The Plata, the younger brother

Its ascent is used to acclimate for climbing the highest peak in America, Aconcagua.

The life of the emblematic Cerro Plata is curious. For decades considered, in the mountaineer jargon, as a magnificent Six Thousand. But the beautiful leader hill of the homonym Cord, started to “decrease” its altitude, as the measurement technology was improving.

In its best times measured about 6,350 meters! Over the years it was dropping to 6,300; 6,150; 6,100; 6,050; 6000 … until the 5,968 meters that today holds quite accurately. And although they are only 32 meters excluding it from the list of the privileged “Six Thousands of Mendoza”, in the heart and imagination of mountaineers, climbers and hikers, The “Plata” is an institution, a true legend.

The Plata is photogenic as few and divisable from good part of geography of the province: from the foothills, from the center of the city, from the tourist villages El Challao, Cacheuta and Potrerillos, from the Uco Valley; the immense Plata gives us its eastern face that is a synonymous of Mendoza.

But it also constitutes an excellent opportunity for acclimatization and previous preparation to face the highest peak of America, the Aconcagua. And so it is in most of the scheduled and planned expeditions with professionalism and awareness. They include in the process of acclimatization, the ascent to this nearly six thousand in the previous week to the highest expedition.

Source: Aconcaguaonline.net
By Jorge Federico Gómez
Photo: Violeta Leyes.