|
|
Aconcagua
Summit
of
South
America,
6962m
On
the
new
7summits
site
we
will
place
trip reports
to
the
7summits,
so
send them in and
we
will
add
them!
Below
is
the
report
of
7summits'
Harry
Kikstra
climbing
the
Falso
de
los
Polaccos
route.
Happy
reading
:-)
|
Click
the
pictures
below
to
enlarge:
|
Hi
All
you
(armchair)
mountaineers!
In
December
2000-January
2001
I
climbed
Aconcagua
with
a
few
friends,
Erik
Slot
from
the
Netherlands
and
Don
Cook
from
the
US;
we
also
met
several
others
which
we
teamed
up
with.
We
raised
money
for
SOS
Children's
villages.
Here's
the
total
Aconcagua
trip
report,
including
pictures
and
even
a
video
from
the
summit!
Prologue:
this
is
what
happened
before
we
even
reached
Mendoza...:
-
Harry
&
Erik
were
on
national
radio
(3FM)
to
talk
about
the
trip
-
Our
plane
was
already
broken
in
Amsterdam
and
31
volunteers
were
needed
to
stay
the
night
in
A'dam.
Hell
no!
We
have
spent
enough
nights
there
and
want
to
go
to
South
America!
-
After
2
hours
they
(=Iberia)
finally
got
the
persons
they
needed
and
only
then
started
to
search
for
their
luggage:
another
1.5
hours
and
we
were
sure
to
miss
our
connecting
flight:
Madrid-
Santiago
de
Chile
-
Although
the
flight
to
Santiago
is
a
14
hour
flight
and
we
were
only
5
minutes
late,
the
plane
did
not
wait
for
us
(30
passengers
in
total,
thank
you
Iberia).
-
Instead,
they
put
us
on
the
only
plane
left....
to
Rio
de
Janeiro!
-
As
our
plan
was
to
take
a
taxi
from
Santiago
to
Mendoza
(Arg),
we
inquired
about
the
possibility
to
fly
to
Mendoza
and
that
seemed
to
work
out
fine:
we
got
boarding
passes
from
Rio-Buenos
Aires
&
BA-
Mendoza.
-
What
they
did
not
tell
us
was
(A)
that
we
had
to
change
airports
(!)
in
rush
hour
and
(B)
that
even
if
you
make
the
transfer
in
time
it
is
impossible
to
board
with
a
boarding
pass
only,
without
a
valid
ticket...
Anyway,
after
some
delicate
political
plays
between
the
Evil
Lady
in
Red,
two
innocent
charming
Dutch
mountaineers
and
some
beautiful
Ladies
in
Blue,
we
worked
it
out,
exactly
2
minutes
for
departure.
Special
business
class
check
in,
short
cut
through
the
airport,
jump
aboard
and
before
we
were
seated
the
plane
took
off
for
Mendoza,
base
of
all
Aconcagua
climbs!
Mendoza
Airport,
15-12-2000
When
we
arrive
at
Mendoza
airport,
the
weather
is
great.
It
is
nice
and
warm
and
we
are
confident
that
most
of
the
transportation
problems
are
behind
us,
seems
that
getting
there
is
half
of
the
expedition.
We
get
a
cab
to
our
reserved
hotel,
where
Don
-our
3rd
team
member
from
the
US-
will
be
waiting
for
us.
The
hotel
is
there,
but
where
is
Don?
He
was
supposed
to
arrive
this
morning
and
it
is
now
already
late
at
night.
We
make
some
calls
to
other
hotels
and
check
our
email,
but
complete
radio silence.
This
is
quite
annoying
as
not
only
we
have
no
idea
where
he
is,
we
also
have
booked
a
complete
line
of
services
for
the
next
days:
transportation
to
the
mountain,
mules
for
the
luggage
etc.
We
go
out
for
some
dinner,
but
even
a
midnight
email
check
does
not
give
us
any
answers
and
we
go
to
sleep.
Mendoza,
16-12-2000
The
next
morning
we
get
our
permits;
as
Aconcagua
is
a
national
park
you
have
to
register
if
you
want
to
hike
or
climb
the
mountain.
Even
in
the
morning
the
temperature
is
very
pleasant
and
we
decide
to
spend
some
time
on
one
of
the
many
terraces
in
the
pedestrian
zone.
Now
this
is
vacation!
We
wait
until
the
permit
office
is
closed
for
today
and
have
everything
we
booked (mules, transportation)
postponed
for
one
day.
We
haven't
heard
anything
from
Don
and
if
he
doesn't
show
up
by
tomorrow
morning,
we
will
have
to
go
without
him.
We
take
a
walk
in
the
relaxing
park
(plaza
Indepencia)
and
find
some
white
gas
which
we
will
use
for
cooking
and
melting
snow
on
the
mountain.
Decision
time:
will
we
see
Don
today?
Then
we
should
take
6
liters
in
stead
of
4.
Think
positive!
This
seems
to
help
as
Don
is
alive
and
kicking
and
just
checking
in
our
hotel
when
we
get
back!
We
thought
we
had
a
long
trip
from
Amsterdam
(30
hours),
but
he
has
been
on
the
road/into
thin
air
for
48
hours,
just
to
get
from
Dallas,
Texas
to
Santiago!
Anyway,
we
are
very
glad
he's
here
and
together
with
Justin
and
Andrea,
a
young
couple
he
met
on
the
plane
we
are
going
out
for
some
pizza
and
burgers
to
celebrate.
I
arrange
a
good
deal
for
J&A
as
well
and
we
decide
to
start
our
real
trip
together.
The
rest
of
the
day
we
enjoy
all
of
the
wonders
of
this
magnificent
city:
nice
atmosphere,
good
food
and
views
;-
)
Mendoza,
17-12-2000
The
next
morning
all
we
have
to
do
is
get
the
permits
for
Don,
Andrea
and
Justin
and
we
are
off!
It
takes
about
3.5
hours
to
get
to
Puente
de
Inca,
a
natural
bridge,
formed
by
hot
springs.
Am
amazing
place
and
a
good
spot
do
do
some
first
acclimatizing
(2700m
ASL).
Then
the
big
sorting
game
starts,
which
is
the
first
part
of
parting
with
the
comfortable
world:
what
do
we
take
and
what
do
we
leave
behind?
You
cannot
just
go
back
and
get
that
extra
pair
of
socks
when
you
are
at
camp
II,
but
you
certainly
don't
want
to
carry
too
much
stuff
on
your
shoulders
as
well.
We
have
rented
2
mules,
they
will
carry
a
max
of
60kilos
each
for
us.
Our
bags
are
weighed
and
after
some
reshuffling
we
seem
to
have
exactly
4
bags
of
31
kilos
each
and
we
get
approval
from
´sr
Pollo
(chicken)´
who
handles
all
the
luggage.
One
last
good
meal
and
off
to
bed!
|
H&E
in
the
3FM
studios
with
the
'Stenders
Vroeg'
team
|
|
Rio
de
Janeiro
as
seen
from
the
plane
|
|
Harry,
being
pissed
off
at
the
Buenos
Aires
airport
counter
|
|
Erik
at
the
permit
office,
Mendoza
|
Harry,
enjoying
the
good
life
in
Mendoza
|
|
Don
&
Erik
enjoying
some
extra
calories
|
Harry,
trying
to
cheat
Pollo
while
weighing
|
Justin
&
Andrea
|
Don
|
Erik
|
Harry
|
Hosteria
Puente
de
Inca,
with
the
best
showers!
|
Puente
de
Inca,
18-12-2000
The
next
morning
we
are
taken
by
car
to
Punta
de
Vacas
(2500m
asl),
the
trailhead
for
the
Polish
Glacier
approach.
We
will
ascend
all
the
way
to
the
base
of
the
glacier,
traverse
to
the
normal
route
at
6000m
and
summit
from
there.
This
does
mean
that
all
the
stuff
the
mules
are
currently
carrying
will
have
to
be
taken
up
to
6000m
and
down
the
other
side
of
the
mountain
by
us...
We
just
met
a
Swiss
man
who
told
us
that
a
Japanese
movie star
has
been
climbing
the
mountain,
supposedly
he
had
brought
over
4000kg
of
luggage,
including
20
kilos
of
pornography
and
many,
many
rolls
of
toilet paper...
of course
many
of
these
stories
are
hearsay,
but
the
many
crewmembers
we
saw
coming
down
from
the
mountain
did
look
exhausted.
The
mules
are
late
and
we
decide
to
start
walking
without
them.
The
Vacas
valley
is
very
beautiful
and
it's
a
pleasure
to
walk
along
the
rivers,
mountains
and
hidden
valleys.
We
meet
the
Alpine
Ascents
group,
the
only
other
group
that
starts
that
day
on
this
route
and
meet
two
soloists,
the
college
professor
Barry
and
Mike,
who
wants
to
climb
the
Polish
Glacier.
The
next
few
days
we
act
as
one
group
of
7
and
it's
great
fun
listening
to
each others
stories
and
plans.
At
the
end
of
the
first
day
we
arrive
at
Pampa
de
Llenas,
where
our
permits
are
being
checked.
The
muleteers
unload
Pablo
and
Fred,
our
two
mules
and
stay
in
a
small
tent.
We
decide
not
to
put
up
tents,
roll
out
our
sleeping
bags
on
the
sandy
floor
and
sleep
under
a
cloudless
sky,
filled
with
billions
of
stars...
19/12/2000
the
next
morning
we
are
awoken
at
6.30
AM
by
a
helicopter
bringing
materials
to
the
next
camps.
Daylight
is
already
there
and
we
pack
our
stuff.
Then
the
fun
starts:
how
to
cross
a
river
that
is
4
feet
deep
and
40
feet
wide?
That's
where
the
muleteers
come
in.
They
saddle
one
horse
extra,
let
you
climb
onto
it
with
a
heavy
pack
on
your
back
and
head
into
the
river.
This
is
even
more
exciting
than
it
sounds
as
the
river
is
icy
and
muddy
and
flowing
fast.
We
are
taken
over
one
by
one,
but
just
as
it's
our
turn
the
empty
mule
returning
from
the
other
side
cannot
longer
hold
on
and
falls
into
the
strong
stream.
He
manages
to
get
up
again,
but
is
still
shaking
like
a
leaf
when
I
mount
his
back
and
isn't
planning
on
getting
back
into
the
river.
But
the
muleteer
doesn't
really
give
him
another
option
and
so
we
head
down
into
the
water.
I
can
feel
he's
scared
stiff
and
try
to
comfort
him,
but
I
am
not
too
happy
myself
either
as
this
part
of
mountaineering
is
out
of
my
control...
But
we
all
get
safe
to
the
other
side
and
after
some
changing
of
clothing
we
start
walking
on
the
banks
of
the
Vacas
river.
Another
beautiful
day
of
about
18
km
takes
us
over
small
rivers,
moraine
fields,
heather,
hills
and
valleys
and
finally
brings
us
to
a
wide
river
delta
where
a
little
rock
hut
stands,
the
Casa
de
Piedra
at
3200m
asl.
This
is
also
the
first
time
we
can
actually
see
the
mountain
we
came
for:
in
the
west
we
see
through
the
narrow
valley
of
the
relinchos
river
a
magnificent
mountain
covered
with
glaciers.
Still
more
than
20
kms
away,
but
really
impressive!
As
there
were
some
drops
of
rain
and
some
winds
this
afternoon
we
decide
to
pitch
our
tents
on
the
valley
floor.
Don
does
not
feel
to
well
and
Erik
and
I
go
for
a
little
acclimatization
walk,
about
150m
up.
We
have
a
great
view
over
camp
and
the
valley
floor
and
even
spot
a
big
rabbit.
Satisfied
we
go
to
sleep
and
dream
of
wild
rivers,
cold
glaciers
and
rabbits.
|
|
The
Vacas
Trailhead
|
Erik,
Harry,
Andrea
&
Don
at
the
Vacas
trailhead
|
Justin,
jumping
one
of
the
smaller
rivers
|
Don,
1
hour
before
Las
Llenas
|
Las
Llenas
Camp
|
Pablo
&
Fred,
our
faithful
mules
|
Harry
on
the
mule
crossing
the
river
|
Erik,
1
hour
before
Casa
de
Piedras
|
First
view
of
Aconcagua
from
CdP
|
20/12/2000
The
next
morning
starts
out
with
another
river
crossing,
but
the
river
is
very
wide
and
therefore
shallow
and
it's
no
problem.
The
sun
is
already
burning
hot
when
we
enter
the
steep
and
narrow
Relinchos
valley.
Today
we
walk
about
15kms
and
have
to
go
up
1km,
so
it
will
be
a
tough
day
and
´pole,
pole´
(´easy´,
as
the
porters
on
Kilimanjaro
say)
is
the
word.
Soon
we
have
two
choices:
cross
the
river
again
or
make
a
high
traverse.
We
opt
to
cross
the
river,
some
guys
including
Erik
jump
to
a
big
slippery
rock,
but
I
don't
want
to
jeopardize
my
cameras
and
decide
to
wade
trough
the
cold
and
fast
flowing
river.
This
gives
me
the
nickname
from
Mike:
the
wading
Dutchman...
it's
knee
deep
and
wild
and
I
have
to
use
both
of
my
walking
poles
upstream
to
stay
upright,
but
manage
to
get
on
the
other
side
where
I
have
to
dry
out
my
boots
and
socks.
Just
a
few
hundred
yards
away
we
cross
again,
but
an
old
part
of
the
glacier
is
still
there
and
acts
as
a
natural
snow bridge.
We
continue
the
rest
of
the
day
moving
up
the
steep
hills
and
can
feel
the
altitude
gain.
After
another
river
crossing
and
numerous
climbs
up
and
down
(mostly
up)
gorgeous
hills
and
hot
valleys
I
finally
arrive
with
Mike
at
a
big
flat
area
where
Base camp
should
be.
But
where
is
it?
I
get
out
my
GPS
and
check
my
bookmarked
waypoints:
hmm,
it
should
be
80
meters
in
that
direction!
Exhausted
we
climb
a
small
ridge
and
suddenly
another
glacier
appears,
covered
with
rocks
and
moraines
and
a
big
sign
that
says:
hot
dogs!
Mike
does
not
hesitate
and
tells
me
he's
going to
get
me
a
hotdog.
A
nice
looking
woman
appears
from
the
tent
and
looks
like
she
wants
to
hug
us
and
welcomes
us
us
to
Plaza
Argentina.
Her
name
is
Paula
and
she
smiles
a
lot;
first
of
all
Mike
and
I
are
convinced
it
is
because
of
our
incredible
good
looks,
but
later
the
suspicion
lurks
that
it
might
also
have
something
to
do
with
the
coca leaves
tea
some
people
drink
over
here...
Anyway,
she
is
friendly
and
the
hotdogs
($5
each,
just
the
same
price
as
Yankee
stadium,
according
to
Yankee
Mike)
taste
good
after
the
long
and
strenuous
walk.
Mules
to
Base camp
Mike,
Paula
and
the
hotdogs
After
the
hotdog
still
nobody
else
of
our
group
has
arrived
and
we
decide
to
find
some
good
camping
spots.
Mike
finds
a
nice
little
spot
for
his
small
tent
and
I
reserve
3
spots
for
our,
A&J's
and
Don's
tents.
Erik
is
the
next
one
who
enters
base camp
and
is
clearly
exhausted,
beating
his
previous
altitude
record
with
more
than
a
kilometer
(won't
be
the
last
time...).
We
put
up
our
tents
and
have
to
take
a
rest
after
every
few
actions.
Especially
the
carrying
of
the
31kilos
heavy
bags
the
mules
brought
to
the
edge
of
the
camp
makes
us
look
like
a
one-legged
retired
chain smoker
after
winning
the
Tour
de
France...
We
get
a
bit
worried
about
Don,
as
after
another
hour
he
still
isn't
in
and
the
last
time
we
say
him
was
only
about
3
hours
away
from
base camp.
But
then
again,
the
big
organized
AAI
group
is
not
in
either,
so
maybe
he
is
joining
them.
|
CdP
(right)
&
camp
|
Dawn
at
Aconcagua...
|
Erik,
x-ing
snow bridge
over
Relinchos
river
|
Harry,
getting
another
wet
foot...
|
|
