The mules are loaded and the team is ready to go. Today we start the adventure on Aconcagua with our approach up the Vacas valley. Clear skies, pleasant temps and a healthy team all sound like a great way to begin an expedition. Talk to ya'll from the mountain.
RMI Guide Jake Beren
Go Katie and Adam! I hope you are having an amazing time!
Posted by: Jenna on 12/16/2011 at 5:04 pm
Great climb!! You are always heros in our eyes. Wish we could be with you (well, at least Rosston and I). Good luck on the balance of your trip. We look forward to your tales and pictures.
Love,
Steve, Judy & Rosston
Posted by: steve sherlock on 12/16/2011 at 11:44 am
Hello everyone,
Our team has arrived in Mendoza excited and ready to start our Aconcagua adventure!
After finishing up our permits, grabbing the last minute supplies at the grocery store and gear shops, we are ready to head out of town. It is a beautiful day here in Mendoza and should make for a great drive to Penitentes where we will ready our gear for the mules and have one last night of Argentine cuisine before switching to the equally appealing mountain cuisine that will fuel our climb.
Tomorrow we will leave civilization for a few weeks and start the climb. Wish us luck everyone and stay tuned as we work our way up this beautiful mountain.
RMI Guides Jake Beren, Elias de Andres Martos, Geoff Schellens
We wanted to let you all know that we made it to Mendoza! Got to Punta de Vacas around 1pm today, a couple hours in Penitentes, and then the van ride down here. Headed out shortly for our first big dinner off the mountain!
Hope all is well and we'll be in touch. Ciao.
RMI Guide Pete Van Deventer
Hey gang, this is Billy checking in with Geoff and Pete here. We're giving you guys a call from basecamp, Plaza Argentina, after a successful summit attempt yesterday. We spent a good part of the day today walking down from high camp at Plaza Cholera all the way down here to basecamp, just under 14,000 feet. Everybody is a great mood. We enjoyed an awesome meal of mashed potatoes and roasted chicken, courtesy of the great folks at Grajales, our outfitter. Right now we are just getting all of our mule loads prepared for the long walk to the road tomorrow. And should actually take all day tomorrow and a half of the next day before we're back to civilization. For all those you that are following along, this might be the last you’ll hear of us until we're back to Mendoza. And thanks for following along. And we'll talk to you all soon. Ciao.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Hi everybody, who’s been following along. This is Billy, just checking in, we just completed, our summit day and we were able successfully put six climbers on top of Aconcagua this afternoon. We’re all back at camp safe and sound. And we enjoyed a sunny summit and then the weather kinda came in on our descent. And we are sitting in tents right now and it's snowing lightly. But pretty much plans from here on out are to pack up and high tail it out- out to basecamp and then straight back to Mendoza. Everyone sends their love to their family members and loved ones, and especially Richard. Richard wanted me to make a point of saying that he loves his wife very much and that she’s his valentine and that he could not have summitted today without her. And we’ll check in again as things progress and we're headed back home. All right. Take care. Bye bye.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Nice job everyone. I was on Billy’s team last year standing atop Aconcagua, and have been following your progress. Congratulations! Now get outta there safely!
If he isn’t doing his Chicago Superfan routine on your hike out, you are totally missing out.
Posted by: Dan on 2/15/2011 at 12:03 pm
Great job guys! I’m happy for y’all! Lots of Malbec waiting for you in the city. Maybe even Basecamp, if you’re as lucky as Team Gabby was.
Hey everybody, it's Billy checking in for the entire crew. We woke up this morning to beautiful blue sky and calm winds and finally the storm broke for us. So we packed up our stuff and left Chopper Camp. We just moved in here at Camp Cholera and looks like this weather is gonna be holding for us through the evening and tomorrow and that makes tonight our summit attempt so will be getting up pretty early in the morning tomorrow and if all goes according to plan, we’ll be standing on top of the Americas, the summit of Aconcagua. We will give you guys a phone call and check in tomorrow at the end of the day and let you know how things went. Wish us luck.
Talk later. Ciao.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
RMI Guide Billy Nugent talks about the planned summit attempt for tomorrow.
Howdy gang, we are up here at Chopper Camp. We are experiencing 30 mph winds, about 30 feet visibility, sometimes less and plenty of blowing snow to boot. We are starting to feel like we're in the middle of an Alaskan storm here. A little bit worse cause we're so close to our objective.
Me and the guides have been jammin’ reggae and blues in the tent to try to channel some southern or tropical vibes and overcome this lousy storm. But the forecast actually calls for the squall to blow itself out tonight and if that's the case we're going, the whole team will head up tomorrow to Cholera Camp tomorrow. And then may take a crack at the summit on Valentine's Day. But right now, Pete says the stoke meter is currently at 1 ½, so please send us your happy, positive, and tropical weather vibes, down here in South America.
We miss you all. Wish us luck.
Ciao
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
RMI Guide Billy Nugent checks in from 18,000' on Aconcagua
Today was the first day we've been stymied by lousy weather but the forecast looks pretty good! We're just stuck in our tents waiting for sunshine and calm winds. The rest of the crew is taking the weather day quite well. Depending on tomorrow's conditions we may move to Cholera Camp (19,600') in a single carry because the distance is relatively short and the group loads will be light...
We'll keep you posted!
Stuck in tents,
RMI Guide Billy Nugent and the crew
The crew moved up to Chopper Camp. It's currently dumping up here, with the forecast calling for 4-6" of accumulation. Tomorrow's plans call for a quick carry to Plaza Cholera (high camp) which means we're getting close to pulling the trigger on our summit assault. We need some cooperation from the weather but it looks like we're going to get a good window in the upcoming days!
Stoke meter is climbing (with the barometer)!
RMI Guide Billy Nugent and the gang.
Tell Papa(Steve)that we love him and can’t wait to see him. Love, his grandbabies.
Posted by: Sierra and Kira Curtis on 2/11/2011 at 8:25 am
Enjoy the rest days. When the hots are up, go get um…fill up with all the great oatmeal and pasta your guide prepare for you. Summit day is a bit long, but well worth the effort when you step onto the top. Git-er-done team two!!! Hey Pete…hope you’re enjoying #2…remember…only one trip up to the summit this time!!!
Buen día to all you following along back home! This fearless (not really) group are chilling at Camp 1 after yesterday's carry up to the CHOPPER CAMP (pronounced with an ex-governator accent). The weather is gorgeous this morning; blue skies with all of the surrounding mountains dusted white with yesterday's snowfall. The group is acclimatizing very well and is chomping at the bit to move higher.
Patience is the name of the game now. The rest and acclimation we get here will make us strong up high!
Ants-in-our-pants-o-meter: 7.8.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Patience is the name of the game now. The rest and acclimation we get here will make us strong up high!
Ants-in-our-pants-o-meter: 7.8.
RMI Guide Billy Nugent
Go Katie and Adam! I hope you are having an amazing time!
Posted by: Jenna on 12/16/2011 at 5:04 pm
Great climb!! You are always heros in our eyes. Wish we could be with you (well, at least Rosston and I). Good luck on the balance of your trip. We look forward to your tales and pictures.
Love,
Steve, Judy & Rosston
Posted by: steve sherlock on 12/16/2011 at 11:44 am
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