Aconcagua. (While the procedures described above are obviously excessive, the Argentine authorities are faced with hordes of both qualified and unqualified climbers, as explained below. We hope they will make their screening process more reasonable.—Editor.) Despite the fact that the normal route on Aconcagua presents no technical difficulties, altitude, cold and sudden weather changes cause problems. Increasing numbers of climbers have caused the authorities to place controls to reduce accidents. On the New Year weekend of 1980 some 120 climbers from 30 expeditions were wandering around the slopes of Aconcagua. There were in January three deaths, the Americans Andrews and Bludworth and the Swiss Norbert Rainer Brückmayer. There were numerous other cases needing rescues and the small mountain-troop detachment at Puente del Inca spent most of the summer answering calls for help.

Vojslav Arko, Club Andino Bariloche