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FAQ & FGA
Frequently Asked Questions & Frequently Given Answers
FAQ
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About the 7summits.com trips: terms & conditions, useful info and more : Will unable or unacclimatized other climbers decrease my summit chance? |
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| Q: | Aconcagua Normal Route: How long is the expedition? Does this give you enough time to acclimatise, and for summit attempts will the itenery be allowing for a weather window in the Viento Blanco altitude winds?
There are many stories of fustrated climbers who had booked on commercial expeditions to this peak, only to find themselves partnered with others who had never climbed before / never worn a pair of crampons / never been to altitude. This is the penalty that the climber has paid for wishing to ascend one of the 7 Summits, finding themselves held back by non-climber summit tickers without trying to sound too hypocritical would I be paired with someone of similar ability?
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I will be honest with you, unless you bring your own team only you will never be sure who is an able climber. It's definately not about altitude or crampon experience, those can be gained on Aconcagua (even though you will very likely never use crampons), but it's about mental issues.
Many participants who climbed Kilimanjaro and/or Elbrus (most non American climbers) could not handle the mental stress.
So even though we ask experience from climbers, they can always lie about it and we can never fully check, or they have climbed Kili only which is a totally different climb.
Our trips are long enough to normally make the summit with a few extra days for bad weather/Viento Blanco. All our guides are Argentinean certified and will get you to the top if you can make it. If you are worried about team mates there are a few things that can be done to optimize your chances.
1: don't worry as most weaker people will already leave before there is a summit attempt at all.
2: do not go up the normal route as the traverse route (http://7summits.com/aconcagua/traverse.php) is much nicer and people on that routes mostly have much more experience (also check out the new combination route: http://7summits.com/aconcagua/aconcagua_from_all_sides.php going up one route and down the other).
3: bring a private group. If you bring one of more friends it is not much more expensive than a group departure. Even 2 people can get a private trip for about $400 extra, if you are with 4 or more than there is even less difference.
See http://7summits.com/aconcagua/trips.php for prices of group as well as private departures.
4: when worried about acclmatiseing: you can always arrive 2 days before the other climbers with our Extra Acclimatisation Program, or climb (part of) 6000m high mountain Cerro Plata near Mendoza first, before your Aconcagua climb.
Both trips can be booked using the bookingform, more info on the trips pages:
http://7summits.com/aconcagua/trips.php
Hope this helps, looking forward to helping you up the summit of South America!
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