An enthusiastic Stephen Berwanger called in from the moderately bustling Plaza Argentina base camp on the east side of South America’s tallest mountain, Aconcagua. Today they started out at 10,000 feet in the broad Vacas Valley, after hiking eight miles yesterday to the Casa de Piedra (Stone House) camp on the approach to the mountain.
Awakening early, they crossed the glacially braided Rio Vacas astride mules and commenced their seven mile hike up the narrow Relinchos Valley, which feeds into the Vacas from the west. Climbing steeply initially, the valley gains just under 4,000 feet before they arrived at the 13,800′ camp. The plan is to take a rest and acclimatization day tomorrow and then make an acclimatization hike up to Camp 1 at 16,400′.
Here’s Stephen!
