Monday, October 24, 2011

My Next Climbing Project: November 20, 2011 - South Face of Mount Aconcagua

Mount Aconcagua (6,962 meters)

Latitude: 32º 39` South
Longitude: 69º 59' West

Route to be Climbed: Argentine Route

Aconcagua is located in the High Andean region, on the border of Chile and Argentine. With its height of 6,962 meters, Mount Aconcagua is the highest peak in the Southern Hemisphere and the world's highest peak outside of Asia. The name comes from the Quechua language "Akon - Kahuac" which translates to "Sentinel Stone".

With its three thousand meters of rock, snow, and ice climbing, the routes on the South face are undoubtedly the most challenging ones on Mount Aconcagua. This wall is known among international top climbers as one of the most difficult and dangerous walls in the world. Also, its slopes are well known for frequent mega avalanches that have claimed the lives of many.

In February of 1978, the Argentinians G. Vieiro, E. Porcellana, and J. Jasson opened a new route of considerable technical difficulty and named it Via Argentina.

On November 20, 2011, I plan on approaching Via Argentine on the South wall through the "Valle de las Vacas" (Valley of the Cows) and Relinchos. This expedition will be fully documented by a well known Argentinian photographer/videographer to share with all in a short documentary.
1-Sun Line 2-Eslovenian 82 3-Polish variant 4-French variant 5-French 6-7 Upper and lower Argentines variant 8-Messner variant 9-Japanese variant 10-Russian roulette 11-Fonrouge/Schonberger 12-French direct 13-Eslovenian 86 14- Argentine route