Park Aconcagua is organized and controlled so all its visitors can count on all the necessary services to ensure a safe stay. At the same time these services are offered to ensure the protected area does not become damaged or contaminated.
During the climbing season, Park Aconcagua provides the following services to mountaineers: Park Rangers, Medical Service, Rescue Patrol, Control of waste disposal and restroom services in the base camps.
Park Rangers
These are the official agents in charge of giving attention and information to visitors, undertaking environmental inspections and protecting the natural resources of Aconcagua Park.
They have the power of police within the park and are able to control entrances, to give fines and to ask those who do not comply with the Park rules to leave.
They can also receive reports for not following regulations and suggestions for the conservation and functionality of the Park.
Medical Service
During the climbing and trekking season, Aconcagua Park offers a free service of prevention and medical assistance in the Confluencia, Plaza de las Mulas and Plaza Argentina camps.
It is suggested that all visitors have a medical check performed to verify their general state after arrival to the camps. Do not hesitate to tell the physicians about any symptoms, concerns or suspects of Acute Mountain Sickness.
For your safety you should comply with the recommendations of the physician about:
- Rescue evacuations
- The coordination of evacuations arranged by the Medical Service, which the Park Rangers will be in charge of, and will understand the descent of the mountaineers from the camps to Horcones and if necessary, the transportation to the hospital in Uspallata or suggested medical center.
- The evacuation will be carried out by way of mules or helicopters depending on the seriousness of the case, availability of doctors, climatic conditions and visibility, and can also be determined by what the physician arranges. In his/her absence the Park Rangers will be in charge of the operation.
Helicopter Evacuations
The need for an evacuation by this medium will be determined by the doctor or in his absence, by the Chief of the Area or Park Rangers in charge of the operation.
Evacuations are considered serious and are an emergency response for those in life-threatening condition, making it necessary to be done quickly. These include: serious edemas (cerebral or pulmonary), 2nd and 3rd degree frostbite and cardiac problems, among others.
Routine evacuations are those in which the patient is neither in life-threatening shape but requires hospital assistance or should descend for psychological reasons. These include: the beginnings of pulmonary and cerebral edemas, Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) mild, first degree frostbite, blisters, panic attacks, exhaustion or dehydration, older persons with a bad general state, among others. They are made by helicopter when available.
If helicopter is not available, the affected person should request a mule from the company he / she hired the services of, or should descend walking with one of his or her group members.
- The evacuation will be carried out form the point of origin to the trailheads of the Park in the Horcones or Punta de Vacas, where the injured will be moved to an ambulance or similar vehicle depending on his / her health situation.
- In exceptional cases, the patient will be transported to the city of Mendoza, only when medical service declares it necessary and with the authorized expression of the Chief of the Area or his replacement.
- All of the costs of the evacuation by helicopter arranged by medical service, and all things related to the transportation and medical service outside of the Park, will be charged to the patient.
Rescue Patrol
Aconcagua Park has a Rescue Patrol that belongs to the Mendoza Police whose aim is the search and rescue of people who in an emergency situation that require the assistance of this group of highly trained mountaineers. The Patrol works solely on the Normal Route of Aconcagua, carrying out searches and evacuations to the Medical Service of Aconcagua Park located in base camp. Here there is a place for coordinating the necessary actions to remove the person in danger to the exit of the Park for medical treatment.
It is important for those who visit Mount Aconcagua to know that on one side, the Rescue Patrol is not a service that you will not find included among those provided within Aconcagua Park however, they work in serious situations that require their presence.
Also, visitors should know that due to the fact that the Polish Glacier Route like those you will find on the South Wall is considered of high risk level, the Rescue Patrol will not operate there. Climbers who choose these routes must take all the precautions to endure emergency situations on their own
In any case, Park Rangers are in permanent radio listening for eventual help calls on the frequency 142.8 MHZ FM.
Waste products during the stay
Mountaineers will be provided with a numbered trash bag for each three people, and an individual plastic bag for each person (also numbered).
These bags should be returned to the Park Rangers with all trash accumulated during the stay in Aconcagua Park upon leaving the Park.
It is important to point out that the mountaineers can delegate the removal of waste to the hiring service providers (for example in case of forming part of an expedition organized by a company). For this, the mountaineer should present proof of the service provider's acceptation in the permission of exit.
The service provider will be responsible for this bag until it's departure from the Park.
If you do not comply with the rules of waste removal, you will be fined.
Bathroom Services
In the base camps, the visitors should contract obligatorily the bathroom service from the service providers.
No one can stay in the base camps without the contracting of this service.
This rule is overseen permanently by the Park Rangers.
In the altitude camps it is obligatory to use the bags specifically for human waste that will have to be turned in to the Park Rangers upon your return to base camp.
The utilization of the bags contributes significantly to the maintenance and the conservation of the upper camps, as well as to avoid contaminating the mountain.
Aconcagua Expediciones E.V.yT. Leg. 13626 - Presidente Roberto Ortiz 1539 - Godoy Cruz, Mendoza - Argentina
Phone: (++54-9-261) 641-0112 (Outside Argentina) - 156410112 (From Argentina)
E-mail: info@aconcaguaadventures.com - Website: www.aconcaguaadventures.com - www.climbingaconcagua.com
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