Well, after finishing one adventure, it’s right on to the next and I am already missing RandoKitty…big time! Now, I am in Mendoza, Argentina, to attempt to climb and ski the Polish Glacier on Cerro Aconcagua which tops out at 6962m (22,975′).
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the good weather that has been such a blessing in Antarctica will follow us on the mountain and make our objective a success. Only a handful of people have skied Aconcagua, like no more that 30(?), and it is very hard to catch the route in good condition and without the wind howling like a freight train. Interestingly enough, since word has gotten out about our attempt, I have been contacted by two other parties also attempting to ski it during the same time frame we will be there. Man, I sure hope it’s not bumped out! 🙂
Next year’s Warren Miller movie.
I’ve also been talking with John Griber and Doug Stoup a bit about it lately and they both say that it is one of the coldest and most violent places they have ever been. Pretty intimidating since they have been to the poles of the earth and to the top of Mount Everest. I sure hope I brought enough clothing. The permit to climb the peak is for three weeks and since we want to stack the odds in our favor, we are currently scheduled to be there for the full three weeks. My flight back to Jackson is on Dec 11th, but if we have success and summit before then, I may try to return earlier. It takes most parties two days to get to basecamp, and typically requires at least two high camps to before making a summit attempt. Add in some weather, rest and acclimatization days, and you can see how time adds up.
We are now waiting to rendezvous with Fernando Grajales and discuss our options for when we can head into to basecamp and begin the climb. More….later.
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You are missing nothing back home. High pressure…Nothing but a small pulse this weekend. Enjoy your turns!
you mean…missing nothing…besides randokitty. 🙂
Steve,
Keep the updates coming! We are pulling for you here in Bzn. Loving the photos and stories. keep it real.. eat some Mendoza mozzarella pizza.. the kind with the green olives on every slice..
cheers,
josh
Whassup Ramirez! Just woke up from a nap in Boulder. Was it all a dream? Going through serious Antarctica withdrawal. Run into my cuz yet? Looking forward to following Aconcagua. Give Glen a high-five for me. What’s the text message number again?
hey guys! right now there is good weather on the mountain…but very windy…surprise, surprise!!! the good news is that everything is on track and we are headed into basecamp in the next few days. some new snow in the forecast for early next week…more high winds…and then we pray for things to mellow out a little.
sammyb…it was all real…i have it all on film. except for those late night shenanigans. bad news regarding your cuz. he got a really bad infection in his hand over the weekend…so he had to pull out from the trip. a real bummer…and now we are a team of three. kim arrived today and we are sorting gear and about to head out for malbec!!!!
more info about sending messages to our satellite phone coming soon…and i should have access to my email account from basecamp. a mixed blessing. 😉
I’ve been a fan of your site for a long time, but have never commented until now. Of all the people on this trip, you were the only one that provided quality updates, photos, etc. The skiing and the whole experience looked super sweet!! It was really awesome to follow, thanks so much for taking the time and care to do it.
thanks so much cameron. i worked very hard to get the posts from antarctica up, so it is nice to here it is appreciated. i’m sure alot of people on the ship thought i was a complete computer geek. plus…i know there will be alot of media surrounding this trip down the the road…so it’s nice to get a jump on things..and be the first to get it out there. thanks for visiting tetonat.com! next post from 23,000′??? 🙂
I have to echo Cameron’s sentiments and thank you very much for your updates from Antarctica. Late start for snow in the east but turns are on my mind. Good luck on the groovy peruvy.