Aconcagua: Wedel & Team Enjoy First Day on the Trail
At our first break, I walked over to Tom and said “how are you doing?” and he looked up at me from the only bit of shade we had seen in the last hour and said “good, this feels like home.” And that’s the best way to describe this whole day.
We’re finally on the trail - after all this time planning, all the big travel days and this morning’s final packing shenanigans. Even though the first few hours were hot, hot, hot there was a sense of ease.
Sometimes we walked in silence and I’d look back and see everyone just taking it in, sometimes we chatted about life and our jobs as we strolled along surrounded by vivid cliffs of rosy rock.
I’ve laughed more in the last few days than in the last few months combined as we’ve gotten to know each other. A few days ago we were all strangers and now we are a unified team ready to climb, ready to face the excitement and unknowns of the mountain.
After five hours of hiking, we arrived at our first camp, Pampa de las Lenas, just as some (welcomed) clouds rolled in. At dinner, we peppered Bill with questions about teeth (he’s a dentist) and he gleefully educated us. We decided maybe every night we’d just deep dive into someone else’s profession. There’s so much curiosity and so much life!
Off to bed we go for our first night of many in our little tent homes.
RMI Guides Jess Wedel, Jack Delaney and the Aconcagua climbing team
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