Reaching once again for the sky

Here we are again, planning another trip in the near future. This is going to be another climb – feeling confident after the trip to Stok Kangri and realizing that I am getting in gradually better and better shape with my regular workouts and runs, I wanted to try and push things a little. Deep down I think I have been wanting to go for quite some time, but after realizing the departure was filling up (and it is only once a year) and went to a presentation by the travel company, there was really no other alternative. It will without a doubt be an amazing trip and I am just hoping that it won’t be involving regrets on the way up. Because, let’s face it; this is going to be a massive undertaking for me.

On to the part you came here for.

21^st – 22^nd of January

Flight to Mendoza in Argentina via Spain (Madrid) and Chile (Santiago). Finally I have found a trip where you don’t have to show up at the airport until afternoon. No showing up at inhuman 0400 in the morning. Nope – check in at 1330. Starting off easy.

23^rd – 25^th of January

Spending a day in Mendoza to get permits and the like before transferring to a hut at 2800m in Vallecitos. From here we will acclimatize up to 3664m on Loma Blanca.

26^th – 28^th of January

Trek to the Vega Superior camp at 3448m. It’s a short trek so there will be time for relaxing. From this camp we will acclimatize on Cerro Adolfo Calle which gets us up to 4270m. The following day we will have another walk, this time to El Salto at 4288m.

29^th – 30^th of January

Return to El Salto, this time to set up camp and use as base camp for the climb of Cerro Vallecitos, which is 5461m. The climb will have quite an ascent (app. 1200m from base camp), but it will ensure an effective acclimatization for the following days. From the summit you are able to see Aconcagua, assuming the weather is clear. This summit is almost as high as Elbrus – which was a very hard-earned summit back in 2012. This will be interesting.

31^st of January – 2^nd of February

Transfer from El Salto and spending 3 days reaching Plaza de Mulas at 4230m, Aconcagua base camp. On the way there we will pass by Puenta del Inca on the first night and Confluencia camp the second. Apparently we have mules these days so we will be able to walk with a smaller load than usual. That will likely be a relief at this point.

3^rd of February

In base camp – rest day!

From here on everything depends on the weather, but the following is what they will be trying to get us through.

4^th – 6^th of February

Trek from Camp I to Camp III, located at 4910m, 5380m and 5979m, respectively. They are named Canadian Place, Nido de Condores and Camp Colera (charming…). The days are relatively short, and with the climbs before arriving here we will have plenty of acclimatization done making it easier – but reaching Camp Colera (…) it will be obvious to all that we are up high and breathing is labored. Note, the highest camp is just below the summit of Stok Kangri.

7^th – 9^th of February

3 days are reserved for summit attempts. Everything depends on the weather. We might be stranded in the tents for two days before we are able to make a push (or even all three days and having to return back down), or we might be able to go the first night. Only time (and the weather Gods) will tell. In any case this will be a very hard day, but reaching the top it will be very rewarding. Reaching the summit will bring us up to an altitude of 6959m, the tallest point outside Himalaya.

10^th – 11^th of February

Descend from Camp Colera all the way down to base camp, and the next day all the way down and back to Mendoza. Some very long days, but at least we are only descending at this point.

12^th – 13^th of February

The flight home is the same way as when we arrived.

Again, just as I have concluded several other trip descriptions that involved climbing, I’ll state that this will by far be the hardest trip I have been on yet. It’ll be fun. And hard. And mentally and physically tiring. Yeah, some people do this voluntarily. No, I don’t know why, either. People are weird.