Jack Lynch called in from the Plaza de Mulas Base Camp today.  The crew loaded up their packs and carried supplies, gear and equipment up to the site of their next camp, at about 16,400′ on the east side of Aconcagua.  This is a tougher day than the three previous days on the approach to BC.  They climbed up into the thin air of 5000 meters above sea level and everything it tougher at that elevation.

The day started with a hike out of Plaza Argentina, up a glacial moraine (rocky terminus of an old, old glacier).  They passed under a bit of rockfall hazard not long out of camp, donning helmets to guard against the risk.  About an hour into their climb, they crossed into the bottom of a hanging valley and climbed up onto the old, “dead” glacier that carved this side of the mountain thousands of years ago.  they wound their way along the old glacier for another hour or so, before climbing up some steeper scree to a point below a sort of headwall in the upper reaches of the hanging valley.

Switchbacks and some steep traversing brought them to the top of the headwall and into the site of their next camp.  This camp has a good water supply not far away and offers stunning views out to the east.  The team “cached” their gear, covering it in rocks to help protect it from the famous winds of Aconcagua.  With everything in place to supply their move up to this camp in a couple of days, they dropped back down to Base Camp for the night.  Tomorrow they will take another rest and acclimatization day before shouldering their packs and moving up to 16,400′.

Here is Jack!