Page 24 - 2001/02 AMA Winter

Carlos heading group at Gumacht
Arriving at basecamp, Aconcagua.
Bridget and Mark Smyth climbed the normal route and summited on Aconcagua on 14th January, exactly 104 years after its first ascent. It had taken 8 days from the trail head at Punta del Incas to the top of the mountain, and a further 2 days to descend. In addition to the weather, acclimatisation causes a lot of people problems. It is advisable to spend at least 3 days trekking to base camp at Plaza des Mulas (4200m), before starting up the route. The next 5 days are required to inload Camp 1 and 2 and then move up to Camp 3 before making a summit attempt. This is the absolute minimum time required to allow the body to cope with the lack of oxygen, and if it is possible to extend this acclimatisation period, it is well advised.
Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in Europe. It is an extinct volcano that overlooks the main Caucasus Ridge in Southern Russia. Its twin peaks and gently angled slopes make it a very distinct mountain that differs greatly from the steep and jagged summits of the rest of the Caucasus. The ‘normal’ route is a long glacier trek with a short steeper section up onto the summit block. Any fit person with a
Elbrus dann