Day 1 (Sat. 1/29): Depart LAX at 12:35pm via Santiago, Chile. Lanchile Airlines flight #601 leaves Saturday at 12:35pm from LAX and arrives Sunday 11:20am in Mendoza (it takes ~ 20 hours to get to Mendoza from LAX).

Day 2 (Sun. 1/30): Arrival in Mendoza (2428'/740m), Argentina. Flight from Santiago, Chile arrives at 11:20am Sunday. Check into Hotel Nutibara. Sleep at Hotel Nutibara, Mendoza (2428').

Day 3 (Mon. 1/31): Full rest day in Mendoza. Go get the climbing permits. Get additional food supplies, white gas, etc. Sleep again at Hotel Nutibara, Mendoza (2428').

Day 4 (Tue. 2/1): We take the 6:00am Expreso Uspallata bus (EUSA) from Mendoza to the town of Penitentes (8860'/2700m). There are 103 miles (165km) from Mendoza to Penitentes. Bus arrives at 10:00am in Penitentes. In Penitentes, we organize mules with Fernando Grajales and shuttle the 4.4 miles (7 km) from Penitentes to Punta de Vacas (7900'/2408m). Then, start our 3-day 24 mile (39 km) approach trek to Plaza Argentina base camp. Mules will carry all of our gear so that we can enjoy the approach hike without heavy loads. Today we travel 8 miles (13 km) from Punta de Vacas to Pampa de Len~as (9186'/2800m): 5-6 hours. Sleep in Pampa de Len~as (9186').

Day 5 (Wed. 2/2): On this day we trek the 10 miles (16 km) from Pampa de Len~as to Casa de Piedra (10,500'/3200m): 6-8 hours. Sleep in Casa de Piedra (10,500').

Day 6 (Thu. 2/3): Our last leg, we travel the remaining 6 miles (10 km) from Casa de Piedra to base camp Plaza Argentina (13,780'/4200m): 6-8 hours. Sleep in BC Plaza Argentina (13,780').

Day 7 (Fri. 2/4): Rest day in BC. Sleep there in Plaza Argentina (13,780').

Day 8 (Sat. 2/5): Acclimatization hike to Ibanez Col (16,502'/5030m). Sleep in BC (13,780').

Day 9 (Sun. 2/6): Rest day in BC Plaza Argentina. Sleep in BC (13,780').

Day 10 (Mon. 2/7): Carry to Camp 1. Camp 1 is located behind an old moraine at 16,405'/5000m. Sleep in BC (13780').

Day 11 (Tue. 2/8): Rest day in BC Plaza Argentina. Sleep in BC (13,780').

Day 12 (Wed. 2/9): Move to Camp 1. Sleep in Camp 1 (16,405').

Day 13 (Thu. 2/10): Rest day at Camp 1. Sleep in Camp 1 (16,405').

Day 14 (Fri. 2/11): Carry to Camp 2. Camp 2 is located just below the Polish Glacier at 19,357'/5900m. Sleep in Camp 1 (16,405').

Day 15 (Sat. 2/12): Rest day at Camp 1. Sleep in Camp 1 (16,405').

Day 16 (Sun. 2/13): Move to Camp 2. Sleep in Camp 2 (19,357').

Day 17 (Mon. 2/14): Scout the route 'til White Rocks (20,340'/6200m) in the morning. Rest in the afternoon at Camp 2. Sleep in Camp 2 (19,357').

Days 18-20 (Tue. 2/15 - Thu. 2/17): Summit attempt days. Polish Traverse route. Climb up to Refugio Independencia (in ruins) at 20,670'/6300m. Keep climbing the North Ridge. From there, we traverse to the West face and climb up into the Canaleta, an 800' couloir that leads to the summit ridge. Finally, the Guanaco Ridge poses an easy traverse to the north (true) summit. Descend to Camp 2 (19,357') to sleep.

Day 21 (Fri. 2/18): Descend from Camp 2 to BC Plaza Argentina. Sleep in BC (13,780').

Day 22 (Sat. 2/19): Travel from BC Plaza Argentina down to Punta de Vacas. Shuttle to Hotel Ayelen, in Penitentes. Sleep in Penitentes (8860').

Day 23 (Sun. 2/20): Take the 12:00pm bus from Penitentes back to Mendoza. Bus arrives in Mendoza at 3:20pm. Sleep at Hotel Nutibara in Mendoza (2428').

Day 24 (Mon. 2/21): Depart Mendoza. LanChile flight #933 leaves from Mendoza at 7:20pm to Santiago, Chile. Next flight (LanChile #600) leaves Santiago at 10:40pm and arrives in LAX next day at 7:10am.

Day 25 (Tue. 2/22): Arrive in LAX at 7:10am (15 hrs after leaving Mendoza, Argentina).