Aconcagua Provincial Park is now officially open for the season. Roxana Bordignon and Silvia López give some tips on getting to the summit.
With an altitude of 6, 959 metres above sea level, Aconcagua Peak, 190 km west of Mendoza, is a common attraction for outdoors enthusiasts. Along with the awesome scenery and daring expeditions, there’s a whole new world of curiosities you don’t hear about in the brochures.
Forget about facilities such as restrooms on Aconcagua. It’s not that you won’t be able to use a toilet: only that you will be carrying it along with you. Yes, you will be carrying your own private toilet known as a “cacatube”. At the beginning of the expedition, you are given a tube which you hang on your rucksack to dispose of your waste (“caca” in Spanish). Funny? Yes, but extremely useful. And don’t forget the extra advantage of using the “cacatube”: you become an eco-warrior.
Also, if you believe you’ve discovered a new English dialect in the southern 
hemisphere, you’re wrong. It’s just an Argentine park ranger trying his best to communicate with you in his badly-remembered elementary school English. Maybe he never heard of phonetics in his whole life, so be polite and don’t freak out in the titanic effort of understanding him. Be patient, especially if the ranger is giving you specific instructions. If you misunderstand him, you could end up with, at worst, a broken bone, or at best, a funny anecdote, like that of a certain climber who, after hiking 19 hours and reaching the summit, realised he was wearing his boots incorrectly. He had the right boot in his left foot and the left boot in his right foot. The misunderstanding awarded him everlasting recognition among the climbing community.
The season for climbing Aconcagua is upon us (November to March) so if you are up for the challenge then there are a few things you need to start getting sorted out. First of all a permit is required (www.aconcagua.mendoza.gov.ar, 261 425 8751), for either 3, 7 or 20 days. If you want to climb the summit then the 20 day permit is required, it costs $3000 for foreigners and $720 pesos for locals in high season - this includes your emergency services insurance. The list of equipment required is endless and temperatures towards the summit can get down to -30C so be prepared. If you are heading for the top it is advisable to take a guided tour, unless you are a highly experienced climber.
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