Today, amidst deep snow, the team pushed up to 18,000′ in very difficult conditions. It was an extremely challenging day, with the team first needing to dig their tents out of the thigh deep snow and then break trail uphill for hours, “post holing” with each step. In a phone call to our office this…
Lorenz called in from Camp 1 at 16,400′ (5000m) with an update after he and Fermin made a carry up to Camp 2 in very, very difficult conditions. The hike up to Camp 2 generally takes about three hours, but the deep snow resulted in a six hour trip up today. Snow has fallen to…
Jack called in today’s post, although it is, unfortunately, largely unintelligible. Camp 1 is in a valley that drains from a large bowl that separates Aconcagua from Cerro Ameghino, it’s 20,000′ neighbor. Ameghino sits directly to the north of camp, and it’s towering height interferes with satellite connectivity. Communication from the next camp, at…
Amidst blustery winds, our Aconcagua team packed up and hiked 3000′ up to their next camp, located below a very large basin at an elevation of about 16,400′ (5000m). Lorenz called with an update and from the sound of his voice, it was a bittersweet departure. Base Camp is a pretty comfortable place, with good…
Jack Strickland called in today from the team’s Base Camp at Plaza Argentina, on the east side of Aconcagua. Today was a rest day, spent lounging around Base Camp, resting and acclimatizing. Tomorrow, the plan is to head up the mountain, moving up to sleep at 16,400′ (5000m) at their Camp 1. The weather has…
Lorenz called in from the Plaza Argentina Base Camp at 4150m (13,600′) after the team carried loads to Camp 1 at right near 5000m (16,400′) earlier in the day. The mountain presented very challenging conditions for the team. It was very cold and they climbed into a fierce wind, making for a very tough day…
Today was essentially a rest day, but the team was very busy finalizing preparations for their push up the mountain. They gained a lot of elevation yesterday, climbing from 10,200′ to about 13,400′, so it makes sense to take a day to let their bodies catch up on acclimatization. Tomorrow, they will hike loads of…
Lorenz called in from the relative comfort of Base Camp, after a long day hiking up the Relinchos Valley. Today was the toughest day of the trip thus far, as they gained over 3000′ of elevation as they hiked about seven miles from their camp at Casa De Piedra. The morning started with a crossing…
Jack Strickland called in from the second camp on the hike into Base Camp, a spot known as Casa de Piedra, so named for a rock hut that was constructed long ago by herders and, quite possibly, smugglers. Today’s hike was another eight mile day up the Vacas Valley, following the east bank of the…
‘Tis the season!! The season to climb the highest peak in South America! Jack Strickland of Texas and Lorenz Scheiwiller from Switzerland are headed up the deep and impressive Vacas Valley in the company of our long-time guide Fermin Avila. The team arrived in the tranquil and beautiful city of Mendoza a couple of days…