The team climbed up to Camp 1 with a load of food and gear to cache in preparation to move on up in on Christmas Eve! They dropped off their loads and then descended back to base camp. This is part of the acclimatization strategy of “climb high, sleep low” which gives them a chance…
Well, we finally had a complete phone conversation with the guides, after several very broken up attempts on the satellite phone. The entire group is back at Base Camp, luxuriating in the warmth and thick air, and eating pizzas. Jared continued descending because he had symptoms that indicated a possibility of an altitude related illness,…
We just talked to Fermin from the Plaza de Mulas base camp. We keep getting cut off in our satellite phone calls, but they attempted the summit today on a beautiful day, but with very challenging conditions due to breaking trail in the new snow. Fermin reached the summit with Jim and Dave and it…
Belinda called in to report that the team is resting, hydrating, and eating well, hunkered down at High Camp. High winds prevented a summit attempt today, but the team is hoping for a turn in the weather for a chance to get on top. They plan to give it another shot tomorrow. Here’s Belinda: recording
The team moved up to high camp at about 20,000 feet yesterday. It was tough going, with fairly deep snow and hours of breaking trail. They all made it to camp and established themselves near some bizarre looking rock features, which will serve as a wind break. It was a good thing, as the wind…
Here’s the evening dispatch from our team at Camp 2. They took a day to rest and acclimate while guides Jared and Agustin carried some more equipment up to stock high camp. It was a pretty stormy day, so they were happy to get a day to rest out of the weather. Apparently they had…
The team carried some small loads up to high camp today to stock up and get acclimated to the 19,700ft camp prior to moving up there to sleep. They came back down to Camp 2 to spend another night down there at about 18,600 ft. They’ve been getting some of the wind that Aconcagua is…
If you speak spanish, you’ll love the dispatch from Agustin tonight. The team moved up and are settled in to Camp 2, and planning to carry loads of gear up to Camp 3 tomorrow. They had a bit of snow and wind, but are doing great. It’s good to hear from our Argentine guides sometimes.…
Jared called in to report that, despite some inclement weather, the team made a carry (took roughly half their “stuff”) up to the site of Camp 2, at about 18,000′ today. They secured their food, supplies and gear at an area known as Helicopter Camp before descending back down to Camp 1 to spend the…
Kim called in, but unfortunately her transmission was cut short by the vagaries of satellites passing behind the steep ridges surrounding the team at their camp. They are nestled in at 16,600′ (+/-) and doing well. They had to break trail through chin deep snow as they climbed up, but everyone is doing well, and…