Mountain Trip guide Fermin Avila called in a quick update on the December 16th Aconcagua team who took a rest and acclimatization day at Camp Two, aka “Helicopter Camp.” The name Helicopter Camp comes from the bits and pieces of a crashed helicopter, which still adorn the camp, more than a dozen years after the crash. Camp here sits at just below 18,000′ (5480 m).

The views here are staggering! The summit of Cerro Ameghino are just to the east, to the north they can see the 22,000 ft. (6700 m) Cerro Mercedario dominating the horizon and the array of peaks above the Gussfeldt Glacier to the north are pretty inspiring.

Tomorrow they will likely make the move up to their High Camp at Piedras Blancas, at approximately 20,000.’ From there, the summit push awaits!

Here’s Fermin!
recording