Option #1: Aconcagua - 6962m

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the western hemisphere as everybody says. I think it's technically the highest peak outside of Nepal/Himalayas area. Situated in Argentina.

+ One of the highest options I seriously consider, probably the highest one I can do (still got a couple 7000+ to check out, but seems like Aconcagua might be the max for someone like me at this stage
+ An Aconcagua expedition seems to be slightly cheaper than Nepal, although the flight to Argentina won't be cheap.
+/- The season is rather our winter time: November/December/January. I need it to be still in 2012 for the holiday. Gives me some proper time to train, but will not fit very well with work as this is the time of the year when I'm at the busiest in my current job. That can probably be worked around.
- I'm not so impatient to get to South America, and I'm a lot more impatient to get to the Himalayas. Doesn't mean there is no magic to the Aconcagua though, one of the "Seven Summits" - the highest peaks of all seven continents (maybe an idea for a further post?)
- The normal route is "simply walking", a bit like the Kilimanjaro except to get to 6962m you might need crampons, and maybe even an ice axe. I might want something a bit more snow-and-ice, even if it doesn't take me to such height... The other routes I'm not too sure about...
- I would imagine it will be crowded in the season, and such a peak can only be climbed during the season. I'm hoping somewhere in Nepal would be less crowded. Apparently in 2002, 3500 people attempted the Aconcagua, seems like an awful lot to me. I might be looking for a more intimate relationship to my mountain...
- The weather is one of two things on the Aconcagua: bad, or worse. I need to look into it a bit more, but it could well be that the chances of success are lower than some lower but snowier/icier peaks in Asia or South America
- Not the prettiest of summits on the pictures on the internet. I suppose it's not a problem in itself, but if this project is going to be like a dream, the scene has to be right too!

All in all that's a lot of cons, the only pro being the tick in the box of the 6962m (besides possibly the price but I think - within reason - the price shouldn't be the decision driver on my project).

Summit description: http://www.summitpost.org/aconcagua/150197
Normal route: http://www.mountainmadness.com/adventures/expeditions/south-america/argentina/aconcagua-normal-route#trip-overview/description
Polish traverse: http://www.mountainmadness.com/adventures/expeditions/south-america/argentina/aconcagua-polish-traverse#trip-overview/description
Alternative route: http://www.adventurepeaks.com/expeditions/aconcagua.htm