Aconcagua: Summit of the Americas -- A Map-Guide for Climbers and Trekkers (Map)

~ Ed Darack (Author) "Either Ayamaran for "Stone sentinel" or Quechuan for "White Sentinel," although some claim "Aconcagua" is an amalgamation of words of Pacific coastal tribes, meaning "comes..." (more)
Key Phrases: Plaza de Mulas, Puente del Inca, Berlin Camp (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY: This is a small, very light weight map-guide providing the most relevant information on Aconcagua. It is a black and white map, printed on one side of a 13 by 19 inch sheet of durable paper. It is folded into 4 "pages" and is housed in a resealable bag. It's folded dimensions are roughly 6.5 inches by 9 inches.

This map-guide was made by a climber for climbers. The author, while on Aconcagua, envisioned having a guide that quickly gave the most necessary information without having to thumb through pages of a guidebook. This map-guide was meant to maximize functionality and minimize everything else, including space and weight. It is meant to be as small and light weight as possible while quickly and easily conveying the most relevant information possible, mostly about the ruta normal. This map-guide contains a number of individual maps. The maps are basic and straightforward: there is an overview of the mountain itself, showing camps, ridges, contour lines, altitudes, peaks, etc. There is a route map with vertical distances and average times between main camps on the ruta normal, and there is a high detail summit map with some comments and features indicated. There is also a trekking map with average times indicated, as well as a regional route map with primary roads. All of these maps are small, but easily legible. Again, the goal of this map-guide was to pack all relevant information on one easily and quickly readable format. There is also a page with basic information on the mountain.

IF YOU WANT A LARGE FORMAT, COLOR WALL MAP, DON'T BUY THIS MAP-GUIDE. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING WITH A LOT OF PICTURES IN IT OF ACONCAGUA AND A LOT OF TEXT DESCRIBING THE MOUNTAIN, THEN DON'T BUY THIS MAP-GUIDE (BUY WILD WINDS: ADVENTURES IN THE HIGHEST ANDES BY THE SAME AUTHOR). IF YOU WANT A STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE THAT WILL GIVE YOU QUICK ACCESS TO THE MOST RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR AN ACONCAGUA CLIMBER-TREKKER (PRIMARILY ON THE RUTA NORMAL) THAT ANYONE WILL APPRECIATE ONCE ON ACONCAGUA, THEN CONSIDER BUYING THIS PRODUCT.

About the Author

Ed Darack is a cartographer, writer, and photographer based out of California. He is the author of a number of books, including 6194: Denali Solo, Wind - Water - Sun: A Solo Kayak Journey Along Baja California's Desert Coastline, and Wild Winds: Adventures in the Highest Andes. His writing, photographs and maps have been published in a wide range of media throughout the world, including broadcast and cable television, books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, and more.

Product Details

• Map: 4 pages
• Publisher: E. Darack Photography (February 18, 2002)
• ISBN-10: 1884980821
• ISBN-13: 978-1884980824
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #633,064 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just the facts in a small package, February 22, 2004

By	Tracy Larens (Gaithersburg, MD) - See all my reviews

This is the most spartan guide I have ever used. Aconcagua -- a map guide, is a unique blend of a series of maps and textual information. A number of us on our recent Aconcagua trip bought this map/guide, and we we all had the same reaction--it's so small! But that smallness, we would find, was a good thing. It is very well laid out, with information easily found (although some of the type is small, so make sure to have good reading glasses if you don't see so well!). The map/guide is made up of four "pages". This is a black and white production, no fancy colors or the like. The paper is farily weather resistant, and it comes with a plastic bag with a zip closure, and I would definitely keep it in that at all times except to refold the map. Page 1 has a 1:93,000 scale map of Aconcagua and immediate surrounding mountains. Main camps are shown, as are 500 meter contour intervals and primary ridges. Page 1 also has a very high detail summit region map (1:23,250 scale), showing high camps on primary routes, 500 meter contour intervals, and primary ridges. There are notes on the routes (very brief notes, but helpful). There is also a satellite image of the mountain, which isn't much use except to stare at in the tent when you are bored. Page 2 has a route map, showing all the primary routes on the mountain, including ruta normal, polish glacier routes, traverse routes, and south face routes. This map has a small box that has vertical distances and averages times between primary destinations on the ruta normal. Page 2 also has a very brief overview of the Ruta Normal (text section) and also a super brief overview of the polish glacier routes. You'd be better to get the Secor guide for more in-depth info on the polish glacier. The way the map/guide comes, you never have to take the thing out of the sealed bag to go from page 1 to page 2, you just have to flip it over. Page 3 is all text, and I liked the information provided. There is no fluff here, just the facts. Page 4 is an excellent approach resource, giving average times and a generalized overview map of the trekking and approaching routes around the mountain. There is also a highway map showing major cities, and even a small locator map (of the continent of South America). There is also a small amount of general background information on the bottom of Page 4, including how Aconcagua got its name and some history.
I'd like to see more maps like this of other mountains. We all agreed that this is an excellent resource, and while the information is certainly worth the 15 dollar price, it did seem steep when we opened the package. Definitely read the product description and take a close look.
This map weighs virtually nothing, and it is easily packed in the top pouch of any pack, even when stuffed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't go to Aconcagua without it!, February 7, 2004

By	Dan K. (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

At 15 dollars, this is an expensive piece of folded paper, but what the ink on the paper conveys is worth every cent. I returned from Aconcagua a few weeks ago, and can report that this map was used hourly along the ruta normal by my party. First off, the overview maps, although they are small (South American Continent with Aconcagua locator and Regional Highway Map) are accurate and useful. My favorite maps are the approach maps, the mountain regional (called Aconcagua & Environs), the summit map (very high detail), and the route map. One of the excellent points of this map is the distances and average times between camps and major points on the trekking / approach map and the route map. The layout is good, allowing quick glances of information while map is inside its waterproof clear plastic bag, an important feature, particularly on summit day. There is an overview section of the ruta normal and of the mountain itself, which is good, but due to its size, somewhat of an abridged version of a longer guidebook. There is definitely a lot of information crammed on this guide / map. It's definitely a worthwhile resource, even though it is more expensive than the Secor guide, which has a lot of info (but no maps). Don't go to Aconcagua, particularly the ruta normal, without this map.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small, Very Useful, January 28, 2004

By A Customer

Just returned from Aconcagua. This map-guide basically had lots of really good information, easy to look at. No books to go through in wind and snow. Only complaint is that satellite image is too dark and too small. Maps are great.