Fitness is another necessary ingredient. Climbers need the kind of fitness which enables them to keep going all day long. Because of the extended nature of the climb and its brutal weather and cold, packs are often large and heavy. Legs lungs and heart are the necessary ingredients. Psychological fitness is also critical.
Successful climbers have a strong combination of drive and patience.
Tent life is not for everyone. Living in close proximity for weeks on end takes its toll. Maintaining drive can be a challenge. But it is drive that keeps us moving upward, and ultimately, finds us on the summit. In the last 10 years we have conducted about as many trips to Aconcagua, we have enjoyed remarkable summit success, with the vast majority of our climbers reaching the top.