Aconcagua: Summit of the Americas -- A Map-Guide for Climbers and Trekkers

Rating:
Summary: Small, Very Useful
Review: ...The NASA photo from space should prove quite helpful in discerning a route. Not! The other maps, although providing more information than the space shot, do not justify the price charged. The general information provided is information any climber/trekker should know or can easily ascertain. There are no unique insights provided by this map-guide. The same information, as well as photos and detailed maps, can be found in other guides which are less expensive. The same info, as well as far greater detail on the routes, info regarding outfitters, etc. can be found in Aconcagua-A Climbing Guide, 2nd ed., which consists of 144 pages ...

Rating:
Summary: Aconcagua-A map-guide
Review: ...The NASA photo from space should prove quite helpful in discerning a route. Not! The other maps, although providing more information than the space shot, do not justify the price charged. The general information provided is information any climber/trekker should know or can easily ascertain. There are no unique insights provided by this map-guide. The same information, as well as photos and detailed maps, can be found in other guides which are less expensive. The same info, as well as far greater detail on the routes, info regarding outfitters, etc. can be found in Aconcagua-A Climbing Guide, 2nd ed., which consists of 144 pages ...

Rating:
Summary: Don't go to Aconcagua without it!
Review: At 15 dollars, this is an expensive piece of folded paper, but what the ink on the paper conveys is worth every cent. I returned from Aconcagua a few weeks ago, and can report that this map was used hourly along the ruta normal by my party. First off, the overview maps, although they are small (South American Continent with Aconcagua locator and Regional Highway Map) are accurate and useful. My favorite maps are the approach maps, the mountain regional (called Aconcagua & Environs), the summit map (very high detail), and the route map. One of the excellent points of this map is the distances and average times between camps and major points on the trekking / approach map and the route map. The layout is good, allowing quick glances of information while map is inside its waterproof clear plastic bag, an important feature, particularly on summit day. There is an overview section of the ruta normal and of the mountain itself, which is good, but due to its size, somewhat of an abridged version of a longer guidebook. There is definitely a lot of information crammed on this guide / map. It's definitely a worthwhile resource, even though it is more expensive than the Secor guide, which has a lot of info (but no maps). Don't go to Aconcagua, particularly the ruta normal, without this map.

Rating:
Summary: Small, Very Useful
Review: Just returned from Aconcagua. This map-guide basically had lots of really good information, easy to look at. No books to go through in wind and snow. Only complaint is that satellite image is too dark and too small. Maps are great.

Rating:
Summary: Utterly Useless
Review: This is a vague overview of the mountain and has no pertinenet information that cannot be found in a good guide book. The map is worthless....

Rating:
Summary: Just the facts in a small package
Review: This is the most spartan guide I have ever used. Aconcagua -- a map guide, is a unique blend of a series of maps and textual information. A number of us on our recent Aconcagua trip bought this map/guide, and we we all had the same reaction--it's so small! But that smallness, we would find, was a good thing. It is very well laid out, with information easily found (although some of the type is small, so make sure to have good reading glasses if you don't see so well!). The map/guide is made up of four "pages". This is a black and white production, no fancy colors or the like. The paper is farily weather resistant, and it comes with a plastic bag with a zip closure, and I would definitely keep it in that at all times except to refold the map. Page 1 has a 1:93,000 scale map of Aconcagua and immediate surrounding mountains. Main camps are shown, as are 500 meter contour intervals and primary ridges. Page 1 also has a very high detail summit region map (1:23,250 scale), showing high camps on primary routes, 500 meter contour intervals, and primary ridges. There are notes on the routes (very brief notes, but helpful). There is also a satellite image of the mountain, which isn't much use except to stare at in the tent when you are bored. Page 2 has a route map, showing all the primary routes on the mountain, including ruta normal, polish glacier routes, traverse routes, and south face routes. This map has a small box that has vertical distances and averages times between primary destinations on the ruta normal. Page 2 also has a very brief overview of the Ruta Normal (text section) and also a super brief overview of the polish glacier routes. You'd be better to get the Secor guide for more in-depth info on the polish glacier. The way the map/guide comes, you never have to take the thing out of the sealed bag to go from page 1 to page 2, you just have to flip it over. Page 3 is all text, and I liked the information provided. There is no fluff here, just the facts. Page 4 is an excellent approach resource, giving average times and a generalized overview map of the trekking and approaching routes around the mountain. There is also a highway map showing major cities, and even a small locator map (of the continent of South America). There is also a small amount of general background information on the bottom of Page 4, including how Aconcagua got its name and some history.
I'd like to see more maps like this of other mountains. We all agreed that this is an excellent resource, and while the information is certainly worth the 15 dollar price, it did seem steep when we opened the package. Definitely read the product description and take a close look.
This map weighs virtually nothing, and it is easily packed in the top pouch of any pack, even when stuffed.

Rating:
Summary: Essential Resource
Review: When I first opened the package, I was surprised at what I saw; I expected something larger. Nevertheless, this unique guide has just about everything a prospective Aconcagua climber needs: a number of maps at different scales and a brief but good overview of planning, the ruta normal, and the polish glacier routes. This guide is compact and it is nice that it comes packaged in a ziplock style bag. It weighs nothing, but has a really good selection of information.