John updated us from Camp 1, 16,300′ (4,970 m). last night. He shared a great dinner time highlight of raspberry jello with whip cream! A super special occasion!
The trail to ascends along the side of a steep gully next to a dead glacier covered in rocks. Fields of penitents (tall fins of snow formed by wind and solar radiation) line the gully and a 500’- (160 m) high field guards the access to Camp 1. Winding through this is a fun, memorable stretch of climbing. This only takes a few hours so the will have plenty of time to fortify the camp site against the ever-possible “viento blanco,” or white wind, that can plague camps at any elevation from this point upwards.
Here’s John!
