Dean Stoios called in from the 14,400′ Plaza de Mulas Base Camp on the west side of Aconcagua to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

The team descended a vertical mile today after a hard earned summit bid yesterday.  The route drops off the north ridge via a series of huge scree fields that make up what is called the “Normal Route” up the mountain.  It makes for a quick descent to the relative luxury of Plaza de Mulas, which is a bustling camp.  The team will spend the night and then embark down the Horcones Valley to the trailhead, with a goal of reaching Mendoza tomorrow night.  The hike out is a long, tough one, but it is mostly downhill, so the miles roll by fairly quickly.  The team is strong and doing well, so they should reach the trailhead in about 6 (+/-) hours of hiking.

Great job everyone!  Here’s Dean: