»Even more important, in addition to physical preparation, is mental preparation to meet the emerging rigors and mental challenges. Mostly only one attempt remains. In the end, the mountain decides.«

How it all began

For high-altitude mountaineers there is only one way: up. Marc Grün’s ascent began over fifteen years ago, when he first conquered a peak that was not immediately hikable. Since then, the project engineer from Ulm has been conquering new heights: first the four-thousand-metre peaks of the Alps, then the Stok Kangri in India (6,153), the Aconcagua in Argentina (6,961), the Lenin Peak (7,134) on the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the Himlung Himal (7,126) and finally the Manaslu (8,163) in the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world.

On mountains like the Himlung at -30° C the simplest things and needs like eating, toilet or washing become a problem. The cold is compounded by the thin high-altitude air, which can lead to high-altitude intoxication. »You are no longer in control of your senses and have to make vital decisions, realistically assess your strength and solve unforeseen problems as quickly as possible. Otherwise, in the worst case, you get up the mountain, but you don’t get back.« Respect and humility for the mountain and nature are especially important to Marc; sometimes the only way is to turn back when the mountain threatens one’s life. Because in order to get further up, sometimes you first have to go back down.

Training in 5 disciplines

What most people don’t realize, extreme mountaineering is mainly a matter of head and mental strength. Marc’s training preparation consists of 30% physical and 70% mental training. In addition to strength training, yoga and cycling, Marc trains his fitness by mountain running in the Allgäu. In the endurance run of several hours is sprinted up the mountain and during the gondola descent briefly take a breather, sometimes over 8 hours and min. 4,000 meters of altitude away with heavy backpack and weight cuffs on the feet (mountain boots simulation). While running, he solves possible problems that may arise during the expedition, to be able to react quickly and calmly in the rush of altitude.

Next stop: Mountain of death

Marc’s next mountaineering adventure takes him to Argentina. Here,Cerro Aconcagua awaits him in the Argentinian Andes near the Chilean border. At 6,962 m, it is the highest mountain in South America and the second-highest in the list of the “Seven Summits”.

The mountain is located in the “Los Glaciares” National Park and is not as technically demanding as other peaks, but the route is long, extremely cold and arduous.

The route up the Aconcagua leads to the summit via the east and north sides and back down again via the west side. A traverse is more difficult than an easy ascent, which Marc had to abandon shortly before the summit years ago due to a storm and extreme cold.

There are also strict regulations in the park: every gram of equipment and garbage (including ) must be brought back down with you and a doctor must be consulted before the ascent.

“The Aconcagua should not be underestimated. Due to the extreme weather conditions, it should be treated like an 8,000-meter peak in terms of difficulty.”

In addition to the extreme altitude, the main enemy here is the wind and storms that blow inland from the Pacific coast. Due to these extreme weather conditions, only around 30 % of those aspiring to reach the summit make it to the top.

It is thought to have the highest death rate of any mountain in South America – around three per year – which has earned it the nickname “Mountain of Death”.

Follow us on social media on his adventure in Argentina!

News from our mountaineer Marc