Aconcagua. Start
Aconcagua. Puento del Lenas
Aconcagua. Casa de Piedra
December 21
It is the longest day of the year that means that I choose semisphere correctly. Time to move to base camp Plaza Argentina. Its elevation is 4200 metres, so we need to gain vertical kilometre. The horizontal distance is 13.4 km according to GPS.
GPS-track of our hike for this and previouse days. Green triangle – summit.
Arriero wanted to collect all luggage before 7 am, so we waked up before sunrise. Actually, we planned to get up at 6 am, just with first light, but some people around us started to pack at 4-30 am, so we didn’t have a chance for normal sleep. The temperature in the morning was +5C compare with +35C at daytime, very refreshing. Every morning should start with washing, so, in the first place, we crossed the river. It was just knee-deep and not too wide, but icy cold. Actually, in some places it was literally covered with ice, the temperature was below zero at nighttime.
Arriero conveyed whose who wish on mules at an extra charge.
It is not our way.
Uphill along the river.
The sun came in our canyon.
The group of mules passed us.
Aconcagua on the left and Ameghino on the right. Ameghino is just 5930 metres, but it is much closer, so looks comparable with Aconcagua.
The slopes are still covered with plants, the birds (even hummingbirds) flying around.
Astragal blooming.
I cannot identify these yellow flowers.
Nastanthus agglomeratus
This river is also very muddy.
Another river cross.
The valley becomes wide,
the rocks around are more colourful.
Slowly going up.
Aconcagua more closer now.
The vegetation is thinner, the soil is red.
We are close to the base camp now. The Plaza Argentina locates on the moraine above the dry lake.
Mule standing
The camp locates on the moraine at elevation 4200 meters. There are mainly rocks around, very few plants, birds and mice.
Plaza Argentina is a whole settlement: trailers of rangers and medics, helicopter site, a lot of huge tents of commercial companies (kitchens, living tents, sleeping tents for workers and so on), and many places for climbers’ tents.
The camp is half-empty. It is just the beginning of the season, and this route is not so popular as Normal Route.
We planned to spend three nights here and decided to buy a meal plan and conveniences from the same company that provided the mules for us. At this moment we were their only independent clients and had our own living tent. It is very convenient when outside is icy wind and scalding sun at the same moment.
Camp view from our tent:
Tents of the host company:
Our tent:
Our personal garden near the tent entrance:
After three days of heat and dust I rewarded myself with hot shower (yes, there are even hot showers here at a very extra charge) and a bottle of Malbec (there is a little shop here too) for better acclimatization.
December 22
This day we spent on Plaza Argentina for rest, acclimatization and medical examination.
As I told before, altitude sickness can happen with any person at high altitude. The first typical sign is a loss of appetite and digestive disorders. But even without altitude sickness the appetite normally decreases at high altitude.
Unfortunately, my organism is a collection of anomalies: coffee makes me sleepy, and cannabis makes me sad. Same with appetite, it only becomes better with altitude. No chance to lose weight! As it is not enough, the meal on Plaza Argentina is very good, actually, for tent camp on 4200 meters, it is perfect – stakes, ribs, fried chickens, pizza, dessert, fresh fruits and much more. And the taste is delicious, much better than at many places with modern kitchen on the sea level (at 4200 the boiling temperature in below 90C that seriously influents on cooking). And they always offer more!
We passed a medical examination without a problem. However, they are serious, from five people in the line ahead of us, two were sent to spend couple more days in the base camp before the second check, and one was evacuated with the first helicopter. Of course, medics don’t check everything, but only stuff connected with acclimatization – oxygen concentration in blood, puls, pressure and liquid level in lungs.
It is a very special wind schedule here. Despite nice warm weather during the day, it is always very windy. The wind started in one-two hours after sunrise and calms down just after sunset. Nights are calm, with the very light wind. Because of the high altitude and absence of light pollution, the stars are very bright. The Milky Way is huge and intensive with brightest Orion in the centre.
With such wind schedule, helicopters came just after sunrise and immediately before sunset when the wind is low. The pilots, of course, should be big masters to flight at such altitude in narrow valleys with strong unpredictable wind gusty.
Evening helicopter:
