Zach called in with an update from our teams summit bid. They are a couple of hours into their hike and have climbed up into the sun! the team has split into two groups, and Zach, Nick and Yasushi are all together at the ruins of what was once the Independencia Hut, at about 21,500′. Yoshiko and Fermin are a little bit behind, but plugging away.
They will eat and drink before climbing a short steep section to gain the north ridge proper. They will then drop onto the shady and cold west face of the mountain, which they will traverse for a couple of more hours before climbing up a loose gully known as the Canaleta, that leads to the summit.
Here’s Zach:
