Aconcagua, North Face

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Aconcagua, North Face

Aconcagua, North Face

The summit of Aconcagua from Camp Nido des Condores. The trail leading up to Camp Berlin is off the left frame of the photo. The Gran Acarreo can be seen here traversing the slope from left to right below the summit. The Canaleta is the scree slope leading up to the summit on the right side. The vertical trail that drops down from the Gran Acarreo should be avoided altogether unless you are descending all the way to Plaza del Mulas from the summit. Photo taken December 12, 2005.
Alpinist
on Feb 14, 2006 7:45 pm
Lat/Lon: 32.65°S / 70°W
Image Type(s): Alpine Climbing,  Hiking,  Informational,  Scenery
Image ID: 172152

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climberska - Jan 15, 2007 8:58 pm - Hasn't voted

Gran Acarreo

Why should this slope be avoided if the weather is bright and sunny? Looks like the way to go.

Alpinist

Alpinist - Jan 16, 2007 6:37 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Gran Acarreo

It is a 6000+ foot slope of loose sandy scree. You would not want to climb it. It might be ok for a descent route, but the trail goes all the way down to Plaza del Mulas (14,000'), bypassing all of the high camps. You could not use this trail unless you reached the summit all the way from Plaza del Mulas. Otherwise, you would lose your gear at the high camps. Not many people are capable of climbing all the way from Plaza del Mulas...

climberska - Jan 19, 2007 9:36 pm - Hasn't voted

Gran Acarreo

It is a good decent route to Nido de Condores camp. There is a visible trail. I haven't been on it but I've watched people coming down it to Nido. If the trail doesn't actually go through Nido, it comes very close to it. You could easily get on it from Nido.

So, the basic reason not to use it on the way up is that it's kind of loose? Sounds like a typical volcanic peak here in the Pacific Northwest when the snow is gone. Admittedly not fun footing.

I'd only consider going that way during sunny blue sky weather so you didn't get lost on the rather featureless slope. That could happen when snow covered and foggy or snowing.

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