I had always dreamed of climbing to the top of a really high mountain. 'How about Aconcagua in Argentina?'a friend suggested. ’It's nearly 7000 metres high and you can get to the top without rock-climbing skills.'l did some research and then booked my place on a guided climb in January this year.
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| CLIMBING ACONCAGUA. |
My climbing group consisted of eight people, all from different countries, and was led by three local guides. We had set off from the entrance of Aconcagua Provincial Park and hiked for three days across grassland, desert and rocky hills to get to Base Camp. At one point, a sandstorm delayed us for five hours, but the walking built up our strength.
At 4300 metres above sea level, Aconcagua Base Camp, as l’d seen in photos online, is a strange looking collection of colourful tents, toilet and shower facilities, a helicopter pad and even a volleyball court. There was also a plastic palm tree, which seemed completely out of place to me.
We stayed there for four days to get used to the altitude. With low oxygen levels, it's hard to sleep and you feel breathless and dizzy. We rested and chatted to other climbers. One Korean had climbed Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. 'Aconcagua's more challenging for climbers,’ he said.'lt's 1000 metres higher!
He showed me photos he'd taken of both mountains.'l don't think Aconcagua's quite as beautiful as Kilimanjaro, but the weather here's definitely more extreme,’ he added.
Before we moved up to Camp 1, one of our team was forced to drop out because of a chest infection. Another climbing-mate, Susana, said: 'lt could get really bad if he carries on.’ She’s a doctor, and I felt fortunate to be climbing with her.
We stayed two nights at Camp 1. At that altitude (5000 metres), it’s essential to drink lots of water, but it’s too heavy to be carrying a lot. The guides solve this problem by collecting snow to melt for tea, and I was happy to give them a hand with this while others in the group checked the weather forecasts.
On the two nights we spent at Camp 2 (5550 metres), the temperature dropped below minus 30°C and the wind was incredibly strong. To stop it destroying our tents, we built walls of rocks around them, but sleep was almost impossible After the first night there, a Brazilian woman in our team decided she couldn't go on. She was suffering from severe exhaustion, so a guide accompanied her back to Base Camp.
On the night we spent at Camp 3 (6000 metres), the wind dropped a little, but it snowed. Our guides’ reaction surprised me. ’The final stage has lots of small loose rocks/one explained. 'The path’s easier to walk on if there’s snow.’ On the last day of the climb, we set off at 5 a.m. Our progress was very slow. At 6300 metres, one of the climbers had no feeling in her feet or hands. The guides said it was too risky for her to continue, and one of them would take her down. Hearing this, another climber who was having serious problems breathing said he would go with them.
That left four of us with one guide. We eventually reached the top after eleven days of sleeplessness breathlessness and pain. We completed the last stage in nine hours. It was tougher than anything l’d ever experienced, but, for one hour, we stood on the highest place on earth outside the Himalayas We took photos, ate something, and then it was time to descend. ! had achieved my ambition.
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