>>2843377Zero climbing equipment involved but there are sections that are a scramble. Yes, little kids have made it to the top, as have centenarians and quadriplegics. It's not mountain climbing except in the most literal sense. You do however need to have reasonable cardio fitness and able to listen to your body as various complications from altitude sickness can kill you. Success increases dramatically with each extra day added for acclimation. If you're already in the area and have a week to spare, it's worth doing.
>>2843391A friend tried to do Aconcagua. She got lots of free gear and supplies for her all woman group even though there have been tons of women who have summited it before. Her group failed. From her description of things, they weren't able to acclimate properly because they went too fast. She won't admit that was the reason, claiming bad guides and weather, but her complaints were mainly about not being able to breath well and feeling weak. Arrogance is bad for proper acclimation.
