Aconcagua aftermath--February 16

Almost two weeks have passed since I arrived home, and my electric yellow North Face duffel still sits in the corner of my bedroom, a few bedraggled compression sacks, bundled pairs of socks, and my AAI hat lingering inside. My pile of clean climbing clothes is still perched on top of the dryer. Not sure why I can't finish unpacking, throw the duffel into storage in the dormer closet, and put away the clean clothes. Maybe it's because I need to set another goal first. I toy with committing to a climb of Rainier via the Emmons route in late July. It would be my 5th Climb to Fight Breast Cancer climb, so I would have to start fundraising, and I would have to keep training. I've never climbed that route on Rainier, and it entails a longer hike in, a much heavier pack, and 5000' of vertical on summit day, but it's far less crowded than the Muir route. I swore that if I ever climbed Rainier again (after summits in '86, '96, and '08), I would make the approach from another side of the mountain.

Previously, I had made a decision to forego any additional climbs this year. But it's like labor. While you're climbing, it's easy to lose sight of your goal and just focus on how much it hurts or how difficult it is, and you swear you're never going to do it again. Then as soon as you're finished, you're planning the next one. Apparently I'm very goal oriented. I have to plunk something out there on my calendar so I can aim towards it. More babies are out of the question. Best be climbing or hiking instead.

My American flight landed at SeaTac at 1:15 PM on Thursday, February 4, exactly 24 hours after my departure from Mendoza. I had fantasized about arriving home early (I was due home on the 8th), but my fantasy revolved around reaching the summit during inviting sunny weather before using any of our extra days for inclement weather, not retreating after encountering scary winds. Tom waited for me just on the another side of security, a welcome sight. Upon pulling into our driveway, I was greeted with a huge painted banner hanging by our entry, "Bravo Julie." A bottle of champagne sat on the front step, and plastic flowers, twirling in the wind, decorated the entire front lawn. The scene had Jill's signature all over it. Very touching.

Kona and Bella danced quite the jig when I walked into the mudroom. Reminded me of one of my favorite jokes:
 Lock your husband and your dog in the trunk of your car for an hour. Open the trunk and see who's happy to see you.
 No complaints here, though. Tom was also very happy to have me home safe and sound.

In the two weeks that have since elapsed, my body finally wound down so that I could relish the comfort of my large bed with its soft cotton sheets, the joy of sitting on a toilet seat (no more pee funnel!), and the thrill of being clean. I've been back at the gym every day save one, at Body Pump or Boot Camp classes or on a cardio machine. Haven't been able to stomach any interval work yet. Its time will come. I have thoughts of hitting the trail again soon, once a warm sunny day comes along.

Many friends have asked what became of Jim K's quest for the summit. Rumor has it that he made it to the summit about a week later, which has to mean that he endured a long week of gale-force winds and frigid temperatures somewhere on the mountain. As far as I know, he still has all his fingers and toes, along with a greatly inflated ego. I'm sure more of the story will eventually trickle down through the Grajales porters to Stuart, who is now leading AAI's last climb of the season down there. AAI's Team X, which started a week behind us, was also turned forced to turn back after two very windy nights (and the loss of two tents) at High Camp.

Others on the team: Jim M already has plans to venture back to Aconcagua next year, with the hope that the third time is the charm. Helvecio is training for a marathon in Illinois in May, Ritesh is eating two lunches a day to put on the 7 lbs he lost, Liz will soon be training for a Mt Baker climb in August, and Daniel is back at work and pondering future snow/glacial climbs (no more scree for him). No one has heard from Richard and Marcel, but we are anxiously awaiting an album of thousands of photos from Marcel.

Next for me: Playa Las Tortugas, Mexico, in March and Greece in May
I'll write again when I'm back on the road.

Julie

Aconcagua--Final thoughts

An expedition climb is entirely different from a 2- to 3-day climb. The mental fortitude necessary to handle all the logistics can at times be overwhelming. Much energy is spent packing, unpacking, and repacking; dividing up group gear; stuffing sleeping bags; inflating and deflating pads; keeping track of where all your clothing and gear is; dealing with changing weather conditions; getting twisted up in your sleeping bag because there are so many items sharing the space with you; using a funnel and pee bottle in the middle of the night; and praying that you don't get the runs (the Sherpa Shuffle) until the sun comes up. It comes down to basics: food, water, and shelter. Eat, hydrate, try to stay warm, and hope that you can fend off any respiratory and GI problems, or other AMS symptoms.

Become resigned to filthy fingernails, matted and knotted hair, hairy legs and armpits, tender feet, a crusty nose and lips, and a constant pervasive body odor. Just part of the game. On the flip side, you can enjoy the ultimate challenge of living in beautiful surroundings, pushing your body to new limits day after day, working closely with a group of fellow climbers and guides, and escaping from tedious chores of life at home.

It's taken me some time to process that we didn't make it to the summit because it's the first time that I've been turned back; it's disappointing. While not faced with the steepest terrain I've ever climbed, I was confronted with the test of reaching a higher altitude than I had ever reached before and more difficult weather conditions than I had ever endured. I feel I performed well, and Dan and Stuart confided that they thought Liz, Ritesh, and I were the ones they predicted would have made it to the summit. I relish the thought that I met so many interesting, diverse, wonderful people. Liz was an exceptional tentmate and dear friend. We shared the same ups and downs, humor, and goals. We couldn't have had better guides than Dan, Stuart, and Lhakpa Gelu. The camaraderie was unforgettable.

Total vertical feet climbed: 18,100'

Next climb? Not sure yet, but perhaps Rainier via the Emmons route in late July. Someday: Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Island Peak, Kala Pattar, Volcanoes of Ecuador

Best non-essential items that I took along: cotton pillowcase, down booties, iPod, goggles

I should have added: salty snacks, deck of cards, a book, humongous down jacket

Aconcagua--February 2--Pampa de Lenas to Penitentes

Just as I was finally drifting into a bit of much-needed REM sleep, I felt Dan jump on top of us. "Time to wake up!" You'll thank me for this later." Stuart replied from afar, "It's not morning. The moon is still up!"

So, for the last time, we stuffed sleeping bags, rolled up pads, loaded our duffels and packs, filled our water bottles, and began our last 8-mile hike. It was a tough one simply because our feet had taken such a beating the day before. Also, this was our 10th day of hiking/climbing without a rest day. But the air was cool and so much more breathable, and we knew showers, clean clothes, a cold beer, and a soft bed were on the horizon.

After endless miles following the river around corner after corner after corner, we reached the trailhead. I sat down in a heap--blistered toes, a nagging upper calf muscle, chafed skin, a head of knotted hair, and raw lips. Upon arriving at Penitentes, I learned that I had lost 3.8 kilos (8+ lbs). The ride back to Mendoza was long but a nice room at the Sheraton awaited us. Hard to describe the relief at finally being able to shower, shave, shampoo, scrub, and brush.

Aconcagua--February 1--Base Camp to Pampa de Lenas

Liz, Stuart, and I slept on the wooden-palette floor in the domed meal tent. I woke up and whispered to Liz, "Best sleep I've had in 2 weeks." Stuart, who I thought was still asleep, piped in, "I'll call Home Depot and have them deliver some of these palettes to your house." I told him our wooden deck would suffice.

The weather was sunny and clear, and the top of the mountain appeared tranquil and calm, but I knew better. We were told that there were not any groups heading for the summit that day. All hell broke loose at breakfast when Jim K started blabbing. After my asking him which technical climbs he had done and his replying, "I'm really more of a hiker," he launched into an analysis of Stuart and Dan's decision to turn back. He claimed he was there only to climb the mountain while many of the rest of us were just there for social reasons. Our crampon skills were not good enough to make the traverse ("Julie, you were still trimming your crampon straps up there!"). When he told me it wasn't cold at Camp III, I told him it wasn't worth a discussion. Thankfully, Dan intervened and told him, "Shut the fuck up, Jim. We've been listening to you for the last 2 weeks and we've had enough. If you'd like to go back up to try to summit, I will arrange it for you." Music to my ears.

I walked out of the room and into another domed tent to tape my feet. Dan came to find me. He was shaking and I was in tears. He made me promise to write on my evaluation that Jim should not be allowed to sign up for any group climbs in the future. A total pompous ass, and he has no climbing experience whatsoever. It wasn't even worth trying to explain to him why my crampon straps needed trimming (I had to replace them right before leaving Seattle because my old straps didn't fit my new boots). At least I've used crampons to climb 7 peaks, something he's never done.

We spent the next few hours hanging around BC packing up all our gear while Dan negotiated at length with Luciano and Mauricio (Grajales porters) to see if they would take Jim back up. They were concerned about the winds and weather, but Dan told them Jim didn't care. In the end, they quoted him a price of over $5300 to be dragged up and down the mountain and then be helicoptered out to Penitentes. Good riddance.

Finally the deal was sealed. We left Jim the with the porters, and Dan, Stuart, Liz, Ritesh, and I started the long hike down to Pampa de Lenas. And a long hike it was: 18 miles through sand and scree and two river crossings. Liz and Ritesh likened it to the Bataan Death March. Stuart carried me across the first river, but the water was running too high at the second. I donned my Tevas and relied on my poles to help avoid falling. The tape all came off my feet, but somehow my heels survived the rest of the hike. What didn't fare so well were the calluses on the bottom of my toes--blisters on every one by the time we pulled into camp around 8:00. Some had even split open.

Camp was filled with climbers on their way up the Vacas Valley--still clean-shaven, pale-skinned, with no signs of embedded dirt, learning how to put up their tents. We must have been quite a sight as we edged towards the campfire--clothes covered with dirt and stains, matted hair, wind-burned faces, and painfully parched lips.

The arrieros (muleteers) were in fine form. They barbecued us huge slabs of beef and chicken, dripping with juices and slathered on large chunks of bread. Bottles of wine and champagne were continuously passed around the circle. There was lots of raucous laughter, probably at the expense of us gringos.

Before darkness completely descended upon the motley scene, I tracked down my duffel and dragged it to the edge of camp where we had decided to sleep under the stars. There was a soothing tepid breeze, and the sky was stunning. I lay in my sleeping bag looking at the sky, unable to sleep because of the pain in my lips. Sounds trivial, but the pain was excruciating.

Aconcagua--January 31--Descent to Base Camp

Once we got off the Camp III ridge, the wind moderated and the temperature warmed considerably. The snow was very wind-packed and slippery, and our descent entailed walking along a rather tilted slope. Lose your footing and you take the express route to Camp II. Below Camp II, most of the snow had melted, so we were back on scree again. We passed many groups headed up, and I would guess that they will be spending multiple days at lower camps as we were told that the next plausible day for summit bids wouldn't be for another week.

I feel relieved to be back at Base Camp. Tomorrow we start the 2-day hike out. Then I'll just have to see if Tom is able to change my return ticket. Richard and Marcel opted to pony up $1600 for an 8-minute helicopter flight back to Penitentes instead of hiking out.

So then there were 3. Liz, Ritesh, and I would be the only ones hiking out with Dan and Stuart. Lhakpa will remain at BC until the next AAI team arrives.

Hope to get some much-needed shut-eye tonight.

Aconcagua--January 31 (early AM)

It's all over. I will not risk my life for this mountain. We had a horrifying night at Camp III. The wind blew 50-60 mph, whipping spindrift around that found our tent's zipper opening (for ventilation) and landed on my face all night. I could feel the whole tent tense and strain under my body, head to toe, and I only hoped that all the lines and poles would hold. The noise was deafening. The sun is out this morning, but the wind continues, and the forecast is for the winds to increase to 100 mph over the next several days. We have no choice but to retreat. If we got stuck in those winds at this altitude, we might not get out. I'm disappointed, but I was scared enough last night that I completely agree with the decision of the guides. It was the still the journey of a lifetime, and it's not over yet.

The porters who came up to III to help started putting on their crampons. When Dan explained to them that we were going down, not up, they all broke out in beaming smiles of relief. They were also very wary of making the traverse to Camp IV.

Still have to get back down to Plaza Argentina.

Aconcagua--January 30--Move to Camp III

I was surprised at how calm it was last night until...

In the middle of the night, the wind started howling, and it hasn't stopped since. It's probably only gusting to 30 mph, but the constant rumble sounds like a low jet overhead. Getting everything packed up in the wind, after an early AM bout of liquid diarrhea, was taxing. It took at least 4 people to take down a tent so it wouldn't fly away in the wind. The trip up to III was harder today--the wind, the fact that it was our 4th climbing day in a row without a rest day, or a tenuous stomach???

Lhakpa had already set up a couple of tents by the time we arrived--he truly is Super Sherpa (13 ascents of Everest, along with the speed record). We crawled into our tent, and I pulled out my iPod for the first time. What a gift to hear some music! I listened for hours, with the iPod perched on my stomach to keep it warm and functional.

Because of the unrelenting wind, the guides delivered soup and dinner to each tent. Stuart unzipped our tent fly and just said, "Damn. The girls' tent smells worse than any of the others." I told him I had just exhumed my sweaty socks from my toasty boots. And I retorted, "Our tent may stink, but who is always ready to go before anyone else in the morning?" He didn't disagree. Liz and I are highly organized and timely.

It's spectacular outside, but the wind is furious. I don't expect to sleep much tonight. Hard to believe that we have to pack up again in the morning for our move to Camp IV. It's all the little things that take so much energy. Attempting to stuff the Plover in a compression sack that is clearly too small almost put me over the edge this morning. Now that we're at 19,200', just getting out of the tent to go to the bathroom takes a supreme amount of energy.

There is talk of leaving for the summit in the late afternoon tomorrow and descending in the dark. That would only appeal to me if the wind completely dissipated. Otherwise, it's just too damn cold when the sun isn't shining. We've been very lucky to have sun every day, but my lips and the bottom of my nose are completely crusty and burned. I think we're all ready to give the summit a shot and then get the hell off this mountain.

This is night 12 in a tent. How I yearn for a nice soft bed and pillow!

Aconcagua--January 29--Carry to Camp III (19,200')

Temperatures were lower this morning and the wind was stronger. The skies were blue with a few high scattered clouds. I packed up insulated pants, down jacket, long underwear, ice ax, crampons, and snacks and started the trek up to III around 9:30. I chatted with Dan about the problems our team had when walking in a line (no rhythm, stop & go, some not using rest step) and he suggested that I fall in behind him. Jim looked chagrined but moved further back in the line. I much prefer to be near the head of the line where I can follow every step the guide takes. Liz took the spot behind me and later told me that she loved following my big red boots. The fresh snow made the route far more enjoyable than walking on scree, and the views just got better and better on the climb up. Camp III sits at the bottom of the Polish Glacier, which is an imposing 45- to 60-degree pitch and is covered with crevasses. Only climbers with strong technical skills attempt to scale this mountain via the route up the glacier.

After caching our gear, we spent a bit of time up at III and then headed back down to II. The weather forecast for Tuesday afternoon and after is quite concerning (today is Friday). Severe winds are on the way. So, it looks like we will move to Camp III tomorrow, skip our rest day scheduled for Sunday, move to Camp IV that day instead, and go for the summit on Monday, February 1. Then we could descend on Tuesday just ahead of the storm. We'll see; things could change at any time.

There's so much in the Plover with me now that I can barely move.

Aconcagua--January 28--Move to Camp II

Totally different day. After lengthy thunderstorms last night, we awoke to 3" new snow on the ground. We packed everything up and had 2 porters (split between the 6 of us) carry our tents, sleeping bags, and group gear. My pack probably weighed only 28 lbs.--what a difference! The sky was clear blue again, so hiking through the penitentes and up the scree slope next to the stream became uncomfortably hot. Still love the sun, though!

Arrived at Camp II feeling good. Lhakpa had already put up a couple of the tents. He's a machine. The sun was hot up here all afternoon so we were able to just hang around outside. There seem to be some thunderstorms in the distance but there's nothing overhead yet. Jim has been in his own private Idaho all day, moping in his tent. Don't know what's up with him.

The Plover (my -25 degree bag):

The Plover (rented from Feathered Friends) keeps me cozy and warm, but the stench that wafts towards me as I tuck my body in is almost unbearable. Sharing quarters with me in the Plover right now: my inner boots, my Superfeet insoles, my sweaty socks, and my hiking pants. At the next camp, I imagine I'll have to add my 2 water bottles so they won't freeze during the night. It's easy to get tangled in the crowded Plover, so tossing and turning becomes an aerobic event. Using the pee funnel in the middle of the night approaches anaerobic activity.

Tomorrow we'll do a hike and light carry up to Camp III at 19,200', and the following day, with the help of porters, we will move up there.

Aconcagua--January 27--Carry to Camp II (17,100')

Happy 21st Birthday, Lindsay. Hope you had a better day than I had.

Woke to lovely clear blue skies again. Always hard to tell how many hours I've slept because I feel like I'm awake all night, but I also have vivid (and very weird) dreams. Plus, we're usually in our tents for about 12 hours. I suggested to Liz that we count the little squares in the tent fabric, but she seriously questioned my sanity.

We, or I should say Liz and I, loaded up very heavy packs. Our theory was that a heavier pack on the first carry would make for a lighter pack on the second carry. I managed to balance my pack on my knee, put one arm through a strap, tried to swing it onto my back, and promptly fell on my butt, thankfully landing on the one spot of sand amid the jagged rocks. Would have made for a great video. Pathetic, actually.

We started up a steep scree slope and then entered the penitentes--the spires of hard snow and ice. Following Dan's lead, our steps were so small that they always overlapped. Rest step, rest step, rest step, pressure breath. Repeat. Add extra pressure breaths as needed.

The sun was scorching. After negotiating some giant steps while winding up through the penitentes, we had to climb up more loose sand and scree next to a stream. Every time I placed my foot in the sand, the ground collapsed. I landed on my forearm once and thought I would never make it up that pitch. Ritesh was behind me and offered, "Julie, I've got your backside." Watch out, Ritesh. I may take you down with me.

It was slow going. Carrying 45 lbs. (~38% of my body weight) at 16,000' and gaining 1800' vertical was exponentially harder than carrying that weight on any hike at home. Stuart stayed with me, encouraging me. Liz and I were both in tears a couple of times today. I can't carry that heavy a pack again. I will ask for help from a porter. If I hadn't trained so hard, I might feel differently, but I completed 62 training hikes, a climb of Mt. Baker in July, and endless hours of strength training, Tabata intervals, and speed hikes, and I still found this to be very difficult. No one carries their own gear in the Himalayas, so I'm over my hurdle of feeling guilty about using a porter to help with group gear.

Cached our gear and descended back to Camp I to sleep. Got to rest before Lhakpa's delicious dinner of dal, rice, potatoes, and carrots. I'm completely overstuffed at the moment but hope it will be good fuel to get me to Camp II again tomorrow.

This mountain is already starting to eat me up. More thunderstorms and snow now, and the big winds are due in on Friday. Just 5 more big uphill climbs. Hope I can do it.

Aconcagua--January 26--Stalled at Camp I

Another change in plans. Helvecio decided to go down--he just wasn't getting any sleep. Very discouraging to lose two big strong (and nice) men. Makes me doubt my ability to get up this mountain. We walked about halfway down to BC with Helvecio, where we met Stuart, who had been down in BC with Daniel and would now accompany Helvecio the rest of the way down. Very sad to see him go. He will apparently hike out with Daniel.

We returned to Camp I and had a picnic lunch of tuna sandwiches under the hot sun. Amazing how good this fresh food tastes up here! Then we did a little crampon review session up by the penitentes (icy spires). Lhakpa Gelu (our 3rd guide) joined us, on his way down from the summit with Team VIII. He took a load of our extra food and gear down to BC and will join us again tomorrow afternoon.

Hard to believe we're down to a group of 6--Liz, Ritesh, Richard, Marcel, Jim K, and I. I may strangle Jim before this is all over. Then we would be 5.

I woke up several times last night and had the feeling of being one breath behind (Cheynes-Stokes respirations). It's a strange feeling, a bit like coming up from being held underwater. Diamox can help increase respiration rate, so I'll split a 250-mg pill into four doses over the course of a day. Should help my breathing at night and will also help with my headache. Still have a sore throat.

Tomorrow will be a big day--first carry to Camp II.

Aconcagua--January 25--Move to Camp I

Loaded up all our personal gear (decided at the last minute to scrap the 2nd pair of boots since it had snowed overnight and I thought I could stomach my 8000-meter boots) and another bag of group gear and headed out of Base Camp around 10:30. Best guess is that my pack weighed about 40 lbs. Getting up some of the scree was tough, but we arrived at Camp I around 1:00.

Just ate more raviolis than seemed humanly possible, especially after hot cider and soup. Sadly, Dan, Stuart, and Helvecio just left (during another major hailstorm) to take Daniel down to BC. He'd been having headaches and then started throwing up. Despite taking Diamox, his headache wouldn't go away so the guides gave him some Dex. Most likely, he'll fly out tomorrow. He's the last member of the team I would have expected to lose as he's so muscular and has climbed Denali. Down to 7 of us now.

Jim K has decided to hire a porter to get his ridiculously massive load up and down this mountain. Some story about his knee hurting. I've never seen such an overstuffed pack. If I have trouble later on or my feet fall apart, I will consider a porter, but not until then.

This hail is intense.

Aconcagua--January 24--Carry to Camp I

Seeing a little action from Mother Nature now. The day started out at 35 degrees, sunny, with scattered clouds. We loaded our packs with a bag of group gear, and I threw in my long underwear, most of my snacks, and eating utensils (not needed at Base Camp). I don't think my pack weighed more than 30-35 lbs. but it was still difficult to get up some of the loose scree. It took us 2:20 to get up to Camp I and 0:45 to get back down. Then the weather changed.

We were treated to severe thunderstorms--instantaneous thunder and lightning right overhead for hours and hours. Liz and I just hung out in the tent. Still snowing now.

I'm getting a lot of flak about taking two pairs of boots up the mountain. I know my pack will be heavier, but I think it's the only way my feet will survive. Tomorrow's pack will be much heavier. Bit of a sore throat and headache now. Will have to try to drink more tomorrow.

Aconcagua--January 23--Carry to Camp I (15,300')

Hard to say goodbye to Tom this morning. Feels like such a daunting task ahead of me, and it was really nice to have him here. Glad he got to meet the cast of characters. He left with a porter named Ignacio (Nacho) around 10 this morning and was going to hike about 16 miles to Pampa de Lena today and then out to the trailhead tomorrow. He'll be back in Mendoza by tomorrow night and will then have a couple days to visit some wineries.

We decided to do a light carry to Camp I--down jacket, insulated pants, big mitts, ice ax, and crampons. Lots of scree and sand; it's going to be a grind with a heavy pack. We stashed everything in one tent up there and hung out for about an hour. First we had wind and clouds, then snow, and then thunder and lightning on the way down. Arrived back in camp just as the precipitation got worse. The wind comes and goes, as does the snow, sleet, and hail. When lying in the tent, I can feel a breath of wind blowing. The tent stretches, flexes, and flaps, luffs like a sail. We haven't had a taste of the real winds here yet. When I get cold down here, I have a hard time imagining what it's going to be like up above. Pray for calm.

Aconcagua--January 22--Rest day at Base Camp

Base Camp medical checkup:

Blood oxygen level: 90%
Pulse: 60
Respiration rate: 12
Blood pressure: 138/70

We all had medical checkups after breakfast this morning. Jim M learned he had pneumonia and was helicoptered back to Penitentes. A few others in the group have lingering coughs, colds, and GI problems, so we've decided to linger in Base Camp another day. Tom is now going to hike down tomorrow, which means Liz will start tenting with me. I hope I don't get her cold and cough. I would be devastated to come down with something at a higher camp. So happy to have a fellow woman along!

Weather was sunny but breezier today, and the forecast calls for changing weather and possibly snow. Dan was nice enough to take Tom on a hike up to Camp I today and also carried two large canisters of fuel to cache. Sounds like a bit of a grueling carry up there even though it's only about 1500' vertical. Took a short hike today just to keep moving. I feel good, though sleep deprived, and I certainly still have a good appetite. I'm eating more than all the men.

Per usual, lots of laughs at dinner despite Jim K's acting like a know-it-all. Wrote a long personalized cybercast for Dan to send in. We'll see if it gets posted.

Aconcagua--January 21--Casa de Piedra to Plaza Argentina (Base Camp)

Saw incredible stars during another rather sleepless night. Woke up just before daybreak and started organizing gear as Dan and Stuart wanted an earlier start. The muleteer taking me across the river dropped me off only halfway across, and I quickly realized there was more deep water ahead. He brought Liz over next, and I made him take her all the way and then come back for me.

We covered a lot more vertical today, much of it in soft sand and scree along the narrow edge of the ravine over the river--not a lot of margin for error. The weather was quite hot, but then black clouds started gathering and we worried about an impending rainstorm. Only a couple drops fell and then the clouds moved off in the direction we had come from. We had a second river to cross and Dan carried me across on his back--more help for my feet. Around 4:00 we wandered into Base Camp and set up the tents where we'll stay for the next three nights. Tomorrow will be a rest day.

Base Camp is quite a sprawling operation--lots of semi-permanent domed tents and pitched tents. We use local outfitter Grajales here for food, and we even eat in a tent with tables and chairs. Lots of chuckles at dinner--altitude induced, no doubt. My muscles feel good, but I'm tired because I haven't been sleeping much. Starting to carry a heavy pack will change things significantly.

We had a spectacular view of the mountain today, and she appeared calm and welcoming. I'm sure we'll see another side of her.

~6 miles, 3500' vertical to 13,800'

Aconcagua--January 20--Pampa de Lena to Casa de Piedra

Another long, hot day hiking through wide open floodplains and valleys. For the most part, we were still near the river, sometimes far above it. The scenery is quite arid but beautiful. There are endless fields of scrubby cacti with small yellow flowers, as well as small pink grape-like pods that then open into little purple flowers. There was not as much of a breeze as yesterday, so it was pretty sweltering. I'm eating and drinking all day long.

The group is still getting along quite well, and Dan and Stuart continue to entertain us; they work extraordinarily well together. The hiking is pretty manageable though much of it entails carefully picking each step through endless piles of rocks. Try to look at something in the distance and you are apt to go down.

Shortly before arriving at camp, we were rewarded with our first view of the mountain. It is stunning, but its challenge boggles the mind.

After setting up our tent and unpacking, Tom and I walked over to the river to dip our feet in. It felt great for the 3o seconds before numbness set in. Dan whipped up a fabulous dinner of ravioli in homemade tomato sauce, followed by canned peaches, fruit cocktail, and cookies. My appetite seems to be intact so far.

Tomorrow is our biggest day of vertical during the entire climb. We start by crossing the river, which I have chosen to do on the back of a mule (for $5) so I won't have to retape my feet, and then we ascend 3500' up the Relinchos Valley to Base Camp. Liz and Jim M are still battling bad coughs and colds. Hope they're on the mend soon.

~12 miles, 1200' vertical

Aconcagua--January 19--Hike from Penitentes to Pampa de Lena

Although I will curse it once we get higher, the breeze today was very welcome. Skies were a clear Andean blue all day with nary a cloud. Without the breeze, it would have been unbearably hot. The pace was slow and the hiking very benign, save the rocks, rocks, and more rocks. No trees, just scrubby cacti-like brush. We made several rest stops and enjoyed a nice lunch of wraps and sandwiches by the river. The mules passed us late in the day, laden down with our barrels of food and duffels of gear.

After arriving in camp, we had a lesson on tents. Can't imagine what it's going to be like putting them up when we're high on the mountain and the wind is gusting. It's not always the hiking or climbing that's most challenging. It's all the other pieces: packing, unpacking, organizing, purifying water, eating, bandaging my feet, staying warm, etc. There are so many pieces to the puzzle.

~ 8 miles, 1400' vertical

Daily routine for my feet:

Clean each foot thoroughly with a baby wipe.
Spray each heel with Tuf Skin and allow to dry.
Carefully place wide piece of Kinesio Tex tape (hot pink!) across each heel.
Tape all edges of Kinesio Tex with Micropore tape.
Sprinkle foot powder on heels to cover any remaining stickiness.

Aconcagua (22,840')--January 18

Why Aconcagua? At 22,840', Aconcagua is the tallest peak in the Western Hemisphere. Despite its towering height, it does not present much objective danger. There are occasional rockfalls, but there are routes that never touch a glacier, thus avoiding the hazard of crevasses. Compared to Rainier, this mountain is relatively tame. Weather is the primary problem--the viento blanco ("white wind") that can relentlessly roll in and blanket the mountain.With the winds come temperatures well below zero, even 35 below zero. Having climbed the highest peak in Mexico in '08 (Orizaba at 18,850'), I needed a new goal. Tom and I had flown over Aconcagua on a flight between Calama and Santiago years before. It made quite an impression on me and was always in the back of my mind. Plus, Tom and I love South America, and he could join me on the 30-mile hike in to Base Camp. Time to give it a try.

The weeks before the climb I was on an emotional roller coaster. One minute I felt strong and prepared, another I felt I had no right to be thinking about such a peak. The logistics, too, were overwhelming. I felt as if I had to tie up every loose end, finish all the tasks that had long been buried in my inbox. I worried about saying goodbye to the kids and to friends. I worried about kicking my nasty cold and cough. I worried about staying warm on the mountain and avoiding blisters on my heels. I knew I would feel better once underway.

On Friday the 15th, Tom and I flew to Dallas, boarded a 767 to Santiago, Chile, and then heard the dreaded announcement, "This plane is out of service. We will all have to deplane and wait for another plane to be brought from the hangar." Painstakingly load 224 travelers and their bags onto a plane and into their seats and then, and only then, tell them, "Oops. Time to look for another plane." The pessimist in me thought there was absolutely no way another plane was going to materialize, but, lo and behold, since Dallas is a hub for American, another plane was dragged to a nearby gate. Three long hours later, after every inch of that plane was checked for security and all the bags and catering supplies were reloaded, we finally got underway. It seemed highly unlikely we would make our connection in Santiago.

The plane was a crappy retrofit--not particularly comfortable, even in Business Class (we used miles for award seats), but I took an Ambien and managed to get some sleep. Upon arrival in Santiago, an American Airlines rep in the hallway convinced us to run to our connecting flight and promised to have our bags put on the plane with us. I was skeptical, very skeptical, but we boarded the plane to Mendoza, Argentina. Our bags were only checked as far as Santiago, and there were no tags on them hinting that our final destination was Mendoza. We were relying on that one agent who had scribbled down the bar code numbers found on our baggage claim stubs.

As expected, our bags did not arrive, and I had visions of all my climbing equipment stuck on a carousel in Santiago. We waited in an endless line at the Mendoza airport and were told the bags would arrive on the last flight of the day. So, we took a short cab ride to the Sheraton, checked in, and took a nap. The phone awakened us. Stuart (one of our Alpine Ascents International guides and my lead guide on Rainier in '08) was at the airport looking for us. He found our bags, which they wouldn't release to him, but not us. I felt bad. Because we had arrived a day earlier than the official start date of the climb, I had no idea that he planned to meet us.

Later that night, Tom and I met Stuart, Dan (our lead guide), Richard and Marcel (two members of the team) in the lobby and walked to Francesco's for a lovely meal of absolutely divine pasta. Marcel is a little fussy, feminine, and high maintenance. Will be interesting to see how that plays out.

I laid pretty low on Sunday. Others in the group started trickling in--Jim M, complete with multiple silver chains on neck and wrist and a ring on every finger; Ritesh, very soft spoken and nice; Helvecio from Brazil, very friendly, lots of climbing experience, easy to talk to; Daniel, strong as an ox, our age, has climbed Denali; and Jim Keogh, affable Irish UPS pilot. And Liz. Liz, who was nice enough to say upon meeting me that she just had to give me a hug. I'm so glad she's along. She's a PA at Johns Hopkins and seems to do exactly what Catherine does.

After securing our climbing permits, we left Mendoza on Monday morning and drove to Penitentes, stopping for lunch along the way. The group is diverse but everyone is getting along and there are lots of laughs. We are now at the Hosteria Ayelen, right at the base of the ski area and only 8 km from where we start hiking tomorrow. We had to sort out all our gear--a duffel to be loaded on the mules, hiking clothes in a daypack for the hike in, and other items to be left here for retrieval upon our return. Lots of organizing.

It's been fun to watch groups trickle in as they're coming off the mountain--dirty, bearded, tired, and all anxious to hop on the gear scale to see how much weight they lost. My weight in shorts, t-shirt and Tevas: 55.8 kg. When we arrived here, it was cloudy and the wind was howling. Then it calmed and cleared. The temp is dropping as we are at about 8000'. Tomorrow begins my long adventure.

Just ate horribly bland ravioli for dinner. Dan and Stuart continue to entertain. Jim M is coming down with a cold, so he ate dinner in his room. Time for a little reading and some sleep.