OTHER Trip Report 01/23/2015

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Aconcagua - 22877
Date Posted	01/23/2015
Modified	01/28/2015
Date Climbed	12/25/2014
Author	Mtn_Topper

Coming up short on the Western Hemisphere's biggest mountain
Mountaineering is one of my greatest passions. Ironically, while I go to the mountains for the peace and serenity they provide, I push for the summit with an almost frantic determination. In an athletic pursuit in which success is often solely measured in terms of reaching the summit, failure to reach the top can be a crushing disappointment affecting one's entire experience on the mountain. This past December, I tried and failed to reach the summit of Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of Asia. Until the moment I turned back, I was convinced that I would make it to the top. Even now, I find it hard to accept that I was turned back short of my goal. Fortunately, I know that I made that right decision, as hard as it was, and am still able to look back fondly at my experience. Horcones entrance with South Face of Aconcagua in background Confluencia Camp Cerro Almacenes Cerro Tolosa Herman and my mom at Plaza Francia Playa Ancha Mules carrying gear to Plaza de Mulas After completing a successful climb of Kilimanjaro a little over two years ago, my interest in the Seven Summits increased considerably. This is so far my first and only successful climb of a Seven Summits peak. The biggest hurdle is, of course, time and money. I set my sights on Aconcagua as its requirements of both are relatively modest. I'd felt very comfortable at Kilimanjaro's 19,341 foot summit and felt that another 3,496 feet should be quite manageable with additional acclimatization. Having just celebrated my fortieth birthday, I was able to justify the time off and a generous gift from my family made the expense possible. For six months, I planned and anticipated this trip. I chose to go with Fernando Grajales Expeditions based on a few recommendations that I'd read. As I boarded my flight for Argentina in early December, I felt fit and well-equipped. I had no doubt in my mind about reaching the summit. I'd just recently completed all of Colorado's 14ers and, while I failed a few climbs on the first try as a result of adverse conditions, I was very confident about Aconcagua since we were given two additional weather days and felt that a window would present itself. I visualized myself on Aconcagua summit and it felt real and prescient. It was almost painful to have to wait and acclimatize. Our first few days of the climb only buoyed that confidence. Our group consisted of five climbers and one main guide. Our guide was the incomparable Herman. He had great sense of humor and was always fun to be around. More importantly, he was very competent and did everything in his power to keep use safe, comfortable and to get us to the top. My mother (and benefactor) joined me on this adventure, as she had on Kilimanjaro. Her goal is to climb on and, if possible, summit the Seven Summits. She has the drive and fitness of someone twenty years younger, so if anyone can do it, it is she. The youngest member of our group was a sociable, adventurous young Israeli man named Niv. He'd been traveling around South America for months and was a late addition to the group. Shao was in his mid-thirties and had traveled here from Singapore. With his sharp mind and dry wit, he was my kind of guy. Our group's final member was a forty-something Northern Irishman named John. He was one of the most easy going and likeable fellows I'd ever encountered in my travels and it was a delight to have him along. We started at the Horcones entrance at 9,678 feet and enjoyed an easy three and a half walk up to our first permanent camp, Confluencia (11,300 feet). I felt strong and didn't experience any negative effects of altitude. Life at Confluence is a very civilized camping experience. The Grajales section of the camp had a pantry and supply tent, a kitchen tent and a dining tent with a table and chairs. We had running water and a flush toilet thanks to a water line that had been run up to the Horcones Glacier. The camp manager, Victoria, was kind and welcoming and made outstanding meals for us. The camp had a stunning view of rugged Mt. Tolosa (18,018 feet) to the southwest and the colorfully banded south face of Mt. Almacenes (16,935 feet) to the north. The day after arriving at Confluencia Camp we took a seven hour acclimatization hike to the Plaza Francia (13,287 feet). Plaza Francia serves as the basecamp for climbs of the spectacular south face of Aconcagua and provides incredible views. In the 30 minutes or so spent at Plaza Francia, we saw three major avalanches sweep down the south face. I couldn't imagine trying to climb that beast. Before we could leave Confluencia and ascend to Plaza de Mulas, the next stop on our climb, we were required to get medical clearance from the doctor here. The three main things evaluated are oxygen saturation, blood pressure and the lungs. I wasn't worried about gaining clearance and was pleased that my oxygen saturation was 97%. The next stage of the climb to our primary basecamp was the longest. The hike to Plaza de Mulas (14,500 feet) took about seven and a half hours. The route heads west through the long, dry, windy section called Playa Ancha before turning north across a large talus field until ultimately reaching the camp. Aconcagua remained on the right for the duration on the climb while 16,000-18,000 foot peaks lined the left side. The complete lack of vegetation made it very difficult to get any sense of perspective and distances were very difficult to judge. By the time we rolled into Plaza de Mulas in the late afternoon, I was feeling pretty gassed but still strong and well-acclimatized. The Grajales camp at Plaza de Mulas was even more impressive than the one at Confluencia. Due to the nightly freeze, there was no running water or flush toilet, but there had to be 8-10 large tent structures which housed pantry and storage, kitchen, computer/radio/solar power room, multiple dining tents and bunking tents. The camp manager was an affable fellow named Pablo, who kept thing running like a well-oiled machine. He had a large staff that took care of us like we were in a five-star hotel. The meals were restaurant quality. I had a steak with wine cream sauce that was about as good as I've ever had. The plan was for us to spend four days in Plaza de Mulas for acclimatization. We would enjoy two rest days and two acclimatization hikes. The first hike took us south and up to the top of Cerro Bonete (16,500 feet). Not only was this a beautiful hike, it also provided a consolation summit to whoever could not make it to the top of Aconcagua. The next hike, our first one actually on Aconcagua, was an equipment carry to camp one, Plaza Canada. The final rest day before we were to officially begin moving up Aconcagua was my fortieth birthday. At dinner, Pablo and the kitchen staff presented me with an amazing chocolate dulce de leche cake, a six pack of Warsteiner beer and a bottle of red wine for us all to enjoy. It was a wonderful evening that I'll never forget. Unfortunately, this was also when we encountered our first bumps in the road. Shao had been feeling very tired and was struggling to acclimatize. He made the difficult decision to abandon the climb and ended up taking a helicopter down. I'd felt fantastic up until down but was feeling surprisingly tired and congested that day. We also learned that bad weather was coming in and that we'd be staying in Plaza de Mulas an additional two nights. I was grateful to have more time to rest up but realized that we would no longer have weather days up on the mountain. It was also nice to be able to ride out the storm in our comfortable basecamp rather than huddled in our tents above 16,000 feet. I didn't realize it at the time but the next day doomed my chances of reaching the summit. I awoke the next morning feeling awful. I had a fever, cough and awful polychromatic congestion. I spent the whole day lying in my tent, drinking tea and wishing I was on a warm beach somewhere. Meanwhile, snow thinly blanked the camp and intense wind rattled our tent. It was a miserable day on all fronts. First the first time, I started to have real concerns about my ability to reach the summit. I barely had the strength to walk to the outhouse, so how was I going to ascend over 8,000 feet to the highest place I'd ever been. I held out hope that this would be a brief illness and was again grateful for the extra time in basecamp. Thankfully, things did get better but I still felt tired, congested and a cough that was getting increasingly bad. The next hurdle was passing the medical check here in Plaza de Mulas. This medical check turned out to be a huge fanboy moment for me, as Kilian Jornet was also waiting for his medical check at this time. He was on the mountain to attempt a speed record to the summit from the Horcones entrance and back. Despite my cold, my acclimatization was still good and was given medical clearance due to my solid 95% oxygen saturation. When we finally started up the mountain, we were joined by an assistant guide named Nico. He was very nice and an incredibly strong climber. He hiked ahead of us with a huge pack and had camp completely set up by the time we reached Plaza Canada (16,400 feet). I felt ok today but still felt drained and hated not being able to breathe through my nose. We made the climb in about three and a half hours. Plaza Canada offer fantastic views of the Horcones valley, Plaza de Mulas and Cerro Cuerno and the glaciers below it. Perhaps the highlight of the camp was the world's most scenic toilet box which was perched on a cliff overlooking the valley below. The weather could not have been better. The sky was clear, the temperatures were mild and the wind was light. At sunset, I hiked to a small rise above the camp. The sun lit up the mountain in the most extraordinary orange hues. It was a wonderful moment. The next day was a little longer than the first but not as steep. Our destination was camp two, Nido de Condores (18,300 feet), a large flat saddle at the base of Aconcagua's north face. Again the weather was perfect and we made steady progress up the gentle slope until we reached Nido de Condores a little more than four hours after we started. Again I felt tired and while my congestion was getting better, the cough was getting much worse. The view from Camp Two was the best yet. It gave an almost 270 degree panoramic view of the Andes. The remaining 90 degrees was taken up by the north face of Aconcagua, which would be our route to the summit. Grajales had a small geodesic dome tent set up here for cooking and eating which was very nice. Herman checked our vitals once again and I was encouraged that despite still feeling sick, my oxygen saturation was a 94%, even above 18,000 feet. Herman and Nico did a great job of keeping us fed and hydrated even though we were tired of having to drink and pee ten times a day. Nido de Condores gave us another amazing sunset and another quiet evening. The hike to camp three, Colera (19,776) was short but steep. Both my mother and John started to feel the altitude on the leg of the climb and started to have their doubts about reaching the summit. While the weather was once again perfect, we were told that this was the end of our window and that summit day would be cold and windy. This was probably my strongest day yet since leaving Plaza de Mulas but my cough continued to get worse. We reached Colera camp in about two and a half hours and had lots of time to relax and prepare our packs for the following day's summit attempt. Knowing that we'd be waking up around 4am the next morning, we also tried to fit in a nap so that we'd be well rested. The rock at Colera was very cool and almost had the appearance of old, dead coral reef. I was still feeling very optimistic about the summit as I was still not feeling much of the effects of the altitude and had an oxygen saturation well above 90%. Sadly, my mother decided that this was as high as she could go and would stay behind in the morning. It was a miserable night. The wind and cold kicked up and I spent the whole night hacking. The altitude definitely did not help things. I maybe got a half hour of actual sleep. When 4am arrived I was actually great to be able to get out of the tent and abandon my futile efforts to sleep. The cold air instantly made it a struggle to breathe. I felt like I could only breathe in half way before my lungs would tighten up and I'd start coughing. The walk through the cold, windy darkness was rather dreary and my struggle to breathe in made every step a chore. About 45 minute after leaving camp, John decided he'd had enough and had Nico escort him back to camp. This left only Herman, Niv and I to press on toward the summit. I was tired but felt that I would be able to get to the top if I just kept my slow, steady pace. The sun came up but didn't seem to provide any warmth. It was very cold; so cold, that my Highgear expedition altimeter watch's LCD had frozen solid and the display would not change. As I climb the last steep pitch to Independencia camp, I was hit with a strong cold wind that stopped me in my tracks. It was not so much the strength of the wind but rather its effect on my lungs. I had reached 21,000 but could now not breathe. I felt like I was having an asthma attack. I sat behind some rocks that shielded the winded and kept hoping that my lungs would relax and allow me to breathe normally. It didn't improve. Waiting much longer in this cold and wind was not an option. As I was unable to go, my only agonizing choice was to go down. At that moment, I'd lost the summit. Niv and most everyone else turned back shortly afterward due to the intense cold and wind, but this provided little solace. In the grand scheme of things, not getting to stand on a tall pile of rock doesn't really matter, but I'd put so much time, effort and expense into getting this close that it felt like a punch in the gut to fail. The descent was surprisingly slow. I still couldn't breathe in very deeply and my energy was gone. I made it make to camp three and crawled into my tent. Unfortunately, the coughing and gasping breaths had if anything gotten worse. Herman decided that it would be best for me to head all the way down to Plaza de Mulas. Nico lead me down the mountain with Niv, who was also feeling poorly. It was a long slog down the mountain, usually straight down the scree. When I arrive in Plaza de Mulas I felt about as tired as I'm ever been, and I've had some pretty epic days in the mountain. I went straight for the medical building. The doctors gave me a series of albuterol inhaler treatment and a shot of dexamethasone for good measure. Instantly, I could breathe in and felt so much better. The rest of the group reach the camp a few hours later. Dinner that night was bitter sweet. We'd had an amazing journey together but none of us had reached the summit. Still, we enjoy the wine and each other's company and prepared for the long walk out the next day. The walk from Plaza de Mulas back to the Horcones entrance was more than twenty miles and took about 8 hours. Not a lot was said on the way out as most folks seemed to be lost in introspection. We had shared many wonderful and enriching experiences together, had pushed ourselves to our absolute limits and were coming to terms with what had, or had failed, to accomplish. We were tired for sure but the walk was mostly a gentle downhill and not terribly difficult. We were all looking forward to a hot shower and comfortable bed that evening. There was a tremendous sense of relief when we reach the end of the trail. Our driver Carlos was waiting for us in the company van and we were soon on our way back to Mendoza. In retrospect, there is almost nothing I would have changed about this experience, apart from catching a nasty cold and having suboptimal conditions for summit day. Fernando Grajales Expeditions was excellent every step of the way. They took excellent care of us and did everything possible to put us on the summit short of compromising our safety. The Grajales staff was always very friendly, accommodating, and professional. The leadership of our expedition was outstanding. Herman was very warm, welcoming and engaged with our group. I now consider him a friend. However, he never lost sight of his professional responsibility to us in ensuring our safety and success during the climb. I had absolute trust and confidence in Herman during our climb. I appreciate how difficult it can be to balance the desire of the clients to reach the summit with the realities of weather, fitness and client ability. I felt that Herman was incredibly skillful in helping us make good decisions without making it feel like he was simply making the decisions for us. Both he and Nico worked incredibly hard getting us up the mountain, providing food and water, and ensuring our best chances for success. It was a great pleasure getting to meet and climb with Niv, John and Shao. Many of my fondest memories of this trip have nothing to do with the mountain and everything to do with their companionship. The question that remains is, will I try again? I'd like to believe so and would certainly sign up again with Grajales. Unfortunately, time and money will always be a challenge. Even if I don't, it was time well spent. Plaza de Mulas West Face of Aconcagua from Plaza de Mulas The climb to Cerro Bonete Summit of Cerro Bonete View of route up Aconcagua from summit of Cerro Bonete Kilian Jornet and I Grajales camp at Plaza de Mulas Cerro Cuerno and Horcones Glacier 40th birthday celebration Camp Two Best toilet view Climb to camp two Camp two Mess tent at camp two Sunset at camp two Final climb to camp three Camp three Independencia 21,000 feet- the end of my climb Grajales kitchen Great Grajales crew Camps Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Coming up short on the Western Hemisphere's biggest mountain

Mountaineering is one of my greatest passions. Ironically, while I go to the mountains for the peace and serenity they provide, I push for the summit with an almost frantic determination. In an athletic pursuit in which success is often solely measured in terms of reaching the summit, failure to reach the top can be a crushing disappointment affecting one's entire experience on the mountain. This past December, I tried and failed to reach the summit of Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside of Asia. Until the moment I turned back, I was convinced that I would make it to the top. Even now, I find it hard to accept that I was turned back short of my goal. Fortunately, I know that I made that right decision, as hard as it was, and am still able to look back fondly at my experience.

Horcones entrance with South Face of Aconcagua in background

After completing a successful climb of Kilimanjaro a little over two years ago, my interest in the Seven Summits increased considerably. This is so far my first and only successful climb of a Seven Summits peak. The biggest hurdle is, of course, time and money. I set my sights on Aconcagua as its requirements of both are relatively modest. I'd felt very comfortable at Kilimanjaro's 19,341 foot summit and felt that another 3,496 feet should be quite manageable with additional acclimatization. Having just celebrated my fortieth birthday, I was able to justify the time off and a generous gift from my family made the expense possible. For six months, I planned and anticipated this trip. I chose to go with Fernando Grajales Expeditions based on a few recommendations that I'd read.

As I boarded my flight for Argentina in early December, I felt fit and well-equipped. I had no doubt in my mind about reaching the summit. I'd just recently completed all of Colorado's 14ers and, while I failed a few climbs on the first try as a result of adverse conditions, I was very confident about Aconcagua since we were given two additional weather days and felt that a window would present itself. I visualized myself on Aconcagua summit and it felt real and prescient. It was almost painful to have to wait and acclimatize. Our first few days of the climb only buoyed that confidence.

Our group consisted of five climbers and one main guide. Our guide was the incomparable Herman. He had great sense of humor and was always fun to be around. More importantly, he was very competent and did everything in his power to keep use safe, comfortable and to get us to the top. My mother (and benefactor) joined me on this adventure, as she had on Kilimanjaro. Her goal is to climb on and, if possible, summit the Seven Summits. She has the drive and fitness of someone twenty years younger, so if anyone can do it, it is she. The youngest member of our group was a sociable, adventurous young Israeli man named Niv. He'd been traveling around South America for months and was a late addition to the group. Shao was in his mid-thirties and had traveled here from Singapore. With his sharp mind and dry wit, he was my kind of guy. Our group's final member was a forty-something Northern Irishman named John. He was one of the most easy going and likeable fellows I'd ever encountered in my travels and it was a delight to have him along.

We started at the Horcones entrance at 9,678 feet and enjoyed an easy three and a half walk up to our first permanent camp, Confluencia (11,300 feet). I felt strong and didn't experience any negative effects of altitude. Life at Confluence is a very civilized camping experience. The Grajales section of the camp had a pantry and supply tent, a kitchen tent and a dining tent with a table and chairs. We had running water and a flush toilet thanks to a water line that had been run up to the Horcones Glacier. The camp manager, Victoria, was kind and welcoming and made outstanding meals for us. The camp had a stunning view of rugged Mt. Tolosa (18,018 feet) to the southwest and the colorfully banded south face of Mt. Almacenes (16,935 feet) to the north. The day after arriving at Confluencia Camp we took a seven hour acclimatization hike to the Plaza Francia (13,287 feet). Plaza Francia serves as the basecamp for climbs of the spectacular south face of Aconcagua and provides incredible views. In the 30 minutes or so spent at Plaza Francia, we saw three major avalanches sweep down the south face. I couldn't imagine trying to climb that beast.

Before we could leave Confluencia and ascend to Plaza de Mulas, the next stop on our climb, we were required to get medical clearance from the doctor here. The three main things evaluated are oxygen saturation, blood pressure and the lungs. I wasn't worried about gaining clearance and was pleased that my oxygen saturation was 97%. The next stage of the climb to our primary basecamp was the longest. The hike to Plaza de Mulas (14,500 feet) took about seven and a half hours. The route heads west through the long, dry, windy section called Playa Ancha before turning north across a large talus field until ultimately reaching the camp. Aconcagua remained on the right for the duration on the climb while 16,000-18,000 foot peaks lined the left side. The complete lack of vegetation made it very difficult to get any sense of perspective and distances were very difficult to judge. By the time we rolled into Plaza de Mulas in the late afternoon, I was feeling pretty gassed but still strong and well-acclimatized.

The Grajales camp at Plaza de Mulas was even more impressive than the one at Confluencia. Due to the nightly freeze, there was no running water or flush toilet, but there had to be 8-10 large tent structures which housed pantry and storage, kitchen, computer/radio/solar power room, multiple dining tents and bunking tents. The camp manager was an affable fellow named Pablo, who kept thing running like a well-oiled machine. He had a large staff that took care of us like we were in a five-star hotel. The meals were restaurant quality. I had a steak with wine cream sauce that was about as good as I've ever had. The plan was for us to spend four days in Plaza de Mulas for acclimatization. We would enjoy two rest days and two acclimatization hikes. The first hike took us south and up to the top of Cerro Bonete (16,500 feet). Not only was this a beautiful hike, it also provided a consolation summit to whoever could not make it to the top of Aconcagua. The next hike, our first one actually on Aconcagua, was an equipment carry to camp one, Plaza Canada.

The final rest day before we were to officially begin moving up Aconcagua was my fortieth birthday. At dinner, Pablo and the kitchen staff presented me with an amazing chocolate dulce de leche cake, a six pack of Warsteiner beer and a bottle of red wine for us all to enjoy. It was a wonderful evening that I'll never forget. Unfortunately, this was also when we encountered our first bumps in the road. Shao had been feeling very tired and was struggling to acclimatize. He made the difficult decision to abandon the climb and ended up taking a helicopter down. I'd felt fantastic up until down but was feeling surprisingly tired and congested that day. We also learned that bad weather was coming in and that we'd be staying in Plaza de Mulas an additional two nights. I was grateful to have more time to rest up but realized that we would no longer have weather days up on the mountain. It was also nice to be able to ride out the storm in our comfortable basecamp rather than huddled in our tents above 16,000 feet.

I didn't realize it at the time but the next day doomed my chances of reaching the summit. I awoke the next morning feeling awful. I had a fever, cough and awful polychromatic congestion. I spent the whole day lying in my tent, drinking tea and wishing I was on a warm beach somewhere. Meanwhile, snow thinly blanked the camp and intense wind rattled our tent. It was a miserable day on all fronts. First the first time, I started to have real concerns about my ability to reach the summit. I barely had the strength to walk to the outhouse, so how was I going to ascend over 8,000 feet to the highest place I'd ever been. I held out hope that this would be a brief illness and was again grateful for the extra time in basecamp. Thankfully, things did get better but I still felt tired, congested and a cough that was getting increasingly bad. The next hurdle was passing the medical check here in Plaza de Mulas. This medical check turned out to be a huge fanboy moment for me, as Kilian Jornet was also waiting for his medical check at this time. He was on the mountain to attempt a speed record to the summit from the Horcones entrance and back. Despite my cold, my acclimatization was still good and was given medical clearance due to my solid 95% oxygen saturation.

When we finally started up the mountain, we were joined by an assistant guide named Nico. He was very nice and an incredibly strong climber. He hiked ahead of us with a huge pack and had camp completely set up by the time we reached Plaza Canada (16,400 feet). I felt ok today but still felt drained and hated not being able to breathe through my nose. We made the climb in about three and a half hours. Plaza Canada offer fantastic views of the Horcones valley, Plaza de Mulas and Cerro Cuerno and the glaciers below it. Perhaps the highlight of the camp was the world's most scenic toilet box which was perched on a cliff overlooking the valley below. The weather could not have been better. The sky was clear, the temperatures were mild and the wind was light. At sunset, I hiked to a small rise above the camp. The sun lit up the mountain in the most extraordinary orange hues. It was a wonderful moment.

The next day was a little longer than the first but not as steep. Our destination was camp two, Nido de Condores (18,300 feet), a large flat saddle at the base of Aconcagua's north face. Again the weather was perfect and we made steady progress up the gentle slope until we reached Nido de Condores a little more than four hours after we started. Again I felt tired and while my congestion was getting better, the cough was getting much worse. The view from Camp Two was the best yet. It gave an almost 270 degree panoramic view of the Andes. The remaining 90 degrees was taken up by the north face of Aconcagua, which would be our route to the summit. Grajales had a small geodesic dome tent set up here for cooking and eating which was very nice. Herman checked our vitals once again and I was encouraged that despite still feeling sick, my oxygen saturation was a 94%, even above 18,000 feet. Herman and Nico did a great job of keeping us fed and hydrated even though we were tired of having to drink and pee ten times a day. Nido de Condores gave us another amazing sunset and another quiet evening.

The hike to camp three, Colera (19,776) was short but steep. Both my mother and John started to feel the altitude on the leg of the climb and started to have their doubts about reaching the summit. While the weather was once again perfect, we were told that this was the end of our window and that summit day would be cold and windy. This was probably my strongest day yet since leaving Plaza de Mulas but my cough continued to get worse. We reached Colera camp in about two and a half hours and had lots of time to relax and prepare our packs for the following day's summit attempt. Knowing that we'd be waking up around 4am the next morning, we also tried to fit in a nap so that we'd be well rested. The rock at Colera was very cool and almost had the appearance of old, dead coral reef. I was still feeling very optimistic about the summit as I was still not feeling much of the effects of the altitude and had an oxygen saturation well above 90%. Sadly, my mother decided that this was as high as she could go and would stay behind in the morning.

It was a miserable night. The wind and cold kicked up and I spent the whole night hacking. The altitude definitely did not help things. I maybe got a half hour of actual sleep. When 4am arrived I was actually great to be able to get out of the tent and abandon my futile efforts to sleep. The cold air instantly made it a struggle to breathe. I felt like I could only breathe in half way before my lungs would tighten up and I'd start coughing. The walk through the cold, windy darkness was rather dreary and my struggle to breathe in made every step a chore. About 45 minute after leaving camp, John decided he'd had enough and had Nico escort him back to camp. This left only Herman, Niv and I to press on toward the summit. I was tired but felt that I would be able to get to the top if I just kept my slow, steady pace. The sun came up but didn't seem to provide any warmth. It was very cold; so cold, that my Highgear expedition altimeter watch's LCD had frozen solid and the display would not change.

As I climb the last steep pitch to Independencia camp, I was hit with a strong cold wind that stopped me in my tracks. It was not so much the strength of the wind but rather its effect on my lungs. I had reached 21,000 but could now not breathe. I felt like I was having an asthma attack. I sat behind some rocks that shielded the winded and kept hoping that my lungs would relax and allow me to breathe normally. It didn't improve. Waiting much longer in this cold and wind was not an option. As I was unable to go, my only agonizing choice was to go down. At that moment, I'd lost the summit. Niv and most everyone else turned back shortly afterward due to the intense cold and wind, but this provided little solace. In the grand scheme of things, not getting to stand on a tall pile of rock doesn't really matter, but I'd put so much time, effort and expense into getting this close that it felt like a punch in the gut to fail. The descent was surprisingly slow. I still couldn't breathe in very deeply and my energy was gone.

I made it make to camp three and crawled into my tent. Unfortunately, the coughing and gasping breaths had if anything gotten worse. Herman decided that it would be best for me to head all the way down to Plaza de Mulas. Nico lead me down the mountain with Niv, who was also feeling poorly. It was a long slog down the mountain, usually straight down the scree. When I arrive in Plaza de Mulas I felt about as tired as I'm ever been, and I've had some pretty epic days in the mountain. I went straight for the medical building. The doctors gave me a series of albuterol inhaler treatment and a shot of dexamethasone for good measure. Instantly, I could breathe in and felt so much better. The rest of the group reach the camp a few hours later. Dinner that night was bitter sweet. We'd had an amazing journey together but none of us had reached the summit. Still, we enjoy the wine and each other's company and prepared for the long walk out the next day.

The walk from Plaza de Mulas back to the Horcones entrance was more than twenty miles and took about 8 hours. Not a lot was said on the way out as most folks seemed to be lost in introspection. We had shared many wonderful and enriching experiences together, had pushed ourselves to our absolute limits and were coming to terms with what had, or had failed, to accomplish. We were tired for sure but the walk was mostly a gentle downhill and not terribly difficult. We were all looking forward to a hot shower and comfortable bed that evening. There was a tremendous sense of relief when we reach the end of the trail. Our driver Carlos was waiting for us in the company van and we were soon on our way back to Mendoza.

In retrospect, there is almost nothing I would have changed about this experience, apart from catching a nasty cold and having suboptimal conditions for summit day. Fernando Grajales Expeditions was excellent every step of the way. They took excellent care of us and did everything possible to put us on the summit short of compromising our safety. The Grajales staff was always very friendly, accommodating, and professional. The leadership of our expedition was outstanding. Herman was very warm, welcoming and engaged with our group. I now consider him a friend. However, he never lost sight of his professional responsibility to us in ensuring our safety and success during the climb. I had absolute trust and confidence in Herman during our climb. I appreciate how difficult it can be to balance the desire of the clients to reach the summit with the realities of weather, fitness and client ability. I felt that Herman was incredibly skillful in helping us make good decisions without making it feel like he was simply making the decisions for us. Both he and Nico worked incredibly hard getting us up the mountain, providing food and water, and ensuring our best chances for success. It was a great pleasure getting to meet and climb with Niv, John and Shao. Many of my fondest memories of this trip have nothing to do with the mountain and everything to do with their companionship. The question that remains is, will I try again? I'd like to believe so and would certainly sign up again with Grajales. Unfortunately, time and money will always be a challenge. Even if I don't, it was time well spent.

West Face of Aconcagua from Plaza de Mulas

View of route up Aconcagua from summit of Cerro Bonete

Independencia 21,000 feet- the end of my climb

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

HULKHIKEGOOD	Thanks for the read! 1/24/2015 4:27am Great pics too! Would love to even be able to attempt something like this one day. The best toilet view pic is great! All I have is a crappy reprint painting to stare at. Thanks again and I hope God graces you with another attempt in the future!
kman	Thanks for posting... 1/24/2015 4:01pm it took me down memory lane! Very nice write–up and great pictures. That’s the thing with these big mountains, nothing is guaranteed. You can prepare well and do everything right and still, an unforeseen illness or a curveball from mother nature (or both in your case), can definitely hinder you on the mountain. Acon is extra tough because of its proximity to the jet stream, subjecting it to relentless winds. You are right to look back fondly at your time on the mountain. It sounds like you made some great friends and had good experiences overall. Plaza de Mulas is certainly unique. It’s the second largest basecamp after Everest BC. It’s kinda cool taking a shower there at over 14,000 feet! Did you stop by the world’s highest art gallery, which is located there?! Good to see that the toilet box was still at Camp Canada. I, too, thought that toilet had the best views in the world! You have a great attitude and if I were a betting man, I’d bet that you will return to Aconcagua. Regarding this excerpt from your trip report: "I’d put so much time, effort and expense into getting this close that it felt like a punch in the gut to fail," I’ll leave you with this quote: "Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory." – Mahatma Gandhi
jbchalk	Great Experience! 1/24/2015 5:25pm Other than not reaching the summit, it sounds like you had a great trip on the highest peak in the western hemisphere and still set a personal altitude record to boot. While not reaching the summit is extremely disappointing at the time and can take some time to get over, I truly believe it will make you a better climber it and makes those successful summits all that much sweeter. Many folks believe Aconcagua is just a simple walk–up, but take some comfort & solace in that only about 30% of the folks who set out to climb the peak actually end up successful summitting and descending safely. Give it some time and hopefully you will make another trip down there in the future. Cheers, Brandon
Mtn_Topper	Thanks. 1/24/2015 11:57pm I appreciate all the encouraging words. It was a marvelous experience with many personal bests. Plaza de Mulas was cool. I did visit the world’s highest art gallery.
RobertKay	Great report 1/26/2015 3:05am Aconcagua is a beast. I can’t imagine trying with a debilitating cough and respiratory issues. You should feel great about your accomplishment. BTW, you will go back! :D
ajstack	wow 1/26/2015 5:53pm Thanks for your post. I will be attempting this over my 40th birthday as well– in less than a month.
Steve Climber	Great report! 1/28/2015 6:55pm This one is on the shortlist for sure. Bookmarked this for reference. Sounds like you’ve got a great mindset and will be back for round 2! Best of luck
Mtn_Topper	RE: wow 1/28/2015 9:03pm Good luck and happy 40th.
MountainHiker	Nice Report 2/12/2015 11:14pm Thanks for sharing. Sometimes we don’t get a summit. Otherwise it wouldn’t be as rewarding when we do.
SnowAlien	Good read! 4/2/2015 7:45pm Thanks for the report and for including the photo with Kilian. That’s so cool. Sounds like the trip was an enjoyable experience overall and is something to remember!
mikefromcraig	Title 1/11/2016 2:44pm Great write-up I'm a little confused though. It says that when you went from 18,300' to 19,700' the weather was perfect but you knew it would be bad after that. Why didn't you just go from 18,300 to the summit? Would have been an extra 1,500' but you would had good sleep and great weather. Also, how much was the guide (on a per-person basis)?

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