There are four main ingredients to a successful Aconcagua expedition. They are planning, patience, fitness, and last, a bit of luck. Over the years we have made almost 10 expeditions to the peak, and we are continually reminded of the importance of these factors. The climb begins with planning. Good and appropriate equipment, allowing adequate summit attempt days, slow and methodical movement up the peak to allow for thorough acclimatization, including enough extra days to sit out periods of poor weather - all these are part of good planning.
Patience is a key word in high altitude mountaineering.
Many time we have seen parties battle their way upward in poor weather and conditions, unwilling or unable to wait for the inevitable improvement. After a brief and challenging stay up high in the wind, they come down, battered, just as the conditions improve. Even sadder, we have seen many expedition leave the peak without having made a serious attempt, simply unwilling to believe that the weather will get better. And most tragically, climbers who ascend too fast play Russian roulette with high altitude pulmonary or cerebral edema. Patience is key.