We got an early start this morning from Casa de Piedras. A quick breakfast of oatmeal, some sorting of gear, and we were moving by seven. It was another cloudless morning for us, and it was fairly chilly in the shade of morning. The first thing we had to do was cross the Vacas River. Usually we ride mules across to avoid the frigid waters in the early morning, but today things were moving a little slow, maybe a side effect of New Years celebration. Eventually everyone decided it wasn’t worth waiting, and we forged the mighty river on foot. This particular section was actually very manageable this year. A few of us took off our pants in anticipation of thigh deep water, but it turns out there was no need. It was about a foot and a half deep, and ten feet wide with a few braids. The most notable feature was the cold. There was ice on the edges of the channel, and the water caused painful numbing almost instantly. We took a moment on the other side to re-warm, laugh at ourselves, and put shoes back on, and we were off. The rest of the day followed the same rhythm that we’ve grown accustomed to. Walk, drink, eat. We pulled into basecamp in the early afternoon, enjoyed some new luxuries, and set up our homes for the next few days. Tomorrow is our first rest day. We will spend it relaxing, rehydrating, and doing some planning for the days to come. RMI Guides JM Gorum, Hannah Smmith, Avery Parrinello

On The Map