Aconcagua - Award Winning Documentary

Seven Summits Award - Mountain Film Festival 2019
Semi-Finalist - Irish Adventure Film Festival 2019
Official Selection - Milano Montagna 2018
Best Editing - Monkey Bread Tree Film Awards 2018
Official Selection - International Festival of Outdoor Films 2018
A self-shot and edited film detailing what it takes to climb and summit the highest peak in South America and the highest point in the World outside the Himalayas. Trip provided by Aventuras Patagonicas.
Feel free to comment below or email me if you have projects that you need filming/editing...
[e-mail]
Thanks for watching :)

[@happykillmore349]

The award this won was "Best ad for a tour agency", and "Most edits that removed the things you would actually want to see."

[@jesussanz101]

I climbed it in February 1984. Descending from the summit alone, I saw in a place called " El acarreo" very nice blond women ridding white horses along a beach then, I remembered the words of a wise polish expedition cook, he told us: "it doesn't matter what you hear or what you see, keep descending, keep walking, never stop pushing until you reach the safety of the base camp". This profetic words save my life. Thank you. Where ever you are I'll always thank you.

[@Twobarpsi]

It was an illusion.

[@DreIsGoneFission]

@@Twobarpsithat’s… what he’s saying…

[@francisalexander6398]

Fun to be reminded of the mountain. I traversed it solo in 1994. Pretty hard going with a storm on the day I summited. Went through a period of hallucinating white rabbits and Samurais on horseback on the way down. Happy memories!

[@hobbes8737]

You sir are a legend. I actually climb mountains on LSD . Haha

[@jackoliver7506]

Pictures or it didn't happen

[@DaoNguyen-iy2iu]

@@jackoliver7506 people like you are what's wrong with the world. The industrial revolution and its consequences, you.

[@jackoliver7506]

@@DaoNguyen-iy2iu it was a joke karen...

[@orion4493]

@@DaoNguyen-iy2iu That sounds oddly familiar

[@claudiocarrasco8763]

I was there, many years ago... happy to see and hear that the motivation and sensations are still alive... I was one of the 2 lucky ones, out of a group of 9 to embrace the summit cross, but we were all winners! The mountain is unique, long live its magic and beauty.

[@1976turkish]

Tried twice, turned from summit bid due to bad weather. Love the people and the country which makes this mountain very special.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Well done on your trips. It takes courage to turn back when you realise it's not safe. It can't have been as easy thing to do so great job getting back in one piece

[@travelinrob406]

Did this in '04, without guides or catering- definitely a more civilized way to go. Brought back some great memories and reminded me why I still travel today. Thankyou.

[@attimount]

Been up there in Feb. 2008. One of the greatest moments in my life. Nice video, beautiful place with nice people.

[@tony.bickert]

I knew Rodrigo in Valdez, AK, in the early ‘90s when he could run up and down Denali like it was nothing. He even talked about doing it in a day. You are aging well, my man!

[@raykleiner3151]

These self-made documentaries are the best. Great!

[@garettdegenhardt722]

I submitted this mountin back in 1998!! No oxygen brings back a lot of memories!

[@stevekenny347]

Great video. I summited Aconcagua on Christmas Day, 2017, just a couple of weeks after you guys.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Congrats Steve!! A great achievement! I hope the video helped you relive it a little :)

[@biotribe123]

"Climbed" Aconcagua 1995. Not a technical mountain, pretty much a walk in the park, exept the weather and, offcourse, if you take the south face. The view when you pop up your head over the edge of the canaleta is breathtaking🙏❤️

[@claudeloriou6494]

un beau reportage réveillant de beaux souvenirs ! merci

[@jamespeck125]

Nice vid. I spent several southern early autumns, in Parque Aconcagua, painting the great landscape. Met a lot of climbers. And, a lot DIDN'T get to the top... Timing has to be good, weather windows etc. Lot of people go, with a set amount of time. It took my brother in law three attempts, to get to the top. Not technically hard, but it still kills people, who don't prepare, respect it etc.

[@aasvat6438]

Hhshhzhshhzhs

[@politicallycorrectredskin796]

That's all mountains, though. Vertical is always plenty high to kill you if you jump off, get drunk etc, bad weather kills and stupid/unlucky people can get caught by avalanches. I've climbed all of the mountains in Norway. With one or two exceptions they are easy, but the same things there as in the Himalayas or Andes otherwise, except the thin air. Weather, avalanches, don't fall down. Even here you're told to turn back immediately if the weather turns. Don't do that = possibly dead in a few hours. You're told to not climb the sunlit side of mountains. Do it anyway = possibly buried alive under an avalanche a few minutes later. Possibly unfair, but stupidity kills. That's basically my motto. Even if you're standing still at sea level.

[@Norronahvitserkadventure]

Great film showing this beautiful mountain! Well done 👍🤙🤙

[@zidanelionheart]

Much respect to those out there living their lives for us in here

[@chasemyadventure9604]

Great video! I can't wait to go here once the world opens up for travel again!

[@candedemartino4958]

Argentina y sus paisajes, amo mi hermoso país! ❤️🇦🇷

[@stevenward5673]

I do too 🇿🇦

[@KevinSmith-tq3gm]

This is a great little documentary. I climbed this route in Feb. 2014 and the scenes you included are so special. Thank you James.

[@paraworth]

Up and down in 4 days in 92. Had spent a long time at high altitude so well acclimated. Long hard slog. Great views. One Israeli guy with cerebral Oedema was pretty sick. Loved it🤩

[@JackAnna2024]

Climbed it in December 2006. An amazing mountain.

[@vertihvost7675]

How much was it back in 2006?

[@JackAnna2024]

@@vertihvost7675, I believe I paid around $2,500 for 18 days.

[@brunospasta]

Looking at climbing videos of the Himalayas vs this puts things in perspective. Still, mad respect to anybody going to the top of this, and even more respect to take it step by step and not just book a "trip" to Mt. Everest.

[@matteomallardi]

Mate I did this in 2019 3 out of 8 made it. Watching people give up crying cause they couldn’t push on was hard… I just never gave up… my brain just said suck it up… marched on. ❤ truly an incredible humbling experience of what a body can take and the view was clear that day absolutely amazing…

[@elenacruz724]

Hermoso documental!! Felicitaciones para todos y en especial al mejor guia del planeta:Matías Nestares🌎

[@TomasVolley]

Very heart-warming and beautiful.

[@gregdenys7162]

After watching a series of videos about K2, Nanga Parbat, Annapurna, Everest, etc., the Aconcagua looks like a pleasant walk in the countryside. You don't really get to fear for your life: no death zone, no avalanche, no frozen corpses along the way, no serac, no cliffs, no crevasses, no -40°C températures. But it still looks great.

[@JustBrowsing777]

I hear ya. But a ~7000m summit is far from a completely safe ascent. Needs good preparation and a well planned expedition. I know of people who almost got themselves killed on that mountain (and surely people have died there too).

[@gregdenys7162]

@@JustBrowsing777 You are right. I made some research after watching the video and discovered that fatalities are not that rare. But the death rate must be low, because many more people attempt this climbing than the K2.

[@drrc8]

Seems the same to mee XD, Where is the dramatic music?! Naaa... Beautiful Aconcagua

[@Climbing7Summits]

Yeah definitely, comparatively, it is not as technically difficult. You have to be careful but if you are then it is a great way to challenge yourself with less immediate risk than the Himalayan high peaks. Thanks for your comment :)

[@malcolmjcullen]

If it looks too easy for you, try getting up via the South Face!

[@dogwapofthebarnowlbakery3655]

Cool video. Summitted un-guided in the early '90s via the Polish Direct Route. There are several routes up Aconcagua. The main routes, in ascending order of difficulty are, The Normal Route, Polish Traverse (Jame's video), Polish Glacier Route, Polish Direct, and of course the South Face which is several orders of magnitude harder than the Polish Direct.

[@Delphi_Primetime]

I just finished climbing to the summit last week paraglided down to our base camp! It was just a lot of great fun! I recommend it for everyone.

[@rachelanderson3147]

Congratulations. That sounds amazing.

[@poutinedream5066]

Yeah, no. Congratulations, glad it went well.

[@PetraKann]

It’s on descent from the summit that injuries snd deaths occur. Especially at high altitude. You probably took the safer option by paragliding down to base camp

[@jakubw7206]

Simply gorgeous!

[@alexandraortiz3328]

Climbed and summited. Spent 4 days at base camp, climbed high slept low then went to 19000 for 2 days and summited from 19000 back down to 19000 then all the way down to base camp and out to the trail head. Summited day low wind 5 below. Great summit. Worse part of the climb was the wind coming through the valley to base camp picking up the sand and dust. Over all this is an easy mountain Rainer is much harder.

[@biotribe123]

Did you summit from camp berlin?

[@benzun9600]

no

[@kavorkagames]

Two of us summited from camp Nido de condores in 2003. We were spent during the descent. I was a little afraid to go lay down when we got back to camp because it felt like I would not wake if I fell asleep. Like an old car, it runs now, but you know that if you turn it off it will never start again. I also had a spectacular out of body experience in camp Mulas.

[@readnicholas]

Randomly stumbled across this video, and to my surprise I actually recognize one of the climbers! Summitted Denali with Andrew et al last year. He's an awesome dude, and it was a super fun trip. Great video!

[@Climbing7Summits]

Haha brilliant, yeah Andrew’s a great guy and super strong. I think he said he’d done Kilimanjaro too. Hope you enjoyed Denali, would love to do that one day too

[@ware2next]

Did this route back in '99 - AMAZING TRIP!!! Great video guys.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thank you! Glad you liked it

[@adventureplustv]

A very familiar landscape… used to lead trips there in the nineties. Great to see it all again! Thanks!😊🙏🏻

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Thanks for having us along.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Very welcome :)

[@Tony-fp7cg]

Awesome video, thank you for sharing....

[@marcmanitou4182]

An easy hike for good acclimatisers, not even need to be all that fit. I summited at the age of 65 with double artificial hips, slight heart condition (atrial fibrillation) and BMI of 28. My oxygen saturation levels were 5-10 points higher than anybody else's in the group, 10 to 40 years younger than me. I was the only one able to carry all gear without porters, 22 kg to the highest camp. Place de Mulas 92%, Canada 88%, NdC 87% and Camp Cholera 5950m 82%. One in our group of 5 had to be evacuated on the second day from BC because of HAPE.

[@MissEwe]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="15">0:15</a> that profile capture tho! *chefs kiss

[@ferdrewflores3612]

AMAZING !!! Need to do it before I get older ! But I can say I have been there to through your video ! 😁 ✔️☝️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏

[@renekauts8323]

Looks like this mountain and surroundings are really-really gorgeous! The most beautiful mountain on Earth, perhaps?

[@gabigomez7539]

i was hike to plaza de mulas in 2005, was the better journey of my life. great documentary!

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks Gabi, I appreciate it

[@JoseHernandez-xl7uh]

Rodrigo Mujica, un gran andinista chileno y un gran guía! Felicitaciones por este film, excelente! Un fuerte abrazo amigo, nos encontramos en Plaza Argentina, en el año 1994 cuando hicimos una ruta nueva por el glaciar de los Polacos con mi amigo Limón Cruz. Un fuerte abrazo amigo. José Hernández

[@sharavanduvvuri2569]

I've had the daring dream of summiting this mountain without guides or porters for a while now. Unfortunately I'm not old enough nor do I think I have enough experience. Someday I wish do fulfill my dream. Awsome video man

[@alexomelanczuk3770]

Watch Casey Neistat’s video about Aconcagua. He did it with no guides or navigation

[@youradventure0710]

congratulations , great film and insight into the mountain

[@michizer0]

We did it the same route in 6 days several years ago. The most beautiful mountain I ever climbed!

[@brightful5]

No one cares

[@notyourbiz235]

Großglockner in the Alps ? 😂

[@michizer0]

@@notyourbiz235 forget grossglockner

[@giredue]

great job, thank you for sharing

[@scoremat]

What an amazing trip. Thanks for sharing

[@rachelanderson3147]

Thanks for sharing. How beautiful.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks Rachel, I appreciate it :)

[@midi510]

Back in the eighties, I stayed at a friend's apartment while he climbed Aconcagua. A good option for a high altitude experience.

[@GiorgioHouse]

Beautiful!! I did it with no guides several years ago.

[@ThisIsDownstate]

@myjourney 22688 fuck off

[@stephenverchinski409]

Went and did this via Ruta Polaco variation as six person trip expedition leader. Wind loaded the upper route with avalance snow so held our breaths doing the traverse below the Polish Glacier. No bridges on the approach when we went that way. Sorry to see the impacts of climate disruption with the shoulders and summit bare and penetenties just about gone. Back then penetenties were 4 to 6 feet tall. Sad.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks for watching, interesting comments. Some of the Penetentes were probably 4 feet but perhaps thinner as well than in the past

[@MrMuel1205]

I’d love to do this someday, but would definitely need some serious training. I’ve been to over 5000m on Ritacuba Blanco in Colombia, but I feel like 7000m is a whole different story, and I certainly felt the altitude in Colombia. I did get to see Aconcagua from the mirador near Portillo, but that’s as close as I’ve managed.

[@Schona110]

Totally, it can be tough only flying halfway there by chopper…and then having to walk a bit as well.

[@steren700]

Which mirador? I went to Portillo but only saw the Aconcagua from the road on the chilean side

[@ernestodrakolaya2479]

Excelente, espero tener el gusto de ese ascenso

[@marcos9911]

Mi Bella Argentina !!!!!!

[@idasandqvist3910]

Oh the best guides on Aconcagua! Sebastián and Rolo! I had the opportunity to meet them when I climbed the mountain with my friend. They are good people! Nice video of your climb!

[@Climbing7Summits]

Yeah Sebastian and Rolo are class. We had Matias too and he is great as well, fastest guy on the mountain! Lovely people and it was a pleasure to climb with them. Thanks for watching :)

[@sabaperveez9307]

Amazing 🤩

[@lunes-1]

Great video,keep it up!🇧🇯🇧🇯🇧🇯🇧🇯🇧🇯🇧🇯

[@ColoradoAirgunner]

Great video! Takes me back two a couple attempts on Acongagua. Once summiting solo in alpine style. What an amazing adventure!

[@Beederda]

How much does a trek like this cost a person? Like gear,travel,food,tips? Im unaware of how i could make this happen climbing seems heavily sponsored and these arent normal people like me that can just go do something so awesome and titanic as climbing a mountain but i am drawn to this just zero experience

[@ColoradoAirgunner]

@@Beederda Not a huge amount if you do-it-yourself. If you get outfitted and have a guide they are quite a bit more.

[@Twobarpsi]

As a younger man (30s), I planned this trip. Now I only watch videos of this.

[@BeGravity4]

Excellent little documentary!

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks Jacob! :)

[@Ashley_Schaeffer]

This looks very easy... good job!

[@rupyaka]

Awesome ✌️👍

[@ezp721]

This is a healty challenge/adventure. Everest and K2 are dangerous, not an adventure anymore.. it's just for ego, at a very high price - the life of those who had tried and failed.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks for your comment, it's an interesting debate, whether climbing Everest/K2 is somehow selfish because of those you might endanger along the way and if it still has the prestige that it used to, given how many have climbed it. Personally I think that maybe it is starting to go that way. On another similar note, a friend once said to me that they thought Aconcagua was the highest relatively safe mountain to climb, which I think is fairly accurate.

[@samajier2566]

Wonderful

[@stephenr80]

Award winning

[@BenTheDoonhamer]

Inspirational x

[@CJKilworth]

Thanks for this! I run an adventure Travel Podcast called Between The Mountains. I’m interviewing someone on Aconcagua next week and this has helped me get sorted for it - I’m yet to climb the mountain myself unfortunately!

[@Climbing7Summits]

Ah great, glad it was helpful for you :) I have looked it up on spotify so I'll be following your chats, looks super interesting. Good luck with the interview and I look forward to listening to it

[@CJKilworth]

James Smith oh man that’s amazing thank you! I know I have Aconcagua sorted but if you want to come on about a particular trip you can email me [e-mail] I’ve got the Karakoram, Kanuka Mountains, Patagonia and the 7 Summits World Record as examples of mountain episodes coming out in July and August!

[@buckygeo]

Thanks for sharing your excellent adventure James, the video is well done. The summit day is cloudy not windy, then the weather rapidly cleared for descent. It appears the Tour Operators push was unnecessary; with a slower paced ascent to promote acclimatisation I feel sure MOST climbers would have summited, certainly more than three people.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks for your comment, Mike. It did clear on the descent somewhat so potentially there was a longer window than expected on the day. I think we could have maybe got one more to the summit if we had slowed the pace a lot but it's so unpredictable, its always hard to make a judgement that high on the mountain. Thanks for watching :)

[@yeisonx]

Amazing video ! I would like to summit this beautiful mountain one day. Thanks for sharing. Can you recommend any company or agency?

[@arizona8689]

Beautiful film. One of my regrets in life (I am now 70) is that I never got a chance to try Aconcagua.

[@chatka92]

After reading this comment I'm sure I'm going to try to climb it.

[@a3ka3ax]

@@chatka92 Did you?

[@altcineva4188]

What award won this documentary? Or is just a click bait?

[@tomforstmann9977]

"congratualtion, upload succesfull" Jk, it was ok

[@marlinweekley51]

Looked like an infomercial for the expedition company.😜

[@SolaceEasy]

His mama made up a bunch of special awards for him.

[@richiekock8835]

I did Kilimanjaro past December. The most important item - by far! - is to have Diamox with you! Diamox is your superhero friend up the mountains. Diamox is medication against AMS.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Hmm interesting, diamox really splits opinions I have to say. Critics say that it just masks the symptoms so can lead to you suddenly feeling very bad without the normal warning signs from your body but I have also heard similar positive accounts to yours. Personally I brought diamox but didn’t take it (partly advice from guides). I got headaches, some light-headedness and very near to the top I started to feel as if I was almost starting to hallucinate a little. I haven’t settled on an opinion on diamox overall I don’t think

[@daudbakka9893]

Wow..👍👍

[@redshot1015]

win documentary by doubling back 100x to get footage and fly drones over in HD boom award winner NO CLUE HOW.. people o these routes and get footage every day much more raw organic footage and these guys winning awards

[@ivana9469]

Hopefully one day I can do this!!

[@grajalesexpeditions6148]

CERTAINLY YOU CAN !

[@Climbing7Summits]

Good luck, Ivan! :)

[@imbhasax]

Amen!

[@leoniloato4809]

Glad watching your uploaded vid nice captured impressive nature and spectacular scenery seen over the top of the mountain thanks for sharing, much likd # 3K my friend.

[@YaoGamers]

how much does it cost per person ?

[@koalacol8963]

So cool😋☺️❤️🔥

[@samuelmartinezmartinez1280]

@myjourney 22688 no

[@grajalesexpeditions6148]

NICE ! :-)

[@Linda-ot3pj]

Great video. It’s nice to see the cross at the top honouring JESUS CHRIST CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. ALL GLORY TO YOU GOD

[@mrzed2349]

Argentina is friggin beautiful

[@yorha2175]

Trust in me . Dont visit latinoamerica

[@gv7542]

@@yorha2175 And who are you to say that? South America is beautiful, visit Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil, nothing ever happened to me.

[@pokereich]

It’s a dream for me to summit Aconcagua

[@Climbing7Summits]

Good luck, I hope you can go one day :)

[@Dzul709]

animereich me too man! working my way up!

[@slurpeyatari]

If someone has done the Abra Salkantay Trek is this around the same level. Obviously being 7k higher is going to be a factor but as far as skill level? Trying to gauge how much training is needed.

[@TheMan-ij9li]

How long did the whole trip take?

[@sashayole-merasty6468]

That was a great video to watch and inspired me to try it one day. You may have already answered this question but how did you choose a guide? Thanks, Sasha

[@Climbing7Summits]

I personally looked for one that looked not too expensive and with a decent reputation. There are plenty out there but I went with Aventuras Patagonicas and they were excellent :)

[@ojocaptor]

ARGENTINA 🙌❤

[@justindegracia1916]

hoping to climb this one day :)

[@bigbear3694]

Great vid guys , I did Kilimanjaro last year so maybe Aconcagua next year- Where can I find these guides ?

[@Climbing7Summits]

David B. Thanks David! This was with Aventuras Patagonicas, I would really recommend them, very professional, not too expensive and they have an excellent summit and more important safety record on Aconcagua (FYI I don’t work for them or anything, just honestly think they’re good)

[@tenzinlekden5617]

Hey James, loved your work. Wonder, which camera you used. Thank you

[@draaswami]

Very nice sir. Congrats

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks Amrut :)

[@TyBraek]

Awesome documentary! If you do this again a microphone would make it 10x better. It's really hard to understand the interviewers at times.

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks! Yeah I think you're right and I have since invested :) This was done on a bit of a budget but I am looking into doing another...(possibly Denali).. and I am keen to take on feedback and make it even better. Thanks for watching

[@bolla2452]

Can you possibly make a video of all the supplies you took?

[@Climbing7Summits]

I might consider doing this but for now I am focussing on other projects :) I found a few other videos on this though so hopefully you came across what you're looking for

[@jhet75]

What awards did this win?

[@camillakassarborges5360]

I have a doubt. What is backpack weight?

[@Climbing7Summits]

Around 30kg, sometimes less if we had already done our 'carry' day

[@cristianperotti9412]

How hard is it physically? The reason I ask is because I want to do it next year. I smoke, but I consider myself in relatively good condition. I play football (soccer) regularly and can play for 1 hour at the highest peak. Do you think I can make it? Or would it be a waste of money because I wouldn´t be able to make it? Thanks!

[@Climbing7Summits]

Hi Cristian, Thanks for watching :) My advice would be that you have to have made peace with the fact that you might fail and that's ok. Weather may be a factor, or your reaction to altitude or your physical fitness. However, having said that, I think if you did regular hikes in the lead up to the climb and got used to carrying a backpack of 20kg up steep hills then you do have a chance of making it. A lot of it is about determination and if you stick with it then you will give yourself a chance, you have to be prepared for hours and days in a row of effort though. Hope that helps and do enjoy the experience if you go :)

[@irfansheen5362]

Seems like a peace of cake after watching videos on K2, Nanga Parbat or Annapurna.

[@Hagg-o-tron]

Well of course. I don't think he's trying to compare that. Summiting that mountain basically gets you to base camp at k2. It's still a great achievement.

[@brunoalvarenga5865]

Congratulations guys. When was this expedition?

[@Climbing7Summits]

Thanks Bruno, this was end of November/start of December 2017, right at the start of the climbing season for aconcagua :)

[@prafulchonkar2212]

We are staying in India and wish to climb Mt Aconcagua... pl guide in this matter regarding any club, guide, fees, etc....

[@edersonrodriguezsalomao199]

A maior montanha do mundo fora da Ásia fica aqui , perto do Brasil .

[@DC69420]

Shout out to @caseyniestat

[@box_outer]

niceee