Entries By hannah mcgowan
December 24, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 18,000'
Wind, wind and more wind! The forecast keeps calling for all this wind but we haven't seen any of it yet! Knock on wood, right? Because that's what your supposed to do? By admitting that there hasn't been any wind when there should be I've now angered the wind somehow, woken it from its slumber and now it's only purpose is to make it windier then it ever was supposed to be. But! If I slam my knuckles against a piece of wood, POOF! I can control the weather. Unfortunately there isn't any wood here. Maybe a rock would do? Is it just anything hard? My head has gotten pretty dense over the years maybe that will suffice? Hopefully you viewers at home recognize the above as sarcasm. Of course it only works on wood!
Okay, let's get serious. The team is doing great! We went for an acclimatization hike around midday today to about 18,500ft. The winds blew at about 15-20MPH from the Northwest but nothing anywhere near the 50+ that was forecasted. After reaching our destination the team turned around with Hannah and I continued up to our High Camp at 19,600ft to cache some food and fuel. Tomorrow, Merry Christmas, will be our last rest day at Camp II before we look to move up and set our sights on the summit. Tomorrow we'll surprise the group by making them a traditional Christmas Pizza for lunch! Okay, it's pretty much just a normal pizza, but at 18,000ft, so it should taste better, right? I thought we were trying to be serious?Anyway, don't tell them and ruin the surprise, okay. Thanks for following as always. Tomorrow we'll let the team write the blog in the form of small notes to loved ones so stay tuned!
RMI Guide Steve Gately
December 23, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 18,000'
The winds finally settled out last night for the first time in days and you could hear the heavy sounds of breathing and snoring coming from the other tents again. We woke to a pristine morning in the Andes and enjoyed being able to sit comfortably outside for breakfast. Shortly thereafter though our focus turned to business as our agenda for the day had us climbing to Camp II (18,000ft). The team was moving well and we forewent putting crampons on for the traverse up a snowy bowl feature. The lack of wind finally allowed the icy surface to thaw allowing us easy passage. Once past the col between
Aconcagua and Ameghino we were treated yet again with the expansive view of the Northern Andes only this time we kept going! The route flattens out for a moment as we contour onto the North side of the mountain, before ascending again, and traversing another glacial valley to our destination, Camp II. The winds at camp for the moment are light and variable but we expect them to increase over the next 24 hours. The team is all doing well and readjusting to thinner air. Tomorrow we further the acclimatization process by pushing a bit higher to 19,000ft and returning to Camp II to recover.
RMI Guide Steve Gately
On The Map
December 22, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 16,200'
Yet another rest day! Today the team just chilled... all day. It was a windy night so most people made up for the lack of sleep by taking naps. Walks around camp, reading, taking pictures and talking took up the the rest of the day.
The assistant guides made it up to
Camp 2 and back to cache almost all of the group food for the rest of the climb. This should help lessen the load for our team's move to Camp 2 tomorrow.
The wind died down this evening (woohoo!) so we enjoyed a comfortable quesadilla-making session outside as part of or dinner. Bellies are full and everyone is excited to continue moving up the mountain tomorrow.
Thanks for tuning in!
RMI Guides Steve Gately & Hannah McGowan
On The Map
December 21, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 17,100'
The wind battered our tents for most of the night but tapered towards the morning. Today our goal was to reach the col in between Aconcagua and Ameghino at 17,100 ft. With the winds at camp blowing at a strong 20 MPH we bumped up and prepared for the few hour climb to our destination. Shortly into our ascent we put our crampons on for the first time this trip as the brisk wind kept the snow frozen an firm. The team did great with yet another push into higher altitude and we found the winds to be very manageable. We passed through the col with little effort and walked a few more minutes to where we get a massive view of the Andes stretching out to the North. Furthest in the distance is Mercedario, the 5th tallest peak in South America at roughly 22,275 ft. It's early afternoon now and we're all back at camp safely. We'll take a few hours to rest and re-hydrate before starting the stoves for dinner. Tomorrow the winds are expected to increase yet again and we'll take this opportunity to rest and prepare for lighter winds and our move to
Camp II (18,000 ft.) on Friday.
RMI Guide
Steve Gately and Team
December 20, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 16,200'
Today we left the comforts of Base Camp and moved to
Camp One! Our whole team did great on the way up, and we are excited to be making upward progress on the mountain.
Our journey today was mostly on rocky trails that wove through moraine material, and finished with walking up a big snowy hill the last hour before camp. The view from here is stunning. We can't see the summit, but we can see shape-shifting clouds rip over it. Looking downhill we can see the warm multi-colored mountains that make the far side of the Vacas Valley. Dinner tonight was not three courses, and it's cold and windy and we no longer have well maintained outhouses... And this is exactly what we came here to do! Everyone is in high spirits.
And now the game of chess begins. We're expecting strong winds over night and tomorrow, but we'll see what happens. Wind permitting, our plan for tomorrow is to walk to at least 17,000 feet for acclimatization. Meanwhile, a couple of us guides will move some group food as close to camp two as we can get to set the group up for success if we end up having to make a quick move to camp two in the coming days.
As the moon wanes the stars are becoming increasingly more spectacular through this dry and thin air. If it wasn't so cold it would be easy to stay mesmerized all night! Wish us mellow winds and dissipating headaches...
RMI Guide
Steve Gately and Team
December 19, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
Ah, the rest day! A whole day spent just relaxing and taking care of ourselves. It's the dream, right!? Not always, it can be a real struggle to find ways to pass the hours and a lot of our climbers find the lack of an agenda anything but relaxing. Luckily our team seems to be coping with all the free time like expedition veterans. This morning we started with a scrambled egg breakfast with onions, peppers and tomatoes. The group split after breakfast and have been passing the time by reading, taking walls through old glacial moraines and the occasional nap. This afternoon we'll prepare for our move to
Camp 1 (16,200ft) by dividing up our remaining group gear and discussing our strategy for the upper mountain. Our forecast is calling for increasing winds over the next few days, with the highest winds coming in at 45mph at Camp 1 and well over 70mph on the summit! We take things one day at a time up here in the high mountains and will be looking at the forecast closely over the next few days. The team is excited to move up and ready for the challenges that Aconcagua has to throw at us. Pray to the weather Gods for us! Thanks for following!
RMI Guide Steve Gately
On The Map
December 18, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 16,200'
The team did an incredible job today with our Carry to Camp 1 (16,200ft). The route starts off traveling up the moraine to the Glaciar de Los Ingleses. The terrain is loose and awkward, peppered with penitentes as tall as 6 feet. Penitentes are towers of snow and ice that form from different melting patterns in the snowpack, specifically from wind transported glacial pumice. After that the terrain eases off as we pick our way through a maze of rock debris covering old glacial ice. We finish with what is normally steep loose scree but we had the pleasure of ascending snow which made the walking much nicer. This portion is a lot of work as we're carrying 40-50lbs packs and are entering an elevation of over 16,000ft. We reached
Camp 1, left some gear, teased our bodies with a new high altitude to jump start the acclimatization process and took in the views. We're now back at basecamp and everyone is resting before another enormous basecamp dinner. Tomorrow we look forward to a well deserved rest day. Keep your fingers crossed the weather stays nice for us! Hasta mañana!
RMI Guide Steve Gately
On The Map
December 17, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
Ahhh, what a lovely day to take a rest. The team took our first rest day today at
Aconcagua Base Camp, Plaza Argentina. We slept in, enjoyed a hearty breakfast and then went about leisurely preparing for our carry to camp one tomorrow.
We took a midday walk up a small valley outside of Base Camp to stretch or legs and breathe a bit more actively. As we walked along the valley's crumbling walls, in which every shade of red to brown seemed to be represented, the geology of the Andes became the theme of our walk. On the way back, nearly each person's curiosity was sparked by stones in the creek bed from one of the many rock layers above.
We spent the rest of the afternoon planning and packing the things that we will cache at Camp One tomorrow. Our tasks were completed before another amazing three course dinner from Grajales' Base Camp staff. It seems no one's appetite is suffering due to altitude!
Everyone is doing well and we are ready to work hard in the morning. Wish us calm winds and easy breathing!
I'm sure we miss you too...
RMI Guides Steve Gately & Hannah McGowan
On The Map
December 16, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
The team woke this morning after a few showers last night to clear skies. Our first obstacle of the day was to cross the
Vacas River. Having to get an early start for our big day and it still being very cold, we opted to ask the Arrieros to ferry us across on their mules. One by one the team slowly accumulated on the other side of the river until only myself (
Steve) remain. The Arrieros waved me over to my mule and I jumped onto the back of the animal. Just at that time something spooked the front mule (there was three tied together) and all three took off in a sprint, first through the river and then turning there attention up valley. At the time it was actually quite comedic as I tried to calm the lead mule from the center position. It became clear that he wasn't going to give up until I got off his back. So I began looking for my exit and humming the Indiana Jones theme song to myself when I swung one leg over the mule and leapt off to the side. The mules stopped and we reunited with their cowboy. I rejoined the group and we all had a good laugh! The team is now all settled into
Basecamp (13,800ft) after a fantastic trek into the high country. Everyone did well with the workload and the new altitude. We'll enjoy a well deserved dinner tonight, prepared by our wonderful basecamp staff, and look forward to our first rest day of the trip tomorrow! Thanks again for following. More to come tomorrow!
Adios,
RMI Guide Steve Gately
On The Map
December 15, 2016
Posted by: Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 10,550'
Today we continued our trek up the Vacas Valley to Los Piedras. The sun was scorching for most of the walk, but luckily, we are now enjoying a gentle drizzle as we relax in our tents. We did manage to get our first glimpse of
Aconcagua right before clouds began to roll over the peak. I think the opinion is entirely unanimous that it is a stunning and dramatic mountain! Spirits are high and despite a sunburn or two, everyone is in excellent health and relishing in the beauty of the Vacas Valley. Tomorrow we will start up the Relinchos Valley, where we will conclude our trek to base camp.Â
If you're thinking of us, then I'm sure someone here is thinking of you too.Â
Warmly,
RMI Guides Steve Gately, Hannah McGowan and the Aconcagua team
Merry Christmas Rob & team! We just had dinner w/ Mel & Jeff @ Jeff’s sister’s house. Praying for your safety and that you can fully take in the wonder of it all! Deb for Mark & boys….
Posted by: Debbie Millman on 12/25/2016 at 5:41 pm
Merry Christmas, Hannah! Sending you and the team lots of good energy. Enjoy the stars this evening and let them inspire you as you prepare for tomorrow’s challenges. Remember to take a private moment to savor the joy of the higher world. Continue to shine as you help guide your new friends to the summit.
All my love,
Dad
Posted by: Tom McGowan on 12/25/2016 at 3:48 pm
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