Aconcagua Polish Glacier Route with Porters

Aconcagua by the Polish Glacier route

Tour Description

Challenging & demanding ascent of Aconcagua 6,959m via Polish Glacier route.
This route is offer to climbers with good experience and comfort with the use of crampons, ice axe and belay techniques.

The route follows same valley and high camps as the Polish & Traverse route, starting to climb the glacier from camp 3 at the beginning in a gentle 25º degree and later in a steep 60º snow and ice.

To see a topographic map click here      

To order a topographic map : click here 

Day by day Itinerary

Day 1 Picked up Plumerillos airport at Mendoza and transferred to Hotel to meet the guides, gear check and have a power point expedition presentation. NH or Hyatt Hotel

Day 2 Transfer to Aconcagua Provincial Park permit office, to obtain the respective climbing permits, a mandatory personal procedure, and then head west to the village of Penitentes, situated at the foot of the valleys that access the mountain. Lodging at Hotel Penitentes.

Day 3 The Aconcagua Express vehicles transport us to the area called Punta de Vacas where we begin the first day’s trek towards the foot of Aconcagua through Vacas valley. This is a beautiful less traveled route with greener landscapes than the normal route. After 4 to 5 hours of hiking we reach our first camp called Pampa de Leña situated at an elevation of 2,800m. Here we eat a delicious barbecue along with the muleteers while the animals graze. Tent.

Day 4 Continuing along the same valley for 6 to 7 hours, we reach Casa de Piedra camp situated at an elevation of 3,200m. From camp up through the Relinchos pass we can clearly see the Polacos glacier on Aconcagua. This is the route we will take the next day. Tent.

Day 5 We climb up the steep and marvelous Relinchos valley to our base camp called Plaza Argentina situated at 4,200m. This is a long 8-hour day where we climb 1,000 vertical meters to reach Plaza Argentina. Our chef awaits us with hot drinks and a big dinner. Tent.

Day 6 Rest day at Plaza Argentina base camp. It is necessary to keep hydrated and rest in order to adapt well to the altitude before continuing on to the high camps and before summit day. Tent.

Day 7 Rest and hike around Plaza Argentina base camp. Tent.

Day 8 We carry part of the equipment up to high camp 1 and return to Plaza Argentina base camp. The trail leaves camp towards an old moraine until we reach camp 1 at an elevation of 4,822m. This trek is considered light in terms of weight to continue with an optimal adaptation to the altitude. This is the basic plan of successive stages: climbing up to high elevations and returning to lower ones, a key factor for safety and acclimatization. If this ascent plan is done slowly it increases the possibilities of success in reaching the summit in a comfortable and safe manner.  Plaza Argentina camp. Tent

Day 9 We climb to camp 1 to sleep at that elevation. The surroundings are truly magnificent in the heart of the Central Andes. Tent.

Day 10 We continue to camp 2 situated at the foot of Polacos glacier at an elevation of 5,760m. This ascent is incredibly beautiful since we can see the glacier in its full magnitude and several peaks that surround Aconcagua. We return to Plaza Argentina base camp to rest and recover energy. Tent.

Day 11 Rest at Plaza Argentina base camp. Tent.

Day 12 Climb to camp 1. Tent.

Day 13 Climb to camp 2. Tent.

Day 14 Rest day. Tent

Day 15 Early start the climb the Polish glacier, as soon we get out of our tent we reach short after the glacier in his very gentle first steps. We will decide the exact route to climb, eider the direct route or the surrounding Piedra Bandera one, all which depends on the conditions of the snow and ice. As we reach the summit 6,962m we return through the Canaleta route (the normal side). Our porter will set up our return camp at Piedras Blancas at 6,000m. Tent
Important: In the event glacier the conditions are insecure, the Lead Guide will make last decision eider keep climbing original plan or traverse towards the Falso Polacos variant. Group dynamic and health conditions will also play a roll in this decision making.

Day 16 Reserve day. Tent.

Day 17 Second extra day allowing for weather conditions at camp 2 high. Tent.

Day 18 Descent on normal route towards our Plaza de Mulas base camp. Tent.

Day 19 From Plaza de Mulas we have mules to help carry out our gear, allowing for a “light” trek through Playa Ancha and Horcones Valley to the village of Penitentes in a 6 to 7 hour hike.  At the Park Rangers station transport awaits us to take us to Los Penitentes Hotel. Hotel.

Day 20 Transport to Mendoza to reach the comfort of this beautiful Argentinean city. NH or Hyatt Hotel.

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Tour Details

Duration	20 days
Difficulty	Challenging & Demanding Climb!
Departures	KLE003-01 December 12, 2010 – December 29, 2010 KLE003-02 December 26, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Expedition cost	US $ 4.500 per person minimum 6 clients.
Personal Porter	US $ 1.110 per person minimum 2 clients.
Hotel single supplement	US $ 500 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

• All itineraries are subject to change due to changes in the weather, individual’s acclimatization rates and the guide’s preferences.
• Private Porter to be share between two expedition members carrying 10kg each, service available upon request at 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 12, 2010	Wednesday, December 29, 2010	available	5,3004,500
KLE003-02	Sunday, December 26, 2010	Friday, January 14, 2011	available	5,3004,500