Off the mountain
The team completed the Aconcagua traverse, by descending from the summit via the Normal route. In their way down they launched the more challenging and risky stage of the trip: the chain of celebration dinners, starting at base camp Plaza de Mulas (picture) yesterday, followed by the one planned for today at Los Penitentes (the lodge close to the trailhead), and still one more party here in Mendoza, scheduled for Monday. Again, congratulat...
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BIG team success!
8 climbers and three guides made it to the 22,834 ft summit the highest spot in the whole hemisphere and the highest mountain in the World outside the Himalayas. Guide Jacob called from High Camp when they returned. Everyone was tired but deeply happy. Now they will complete the traverse of the mountain, by going down by another side of the mountain. They will descend to the Normal route base camp, Plaza de Mulas, tomorrow. Then they wi...
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Carry to 6000m- the final stage is on its way
The expedition is doing great! They move as a solid team and are highly motivated, according to the report we just received from Jacob. They are resting at Camp II "Chopper Camp" now, at 17,700 ft. The group has already experimented real high altitude; they made a carry of gear and food to High Camp, the "Colera Camp", which is at 6000m (19,685 ft). The 8 remaining climbers (one person was not acclimatizing well and had to remain at lower altitud...
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Chopper camp
Hola a todos,
Jacob "the Boss" Schmidtz called from his sat phone. The group is at CII, called "the chopper camp",at 18.000 ft approx. "Everyone is perfecto, it´s a pretty strong team", were his words.
They will do a carry to CIII, then rest for one day. Then go for the final push. I am attaching a pic of CII. At that altitude you really get a taste of this big mountain, as wind and cold and of course altitude show their power. Bu it...
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Rest day at Plaza Argentina
The team completed the hike in beautifully. I just received a sat phone call from guide Jacob "the Boss" Schmidt. "Everything is perfect" were his words -as usual-. The trail to base camp Plaza Argentina (13,450 ft) has some imposing views. Here is a picture of the trail (from a previous trip). The group will do a carry to camp I tomorrow. I will keep you posted. Regards,
Nicolás García
AP Mendoza
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Hike in to base camp - Dispatch 1
The expedition began the 3-day hike in to base camp today. Before that, the nine climbers and three guides shared a meeting and a welcoming diner inMendoza, and then a night at Penitentes (small ski resort located at 2700m, some 4 miles from the trailhead). Expert guide Jacob Schmidt is leading, Alaskan Forrest Wagner and Patagonian Fermin Avila complete the guiding team. We celebrated Forrest 29th birthday the night before they left, and he got ...
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