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News

The Renewable Natural Resource Office has made the decision to modify the entrance fee into the Aconcagua Provincial Park, for ascension and trekking activities carried out in the park.

This increase is based on the fact that greater expenditures are required to face the 2009 & 2010 season due to the continuous increase in visitors which this year that surpassed 6,000. The following aspects can be highlighted:

• More park rangers are needed to be present in and patrol the entire park, including the Quebrada de la Vieja Alta and Plaza Guanacos.
• Extension of medical service, incorporating more doctors at base camp and the opening of a center in Confluencia, due to the strong increase in trekking.
• Purchase of equipment and food for the larger staff including natural resource and rescue patrol personnel.
• More helicopter hours would be required, calculating a minimum of 150 hours, in order to guarantee assembly of infrastructure, supply, staff transport, air evacuations and waste evacuation. It should be pointed out that fecal material is carried out by air.
• Annual assembly and preparation of high altitude shelters.
• Communications and information. Elaboration of brochures, installation of maps.
• Installation and maintenance of portable out-houses in Confluencia and Pampa de Leña camps.

An increase of visitors is predicted for all seasons, but more are expected in the high season. On the other hand, a differential fee has been determined for visitors that trek on the Quebrada de la Vieja alta route. This is due to the fact that a larger staff is needed for better control and environmental maintenance of the zone. Moreover, eventual air rescues from the area involve at least 1½ hours of helicopter operation, with a cost of nearly US$ 3,000.

The fee has also been increased for argentines, especially in the high season when the number of foreign visitors is very high, as a way to gradually spread out the visitors over the entire season when the park is open. For the same reason, it has been determined that no exceptions will be given for the high season entrance fee.

As of the present season, fee exceptions will not be personal but rather they must be channeled through sporting or public institutions, demonstrating the suitability of the persons that make up the expedition to realize mountaineering or climbing.

The fees are as follows:

International Category Visitors:

For the 2009 / 2010 and following seasons the following entrance fees are established:

High season: From December 15 of each year to January 31 of the following year, the fees shall be as follows:

Mid season: From December 1 – 14 and from February 1 - 20 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

Low season: From November 15 - 30 and from February 21 - March 15 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

National Category Visitors:

High season: From December 15 of each year to January 31 of the following year, the fees shall be as follows:

Mid season: From December 1 – 14 and from February 1 - 20 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

Low season: From November 15 - 30 and from February 21 - March 15 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

Due to the isolation and difficultly of this route, ascent activities are authorized but it is not equipped for trekking.

International Category Visitors:

For the 2009 / 2010 and following seasons the following entrance fees are established:

High Season: From December 15 of each year to January 31 of the following year, the fees shall be as follows:

Mid season: From December 1 – 14 and from February 1 - 20 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

Low season: From November 15 - 30 and from February 21 - March 15 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

National Category Visitors:

High season: From December 15 of each year to January 31 of the following year, the fees shall be as follows:

Mid season: From December 1 – 14 and from February 1 - 20 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

Low season: From November 15 - 30 and from February 21 - March 15 of each year, the fees shall be as follows:

In all cases the fees are per person and the effective period of the permits shall be as follows and will be in force 48 hours after issued:

News In Aconcagua

A women team with brust cancer made Americas highest summit continent.

Zondag 22 februari 2004

We hebben het gehaald !!! Teamleden hebben de top van de Aconcagua bereikt.

Op 20 februari om 15.10 uur kregen we -via de walkie talkie- in basecamp bericht van Ralf Dujmovits dat het team de summit van Aconcagua - 6959m- heeft bereikt.

We spreken hier over Karen Lisa Hilsted van Denemarken, Rista Ingelius van Finland, Ralf Dujmovits (expeditieleider), Geraldo Castillo (Argentijnse gids), Virginia Iglesias (Argentijnse gids), Jo Bucher (regisseur), Hans De Bauw (cameraman), Werner Göring (expeditiedoctor), Fernando Daneri (porter assistant filmteam).

Op het moment dat ze de summit bereikten werd het weer onmiddellijk slechter ; het begon te sneeuwen en de temperatuur daalde gevoelig. Iedereen was zwaar uitgeput van de moeilijke laatste klim door de Canaletta door de hevige sneeuwval. De hele namiddag was het bewolkt weer. Enkel een kortstondige "window" waarbij de zon even doorkwam.

Jonna Jansson en Xavier Istasse (cameraman) haalden het tot in de Canaletta op 200 m onder de summit.

Chris Dierks en Lisa Holliday bereikten Independencia (een kleine hut) op 6.400m en keerden terug naar hun hoogst gelegen kamp waar Rosalind Cooper hen opwachtte met een warme drank.

Eerder moest Katelijne terugkeren vanwege infectie en uitputting. Annemie en Katariina daalden terug af naar het basiskamp na een moeilijke nacht in Kamp Canada.

Vandaag is het zondag 22 februari. Gisteren is iedereen vermoeid maar veilig in het basiskamp aangekomen. Nu is het een verdiende rustdag vooraleer we morgen vertrekken vanuit het basiskamp richting bewoonde wereld. Jonna Jansson verzwikte haar enkel tijdens de laatste meters van de afdaling. Morgen stappen we 10 uur tot we in de bewoonde wereld aankomen, Jonna zal de trip -genoodzaakt- met de ezel afleggen.

De expeditie heeft zijn doel bereikt, niet alleen in het aantal hoogtemeters te verslinden maar vooral in de kracht en de sterke teamgeest die in deze expeditie leeft. Vrouwen met een borstkankerverleden hebben door deze expeditie laten zien dat door engagement, motivatie en de kracht van teamgeest grote prestaties mogelijk zijn ; maw een rijk leven hoe ze het zelf willen invullen.

Meer berichten komen er volgende week, met meer foto’s en meer teksten.

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Sunday 22th February 2004

We have made it !!! Team members has reached the summit of Aconcagua on 6.959m

Today we are all safely back at Basecamp and enjoying the wonderful food here. Some of our group (9) reached the summit of Aconcagua on Friday and others went very high indeed, reaching their own limit. All of us are very tired but satisfied to have pushed ourselves as far as we could go.

We are talking about Karen Lisa Hilsted from Denmark, Rista Ingelius from Finland, Ralf Dujmovits (expedition leader), Geraldo Castillo (lokal Argentinian guide), Virginia Iglesias (local Argentinian assistent guide), Jo Bucher (director of the documentary), Hans De Bauw (cameraman), Werner Göring (expedition doctor), Fernando Daneri (porter assistant filmteam).

Jonna Jansson and Xavier Istasse (cameraman) reached the Canaletta, 200 m below the summit.

Chris Dierks and Lisa Holliday reached Independencia (a small refuge hut) at 6.300m. They returned back to the last camp where Rosalind Cooper was melting snow for everyone.

Earlier, Kateline Van Heukelom had returned to basecamp due to problems with health and exhaustion. Annemie and Katariina had previously returned to basecamp after a difficult night in Camp Canada.

The climbers returned to the high camp "Cholera" on Friday evening, thankful to drink and then immediately sleep ! The weather was not to good for the climbing as it was snowing most of the afternoon with the clouds occasionally opening so that some views were enjoyed. Meanwhile, those who had either stayed or returned to our high camp, were busily melting snow for their team on their return. The team arrived back at the high camp at 7 pm, in thickly falling snow.

The next morning was clear and hot and the whole team of 14 descended all the way down to Bascecamp by 4.30pm. The way down was extremely tiring as we were camping all of our equipment, remaining food and tents. Finally, within clear sight of our welcoming team one member elegantly sat down with a cry, having twisted her ankle badly.

For her, there will not be a long day’s walk tomorrow. Instead of 10 hours walking back down to the road, she will have to ride a mule !!.

Today is Sunday 22th February. Everybody is tired but returned safely in basecamp.

The expedition has reached his goal, not only by reaching a high altitude but especially showing the power of the strong team spirit which lives in this expedition. Women with a breast cancer past have shown, through this expedition, their motivation and will power. They can have a rich life with far reaching goals. In other words, they can have a life after breast cancer which they can fulfill in their own way.

More messages next week, with more photo’s and more text.

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Virginia Iglesias

When I was asked to write something about the expedition, the first thing that came to my mind was the question what did I see?

I saw people going up, hugs, tears, people going down… But after thinking for a while, I realized that these were just words without a background: Aconcagua.

So these people were women who had fought a big battle, and after defeating, were now climbing a mountain. They hugged each other when reaching a new camp, they had to decide whether to continue or to go back and that means finding a balance, their very own limits, the reason of why they were at that point thinking about all those matters, …

To put it in short, I saw courage, I saw love towards life and I saw pride. But most important of all is the message I heard: I heard a group of women shouting IT IS POSSIBLE!

Gerardo Castillo

Climbing a mountain requires both mental and physical effort: but most important of all is not reaching the summit but having the courage of trying it, the same courage needed to confront life every day. We all have a mountain in our life: dear to climb it in the name of life itself.

FERNANDO DANERI (FEFI)

FELICITO A CADA UNA DE LOS EXPEDICIONRIOS POR EL GRAN ESFUERZO QUE HAN REALIZADO Y LO SUPIERON SOBRELLEVAR BIEN / AGRADEZCO ENORMEMENTE POR TODOS LOS MOMENTOS LINDOS VIVIDOS EN LA MONTANA /GRACIAS A TODOS FEFI//

Fernando Daneri (Fefi)

Congratulations for the whole expedition team for their big effort which they have realized and for how they have overcome all the difficulties during climbing.

Enormous thanks to everyone for all the beautiful and living moments on the mountain.

Thanks to all !! Fefi