Mount Aconcagua is the tallest mountain in the world outside the Himalayas and the second tallest of the classic “seven summits.” It is a part of the Andes Mountain Range in the Mendoza region of Argentina, soaring to a height of 6,962 meters. Climbing Aconcagua, though not considered a technical climb, has many challenges: exposure, altitude, extreme cold, lack of resources, and isolation, to name a few. Preparation is key. 

There are innumerable packing lists available online that tend to emphasize both warm and light weight gear. There is no greater contradiction. I have never spent so much money before even departing for a trip. However, cold related injuries can be devastating and these were not the type of souvenirs we hoped to bring home.

Most climbers hire a mule service to carry a majority of the summit gear that isn’t necessary at lower elevations to meet you at the base camp. Considering I could hardly drag the packed bag across my apartment, hauling it up a mountain was hardly in my realm of capabilities. So this was fortunate. While I wanted to count this packing process as “training,” I was told this may leave me ill-prepared for the rigors of the hike. 

I focused on cardiovascular training in the months leading up to the hike, mainly in the form of running and stair climbing with my weighted pack. We planned to climb the mountain within a week, but gave ourselves a two-week window to account for bad weather or acclimatization issues. This meant gaining and losing 4,012 meters and traversing 161 kilometres in one week. No problem, right? This military style plan was decided on entirely by personal choice and experience.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is the most commonly cited reason for the low success rate of this mountain. About 3,500 people attempt the hike yearly with only about 40 percent reaching the summit. It requires a great deal of self awareness to notice the effects of early AMS and know when pushing on could be dangerous. Luckily, the park permit fees do support some safety checks to account for summit hopefuls’ varying levels of said awareness.

There is a medical screening exam at the base camp and those who fail this exam are not allowed to continue to the summit. The medical personnel have a set acceptable range for both blood pressure and oxygen saturation. Having this evaluated was my first personal experience of the anxiety that some people experience with visiting a physician. I couldn’t help but worry that “white coat hypertension” could keep me from my goal. Many, however, after passing this screening still go on to suffer serious effects of altitude. There have been reports of both HACE and HAPE cases on Aconcagua. While preparing for our summit attempt, we witnessed a helicopter evacuation of one such case.

Despite the many potential deterrents and dangers, we were fortunate to reach the summit of Aconcagua without incident. We returned home only slightly worse for the wear, with wind-chapped faces, a hard-earned layer of grime, and sore feet. Ultimately, hiking Aconcagua was an unforgettable experience and is highly recommended to those seeking an adventure that is both challenging and rewarding in many ways.