Our guide Fermin called from the site of the team’s second camp on their hike into Base Camp on Aconcagua.  This camp is called “Casa de Piedra” (House of Stone) for an old hut that had been erected out of (you guessed it!) stone, under a large boulder.  The camp is located just above the confluence of the Rio Vacas and the Rio Relinchos, a tributary creek that flows from the east side of Aconcagua, exiting into the Vacas Valley through a deep, “V” shaped defile.

The team is doing great, with the climbers moving steadiy up the valley.  It has been pretty chilly, which is a bit unusual for this part of the route.  The team expects to find snow tomorrow, when the ascend into the deep and narrow Relinchos Valley.  They will cross the Vacas River on horseback in the morning and then climb up the north side of the valley for a couple of hours before crossing the chilly creek to finish their hike on the south side of the water.  It will take them 6-8 hours to hike to the Plaza Argentina Base Camp, where they will enjoy a warm meal in a comfortable dining tent and look forward to tomorrow’s rest day of relaxing and acclimatizing at camp.

Here is a quick “saludos” from Fermin!