Casa de Piedra – Aconcagua

Peter Whittaker reporting.  After our celebration dinner and a good night’s sleep, we were ready to hit the trail early this morning. We had such a great day yesterday and our energy was still super upbeat today. We made good time getting into Casa de Piedra despite a few sore legs!

Summit Day – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  Last night at high camp, it just didn’t seem like we would get a chance to make the top of Aconcagua… it was snowing and socked in when I sent yesterday’s dispatch. But then, just before darkness came on, the snow stopped and the clouds dropped. During the night there were occasional [...]

High Camp Day 3 – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  Not too many of us got good sleep last night. Waves of wind rolled through, driving snow and rattling nerves. The alarm clocks went off at 4:30 AM but the wind hadn’t let up by that point. It did eventually calm down with daybreak… just a little too late for us to [...]

Summit Attempt 1 – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  Up at 2:30 AM this morning to start the stoves and go for a climb. It had been a still and calm night until around midnight when a wind began, but it wasn’t a very strong wind and we considered ourselves quite lucky as we set out around 4 AM under starry [...]

High Camp – Day One – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  After that slight worry that the weather was going to fall apart on us yesterday, we experienced our calmest and warmest night of the trip so far. Followed by a perfect and cloudless morning at Camp One while we knocked the tents down and loaded up for the move to high camp. [...]

Rest Day Two – Camp One – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  The sun hit our tents just after 7 AM and we got out fast for our carry to high camp. There was a distinct change in the weather as we saw a wind sculpted cloud cap hovering above the mountain’s summit for much of the day. We were walking by 8:30 AM [...]

Rest Day – Camp One – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  Not so much to report today. An easy day for all as the weather was perfect and the schedule was delightfully uncluttered. The production teams got some shots of camp life, most went for short walks. Myself and Ed Viesturs carried gear to 19,200 ft, previewing the route to Camp II which [...]

Camp One -16,600 ft – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  No big parties last night, all was quiet at Basecamp until the morning helicopter began what seems to be its morning workout at 7AM, just before the sun hit. We were all up and half-packed by our 8 AM breakfast. Everybody had lots of details to chase down and loads to figure [...]

Carry to Camp One – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting.  The clouds cleared with sunset last night, but enough of them stuck around to make the moonrise spectacular through bright pillows of distant cumulus with lightning bolts adding to the show. It was an easy night at basecamp although it was somewhat curious -so far up a mountain- to be serenaded by [...]

Basecamp – Aconcagua

Dave Hahn reporting from Today was our planned rest day. All is well and all are feeling good. We enjoyed a calm night with a huge moon that kept Jake Norton out snapping pictures until quite late. There were a few minor headaches reported and some of the normal insomnia that comes with a first [...]