Aconcagua Kit
The Aconcagua massif has its own characteristics and microclimate, with variable weather patterns including white winds, snowfalls and intense cold throughout the year. Considering this, personal and group equipment must be seriously controlled in respect of quality and quantity. Even in the summer time, temperatures can go as low as 35°C below zero, and winds near 120km may be encountered. In Mendoza it is possible to get good fuel provisions for mountain climbing, including camping gas (butane) in disposable cartridges and white gas. The same is true of our base at Los Puquios campsite in Puente del Inca. Below is a list of the equipment and gear that is needed for climbing Aconcagua.
Clothing and Equipment |
|||||
Handwear |
|||||
| 2 pairs of liner gloves |  |
1 pair of gloves |  |
1 pair of Gore-Tex over mitts |
 |
1 pair of fleece or wool mittens |
 |
||||
Footwear |
|||||
1 pair of trekking boots |
 |
1 pair of plastic mountaineering boots |  |
1 pair of gaiters or super gaiters |  |
| 4 pairs of heavyweight socks |  |
3 pairs of lightweight socks |  |
||
Headwear |
|||||
| 1 hat or cap for the sun |  |
1 fleece hat or balaclava |  |
||
Upper Body |
|||||
| 2 polypropylene tops |  |
1 fleece jacket |  |
1 windproof Gore-Tex jacket |  |
| 2 long sleeve shirts |  |
1 down jacket |  |
||
Lower body |
|||||
| 1 pair of light hiking trousers |  |
1 pair of fleece trousers |  |
1 pair of windproof Gore-Tex trousers |  |
| Underwear | |||||
| 2 pairs of synthetic underwear tops and bottoms |  |
Underwear |  |
||
| Eyewear | |||||
| 1 pair of glacier glasses or equivalent |  |
1 pair of ski goggles |  |
||
Backpack |
|||||
Large backpack (80L) |
 |
Small backpack (40-50L) |  |
||
Gear/Luggage |
|||||
| 2 large duffle bags or similar with 2-way zippers and lock |  |
Small bag with 2-way zippers and lock |  |
Plastic bags |
 |
| Technical Gear for Normal/Polish Traverse | |||||
1 pair of crampons |
 |
1 ice axe |  |
||
Technical Gear for Polish Glacier Direct Route |
|||||
2 ice screws |
 |
1 ice tool |  |
1 harness |  |
2 slings |
 |
4 carabiners |  |
2 locking carabiners |
 |
4 short 5mm accessory cords |
 |
||||
The gear above is required for the Polish Direct route in addition to the technical gear listed for the Normal Route. |
|||||
Additional Items |
|||||
1 headtorch with spare bulb |
 |
1 pocket knife |  |
1 pair of hiking poles |  |
1 high altitude sleeping bag (-20ºC) |
 |
Lightweight foam mattress |  |
Eating utensils |
 |
2 water bottles |
 |
1 Thermos flask |  |
||
Personal Gear |
|||||
Camera, video camera |
 |
Reading material |  |
1 pee bottle |
 |
Personal first-aid kit |
 |
8 batteries for headtorch or other |  |
Personal hygiene kit |
 |
Sunscreen and lip protection (SPF 40+) |
 |
Diary & pencil (the ink in a biro will freeze on Aconcagua) |  |
||