Aconcagua... Post #1

Hi all,

I’d meant to write more often and capture the adventure better, but between the acclimatizing process, the physical exertion, not wanting to use up all my battery power, and just plain not having time, this is the first occasion I’ve had to write about the trip.

It’s hard to believe I only left home 10 days ago. It feels like it could be months ago. A lot has happened - a little bad, mostly great - and I am now sitting at Aconcagua Base Camp at 13,800 feet, on a rest day. The sun is shining, the breeze is a bit stiff, and the temperature is cool. But it’s all great for our rest day.

Let me recap the trip so far. I flew through Santiago and landed in Mendoza in January 25th, where my good friend Peter picked me up at the airport. I checked into the Park Hyatt Hotel, got to meet Todd Burleson (founder of Alpine Ascents and famous mountaineer), then went to dinner with Peter and his friend Fernando. We walked through Mendoza, a city I found to be charming, with a nice relaxed vibe. Less metropolitan than Buenos Aires, Mendoza is still Argentina’s second largest city with a population of over 2 million.

Saturday started with a nice breakfast on the terrace with Peter. We got to catch up a bit more, sitting in the quiet tropical weather of Mendoza. He then went to work while I went for a walk, hunting for a Nalgene bottle and a phone charger. I spent the afternoon by the pool, enjoying the heat and sunshine. Peter was able to join me for a while, and we continued chatting and catching up after a year and a half of not having seen each other.

We connected with two members of Team Ramrod for dinner. That was... interesting... Seeing people’s attitudes when traveling around the world is an eye-opener. Their respect (or lack-thereof) for people from a country different from theirs can sometimes be shocking. Still, it was an enjoyable evening and a learning experience. It made me wonder a bit what the group dynamics would be like, but we would find out the next day, when all of Team Ramrod would come together for the official gear check. 

On Sunday morning, I went for a nice long walk to Parque San Martín, a beautiful park in Mendoza. It was great to be walking in the early sunshine and warmth, exploring more of this beautiful city. I came back to the hotel for another lovely breakfast on the terrace. I then spent time going through my equipment to get ready for gear check. I had time for a quick plunge in the pool, then several of us met in the lobby in anticipation of our 2:30pm Gear Check. 

All 10 clients, plus guides Peter and Dawa, and AAI ops manager Dani met in a large room and started emptying all our duffels and packs, each of us client laying out our gear. Peter then went through the gear list, and each of us showed the item in question. Dawa, Peter and Dani went around the room to verify items and confirm the number of each we should take on the trip. 

Our group consists of Americans, two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Nicaraguan. Father-and-son Scott and Ryan, my future tentmate and only other female client Patty, pilot Darhl, dry-humour master Jason, wonderful newlyweds Reed and Preben, and laid-back Ben are all my fellow teammates on Team Ramrod. I would come to know them all quickly over the coming days.

Gear Check took a few hours, as every item on the long list was inspected. We all then went out for an amazing dinner of Argentine steak, a traditional “asada” at a great restaurant called “La Barra”. Live vines loaded with ripening green grapes made for a beautiful overhead decor. We all began the process of getting to know one another over dinner conversation. Some are more worried about the climb than others, some are better prepared and documented than others. Overall, the mood was jovial and friendly, and some teammates already started emerging as new friends to be made during the trip. 

Monday morning, I needed to visit the central post office in Mendoza, before our group’s departure for the little town of Los Penitentes. I arranged to be at the post office around 9am when it opens. I then had to take a number and wait 30 minutes to buy two stamps. Worried I’d miss the 9-ish bus departure, I ran all the way back to the hotel. I found our team just beginning to enjoy their breakfast. I had another coffee with them, then we all loaded the bus, and got on our way to Los Penitentes, via Ushpallata where we stopped for a delicious lunch (more asada) at an estancia. The weather was sunny and very warm, and seemed set to remain that way for a while.

We made a stop to drop off our duffel bags at the “mule terminal”. Mules would be carrying our heavy duffels throughout the three-day trek to Base Camp. 

Arriving at the Hotel Ayelen in Los Penitentes later in the afternoon, we discovered a ghost ski resort. In the summertime, the slopes are bare of snow, and the hotels seem only half-maintained. But our hotel was nice and welcoming, the hot shower functioned very well, and the beds were comfy. I was able to trade steak for salmon for dinner and I admit it was a nice change after all the red meat of previous nights! I got to see Craig Van Hoy who had been my guide on Rainier. Craig is on Aconcagua with a client, following the same climbing schedule as our group. 

I got an early night’s sleep. I woke up feeling refreshed and ready to start our day, only to realize it was just 12:30... I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning, wasting previous rest hours.

After a solid breakfast and the last hot shower for a few days, we got on the bus with our gear. We made the short bus trip to the entrance of Aconcagua National Park, where, after taking the obligatory picture, we finally started our hike towards Base Camp. 

Our first day of hiking proceeded in the hot sun, with no shade and very little in the way of vegetation. The scenery was stark and desert-like. The day brought us to Pampas de Leñas campsite, where we received instructions on how to set up our tents. Wind is a major factor on Aconcagua, and knowing how to secure the tents and prevent them from flying away is critical. 

Our tent setup was followed by a delicious dinner of steak and corn and grilled vegetables. We made an early evening of it, ready for the next day’s trek. 

It’s difficult to describe the stark beauty of the trek towards Base Camp. We followed the Vacas Valley, with its limited greenery and complete absence of trees. We made periodic rest stops, leading to lunch, during which our guides pulled out sandwich making ingredients, bread, coldcuts, avocado, tomato, soda... A nice filling lunch for hungry hikers! 

Our arrival into our second night campsite at Casa de Piedras gave us our first view of beautiful Aconcagua. Wow. Breathtaking... Impressive... And yes, a bit daunting... 

Our dinner of asada was once again tasty and entertaining. The “arrieros” (Argentine muleteers and camp staff) were singing and grilling at the same time, adding an extra touch of authenticity to our Argentine adventure.

We got up before dawn for an early breakfast by starlight. We broke down the tents and packed up everything, then walked the first 20 minutes or so to the edge of the river we had to cross. A mule train showed up, and two by two (plus the mule driver), we crossed the river on muleback. 

We resumed our walk on the other side, and were treated throughout the day to spectacular views of Aconcagua and Almeghino. Our lunch spot that day was in full view of the mountains... 

We arrived at Base Camp Thursday in the late afternoon, pitched our tents, and rested. Aconcagua Base Camp is the first “real Base Camp” I’ve ever stayed at, and it’s definitely cool! We’re late in the season so there aren’t many other expeditions around. But the staff of Aconcagua Mountain Guides (the local outfitter for AAI) is wonderful. The food is delicious. Thanks to Peter, Patty and I are enjoying the kind of food we both eat at home (generally GF for me), and that makes all the difference in the world to stay healthy and feeling good. 

The next day (Friday) was a rest day at Base Camp (13,800 feet). Most of us took advantage of the hot showers (for a price!), some got on WiFi, others just napped and rested. But in between all that, two main tasks awaited us. A visit to the BC doctor and a short acclimatization walk in the afternoon. Things went well on both counts. 

Saturday (yesterday) was our first big day on the mountain. It was a “carry day”, where the team was to carry a load of personal and group gear to Camp 1, at nearly 16,000 feet. Months ago, on the advice of Peter and based on my own previous experience, I chose to pay for porters. That means that I won’t have to carry 50-60lbs of gear on my back. Now, some might judge me for not “truly” climbing the mountain on my own and for “cheating”, but I acknowledge my own limits, and I want to enjoy this trip as much as possible. So I’m very comfortable with my decision to hire a porter. 

My teammates for the most part chose to carry their own gear. We headed up towards Camp 1 expecting a climb that could take 6 to 8 hours. It was steep, with mixed rocks and scree most of the way. The last 20 minutes proved the most difficult but we all made it. I felt great, truly.

We took 8:30 hours however. We are not a fast group... Once at Camp 1, we stashed our gear and equipment and headed back down as quickly as possible. It took two hours to reach Base Camp. The whole day, the weather was iffy, with some light snow occasionally, some wind, low clouds, lower temperatures that we had experienced to date.

After our first long hard day, dinner was delicious, and we plunged into our tents last night in need of rest.

Today, we have been enjoying the sun and warmth in Base Camp, for our final rest day before we officially move up to Camp 1 tomorrow. It’s been nice to do “nothing” - except charging electronics, doing a bit of laundry, eating, drinking and writing. 

I would have posted pictures with this blog but the WiFi connexion at Base Camp is too slow and unreliable so you’ll have to made due with less-than-poetic prose :) 

It’s unlikely that I’ll be able to post again for several days. I’ll keep making short Garmin posts, but won’t be able to share much. But... stay tuned...! More to come for sure!

Thanks for reading and for following my adventure :)