| The red line was my planned route ascent for summit day. I would decend down the other side of the mountain and hike back around to Camp 2. It is necessary to start early (3:00AM) so you get back by 3:00PM before the snow starts at aroud 4:00PM. |
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On the morning of January 14th at 11:00AM I was droped off at the Rio Los Vacas Trail head to start the 25 mile hike to base camp. There I met a guide from Colorado that was just exiting. |
| This is typical of the terrain that I encountered on my hike to base camp. The river is the Rio Vacas, I would not have to cross until day two. |
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Las Lenas Camp (9,100 ft), about 7 miles in is the first overnight camp. There is not much here except one stone hut and one white tent occupied by the park rangers. You show your park pass to the ranger and he gives you a bag which you must fill with your garbage and give to him on the way out. |
| The beast of burden. This mule is trying very hard to avoid the muleteer. |
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Las Lenas Camp, my tent is the white one on the left. The next morning at 9:30AM 1/15 I broke camp and headed for the next camp crossing river over a bridge after first 15 minutes of hike. |
| Scattered bones of a dead Llama, probably attacked by a Puma. |
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A rare grassy oasis fed by spring water. |
| Reached Casa de Piedra by 3:00PM (10,500 ft). The days hike was about 9 miles, the next day I left at 9:30AM 1/16 and headed west towards base camp. I pitched my tent on the far side of of the large yellow tent on the right. |
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My tent at Camp Piedra |
| Camp Casa Piedra also provided the first view of what I came here for, Cerro Aconcagua. The lowest snowy part of the mountain shown is at a level of 17,000ft and the upper is about 22,700ft. |
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Cerro Aconcagua at left in clouds |
