Permit Process for Aconcagua

The first step to getting a permit to climb Aconcagua is going to the Park headquarters and paying the $1000 pesos, roughly $300 USD. You then must take your receipt and go to the regional tourist centre on San Martin Ave in downtown Mendoza. There you receive the actual permit, have it checked against your passport, get it stamped, and sign it. That`s it. The permit will be checked and stamped again at the first camp in Pampas Lenas (roughly translated "Firewood Grasslands"). Your passport is no longer needed after Mendoza. The permit is only good for 20 days.

Now we are waiting for Woody from Denver, the last team member that had some flight problems. Most likely he won`t make it in time to get his permit because his flight lands at 12:15 and the permit office closes at 1pm. Because there is a slight chance he may still make it, we are waiting until 1pm before heading for Penitentes, the start of our approach that is also a ski area. It is about a four hour drive from Mendoza. If Woody does not get the permit today, he will wait until tomorrow and be driven up to the ski area to catch up. Either way, he`ll make it.

I`m feeling good and ready to climb. Kirsten should be getting semi-regular email updates from the expedition manager and will update you when she can.

Thanks for checking in.
AK