Of the seven continental summits, Aconcagua (at 6962 m/22,840 ft) lies second only to Everest. Yet it is surprisingly free of snow and ice, and experienced hikers can reach the roof of the Americas without technical expertise. However, it is one of the world's highest and toughest treks. The author has summated twice, and explains in detail how to tackle the main trekking routes (Normal and Polish Traverse), as well as giving a useful summary on the technical Polish Glacier route. This pocket-sized book weighs only 112 g (4 oz), yet it contains all you need to plan and enjoy your summit attempt: concise advice from an expert about preparation, planning and choosing your gear detailed information about altitude effects and sickness, and how to monitor and prevent them fold-out map showing the routes, also enlargement of summit area 96 waterproof pages with open-flat binding in full colour, with 60 photographs.
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"Lightweight, yet packed with practical information, this book will help you all the way to the summit." Jaime Vinals, a seven-summiteer who has climbed Aconcagua 8 times"
About the Author
Born in 1970 in the Netherlands, Harry Kikstra lives in Amsterdam. Since gaining a Master's degree in business management, he has combined commercial work with an adventurous life that takes him all over the world. He has been a full-time adventurer, organiser and leader of expeditions since 1999. He loves to travel, and enjoys climbing and photographing mountains everywhere. He has summited Aconcagua twice, in 2000 and 2004, by both the trekking routes described in this book. In June 2005, Harry summited Mt Everest, and in January 2006 Mt Vinson, thus completing his own round of the seven continental summits.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great, Compact Guide to Aconcagua,
This review is from: Aconcagua: Summit of South America (Rucksack Pocket Summits) (Spiral-bound)
I have been to Aconcagua three times on self-guided expeditions, each time with a copy of R.J. Secor's guide book in hand. Since then, Harry Kikstra has published a series of climbing guides and is to be commended for writing concise guidebooks that have just enough information in a small, compact package. This is a book that truly can and should be included in the backpack.Mr. Kikstra doesn't include information about what restaurant one should patronize while in Mendoza, nor does he have a list of muleteers or guides with whom you can contract, as does Secor. But Kikstra does provide detail where it is important...his description of the routes is superior. A quibble might be that he should include a table of the Camps and their altitudes along the route, which is otherwise provided by Aconcagua Provincial Park. I appreciate that Kikstra--a European--provides altitudes and distance in feet and miles, not just meters and kilometers. Aconcagua is a most dangerous mountain because it is easily assessible, has a misinformed reputation as being a "walk-up", and is crowded with people who may or may not have good climbing expertise and judgement. Further, as the second highest of the "7-Summits", many people think this will be an easy undertaking, then quickly ascend into the danger-zone without proper acclimization. (This mountain is frequently disrespected by "real" climbers who emphasize its "non-technical" routes...) The first time I went to Aconcagua--in January, 2000--there were 7 deaths, all of which went under-reported in the climbing press. Three Argentine men in their twenties were roped but didn't use running belays on the Polish Glacier; one fell, couldn't arrest, and pulled the other two to their deaths. A Mexican woman alone at Nido De Condores felt sick (cerebral edema) while her partners went higher; they returned to a corpse. A solo and older Japanese gentleman arrived at Plaza De Mulas, entered his tent, and wasn't seen alive again (cerebral edema) without going higher than Base Camp (14,000 ft). A Chilean woman was with a group in a big hurry which didn't take any rest days while pushing for Cambio De Pendiente (Camp Alaska); she was dead a day after I talked to her. Number seven died after we left the mountain. With publicity of mountain climbing disasters playing center stage in the press (see Krakauer's "Into Thin Air"), the Mendoza Provincial Government has since provided more ranger assistance to climbers and even purchased a high-altitude helicopter to mitigate deaths as much as possible. But don't rely on such when the wind is blowing at 80 mph and the temperature drops to 40 below... Bottom line is this...don't do this mountain unless you humbly acknowledge your own limitations, are serious about taking your time and acclimating, and follow the very good advise given in Kikstra's guide. Happy climbing...
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good things come in small packages!,
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This review is from: Aconcagua: Summit of South America (Rucksack Pocket Summits) (Spiral-bound)
I've been to Aconcagua before but didn't have this pocket book with me. Most authors seem to write quantity not quality. This little book is written with a climber in mind and does not sacrifice quality even though it is a small climber friendly guide. How much info do you really need to go up the mountain anyway? This book covers all and is packed with usefull information minus any fluff. Do yourself a favor and head to Argentina with this book rather than any of the library size climbing guides out there.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bigger than the size,
By
This review is from: Aconcagua: Summit of South America (Rucksack Pocket Summits) (Spiral-bound)
Small enough to bring in a stuffed backpack, this excellent guide will make you travel along the trail to the top of Aconcagua before even taking the plane. Perfect to plan your trip, everything is in it: gear check, clear maps, day-by-day detailed itinary, breathtaking pictures...Since i bought this book in the first time, i ordered some to all my expedition partners as gifts...! I never saw a guide like this one! ML
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