Entries from Aconcagua
The team has left Basecamp! We are officially on the mountain now, and our timing could not have been better. When we arrived in Basecamp we were the only ones there, and as of yesterday evening there were 64 people. We have all of
Camp One to ourselves, however, and we should stay about a step ahead of the masses.
The group broke down camp quickly this morning, we ate a nice breakfast, finalized our plans with the Basecamp staff, and hit the trail by 8:45. A nice breeze kept things cool for us today. We got to camp around 1:15 this afternoon, and set up camp efficiently. This group doesn't mess around with tents. A couple hours of hardcore, downright chillin' brought us to an early dinner of ravioli, and lentils and rice for our more gluten-challenged climbers. A surly snow squall sent everyone to their tents after dinner, and that's where we are now. Everyone is feeling great, and our plan is to carry to Camp 2 tomorrow. The team sends their best to everyone back at home.
RMI Guide JM Gorum
On The Map
Basecamp was a happening place last night. And while there were a few events that disturbed our sleep, it was a great night overall. The Stars were clear, and a distant thunderstorm provided visual entertainment late into the evening. We skipped breakfast this morning in favor of a leisurely brunch prepared by our resident burrito experts, Hannah and Avery. Brunch was really the primary item on our agenda for today, followed by relaxing to the best of our abilities. After checking in with everyone, I can say that we are ready to move out of Basecamp and into higher places.
We'll check in from Camp One tomorrow.
RMI Guide JM Gorum
Excited to get moving to the upper mountain, our group headed to Camp 1. Soon after leaving we could see our future route up the mountain. With full packs we battled through scree fields crumbling beneath our feet and through penitentes chest high. At last we reached Camp 1 at 16200 feet where we stashed gear and got a glimpse of our future home. Soon we were were boot skiing down the scree fields getting back to camp in no time. We get into our tents tonight satisfied with the day's work and looking forward to a rest day tomorrow.
RMI Guide JM Gorum
Not much to report today. The team did an excellent job resting, with only minor restlessness. We ate a delicious burrito breakfast at a leisurely hour, and went for a short walk outside of
Base Camp to get the blood flowing a little bit.
After our walk we prepared our gear for the carry tomorrow, and checked in with the Base Camp doctors. Everyone got the stamp of approval to head higher. No surprises there. We're all rested up and ready for a big day tomorrow. We'll let you know how it goes.
RMI Guide JM Gorum
On The Map
We made it to
Plaza Argentina today! The first RMI team of the year is blazing a path uphill. We left our camp at Casa de Piedra early this morning to beat the heat, and to cross the Vacas and Relinchos Rivers before they swelled with snowmelt. A few brave souls crossed the Vacas on foot, surprised at how cold the pre-sunrise water felt on their unsuspecting toes. The rest of the team, less brave maybe, though certainly smarter, decided to take a free ride across the river courtesy of our mule drivers. Some were more comfortable astride our equine friends than others, but nobody fell in.
Once across the river, we started up the Relinchos Valley. Unlike the Vacas, which is wide and expansive, the Relinchos Valley is narrow and has steep walls. The relief is more dramatic here, and the elevation gain becomes less subtle. The team made quick work of it though, and after a few guanaco sightings we were lounging in the sun less than an hour from basecamp. We lounged as long as we could bear it, and then finished off the last stretch into camp. Since arriving, we've set up our tents, organized some gear, and done a lot of eating and drinking. We ate as much dinner as we could, and even enjoyed a welcome cake courtesy of the basecamp staff. It's good living here at basecamp, and we plan to live in style for at least a few more days.
RMI Guides JM Gorum, Hannah Smith, and Avery Parrinello
The team hit the dusty trail this morning in comfortable temps but soon we were feeling the heat. We wondered through the rocky terrain, at times feeling like we were walking on the moon. Guanacos and hares were an exciting sight to tick off our wildlife list, but an even more exciting sight was seeing a quick glimpse of Aconcagua. After setting our tents up at a breezy
Casa de Piedra camp, we are enjoying a relaxing afternoon. Our bellies will be filled by another delicious dinner tonight before we call it a day and look forward to arriving at Aconcagua Base Camp tomorrow.
RMI Guides Hannah, Avery, and JM
On The Map
Well, this morning went about as smoothly as it possibly could have thanks to the team's expert preparations yesterday. We had breakfast in the hotel, and then walked next door to make our final preparations for departure. After a short shuttle ride to the mouth of the
Vacas River, we checked in with the park service and headed up the valley. We had cloudless skies and a consistent breeze all day, so it never got unbearably hot.
The team arrived in camp around 3:30 this afternoon, which left plenty of time for relaxing and exploring. Dinner consisted of more food than we could eat, prepared by the mule drivers on an open flame. Most folks are crawling into bed now, and since the weather is so nice we're going to forgo the tents and sleep under the stars. All the team says hello to everyone at home.
RMI Guides
JM Gorum, Hannah Smith, and Avery Parrinello
On The Map
Today the team said goodbye to Mendoza for a while. After a leisurely breakfast of pastries, and more pastries, we finished off the process of obtaining our
Aconcagua climbing permits. We only experienced a few hang ups in the permit office, which is about par for the course.
We amassed our gear into one big pile in the hotel lobby, partly to prepare to load it into our trailer, and partly just to see how much stuff we have. In my professional opinion we brought enough stuff, judging by volume alone. After transferring our pile into a vehicle, we hit the road to Penitentes. A few naps, and more than a few empanadas later, we arrived in Penitentes.
This afternoon, we packed everything for our travel to Aconcagua Base Camp. Everything has to be packed such that it doesn't get destroyed on the mules. The team made quick work of that task, leaving us plenty of down time before dinner. I'm pretty sure most people took another nap. Tomorrow morning we will hit the dusty trail, and things for us will get much simpler. For a few days we will just walk, eat, and sleep. Everyone is looking forward to it. We'll let you know how it goes.
RMI Guides JM Gorum, Hannah Smith, and Avery Parrinello
The team has arrived in Mendoza. All baggage is accounted for, gear is checked, and dinner has been eaten. After a long day of travel we are hitting the hay relatively early. Tomorrow we will drive to
Penitentes and get everything organized and packed for the walk in to base camp. The team is excited to get out of town and into the mountains. Stay tuned, and find out what happens next.
RMI Guides JM Gorum, Hannah Smith, and Avery Parrinello
All good things must end and this
Aconcagua Expedition is no different. The team went on our final walk out of the Vacas Valley together yesterday, and within five hours we were back in civilization. After watching the dirt and trip dust wash off us in the shower, we all went to a fancy celebration dinner. Even though the team enjoyed peppers cooking, it was agreed the restaurant was a bit better. Everyone is now excited to head home and reflect on an excellent adventure.
RMI Guide Ben Liken
Merry Christmas to all.
Posted by: M Mitan on 12/24/2017 at 10:10 am
Congratulations. Merry Christmas Kevin and all your adventurous friends.
Posted by: Tammy Gjerde on 12/24/2017 at 7:08 am
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