FIRST ATTEMPT NOVEMBER 2015, abandoned due to poor weather just 400m from the summit. Returned in JANUARY 2017 and a successfull summit attempt.

Aconcagua in Argentina is the highest mountain in the Western and Southern Hemisphere. The mountain has a number of glaciers, of which the most well-known is the Polish Glacier, favoured as a common route of ascent. Technically the climb is not as complicated as some of the other seven summits, however, the atmospheric pressure is only 40% of sea-level and altitude sickness poses a real challenge, as does the cold weather. Cold related injuries are common on this mountain. The AGS team will need to train to correctly acclimatise for this climb, and ensure that they are equipped with high quality protective kit as their injuries will be hypersensitive in such adverse conditions.

2017 2nd Attempt- Success

Our team returned to Aconcagua with new members in addition to the core team for a second summit attempt. This mini documentary tells some of that story.

2016 1st Attempt

Here are some of the comments from the team members that joined our squad on the 1st unsuccessful summit attempt in 2016 due to wind speed:

"I can't quite remember ever being away with a better bunch of people who achieved so much without attaining the objective.

It has shown me what this charity is about. The inspiration and experience of extreme endeavour by a mixture of supposedly "able bodied" and injured people has been a humbling and emotional.

The fellowship and comradery that developed on this trip was a tribute to Martin's accidental selection process and to all the participants of differing cap badges and life long civvies.

As I struggled with my own battles to get my S*&^ together on time and get my aging frame up and and down the terrain in a respectable manner, to see the way Matt hared up the mountain and then dragged his limbs down it. How Andy and Tel coped with balance and footing on the way up and suffered like Matt on the way down, how Martin, despite the worst altitude sickness of the whole team refuses to give a step to the pace setters, made the notion of 'self' irrelevant. This was a great team effort within a notoriously selfish pastime.

Thanks to our guides Harry and Woody, who made 'the' call, and got it absolutely right so no one lost any appendages !

Well done Bert, the pin up Mountain Man, for looking out for Sal, whose age became the worst kept secret and our admiration for her was not so secret when we compared her endeavour to similar ladies in our own family groups.

David and Paul blended in so well in a group dominated by far fetched, 100% genuine military story telling, invariably led by the two "Reggies" James and Adam. Finally our only serving member Scotty, the father of the trip whose rock like presence and dry Scottish observations were matched only by the enormity of his rucksack. I am not usually one to repeat "

"First of all just want to say a big thank you to all of you as I had an amazing time on this trip, it was eye opening and inspirational!"

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for being part of this incredible expedition, which exceeded my expectations in almost every way. Every single one of you was an absolute pleasure to be around, your vast array of personalities constituting a well rounded team that was incredible to be a part of; an excellent effort by all! Further still, It was nothing short of a privilege to be able to share the mountain with our injured members who I know inspired all of us during our darker moments on the mountain (something I will be sure to discuss with other potential volunteers in future). I know we all banter on the hill but all joking aside, you gentlemen are truly inspirational.. yes, even the Royal Marine."

"Martin, thank you for organising such an amazing trip - I wholeheartedly believe in the Grand Slam and everything you are trying to achieve, its nothing short of inspirational and I have no doubt whatsoever that you're going to smash over the coming years. As you know I'm very interested in becoming more involved moving forward, so please don't hesitate to get in touch should there be anything you need in-between expeditions."

Below is the story of our first summitt attempt