Today our team enjoyed a luxurious day of rest at Aconcagua Base Camp. We breakfasted on deconstructed omelettes, and did a whole lot of relaxing for most of the day. Highlights included the occasional shower, and getting to catch up with Mike King, JM Gorum, and their RMI team as they descended to base camp following their successful summit bid. Our team is well rested, and though we will miss the pleasantries of Base Camp, we are unanimously excited to move uphill.
More tomorrow!
RMI Guides Mark Tucker and Pepper Dee
Our task for the day was simple: carry and cache supplies for the upper mountain at Camp 1. Executing this task, however, was anything but simple, but all team members proved themselves to be fully up to the challenge. The terrain in between Base Camp and Camp 1 is varied and difficult; our team had to negotiate steep scree slopes, blocky towers of snow called penitentes, and sections of unstable talus. Upon reaching Camp 1, we were rewarded with a snack and drink at 16,500 feet, and made sure to diligently weigh down our cache of equipment before heading back downhill to Base Camp. Following the "climb high, sleep low" mantra, our team is looking forward to a well earned night of rest back and Base Camp, and everyone is excited to have laid eyes on the first section of real climbing.
RMI Guides Mark Tucker & Pepper Dee
It’s been fun following the team’s progress. Best wishes as you move higher toward the summit, maybe even blue skies and minimal wind. Otherwise, hunker down and enjoy the experience. Either way it will be memorable.
This is Mike, JM and Mauricio letting you all know that the Aconcagua Summit Team is back safely at Cholera. We had a warm morning but due to a 20mph wind most of the day, we climbed in our parkas and warm pants. The route was desolate considering 100+ people went up on Thursday. We got to take in the magnificent South Face along with hundreds of glaciated Andean peaks.
Team members are hydrating, eating and napping. The summit day is always difficult but the route conditions make a sizable difference. We were fortunate to have snow and frozen scree/mud for the majority of the Gran Traverse and Canaleta which makes for a more direct and cramponable route. Yes, We just made up 'cramponable'; we are at 19,600' with five camp stoves cranking out memory reducing gases.
Tomorrow we head back to Base Camp to de-rig the climb and transition to trekking mode. Steak, red wine, empanadas, laundry mats and pool time is what preoccupies our minds.
"La Montania abrio sus puertas para nosotros" - Mauricio
Congratulations on the effort and reward. Hope all arrive back safe. Kevin please fill any space in your pack vacated by food with snow. Our winter here has been abysmal since you’ve left and the snow is badly needed for the Nordic trails.
JV
Posted by: Jan Vanderdonk on 1/14/2017 at 6:45 am
Congratulations to you Kevin, your guides and team for this extrodinary achievement. BZ
Posted by: Lloyd &smart;-Lou Graham on 1/14/2017 at 6:22 am
This is Mike with RMI's Aconcagua Team 2. We are currently standing on top of the tallest mountain in the Western and Southern hemisphere. The team did great, we reached the top in 7 hours from High Camp. We are going to hang out just for a little bit and then head on down. We have about 20 mph cold winds all day. The team is ecstatic and we will check in from Camp once we get back down from the top. Thanks. Bye.
RMI Guide Mike King
RMI Guide Mike King calls from the summit of Aconcagua.
Today was a day of rest and preparation for our team here at Aconcagua Base Camp. We spent the morning reorganizing and sorting out communal food and equipment for the upper mountain, and the afternoon finding a way to make it all fit into our packs. Along the way, team members found time to take a brief stroll around the base camp vicinity to acclimate and enjoy the perspective, and a few lucky climbers snuck in a nap or two. Everyone is excited to carry a load up to Camp One tomorrow, and officially launch our assault on the mountain!
Bye for now,
RMI Guides Mark Tucker, Pepper Dee and Team
Thanks for the update Mark and Pepper! I can’t wait to hear more. Sending lots of love to my Papa, Dominique. I hope you’re having a great time. Good luck Team!
Posted by: Lindsay Monnet on 1/13/2017 at 3:04 pm
Thank you for the great updates and photos. Enjoy the climb up!
Wow! What a calm and relatively warm night at 18,000'. The Team got it's last good night for sleep before moving to 19,600' where sleep is hard to come by. We took a little over three hours to move up here, the Team did a fantastic job keeping the guides pace and working on their breathing. The phrase we are using is, "if you don't sound like the Little Engine that Could, you'll perform like the Little Engine that Couldn't".
We will rest and eat some dinner before beginning our summit attempt in the early morning. Fingers crossed and well wishes for our Team. It will not be easy but hopefully the Team can grit their teeth and find a happy place tomorrow. The next time you hear from us, should be on top of the highest point in the Western Hemisphere.
Thanks for following along.
RMI Guides Mike King, JM Gorum, Mauricio and the team
Hello -
We have arrived at Plaza Argentina, Aconcagua Base Camp, and are loving it. I am watching the most amazing moon rise as I scratch out this dispatch.
We started the morning off with a mule ride across the Vacas River. Good size and cold seemed to make sense since the option was available. We waited till later in the day to fjord the Relinchos River in the footwear we brought along for that purpose. Named after the valley we ascended five hours and gained close to 4,000', the views of the upper mountain were fantastic.
We established our camp and settled in at Base Camp. A very nice dinner provided by our great outfitter Grajales Expeditions has us well fed and now ready for rest. The team is in good shape and thrilled to be at Base Camp. All is good here.
RMI Guide Mark Tucker
This is Mike and JM checking in from our Camp 2 after a good carry to Cholera High Camp located at 19,600'. The camp gets its name from the wind that swirls around and attempts to destroy your camp.
The Team took in fantastic views of the Andes and enjoyed some warmer temperatures after yesterday's cold and blustery conditions. There is some sort of an Andean hawk that has been hanging out taking people's Oreos.
Quite and calm in our tents, an update you might be tired of reading but the Team is taking every moment of available rest to apply towards summit day.
Tomorrow we move up to Cholera and will keep our fingers crossed for accurate weather reports and a trail of compacted snow to the top of the Southern Hemisphere!
RMI Guides Mike King & JM Gorum
Today brought our team within striking distance of base camp! We battled strong down valley winds for most of the day, but were rewarded with our first glimpse of Aconcagua just shy of our current camp at Piedra Parada. Our team is growing more and more practiced in the art of alpine resting, and put their skills to use this evening munching on asado and watching our hardworking mules take dust baths. Everyone is strong, happy, and healthy, and looking forward to checking in from 14K!
Hasta manana!
RMI Guides Mark Tucker and Pepper Dee
Hello from Camp 2 -
Our team has now ascended to 18000' and set up camp. We had a slow roll out of camp thanks to a bit of wind gusting overhead. We decided we might enjoy a little later start to the day, so we hung around until about 10:30 to let the sun warm things up and push those pesky winds farther east.
The Team felt the push to 18k and the gusting winds, grey skies and colder temps didn't make for a lot of conversation. Now tucked in at 18,000' the Team is sport eating and resting in their tents. The winds have calmed down and the sun is baking the tent fabric, this creates an optimal napping microclimate.
We miss you all and are jubilant to be in a position for summiting on the 13th.
Warmest of regards,
RMI Guides Mike King, JM Gorum & the team
Good Luck - Alex to u and the entire team!!! Have Fun and take it all in….
Climb safe!!!
Posted by: Jeff Hall on 1/15/2017 at 3:14 am
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