Aconcagua: Smith & Team Descend to Thicker Air of Basecamp
Posted by: Hannah Smith, Avery Parrinello
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
What goes up, must go down! Our uphill travel is over and it is now time for us to make our way downhill. What took us 12 days to get up to, would only take us a handful of hours to get back down. We broke down our camp at 19,600' and began our walk down to the much thicker air at 13,800'. It was a fantastic sight to see the Grajales staff welcome us back to basecamp. They greeted us with yummy snacks and a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate our achievement. We could not ask for a more friendly group of people. After enjoying sitting in chairs and filling our bellies with fruit and various snacks, we had some chores to do. We sorted our gear and packed our duffles for the mules tomorrow. Our journey and long days are not over yet. Tomorrow we have a long hike to Pampa de Lenas. The promise of a carne asada BBQ will keep the team going and a promise of showers will keep us going the following day. The end is near where we can wash off all the dirt.
Just two more nights in sleeping bags,
RMI Guide Hannah Smith and team
Comments (2)
I am betting there will be several enjoyable showers and a full plate for each of you! What a wonderful adventure! A lifelong memory! ENJOY!
Posted by: Judy & Dale Collins on
Enjoy those well-deserved rewards! The carne asada and showers are probably particularly enticing and will lure you downhill. :) So happy to hear you’ve made it to Base Camp. Safe travels.
Posted by: Heather Collins on