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Summit Success on the Aconcagua Polish Traverse
MM Guide Gaspar Navarrete reports of a successful Aconcagua climb via the Polish Traverse! Derrick T. and Gaspar reached the summit despite fresh heavy snowfall and low temperatures.
After enjoying many days of great weather while acclimatizing, when we arrived to Camp 2 at 5500 meters, a weather front hit the mountain with big snow storms. We knew it was going to stay for several days so we stuck to our original program and kept acclimatizing. The day we moved to Camp 3 (Colera Camp at 6000 meters), we had to endure very low temperatures and lots of fresh snow on the trail, causing us to expend a lot of energy.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=01bbef19f35f7f4a0eeef666e719e652 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=aa5322dffd00f695f15976e92593af51 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=caf54f3d2b10000c6fbbf8a384046870 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=adc5ccf1ab8c03edc0cceeff90a94347 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=3af4d9c080b7369aee0d1b9e02413b54 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=4838ad37589e4d09be0da5fa1249c95a 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=742ab286a46e2c11c88b1231904dfebe 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla-foto-8edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=2294902b720ffad3b593cf74670a754e 640w)
Fresh snowfall at camp. Gaspar Navarrete photo
Still snowing. Gaspar Navarrete photo
We reached Camp 3 very late and Felipe, our local guide, and I melted snow for clients and started cooking diner. It was a windy day with low temperatures but we still had the confidence that the next morning was going to be a good day for our summit push. We planned a later start due to the low temperatures, and we knew we’d have to move fast to avoid getting too cold.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=3f5a7055c883bd69a0ab83e33a0a6a88 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=37b869c806d408cf2aea0a5027cfe02a 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=db8763a989b30cdfe640eec9fdc0dff8 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=1b59aee95f3cebe6efd8f94c7df4b454 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=ea97ad30cae55f1bebd35f2bc09e05d1 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=6a4e289acdc7d792c911288d0f22964f 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=62fca21fd2a79d221f19e78bf1e34fe8 640w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2Fla_foto_2edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=26d9409cbb43a9168db2dcfa14a3f89b 640w)
Keeping dinner warm. Gaspar Navarrete photo
At 6:00 on the morning of the 17th, Felipe and I woke up and started melting snow for breakfast and for our summit day. While doing this and waking up clients, the first lights started warming up the day, and we did not leave camp before 7:30am. After an hour of walking on a very cold day, Dan and Felipe turned around because of the extreme cold. Felipe took Dan down to Camp 3 (Colera) and once they arrived, they, decided to pack up and head down to Plaza de Mulas.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=60cddcd6ef60ff7bc810d9c2b05b659c 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=3a4cc8cf1d2aa33f83c74d18913aaba1 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=1e8d57165c6752c82a0863ab13750238 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=9de83ed3026f34ae3b8160d3d24f1f7d 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=5776d0e3432f847aa81bc2694a389b94 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=63c6a3fcca71f0074691fd46e9264661 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=be0e2b31ec4301d893b8bf10702abf31 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2064edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=e994da214db7c01a0d6f6dd9fcaaa8f0 800w)
Derrick at the traverse. Gaspar Navarrete photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=60efd124cb40d9d322731ed7386e4aa9 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=fe455951d516ecf64c5f005334bcaa47 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=df845a0c9d6b8f8b011488c7f9d9e5ff 597w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=bb762997d8d1afb7f86847a81271bb59 597w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=628928f3b7f5c26ad64aae469c6828b6 597w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=11d94f91f77aaca2ab62b956cf05d179 597w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=565bdcf7ef390cf6f25c21b39dcb384f 597w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2065edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=239f9535525dd936f105bd8af692ed53 597w)
On the way to the cave at 6,550 meters. Gaspar Navarrete photo
After some hours of climbing with a great rhythm, Derrick and I arrived to the cave at 6550 meters, where we took a long and deserved break. Derrick left his pack at this point and we moved together until 200 meters below the summit, where we met some other climbers who were breaking trail. From this point, I decided to go in front breaking trail until one meter below the summit because I wanted to arrive together with Derrick. Since there were about seven climbers ahead of us and I was breaking trail, Derrick ended being at the end of the line. Just before getting to where I was waiting for him, he managed to pass four other climbers and we ended up reaching the summit together.
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=6d793a0088cc7c67b8357c99d3945742 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=2f74e6172819dab5f77897c6d28babe1 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=b32a7e1cb85a99be7ba2655afe7db1c1 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=9ae4d38c12a024a3779dec496dbff9e8 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=83a4d207094f30233a49fb52c2fadfc9 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=4c76797f765e0d54c110eb7ee05afe90 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=4512af378df20d8a37fde43e535674d7 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2066edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=8e31b0a3253792d53ed8f602435e47f6 800w)
Almost to the summit. Gaspar Navarrete photo
![](https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=300&s=4b33e0b46e53fc12006344764dc0243f 300w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=500&s=9004cb87593391d5c76f8744cbba25a0 500w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=700&s=de40df672ccf3dc776545444c1c2e9cf 700w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=800&s=352dea104394edf00a0538a7fa1afe70 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1000&s=4ba575d39e0d9dd810a6fd9e7fbf38c6 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1200&s=de168a3e1fee8bf32c874602f8a7e72d 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1400&s=ee7578fb70febe9c8837ac34708d4c46 800w, https://mountain-madness-external.imgix.net/https%3A%2F%2Fkraftwerk-mountain-madness.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fblog%2FIMG_2067edit.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&q=80&w=1600&s=d9176f53d249da95a483faf40c777193 800w)
At the summit. Gaspar Navarrete photo
It was a great experience to reach a summit like Aconcagua with those winter conditions and lots of snow on the route. After 20 minutes of pictures and hugs we started our long descent knowing that the rest of the team were already on their way back to Base Camp. Since Derrick was performing great and had some energy left, we decided to do the same. After some hydration and food at Camp 3, we also headed down to Plaza de Mulas where our team was waiting for us with a big smile and a great dinner.
Afternoon on the way down. Gaspar Navarrete photo
~ MM Guide Gaspar Navarrete