The Climb – January 2004

	My first attempt to summit Aconcagua was in 2002. I wasn't successful that first time because of a kidney infection at altitude. It wasn't a fun time and I had to be airlifted off the mountain.

I realized with my first attempt and failure that this Seven Summits campaign isn't about climbing mountains. I learned this lesson in a tiny hospital in a remote Argentina town while sharing a room with a teenage boy. I watched him hussle back and forth to the bathroom frequently fighting some very reconizable symptoms to me. We had some communication difficulties, but we managed to communicate enough for me to learn he had Ulcerative Colitis. We talked about our relationships with our illnesses and surgery and diet. I was amazed by his support network. His family seemed to go on forever it was so large and they were almost always around. But they worked hard to make me feel comfortable, even sharing their TV and other treats

 

 

About Aconcagua

• Feet 22,626 Meters 6962
• Located along the Chilean/Argentinean border
• Latitude, Longitude - 32� 39' South Latitude, 70� 14' West Longitude
• Location - Andes, Argentina, South America. Aconcagua, the 'Sentinel of Stone' rises over 1,000 meters above its neighbouring peaks and dominates the rugged Andean landscape.
• Location of the Nearest Major Airport - Mendoza, Argentina
• First Documented Ascent - Mathias Zurbriggen, 1897
• When to Climb - Late December, January, February, March
• Time to Summit - Depending on the route and climber's experience, one to two weeks.
• Level of Climbing Difficulty - Depending on the route, from a moderate hike or basic snow/ice climb to technically challenging.
• Relentless winds and hostile conditions are common.
• Aconcagua is a part of the Parque Provincial Aconcagua which protects over 71,000 hectares if mountainous terrain.