Thanks to the generosity of my amazing wife and kids, and my partners at work, I am setting out this week to attempt to climb the highest peak outside the Himalayas. Aconcagua is located near Mendoza, Argentina (see below). It is the second highest of the “Seven Summits” after Everest (the Seven Summits are the highest mountains in each of the seven continents.)


Basic Itinerary

I departed Sunday for Argentina and will be back in SF on January 30, 2010.

The plan calls for a few days of travel and gear organization, then a three day hike to the mountain. This approach march could be in 70 degree F weather. By Saturday, January 16 we should arrive at base camp. Then we begin the process of carrying loads up, and sleeping back down low, continuing up the mountain to three separate camps (Camps I and II, and High Camp). From there, we await the chance to summit at 22,840 feet. With luck, the first day on which we could reach the summit is Sunday, January 24. Of course, weather and acclimatization will both come into play. Once on the mountain it will be cold. The summit is usually -20 degrees F.

Evan Corcoran and Adair Prall, who were my college roommates and rowing teammates and with whom I have climbed a few mountains before, are on the trip. Evan first proposed the idea of climbing Aconcagua in January 2008, and by November 2008 we had developed a plan. So the trip has been a long time in the making. We three join five additional climbers and three guides for a total team of 11 people. Those of you who wonder about medical issues will be pleased to know that there are two doctors and one nurse (one of the guides, who is trained in wilderness medicine) among the team members. And, of course, all will want to be extra careful with a trial lawyer (Evan) in the group.

Detailed Itineraries for each week (click on week for calendar)

Jan 10 – 16

Jan 17 – 23

Jan 24 – 30

The Route
Approach Route from the Northeast (click to enlarge).

The route above Base Camp will take us to Plaza Argentina (Camp 1) from there up to "Helicopter Camp" below the Polish Glacier (Camp 2). From there on we will take the traverse to the Normal Route and high camp at Pedras Blancas (Camp 3) and the up to the summit. Summit Day is a very long climb up the ridge and up to the summit from the southeast. (click to enlarge).

Until we can provide our own pictures of the voyage, click here for a series of photos of a similar climb. Click on "Previous Picture" (?) at the bottom to scroll through the climb from bottom to top.

Contact Information

I will not have email or telephone access for most of the time I am away. The guide service has advised the team to "let family and friends know that they probably will not hear from you until you are off the mountain." That said, we will have a satellite phone and thus will not be entirely cut off from the outside world. If the technology works, I am planning to post daily short text updates along the way (by way of numeric keypad on the sat phone so they will be SHORT.) The updates will also be posted on Twitter (@gordonritter) and Facebook (Gordon Ritter) so you can check in there as well.

Photos to come when we get back from the climb.