Aconcagua Polish Glacier Route with Porters

Aconcagua by the Polish Glacier route

Polish Glaciar route

Tour Description

This extremely challenging and technical expedition to Aconcagua (6,959m / 22,831 ft) by way of the Polish Glacier is offered soley to climbers with solid technical experience, familiar with the use of crampons, ice axe, and belay techniques. Accessed through the Vacas Valley, the route begins with a three-day trek to the Plaza Argentina base camp (4,200m / 13,944 ft). It continues on to Camp 1 (4,900m/ 16,076 ft), and then up a steep slope to Camp 2 (5,850m / 19,192 ft), sheltered in a moraine at the base of the Polish Glacier. At this point we begin the ascent of the glacier, the condition of the ice determining the climbing line chosen by the guide. The two main routes are the classic Piedra Bandera line, which makes a zigzag ascent to the summit, and the direct Polish glacier line—the steepest and most demanding. After the emotion of reaching the summit of the western hemisphere’s highest peak, and taking the classic group photo beside the mountain’s emblematic white cross, we’ll descend by way of the Normal route, through the Plaza de Mulas base camp and down the Horcones Valley.

To see a topographic map click here

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Day by day Itinerary

Day 1 Mendoza You will be picked up at Plumerillos Airport in Mendoza and transferred to the NH Hotel. After meeting the guides and other members of the group, we’ll make an equipment and gear check, and have a power point presentation on the expedition.
NH Hotel / Elevation 761 m (2,497 ft)

Day 2 Mendoza - Penitentes Before leaving Mendoza, we’ll visit the Aconcagua Provincial Park’s permit office to obtain our mandatory, individual climbing permits. Then we’ll drive towards the Park, stopping for lunch in Uspallata. We’ll continue our journey west to the village of Penitentes, situated at the entrance to the Vacas Valley, which gives access to our route. Overnight in Penitentes.
Transfer distance 190 km – 118 miles / Transfer time 2 1/4 hours / Hotel Penitentes / Elevation Min 761 m (2,497 ft) - Max 2,580m (8,464 ft)

Day 3 Penitentes – Pampa de Leña Aconcagua Express vehicles transfer us to the area known as Punta de Vacas, site of an important Argentinean Army post, beside the Vacas River. Here we begin our trek towards the base of Aconcagua through the Vacas Valley, a greener and less busy path than the Normal route, and wonderfully scenic. After a hike of four to five hours we reach our first camp at Pampa de Leña (2,800m / 9,330ft), a picturesque spot surrounded by rocky walls. Here we’ll join our arrieros (mule drivers) in a delicious barbecue.
Trekking Time – 4-5 hours / Tent / Elevation - Min 2,580m (8,464 ft) - Max - 2,800m (9,186 ft)

Day 4 Pampa de Leña – Casa de Piedra We continue hiking up the Vacas Valley for six to seven hours, reaching Casa de Piedra camp, a green strip of land on the eastern side of the huge Vacas Valley (3,200m / 10,665 ft). We’ll get an excellent view of the Polacos Glacier here, through the Relinchos Pass, and the route we’ll take tomorrow.
Trekking Time – 6-7 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 2,800m (9,186 ft) - Max 3,200m (10,665 ft)

Day 5 Casa de Piedra - Plaza Argentina Leaving the Vacas Valley behind us, we begin to climb up the steep, narrow and marvelously scenic Relinchos Valley to our base camp at Plaza Argentina (4,200m /14,000 ft). This is a demanding seven-hour day during which we’ll climb 1,000 vertical meters (3,280 ft) and cross the Relincho Creek, which can carry a lot of water in the summer and must be forded with care. Along the last stretch of the trail we get a magnificent view of Aconcagua and its north-eastern neighbour, Mt. Ameguino (5,900m / 10,356 ft). At Plaza Argentina base camp our chef will be waiting for us with hot drinks and a delicious dinner. For expedition member’s safety and comfort, Park Rangers are stationed here and medical services are available.
Trekking Time – 7 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 3,200m (10,665 ft) - Max 4,200m (14,000 ft)

Day 6 Plaza Argentina base camp Today is a rest day, essential for an optimal acclimatization. We’ll rest in camp, eat well, and drink plenty of liquids, allowing our bodies to adapt to the altitude in readiness for the high camps and summit day.
Elevation – 4,200m (14,000 ft)

Day 7 Plaza Argentina base camp – Camp I - Plaza Argentina base camp Leaving our arrieros (mule drivers) and the mules at base camp, we’ll make our first day of portage carrying light loads of personal and common gear up to Camp I (4,822m / 15,820 ft). Today’s, and other days of portage during the expedition, are essential to achieving an optimal adaptation to the elevation. Climbing up to higher altitudes and descending to lower ones to sleep will be our strategy from now on. This ascent plan increases the probability of reaching the summit successfully and in a comfortable and safe manner. We return to base camp to sleep.
Trekking Time – 6 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 4,200m (14,000 ft) - Max 4,822m (15,820 ft).

Day 8 Plaza Argentina base camp A rest day at Plaza Argentina base camp.
Elevation – 4,200m (14,000 ft).

Day 9 Plaza Argentina base camp – Camp I We climb to Camp 1 to sleep. The surroundings are truly magnificent, in the heart of the central Andes.
Trekking Time – 4-5 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 4,200m (14,000 ft) - Max 4,822m (15,820 ft).

Day 10 Camp I - Camp II - Plaza Argentina base camp We continue to Camp II (5,760m / 18,897 ft), situated at the foot of Polacos glacier. This is a stunningly beautiful ascent as we can see the glacier in its full magnitude and the high peaks surrounding Aconcagua. We descend to Plaza Argentina base camp to rest and recover energy.
Trekking Time – 6-7 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 4,200m (14,000 ft) - Max 4,822m (15,820 ft).

Day 11 Plaza Argentina base camp A rest day at Plaza Argentina base camp.
Elevation – Min 4,200m (14,000 ft)

Day 12 Plaza Argentina base camp – Camp I Today we return to Camp 1 where we’ll spend the night.
Trekking Time – 4-5 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 4,200m (14,000 ft) - Max 4,822m (15,820 ft).

Day 13 Camp I - Camp II We climb to Camp II to spend the night.
Trekking Time – 4-5 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 4,200m (14,000 ft) - Max 4,822m (15,820 ft).

Day 14 Camp II We’ll take a rest day at the base of the glacier to prepare for the summit push.
Elevation – Max 4,822m (15,820 ft).

Day 15 Summit Day - Piedras Blancas We’ll make a very early start. Soon after leaving Camp II we reach the Polish glacier, where our guide will decide which line to take, a decision based on the condition of the ice. Even if the group has sufficient experience but conditions are not safe enough, the guide can at any time decide to take the Polish traverse route. On reaching the summit, we’ll enjoy the spectacular views, take pictures to record this momentous achievement, and then descend by way of the Normal route. Our porter will have our return camp set up at Piedras Blancas (6,000m / 19,695 ft).
Trekking Time – 14-16 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 6,000m (19,695 ft) - Max (6,959m / 22,831 ft)

Day 16, 17 Alternative Summit Days These two days will be held in reserve so as to choose the best day to make our summit push. Our guide has access to weather forcasts, calling to our bases in Santiago and Mendoza by satellite phone.
Trekking Time – 14-16 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 6,000m (19,695 ft) - Max (6,959m / 22,831 ft)

Day 18 Piedras Blancas - Plaza de Mulas We’ll descend from Piedras Blancas to the Plaza de Mulas camp (4,300m / 14,107 ft), where our Aconcagua Express chef will be waiting with a delicious and restorative dinner. This base camp has showers, satellite telephone, and an exquisite menu especially prepared for our expedition.
Trekking Time – 5 hours / Tent / Elevation – Min 4,300m (14,107 ft) – Max 5,550m / 18,208 ft (Nido de Condores) / 6,000m / 19,600 ft (Piedras Blancas)

Day 19 Plaza de Mulas – Penitentes From Plaza de Mulas, our arrieros (mule drivers) and the mules will help us carry out our gear and equipment. The hike out through Playa Ancha and down the Horcones Valley to the village of Penitentes will take six to seven hours. At the Park Rangers station, Aconcagua Express vehicles will be waiting to take us to our hotel in Penitentes.
Trekking Time – 6 - 7 hours / Hotel Penitentes / Elevation Min 761m (2,497 ft) - Max 4,300m (14,107 ft).

Day 20 Penitentes - Mendoza We will be transported back to Mendoza, and the comforts of this beautiful Argentinean city. Following a good night’s rest, the Aconcagua Polish Glacier Route with Porters comes to an end! Some members may wish to spend some time on their own in Mendoza, discovering the charms of this attractive city and the beautiful wine country which surrounds it.
Transfer distance 190 km – 118 miles / Transfer time 2 1/4 hours / Hotel NH / Elevation Min 761 m (2,497 ft) - Max 2,580m (8,464 ft)

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Tour Details

Duration	20 days
Difficulty	Excellent Physical Shape and solid technical experience, familiarity with the use of crampons, ice axe, and belay techniques.
Departures	KLE003-01 December 11, 2011 – December 30, 2011 KLE003-02 January 08, 2012 – January 27, 2012
Expedition cost	US $ 4.800 per person minimum 6 clients.
Personal Porter	US $ 700 per person minimum 2 clients.
Hotel Single Supplement	US $ 600 per person
Reservation cost	US $ 700
Balance due	75 days prior departure
Space available	6 climbers

Service includes

Professional Bilingual Mountain Guide.
Ratio, Guide to Clients 1-3.
Porter for group gear (tents) during the entire expedition.
Mules for individual gear to base camp and return with a maximum of 20 kg. per person.
High quality expedition common gear: The North Face, Mountain Hardware and Marmot tents, isolate mattress, high camp stoves & Fuel.
First aid kit, hyperbaric chamber, oxygen bottles, oximeter, including O2 at our high camps.
Satellite phone at base camp on a per minute payment basis.
VHF 2 mt & BLU HF radio communication equipment.
Full base camp set up dining tent, chair, tables, etc..
All meals during the expedition.
Permanently available hot drinks and biscuits at base camp tent.
Two hotel nights in Mendoza, double occupancy with breakfast, at Hyatt or NH Hotel.
One hotel night in Penitentes, double occupancy with half pension.
Private transportation included airport pick-up.
Assistance at Mendoza airport.
All local organization and supervision by KL Adventure & Aconcagua Express Staff.
The Aconcagua, “Summit of America” book, by Mauricio Fernandez.

Service does not include

All personal climbing equipment gear.
Aconcagua climbing permit fee.
Porter for personal gear, except who applied for it.
Any cost involve in a early or late departure.
Mendoza meals.
Any drinks (soda, beer or wine) in Mendoza.
Cancellation, accident and rescue insurance.
Cash for extra expenses.
Any other service not mentioned in the list.
Gratuities are not included.

Important

Even if the group has sufficient experience but conditions are not safe enough, the lead guide can at any time decide to take the Polish traverse route.
All itineraries are subject to change due to changes in the weather, individual’s acclimatization rates, and the guide’s preferences.
A private Porter, to be shared between two expedition members carrying 10kg each, is available upon request at an additional cost.
Any departure dates can be re-scheduled with a minimum of 6 persons.

Once you get registered, we will send you :

A detailed list of all the equipment you need.

Aconcagua short equipment list :

-Non detailed version (this is only for “packing your bags”)
-Items marked with ** are available for rent. Items marked with * are available for purchase.

Head:

**Ski Goggles
*Light weight Balaclava
*Warm fleece or wool hat
*Glacier glasses
*Extra pair of sunglasses (these don’t need to be glacier glasses)
Hat or cap with neck protection for sun on the approach days
High U.V. Buff (Optional)
Neoprene face mask

Hands:

Fleece liners
Gore-Tex ski gloves
**Mittens

Upper Body:

(2) Polypropylene top- one medium weight and one expedition weight.
(2) Fleece jackets or lightweight synthetic insulated jacket.
(1) If you opt to only use one of the above jackets then you need an insulated vest.
Ultralight wind jacket (Optional)
Gore-Tex parka
**(1)Expedition Down Parka with down hood.
Long sleeve lightweight cotton type shirt for the hike in.

Lower Body:

(2)-Polypropylene bottom one lightweight and one expedition weight.
(1)-One pair of schoeler or nylon pants.
**Insulated over pants or fleece pants with full side zips
Lightweight Gore-Tex pants with full side zips

Feet:

2 pair of socks for the approach.
3 pair of sock combinations (in additition to above)
Gaiters
**Down or synthetic booties (optional)
**Double plastic boots
Light weight hiking boots, trekking shoes or sneakers
Sandals or neoprene booties.

Sleeping:

**Down or synthetic rated –10 degrees F/ -26 degrees C
Compression sack for sleeping bag
Thermarest pad with repair kit

Backpacks and other bags:

**Internal frame Backpack
*Day pack
Some medium and large stuff sacks
3 heavy-duty plastic bags
**1 large and 1 extra large duffel bags
An assortment of Ziploc bags.

Miscellaneous:

**Trekking poles or ski poles (MANDATORY)
Bandanna (for sun protection and cleaning glasses etc.)
Hand warmers (purchased in most outdoor stores)
Ear plugs (for those windy nights or snoring tent mates)
Potable aqua (1 bottle)
(2) Mole foam made by 3M (for treating blisters) (MANDATORY)
1 roll of athletic tape (mandatory)
Knife with built in scissors for cutting mole foam/skin.
Sunscreen SPF 30 or higher. Consider bringing Zinc oxide if you burn easily.
Head lamp with extra batteries
Toiletry items (toothbrush/toothpaste, baby wipes (very usefull), tampons
2 Lip balms (chapstick with SPF)
2 water bottles (two liters capacity) and 1 one-liter thermos.
Many people like to have a separate wide mouth bottle only for peeing in. This bottle should be clearly labeled!
Cup, bowl and spoon.

Climbing:

Climbing seat harness (Polish Glacier only)
1 Locking Carabiner (Polish Glacier only)
**Ice axe and leash 60-70 cm
**Crampons

Food:

2-3 pounds total and include items you know will look tasty if feeling less than 100% and that you have experimented with in training. Popular choices may include a variety of certain energy bars, energy gels, candies, nuts, dried fruits, rice crispy treats, brownies etc...

Medical:

Ibuprofen, Motrin or Advil
Asperin
Blister kit (athletic tape, mole foam, and 5-6 bandaids)

Optional Items:

Camera, Paperback book, Pee funnel (for women only), Music

Physical conditioning for your trip with KL Adventure

Whether your trip involves trekking, mountaineering, or technical climbing, your training program should involve the following:

Alpine-specific training (via hiking with a pack and specific skills development pertaining to your trip)
Strength training (via free weights, a weighted backpack, bodyweight exercises, or gym machines)
Cardiovascular training (via spinal-loading aerobic training)

Alpine specific training - During your training, progressively ramp up your speed, duration (time or mileage), and pack weight of weekly training hikes to give you alpine-specific conditioning that cannot be matched by any other type of training. Hike steep outdoor trails, gradually increasing your pack weight with each outing until you are at your target trip pack weight. A reasonable target for multi-day trips would be to ascend 3,500 feet in a 2-2.5 hour period, or roughly 1,750 vertical feet in an hour, with your target trip pack weight. In early season, you might start out with a 15# pack on hikes that gain up to 1,500’ elevation over 6-8 miles round trip; each hike try increasing the total elevation gain, distance, and/or speed, then begin adding several pounds per trip until you are comfortable with your target trip pack weight. When you can gain 3,500 feet with your target pack weight, start to decrease rest breaks and increase speed. Include overnight trips in your training regimen to get accustomed to successive days of sustained work with little to no recovery time.

Strength training - Training with free weights, a weighted backpack, bodyweight exercises, or gym machines will help you build overall strength, particularly in the core (lower back and abdominals), upper back, and legs. Developing strength in your upper back and shoulders will help you with such tasks as carrying a pack and using ice axe, ice tools or trekking poles effectively. The calves, hips, quads, hamstrings and glutes are all involved in ascending and descending alpine routes, and strength endurance is required in all areas of the legs and hips. Technical climbing will require a solid foundation in upper body strength training as well. Training primarily with free weights will give you the functional, alpine-specific strength that will help you most in the mountains. In early phases of strength conditioning, focus on building a foundation for harder workouts, starting with 2-3 sets of each exercise for 8-10 repetitions. As you continue to train, you will shift focus to building strength through lower repetitions (5-8) to build maximum strength. Finally for the last 4-6 weeks before your trip start increasing the repetitions to build strength endurance and mental and physical stamina; each phase varies the weight used, repetitions completed, number of sets, and rest interval. Most important in strength training is to be sure you maintain proper form at all times in order to prevent injury or strain.

Cardiovascular training – Activities you can add several times per week to supplement your alpine-specific pack carrying training include spinal-loading exercises such as trail running, walking on an inclined treadmill, doing stair stepping or stepmill training, working on an elliptical machine, or walking up and down hills or stairs with a weighted pack. In early season, include at least 3-4 sessions of 30-45 minutes of sustained activity at a moderate intensity, and gradually build to 4-5 aerobic sessions of sustained effort for an hour or more as you approach your trip. If you will be at high altitude for portions of your trip, include interval training in your weekly program. To do this, find a steep hill or sets of stairs that will allow you to climb steadily for several minutes. Push as hard as you can while you go up, then recover coming down, and repeat for anywhere from 30-45 minutes. For hill walks, add weight to your pack on a regular basis until you can carry slightly more than your target pack weight (referred to as over-weight training) the whole time. Participate in as many hikes or climbs that take you above 8,000’ as you possibly can, in order to learn how your body responds to high altitude.

This training information brought to you by KL Adventure conditioning partner, Body Results. For more conditioning information, products and services and special pricing for KLA’s clients go to www.bodyresults.com/kla

Code	From	To	Status	Price
Aconcagua Polish Route with Porters 20 Days
KLE003-01	Sunday, December 11, 2011	Friday, December 30, 2011	available	5,3004,800
KLE003-02	Sunday, January 08, 2012	Friday, January 27, 2012	available	5,3004,800