Entries from Expedition Dispatches
Today we carried ten days of food and fuel along with some personal gear to 15,500’. Our intended goal was
Camp 1 but strong winds forced us to cache lower on the mountain. The route out of base camp follows a narrow choke with the Relinchos Glacier on the right and a large rock buttress on the left. Once through the choke, we rambled on through the scree covered glacier with great views of the surrounding peaks. From here we have one more large scree slope to switch back up and Camp 1 sits on a flat bench.
The mountain is holding more winter snow then I have seen in the 13 years I’ve been coming down here. Unfortunately the wind was too strong to allow us out on the snow. The entrance to Camp 1 is through a steep and narrow drainage that funnels wind on the best of days let alone when we are having trouble standing on flat ground. We compiled our gear and food, covered it with large talus and headed back to base camp. The Team preformed well on their first heavy carry and their downhill walking was excellent, even with the high winds. We will rest tomorrow and hope for the wind to ease off.
RMI Guide Mike King
The winds went all night but didn’t cause much damage. Morning was a familiar mix of grey and greyer with light snow falling. Nothing was going flying today... too much of a mid-storm feeling to the world. We ate breakfast and attended lectures for the morning. After lunch, my gang eagerly showed up for a field trip in the Tucker snow bus. There were about 18 of us rambling along a flagged and gps-ed ice road in the big tracked vehicle. The snow storm continued, but we went on instruments to find the “wind scoop” by Mount Charles. We got out and donned stretchy traction aids to help our boots on the hard blue ice. We then walked toward an enormous snow and ice formation, the wind scoop carved out by patient and endless winds around the base of an
Antarctic mountain. Simple... except it was also beautiful and primal. It snowed on us as we walked, and the winds kept up, but every now and then, we could see enough to be impressed and awed by the scale and the relentlessness of ice, snow, wind, sun and rock.
When we got back to the comfortable dining tent at Union Glacier, it shocked us for a moment that the staff had put up all of the Christmas decorations. We haven’t given up on getting home for the big event, but dinner with friends in this wild setting was still pretty fun.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
The Team had a restful night and woke feeling good after a delicious dinner of tacos and calm weather. The morning consisted of sorting and packing gear for our carry to Camp 1 tomorrow. With winds picking up the Team went for a short hike to stretch their lungs and legs.
Plaza Argentina Base Camp is located on an undulating glacial moraine that is covered in scree. The camp is comprised of four large outfitters that provide logistics and meals. There are 10 large geodesic dome tents per outfitter and a few buildings for the Park Rangers. Hot showers, internet, pizza and cold drinks make the living up here pretty rough. While everyone is enjoying the amenities, after a few more nights here they will be itching to get going on the upper mountain.
We are currently resting and watching the clouds pass. Plaza Argentina is starting to get busy as 3-4 groups have walked in.
Casual day and there is some nervous energy about the first heavy carry day tomorrow. The guides are all pleased with how everyone is acclimating and getting along. With clouds covering the upper slopes we are anticipating some snow and cooler temperatures for the remainder of the day. Thanks for following along.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
There was a chance today... had things gone a little differently, we might have left the continent. The Ilyushin crew were hot to get back in tonight to pull us out before the big storm, but the “window” turned out to not be enough of a window.
It was a little surreal walking into the dining tent this morning (under cloudy skies and in wind) to find all new people in camp... the marathoners were gone and bunch of South Pole enthusiasts were in. The immediate effect was that breakfast was easier to come by... those runners were serious at feeding time. The weather today was mostly in-between. There were some tranquil moments, but there was also ample sign that it was all going to get worse. The big question (for us) was whether the relative calm before the fireworks would be calm enough for long enough to get a big plane in and out. The final call didn’t come until we were finished with dinner... not tonight. My gang still kept their spirits up... we attended several lectures on
Antarctica and the mountains of the world. We read in the library and mingled in the dining tent. We smiled at everybody. As it got a little later, we went out to hold the sleeping tents down in the gathering storm. We’ve got a big darn snow wall for protection and our tents are perfectly oriented to the prevailing winds. Still, it will be a long night of frayed nerves as the tent fabric snaps like machine gun fire and the wind howls down off Mount Rossman. Union Glacier Camp doesn’t normally get such turbulence and truculence at this time of year. A rare treat for a select audience.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
We got an early start today so the group could catch a mule ride across the Vacas River. We started our hike up the narrow mouth of the Relinchos valley and eventually made our way onto another high rolling plateau. The winds were calm and the view of
Aconcagua just kept getting better.
The mountain is holding a lot of winter snow and a descent amount of new snow. This should make climbing to Camp 1 easier on the Team as we hopefully won’t have as much loose scree to navigate. We are all settled in at Base Camp with darkening skies above. The first night at almost 14,000’ is always an adjustment so we will take a day off tomorrow to rest and pack for our carry to Camp 1.
Everyone is excited to be here and actually start the climb. Thanks for following along.
RMI Guide Mike King
On The Map
It was tough to tell the difference this morning... another cloudy, snowy start without the benefit of sun. But things began to clear by mid morning. There was that same transformation when people could again see horizons and mountains and when they could walk from tent to tent without pulling on hoods and big gloves.
Union Glacier weather was coming around, but apparently it was coming around more slowly in Punta Arenas because the Ilyushin decision was being looked at on an hour to hour basis. In camp we carried on -attending a lecture on Antarctic Ice, snow and glaciers. By late afternoon, winds in Union Camp had come up, but they must have dropped in Patagonia because the flight took off at 5:30 PM. It should be here at 10 PM -in about 20 min. We spent a pleasant evening with the marathon folks, remembering and commemorating the big race. They are all packed and ready to be moving again and we are hanging tough and set to be on the following flight.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
The Team enjoyed a calm night at
Lenas. When the moon is new to half-full the shooting stars are so plentiful that one person said, “it is as if the sky can’t hold all of them”. The Milky Way runs right down the valley skyline, the southern cross is unmistakable and the flashes of heat lightning over the horizon makes this night absolutely spectacular to sleep out of the tent.
We walked a little over 9 miles today and enjoyed a consistent breeze that kept us cool. From a casual glance the scenery doesn’t change to much and when taking a closer look one has never seen so many shades of brown, red and orange. The Team is doing well, acclimating to these higher altitudes and slowly adjusting to the dry desert air. Tonight we’ll dine on the second best chicken on the plant along with grilled vegetables and a bow tie pasta salad. You might be asking yourself where the best chicken is located at? For that you will have to head to Mexico with RMI to climb the Volcanoes and find out. Thanks for following along, we’ll check in from Plaza de Argentina tomorrow.
RMI Guide Mike King and Team
This was a day for naps and meals and diversions. The wind was on again and off again throughout the day. The sun never did break through and snow kept falling on
Union Glacier. There was never any question of airplanes coming to visit. One of the ALE snowcat drivers plowed up a fifty foot long, eight foot high snow berm as a shield around our sleeping tents, which is certainly a comfort. As usual, the staff kept serving up excellent meals (for about 130 staff and guests) and presenting great lectures to fill the time. For evening entertainment, we watched “the Perfect Storm” in the library tent.
Best Regards,
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
The Team got a casual start to the morning with some breakfast and last minute packing and adjustments before the Mule drivers arrived to load our food and equipment for the next 2.5 weeks on
Aconcagua. The morning sun already felt hot was we waited for our shuttle to the national park. We got started around 11am with a stiff breeze that turned into a very windy day. While wind makes some parts of being outside difficult, it lowered the temperatures and wicked our sweat, this cooling effect made for a nice hike to camp.
The Team is getting out of the sun, some in tents and some have found some shade among the massive boulders that surround camp. We will enjoy the afternoon and then throw down on the best steak and assorted grilled meats the world has ever known. The asado at Las Lenas is legendary, it’s rich and bountiful smoke is infused into your clothing, bringing back memories of the communal dinner and meatmares often associated with this wonderful start to an expedition. We are happy, healthy and looking forward to what tomorrow will bring. Thanks for following along.
RMI Guide Mike King
Rough day at U
nion Glacier. Early on, there was the hope that the Ilyushin would fly... there were even expected times and schedules developed. But before we got very far into the morning, the flight was canceled due to big winds in Punta Arenas. This wouldn’t have been our flight, of course, as it is devoted to getting the marathon folks out. But obviously we need this one done to get to our own. The weather at Union spiraled into a nasty storm during the late afternoon and evening. 55 mph winds punished our tents in the middle of the night in this normally calm camp, causing most guides and staff to be up and on alert through the wee hours. Winds mellowed by morning, but now a snowstorm has set in. Despite the disappointments of the day, spirits were high as we worked to entertain one another with lecturers and movies and slideshows. We are hanging in there at Union Glacier.
Best Regards
RMI Guide Dave Hahn
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This sounds like an amazing adventure! We are so proud of you and we know you can do it!
-Tom and Maggie
Writing from a Waffle House in East Kentucky
Posted by: Tom and Maggie on 12/23/2018 at 9:49 am
You guys are all amazing! This is a challenge for me to even think about your climb. Please be safe and enjoy every minute of this incredible experience.
Momma Kay
Posted by: Kay Robinson on 12/22/2018 at 8:04 am
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