Normal Route (Horcones → Summit)
✓ Verified against the agency · MendozaThe most popular route on the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere. Non-technical but extreme altitude — success is a function of acclimatization, weather, and endurance. From Horcones (2,950m) through Confluencia (3,390m) to Plaza de Mulas base camp (4,370m), then high camps at Camp Canada (4,910m), Nido de Condores (5,560m), and Camp Berlin (5,950m) before the summit push. Permit required (~USD 980 high season). Mandatory medical checks at base camp. The Viento Blanco (white wind) is the signature hazard — lenticular cloud over the summit signals 100+ kph winds even when it's calm below.
Safety classification
Summit window mid-Nov to end Feb (park summer season 1 Nov–30 Apr; peak Dec–Feb). Outside it the upper mountain is deadly: extreme cold, deep snow, hurricane-force wind, no active camps or rescue. Mendoza requires a licensed prestador/guide in the shoulder weeks (15–30 Nov, 16–28 Feb).
- ▲high-altitude illness at ~6,961 m (AMS/HACE/HAPE)
- ▲extreme cold and wind chill below −30°C