
IMG Aconcagua Climb Itineraries
For the 2023-24 season, we will be offering scheduled climbs via the False Polish Guanacos Variation Route and also the Horcones Valley Normal Route. The False Polish Route team will climb from one side of the mountain to High Camp and the summit, and then descend the Normal Route. The Normal Route team will ascend and descend from the same side of the mountain. Plan to arrive no later than Day 1 for gear checks and review of the details for the expedition. We spend two days in Mendoza making final preparations and doing our mandatory National Park check in where we will obtain our permits. Our expedition gets underway with a drive to the Park Entrance where we will repack loads for the mules. The rate of ascent will be dictated by the weather, the strength of the group, and our rate of acclimatization. All climbing decisions will be made by the guides, with the best interest of the group in mind. A good weather expedition might take 18 days on the mountain. Average time is 20 days, and 22-23 days is not unusual.
False Polish Guanacos Variation Route | |||
Day | Trip 1 | Trip 2 | Itinerary |
1 | 28-Dec-2023 | 30-Dec-2023 | Arrive to Mendoza, gear checks, overnight at Hyatt hotel (or similar) |
2 | 29-Dec-2023 | 31-Dec-2023 | Secure Climbing Permits, pack, gear checks, overnight at Hyatt hotel (or similar) |
3 | 30-Dec-2023 | 1-Jan-2024 | Depart Mendoza for the town of Penitentes (8,940ft), hotel near trailhead |
4 | 31-Dec-2023 | 2-Jan-2024 | Penitentes to Pampa de Leñas (9,678') |
5 | 1-Jan-2024 | 3-Jan-2024 | Pampa de Leñas to Casa de Piedras (10,629') |
6 | 2-Jan-2024 | 4-Jan-2024 | Casa de Piedras to Plaza Argentina baseCamp (13,800'). |
7 | 3-Jan-2024 | 5-Jan-2024 | Rest day at Plaza Argentina. |
8 | 4-Jan-2024 | 6-Jan-2024 | Carry to Camp I (16,372'). |
9 | 5-Jan-2024 | 7-Jan-2024 | Move to Camp I |
10 | 6-Jan-2024 | 8-Jan-2024 | Carry to Camp II(17,953') via the Ameghino col. |
11 | 7-Jan-2024 | 9-Jan-2024 | Move to Camp II |
12 | 8-Jan-2024 | 10-Jan-2024 | Carry to Camp III/Cholera (19,587') |
13 | 9-Jan-2024 | 11-Jan-2024 | Rest/acclimatization day at Camp II |
14 | 10-Jan-2024 | 12-Jan-2024 | Move to Camp Cholera (19,587') |
15 | 11-Jan-2024 | 13-Jan-2024 | Summit (22,842') and return to Camp Cholera |
16 | 12-Jan-2024 | 14-Jan-2024 | Descend to Plaza De Mulas |
17 | 13-Jan-2024 | 15-Jan-2024 | Trek out from Plaza De Mulas, overnight at hotel in Mendoza |
18 | 14-Jan-2024 | 16-Jan-2024 | Depart Mendoza for Home |
19 | 15-Jan-2024 | 17-Jan-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |
20 | 16-Jan-2024 | 18-Jan-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |
21 | 17-Jan-2024 | 19-Jan-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |
22 | 18-Jan-2024 | 20-Jan-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |
Horcones Valley Normal Route | ||
Day | Trip 3 | Itinerary |
1 | 22-Jan-2024 | Arrive Mendoza, gear checks, overnight at Hyatt hotel (or similar) |
2 | 23-Jan-2024 | Secure Climbing Permits, pack, gear checks, overnight at Hyatt hotel (or similar) |
3 | 24-Jan-2024 | Depart Mendoza for the town of Penitentes (8,940'), hotel near trailhead |
4 | 25-Jan-2024 | Penitentes to Confluencia (10,826') 3-4 hours |
5 | 26-Jan-2024 | Acclimatization / Active rest day at Confluencia |
6 | 27-Jan-2024 | Confluencia to Plaza De Mulas (13,976') 6-8 hours |
7 | 28-Jan-2024 | Plaza De Mulas Acclimatization |
8 | 29-Jan-2024 | Carry to Camp Canada and return to Plaza De Mulas |
9 | 30-Jan-2024 | Plaza De Mulas Rest Day |
10 | 31-Jan-2024 | Move to Camp Canada (16,108') |
11 | 1-Feb-2024 | Move to Nido De Condores (17,244') |
12 | 2-Feb-2024 | Nido De Condores - Rest Day |
13 | 3-Feb-2024 | Carry to Camp Cholera and return to Nido De Condores |
14 | 4-Feb-2024 | Move to Camp Cholera (19,587') |
15 | 5-Feb-2024 | Summit (22,842') and return to Camp Cholera |
16 | 6-Feb-2024 | Descend to Plaza De Mulas |
17 | 7-Feb-2024 | Trek out from Plaza De Mulas, overnight at hotel in Mendoza |
18 | 8-Feb-2024 | Depart Mendoza for Home |
19 | 9-Feb-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |
20 | 10-Feb-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |
21 | 11-Feb-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |
22 | 12-Feb-2024 | Contingency Summit Day |