How Fit To Climb Aconcagua?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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In order to climb Aconcagua,

you need to have an excellent level of fitness

. We rate this as a level 8 expedition, which means it’s an extremely tough challenge. For most people, it will be the toughest challenge of their life. You need to have an excellent level of cardio fitness and also be well used to hillwalking.

How hard is it to climb Aconcagua?

Aconcagua is a Level 8,

one of our toughest

. This means you can expect… “An average of 6 to 8 hours per day at altitudes not usually exceeding 7,000 metres. Typically, it will involve one extremely long and/or tough day to reach a summit.

How do you train to climb Aconcagua?

  1. Climbing conditioning — pack-loaded uphill hiking, walking, and stair climbing.
  2. Strength training — for the lower body and core.
  3. Cardiovascular training — including both aerobic and anaerobic workouts without pack weight.
  4. Flexibility training.

Is climbing Aconcagua worth it?

Many experienced climbers have stated that summit day on Aconcagua is no easier than a Denali summit day. Still, although Aconcagua is high, cold, windy, huge, exhausting,

it’s worth the effort to reach the highest point in the Western Hemisphere and a Seven Summit!

When should I summit Aconcagua?

Best time to climb Aconcagua is from

November to March

. Anyway, in Aconcagua weather changes are so unpredictable that sometimes it is impossible to reach the summit for lack of experience in making a personal forecast. Aconcagua weather is always related to the weather in Chile (See weather considerations).

Can you climb Mount Aconcagua without a guide?

Aconcagua is a serious high-altitude climb.

Many people climb without a formal guide

and contract with local agencies for mules or carry everything themselves. There are usually a lot of climbers on Aconcagua so you would probably not be alone but easily could be.

What is the easiest of the 7 summits?

  • Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
  • Mount Elbrus, Russia.
  • Denali, Alaska (formerly known as Mount McKinley)
  • Aconcagua, Argentina.
  • Vision Massif, Antartica.
  • Puncak Jaya, Oceania.
  • Mount Everest, Nepal/China.

Can you ski on Aconcagua?

The name Aconcagua derives from the native Que Chua word for ‘stone sentinel’ – unfortunately not the great white one.

The sole skiable route from the summit down descends the Polish Glacier on its Eastern lee flank

. As a Seven Summit, Aconcagua is attempted by nearly 2,000 people per year.

How much does it cost to climb Mount Aconcagua?


~$15,000-$18,000 for a top-end guided climb in the high season

. (…) the two extreme cornerstones of the cost spectrum for an Aconcagua climb: $3,500-$4,000 for a barebones unguided climb in the low season versus ~$15,000-$18,000 for a top-end guided climb in the high season.

How many people climb Aconcagua a year?

This makes Aconcagua one of the most popular mountains in the world with

about 3,500

climbers taking on the challenge each year. The success rate fluctuates around 60% each year, with failed summits largely due to altitude related issues. Proper acclimatization is essential for a safe and successful climb.

How tall is Aconcagua mountain?

22,837′

What is the highest point in the Andes?

Aconcagua

What should I climb before Aconcagua?

For those with extra time and/or the requirement to acclimatise prior to the Aconcagua climb we offer a pre-acclimatisation climb on

Cerro el Plomo

. This is an achievable 10-day trip, ex Santiago, which is led by one of our South American guides.

Is Aconcagua harder than Mont Blanc?


Mont Blanc (4808m) is harder than Aconcagua

(6960m) and much harder than Kilimanjaro (5895m) The effort required on summit day exceeds that of running a marathon.

Do you need oxygen on Aconcagua?


No, you do not ‘require’ artificial oxygen above 7000m

. People choose to use it to more easily and safely ascend to summits over 8000m and do not usually start to use it until their last, or second last camp, depending how much assistance they need and how much money they have.

Are there bodies on Aconcagua?

The Department of Natural Resources in Argentina confirmed yesterday that

the bodies of two American climbers who had gone missing New Year’s eve have been found

. Jarod VonRueden (22) and Francis Keenan (28) began their climb of Aconcagua (6,962m) on December 20.

How many deaths on Kilimanjaro per year?

Approximately 30,000 people attempt to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro every year and on average the reported number of deaths is about

10 fatalities per year

.

How long would it take to climb Aconcagua?

There are two main routes to climb Aconcagua.

It takes

between 18 and 20 days

, although there are shorter programs of 12 days (have a look at this personal account by Oleksii, who did the Aconcagua fast 12-day ascent with guide Gastón Oyarzún and described it as “the most powerful emotion in my life”).

Who is the youngest person to climb the 7 summits and how old are they?

The youngest person to climb the Seven Summits and the Seven Volcanic Summits is

Satyarup Siddhanta

(India b. 29 April 1983), who was 35 years and 261 days old when he completed the feat by reaching the summit of Mt Sidley in Antarctica, on 15 January 2019.

Has anyone climbed all 7 summits?


Alison Levine

, who has climbed all seven summits and led an all-female Everest expedition in 2002, said part of what makes climbing Everest so dangerous is that mountaineers can become consumed with blind desire to get to the top and will ignore crucial signs of exhaustion or hazardous conditions.

What order should I climb the Seven Summits?

  1. Stage 1. Kilimanjaro. 10 Day Mountaineering School.
  2. Stage 2. Mt. Elbrus. …
  3. Stage 3. (Those with a strong performance in the climbing school can proceed directly to these climbs) Denali. …
  4. Stage 4. Everest.
Timothy Chehowski
Author
Timothy Chehowski
Timothy Chehowski is a travel writer and photographer with over 10 years of experience exploring the world. He has visited over 50 countries and has a passion for discovering off-the-beaten-path destinations and hidden gems. Juan's writing and photography have been featured in various travel publications.