Road to Aconcagua National Park

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Road to Aconcagua National Park

Ruta 40 heads south out of the winegrowing region of Mendoza towards Bariloche. This is the main Andean carriageway of Argentina, stretching from the Bolivian border in the north, 5100km down to the southern most part of Patagonia in the south. It forms part of the Pan American, a road which, apart from a few miles between Colombia and Panama, forms a continuous highway into northern Alaska.

20km or so beyond Mendoza, Ruta 7 turns west, towards to Chilean border, Aconcagua National Park, and the route across the Andes. The skyline is marked also by the metal towers and gas burning flame of a petrochemical station, and a steady flow of tankers heads to and from the plant.

As this is the region close to the border, police checkpoints are common as the road passes through one local area to another. Usually a quick confirmation of destination are sufficient to satisfy the authorities. Travel without documents though in Argentina is illegal and it is always safest to have a passport to hand.

Between Mendoza and Ruta 7, the road has made its way mostly through the suburbs of the town, small vineyards, warehouses and farm country. Approaching the Andes, the route takes on a more wild and desolate complexion: yellow scrub spouts from the dirty ground, ridge after ridge of grey rock covers the landscape, rolling onward like the swell of waves on the sea. Ranges of mountains appear in the distance, their tops still covered by the early morning clouds.

After 70km comes the small town of Potrerillos, a small trucking centre which is now also developing a hiking and mountain sports industry. The town is set beside a large lake, and is first seen from above as the road winds down the mountainside. The lake is fed by the Rio Mendoza, and a huge expanse of mud and silt flats have formed where the two join on the western side of the lake.

This is summer, so the river is running low, but still fairly rapidly. The water is a dark reddish brown from the clay soil all around, and only a few metres wide - though the whole channel is over 100m showing the scale of the river when the spring thaw occurs and the river is in full flood. White water rafting is common in this area, though the water is not deep enough this time of year. Still, the rocks and rapids which are visible give an indication of what the experience must be like.

The road continues along the lefthand side of the river looking down on the frothing water below. The rocks and mountains here are mostly of a dark red earthy hew though there are also streaks of a sandy yellow and orange.

On the far side of the river, the old road can clearly be seen. A much more precarious route, narrower, higher up the moutainside, unpaved and closer to the river´s edg. It is a rocky single track carriageway, crossing the small streams and waterfalls which make their way into the Rio Mendoza by means of rickety steel bridges. The new road by contrast is wide and smooth, passing through a series of short tunnels which have been hollowed out from the side of the mountains, providing rapid passage for the steady flow of trucks on their delivery routes to and from Chile.

After 120km comes the small town of Uspallata, little more than a petrol station, a few wooden buildings, a main street and a few outhouses set back from the road. The road turns here to follow the path of a ravine, chalky and marroon coloured rocks rise up on each side, while the river runs through a canyon on the right hand side. The erosion of many years forming strange and distoted shapes along its sides.

Here there are trucks, oil tankers, a few motorcyclists and some cyclists training in the heat of the mid morning sun. The altitude here is around 2000m, the thinner air makes the sun feel stronger and burning on the skin. Though not generally a problem for breathing at this height, the sustained exercise of a long cycle ride would certainly provide extra strain on the heart.

Apart from a few hamlets near the Chilean border, this area is uninhabited. Los Penitentes is a collection of small ski apartments, mostly deserted for the summer season, though a few have been booked out for hiking. Puente del Inca is a small hamlet built up around a natural bridge which has formed across the Rio Mendoza as a tourist attraction. There are sulphur bearing hot springs in the area which have stained the surrounding rocks a bright yellow and orange. The decayed brick archways of a spa hotel can be seen beneath the bridge, the victim of an avalance some 60 years ago. Apart from a few market stalls by the bridge displaying local Andean handicrafts, woodwork, woollen garments and mate gourds, there is little in the town. A small railway station and post office stand on the far side of the bridge but these are no longer in use.

From here it is a short drive to Aconcagua national park, past the Argentine customs point but not across the border to Chile. Signs indicate that all vehicles and passengers should pass through here, but all traffic ignores this and drives straight past. A customs official sits in his box and ignores them. Any easy life for everyone.

Aconcagua National Park was created around the mountain of the same name. At 6,959m it is the highest peak in South America and the highest outside the Himalayas. Africa's Kilimanjaro is 5,895m, Europe's Mt Elberus is 5,642m and Australasia's Mt Cook is 3,754m. This region of the Andes contains 30 peaks over 4,000m of which nine are over 5,000m. As well as the ascent of Aconcagua, this is also a popular, if tiring, area for trekking and climbing. The park itself is fed by large underwater reservoirs, caused principally from the snowmelt from the surroundin peaks every year. This has created several lagoons which support a large amount of bird and animal life.

Aconcagua is not a technically difficult climb, and does not require the full use of ropes, ladders or ice screws. Ice axe and crampons are required, but in theory the ascent can be made by someone with little or no mountain experience. The peak is a further 4,000m climb from the entrance to the National Park: an expedition which will take around 2 weeks, allowing for proper acclimatisation to the altitude. Unlike the Himalayas where there is a ready supply of sherpas to carry loads, most who walk here take all their own equipment with them in 80-90 litre rucksacks.

The first signs of altitude difficulties can begin as low as 3,000m - shortness of breath, headaches, lack of sleep and appetite. It is recommended to drink between 5-8 litres per day to offset the effects of the altitude and the dehydration that comes with it.

Around 5,000m problems such as pulmonary and cerebal oedema can occur, severe swelling in the lungs and brain which can make breathing almost impossible and lead to the onset of a coma. Once these conditions occur, the only remedy is to descend the mountain or risk death. A giant statue of Christ the Redeemer stands at the entrance to the park, a reminder that death has become a reality for climbers on the mountain each year.

I have 3 friends who have tried climbing this mountain - all very experienced walkers, some with experience at altitude. Of the 3, only one made it to the summit: an Australian woman who runs a marathon on average every 2 months and trained for the climb by running up smaller hills with dozens of filled water bottles in her rucksack. The other two had to descend: one affected by severe swelling to the head and face, the other almost unable to breath. A high level of fitness though is no guarantee of surviving at altitude, and these are conditions which can affect anyone.

The peak can only be climbed in a 2 or 3 month weather window between December and February due to the high levels of snow at other times of the year. The summit looks peaceful today in the bright sunshine, patches of puffy white cloud high above. Snow and glaciers still spread down around 1,500m from the top, and the overhanging snow melt suggests that avalanches are also common. The worst problem though is the wind. Here, at only 2,800m the wind is strong, and once out of the shelter of the lower peaks, it will be even greater. The air is thinner here, and the sun burns readily.

I had not planned to climb to the peak of Aconcagua. The 2-3 week timescale did not fit easily with other plans and was very expensive for the amount of time taken. The climb also required more gear than I really wanted to be carrying with me, and was some 800m higher than I had climbed before.I had not realised though how striking and beautiful the landscape was around. Somehow I thought it would be more barren and miserable.

Looking upwards from the numerous lagoons which are found at the base of the peak, the summit fever pitched in already. The climb definitely looked achievable, and there was no shortage of expeditions ready to go in the next couple of months. I am passing this way again in January/February just a few miles to the west in Chile. I will be seriously tempted to return.

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