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