Extreme Trekking

The story is about commitment, courage, and adventure. It is a personal account about extreme altitude trekking which is often underestimated by the novice venturing into such environments. When undertaking any excursion to extreme altitudes it behoves one to realize the seriousness of the endeavour and understand its implications, for the threat of casualties is very real.

The trek takes us to Aconcagua, in Argentina, the highest mountain in the Southern and Western Hemispheres. The story focuses on my experience on the mountain with ten other trekkers from around the world. Of the eleven that started, six attempted the summit but only 3 succeeded, and not without incident.

It is a day by day account from our arrival in Mendoza until our departue nineteen days later. It includes some unique technical information and explains why Aconcagua is a bigger challenge than it may appear, due to its location and local atmospheric conditions. This is significant because under the right conditions, near the summit, the mountain can simulate altitudes approaching 8000 meters (26,000 feet), equivalent to some of the highest camps on Mt. Everest.