Equipment for Aconcagua Climb
Here is the equipment that I brought to Aconcagua. I'm not saying this
is the equipment that YOU should bring, but you might get some ideas from
this list.
Meal/Water Equipment:
- Pur Hiker water filter
- coffee filters and rubber bands to cover water filter intake for heavily
silted water
- MSR Whisperlite Internationale 600 Stove with repair kit and multiple
nozzles
- two 33oz and one 22oz MSR fuel bottles (empty for plane flight)
- waterproof matches in small zip-loc bag
- stuff sacks to organize food
- large 14 cup aluminum pot to melt snow and boil water
- 8 cup titanium pot to cook soup and StoveTop stuffing
- many gallon, quart and snack sized Zip-Loc freezer bags for food organization
- three lexan spoons to eat or cook with
- one bowl with lid, covered with insulating foam (didn't use)
- one lexan cup for measuring and doling out water
- one two-cup capacity insulated mug with lid for drinks/soup (used
instead of bowl)
- three one-liter clear nalgene water bottles with one water bottle
parka
- electrical tape on nalgene bottles in a pattern to recognize my bottles
- several feet of duct tape wrapped around fuel bottles for repairs
and blisters
- two liter collapsible platypus bag for holding water
- small pot-grippers
- cover torn from 3-ring binder to put stove on in snow (didn't use)
- campsuds to wash pots with (didn't use)
Shelter/Sleeping equipment:
- 4-season Sierra Designs Stretch Dome CD tent
- lightweight snow stakes
- internal/external guy lines for tent
- 8x10 polyethylene tarp, cut to fit floor of tent
- North Face Inferno down sleeping bag (-40F) in compression stuff sack
- Ridge Rest deluxe closed-cell foam pad, full length
- 3/4 length therma-rest
- Small inflatable travel pillow
- pee-bottle with wide mouth
Clothing:
- Hiking boots for the trip in
- Teva-like sandals for crossing streams
- Koflach Degre double-plastic boots
- Charlot Moser super-12 step-in crampons
- REI ice-axe
- three pair of thin polypropylene liner socks
- three pair of plastic bread bags for foot vapor barrier
- two pair of expedition grade Smart-Wool socks
- two pair of Ultimax hiking socks
- down parka with detachable hood
- three-piece trekking poles with snow baskets (duct tape wrapped around
them for blisters)
- Sawyer Permethrin insect repellant coating for hike in clothes
- light rain jacket and rain pants for hike in
- Gortex shell jacket with underarm zips
- Gortex pants with full side zips
- light polypropylene long underwear, tops and bottoms
- heavy polypropylene long underwear, tops and bottoms
- polartec button down shirt
- 300 weight polartec with underarm zips
- 300 weight polartec pants with full side zips
- gaiters (OR crocodiles)
- wide brimmed sun hat with detachable cape to protect neck
- two pair nylon shorts
- nylon convertible pants (legs zip off to become shorts)
- pile mittens with gortex overmitts
- wool gloves with leather palms
- pile hat
- light polypropylene balaclava
- polar fleece face mask/neck warmer
- three pair Duofold polyester coolmax briefs
- T-shirts for lower elevations
- one pair lightweight polypropylene liner gloves
- bandanna and handkerchief
Miscellaneous:
- small Olympus camera with 8 rolls of film and extra lithium battery
- Garmin eTrex GPS with pre-programmed waypoints for Aconcagua
- Petzl micro headlamp with extra bulb
- lithium AA batteries for headlamp and GPS (much better in cold)
- long book to read on airplane (War and Peace or Brothers Karamozov?)
- passport with immunization documents
- two photocopies of passport in different places
- Cash (People don't take traveller's checks in Mendoza)
- Money pouch for:
- cash (American and local) (Travellers checks no good in Mendoza)
- airplane tickets
- passport
- credit cards for emergency
- Put all but cash in plastic bags to protect from water damage
- copies of relevant documents (maps, directions, itinerary, etc...)
- journal with pens
- first-aid kit
- band-aids
- moleskin
- surgical gloves
- oral rehydration salts
- rolaids
- tape
- hand-warmers
- Immodium A-D
- bandages
- 3-minute epoxy
- Jungle Juice 100 bug repellant in double zip-loc bags (highly corrosive!)
- SPF 50 Banana Boat Sun Block
- SPF 30 lip balm/chapstick
- Labiosan lip/nose sunblock and sunburn treatment
- Huge, heavy duty duffel bag for plane and mule transport (Eagle Creek)
- Large, lighter duty duffel bag to put food in
- Small locks for duffel bags
- Glacier sunglasses with side shields
- Nose guard that fits glacier glasses
- Combination Whistle/matchcase/compass
- Silva Ranger compass for navigation and mirror
- Emergency space-blanket bag
- cheap watch with large digital numbers and Indiglo night lighting
- pocketknife
- toiletries in zip-loc bag
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- moist towlettes to wash hands
- lens wipes with anti-fog for sunglasses and glasses
- Ibuprofen for painkiller (NO aspirin with diamox!)
- Diamox tablets
- toilet paper in zip-loc bag
- trash compactor bag (very useful and tough!)
Stuff for off the mountain in Mendoza:
- travel toiletry bag:
- deodorant
- soap
- shampoo
- hand lotion
- floss
- hairbrush
- sewing kit
- casual clothes for walking around, going to dinner
- electric shaver (with voltage converter)
- travel bag for carry-on items and valuables
- Good headphones for audio on long international plane flights
- small spanish dictionary with travel phrases
- Three photocopies of important documents such as passport, yellow
fever certificate, birth certificate, etc. placed in three separate places.
- List of critical information (emergency numbers, traveller check #s,
addresses for postcards, etc.)
Food for Aconcagua Trip:
I did most of my shopping at Trader Joe's and Winco Foods. The freeze
dried meals I got from G.I. Joes.
Breakfast: (target 600 Calories)
- meal #1: 2 packets of malt-o-meal large instant oatmeal, 1 packet hot
cocoa
- meal #2: 2 pop tarts, 2 packets of hot cocoa
- meal #3: 1 cup granola with powdered milk and dried fruit, 1 packet
hot cocoa
Lunch and snacks: (target 2000 calories)
- Bars for each day: (1000 cals)
- Cliff bar, assorted flavors
- Balance Bar or 30-40-30 bar, assorted flavors
- Snickers, Mars, Milky Way or Butterfinger bar
- Promax protein bar, assorted flavors
- Drink: 1 packet of crystal light to treat two quarts of water (0 cals)
- Snacks: 1000 calories per day of parts of the following foods
- Wheat thins
- Munch 'ems
- Italian salami
- Mixed dried fruit
- Party Mix Gorp
- Teryaki meat sticks
- Honey Mustard and Onion pretzel chunks
- Peanut-Butter cups
- Chidori
- Smoked Salmon
- Cheddar Cheese
Dinner: (target 1600 calories)
- Drink: hot cocoa or hot cider or tea (120 cals)
- Appetizer: Instant soup (100 cals) (salty ones are best)
- Main Dish: (rotate as desired) (1000 cals)
- #1: freeze-dried meal (20 oz/person)
- #2: Box of couscous, add gravy packet and soy sauce packets
- #3: StoveTop Stuffing with canned meat added flavor everything
with seasoned salt, salt/pepper packets, tobasco sauce
- Dessert: (500 cals)
- #1: Instant Pudding and powdered milk mix
- #2: 6 small chocolate-chip cookies (comes in a large tub)
Lessons Learned Afterward
- Load up the mules with very tasty food and comforts for basecamp.
They're great when your appetite is down.
- Bring a camelback bladder for the hike in and leave it at basecamp
- Bring cash and VISA only (no travellers checks!) VISA is only accepted
at major hotels
- Have your food and water handy throughout the hike up so that you
can access them without taking off your pack or asking your friend for help
- Breakfast at Ayelen hotel is skimpy (coffee and bread). Dinner
at the hotel costs extra besides the room!
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