we were really thankful not having to climb up during this weather! 35 minutes later we got back to our backpacks, another half hour more and we were back at Independencia, were we took off our crampons. Tired but happy, we arrived at 15:20 at camp III in the drifting snow. For the next 90 minutes I only lay in my tent, then I forced myself to get up and write into my diary. Tonight’s meal: mashed potatoes with tuna. I crawled into my sleeping bag at 19:00, to tired to stay awake any longer.

Wednesday, Dec. 28^th 2011 – Camp III (5803m*) – Plaza de Mulas (4367m)

I really thought this night would never end! Nevertheless, I slept rather well. Same procedure as every day: packing my things at 08:00. The view of the summit is simply beautiful, no clouds today! But it is windy and very cold – how cold must it be on the summit? The group wanting to climb Aconcagua today went back into their tents. We took off at 10:00, passing Nido de Condores (5520m) after one hour of steady walking. At 13:00 we arrived at Plaza de Mulas. Kari met many colleagues on the way. In the camp of Azimut we had a well-earned break, enjoying being out of the wind for once, and we even had our first Coke ($5) and some pizza! Around 16:00 the porters returned with our tents. They started here in the morning, went up to camp III to get the tents and some other materials and came back down here – what a feat! After pitching our tents we took a stroll through the «tent city» of Plaza de Mulas (much bigger than Plaza Argentina). Then, after having seen most of the campsite and having even measuring the temperature of a small mountain lake (11,5 degrees), I decided to spend $10 for ten minutes of showering – what a delight, after 5 days of going without! Dinner at 19:00: soup, chicken and vegetable rice and peaches and cream for dessert, yummy! Wine and champagne helped supporting the good atmosphere and Anna surprised us with some tasty biscuits from her native country, Andorra. Thanks, Anna!

Thursday, Dec 29^th 2011 – Plaza de Mulas (4367m) – Horcones (2876m)

At 8 o’clock, right before our breakfast we had to break camp. Start of the 30km walk to Horcones at 08:40; for the first hour we had to wear jackets, hats and gloves. We see many mule bones lying on the rock face – it is, indeed, very steep here and it’s miraculous that our mules seem to have no problems walking over this unsteady terrain. On our way, we saw many mule treks; the biggest one included 24 animals. We arrived at Piedra Ibanez, a very prominent rock, after 1¾ hours, having mastered almost a third of our way. Even though we were still at 3800m, it was possible to walk around in a t-shirt and short trousers and we saw the first plants around midday. After a total of 3 ¾ hours, just before Confluencia, we stopped for lunch. We were lying in the grass, admiring the butterflies and swallows that flew up here, at 3500m. Unfortunately, there was a heavy wind otherwise we could have taken pictures of Aconcagua mirrored in the calm surface of a small lake near the Horcones lagoon. Nevertheless, we arrived at the exit of the Parque Provincial at around 16:20, after a 6¼-hour hike. Bus ride, passing Puente del Inca on the way, to our hotel in Penitentes. How happy we were to be able to have a shower! Unfortunately, the toilet flush was broken, no water in the entire building… Whatever, maybe tomorrow then in Vina del Mar!

Finally, my thanks to the entire team, Javier, Mauricio and especially Kari Kobler, who did everything to bring us safely up this mountain and down again. What a fantastic experience! 

Report: Klaus Portmann   * measurements according altimeter of my watch (no guarantee)