Entries from Aconcagua

Hola friends,

As we watched the winds continue to move across the upper mountain, we kept doing what we’ve done this entire expedition — gathering information, having honest conversations, and making thoughtful decisions with the reality in front of us.

The truth is this: we can prepare perfectly and still not be promised the summit.

Over the past weeks, this team has done everything within their control. We carried heavy loads when it would have been easier not to. We rested when rest felt unnatural. We ate when we weren’t hungry. We drank water when it was freezing. We managed headaches, wind, and the slow grind of altitude. We adapted when the forecast changed. We showed up for each other.

We put ourselves in position.

And that’s not a small thing.

Many other teams descended but we kept hope and we kept trying.

But Aconcagua does not negotiate. She doesn’t bend to training plans, travel schedules, or how badly we want it. The winds remained strong enough that continuing higher would have crossed the line from determined into unsafe.

So at 21,400 feet on the Grand Traverse, we made the call.

Turning around is never dramatic in the moment. It’s measured. It’s a look at each other and a nod of the head.  It’s built on experience and trust. And on big mountains, it’s often the decision that defines a team more than a summit photo ever could.

No one here failed. No one fell short. This team did the work. They earned the chance. And sometimes earning the chance — and having the wisdom to step back when the mountain says no — is the deeper success.

We walk down proud.

And grateful.

And ready for a shower and warmth.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the A-team

Hello again from Colera,

Surprise! We’re still here. The cold and the winds kept us from attempting a summit run early this morning. Instead we slept in and had breakfast “in bed” but it was actually just our sleeping bags because that was the only place warm enough. We decided as a team to stick around one more night — the forecast doesn’t look great but there’s always a chance. It could surprise to the upside. We press on here at nearly 20,000 feet — we’ve come this far, what’s one more night of frozen boots and wind lullabies?

Come on atmosphere simmer down now,

--RMI GuideJess Wedel and the A-team

“The wind you really got to dread is the one that howls inside your head…” -Muni, but perhaps adapted from somewhere else.

Hello hi there,

Today we climbed again to Camp 3 — Colera — at 19,600 feet.

Another windy, cold day. At this point it almost feels… expected. Normal, even. We wake up, we zip the tents carefully so they don’t become kites, we layer up, we check each other’s hoods and buckles, and we move.

We are dialed now. Dialed with our breaks. Dialed with our systems. Dialed with how to open a snack without sending it to Chile. We don’t rush. We don’t waste energy. We just keep taking the next step.

The stretch from Camp 2 to Camp 3 is one of my favorites on this mountain. Aconcagua reigning to our left — massive and unmoved. The Andes rolling out to our right in layers of red, gold, and shadow. Brutal and beautiful, side by side, as they so often are up here.

Colera is a stark place. The wind doesn’t whisper here — it announces itself. This is where the normal route meets the false Polish Traverse (the route we took up), the lines of climbers converging under the same summit skyline. The camp is tucked into large white rocks that jut upward like a jagged crown. We nestle ourselves into their protection as best we can.

Life at nearly 20,000 feet is not casual. Every movement costs something. Simple tasks feel consequential. But the team is steady. Eating. Drinking. Checking in. Doing the small things well.

Tonight we crawled into our tents early to let our bodies rest. Tomorrow is a big question mark. We’ve done everything we can to put ourselves in position.

Now we wait to see what the mountain says.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Aconcagua team

Another day high in the Andes! We were able to carry and cache loads at 19,600 feet at Camp 3 - Colera.

We bundled up, did a little dance to our favorite hype song and took off into the wind.

Mostly clear skies and beautiful views greeted us as we slowly ascended to Camp 3. We cached our gear and stayed at that altitude for more than an hour before we began the quick descent back to Camp 2.

We’re now in the best possible position we can be for our summit attempt and are monitoring all the forecasts to find a window.

We’ve spent the afternoon resting, recovering and greeting more teams as they arrive at Camp 2.

On the menu for tonight’s dinner is steak, mashed potatoes and of course, soup! Soup is the king of expeditions. Warm and hydrating — what more could you want.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Jess and the Aconcagua team

Hola,

Well, the forecast came true. We hunkered down at Camp 2 today and endured big winds. As I speak, the mountain is hidden in a cloud and light snow is falling.

Lots of teams moving in to Camp 2 and carrying loads so even though the weather was tough, there’s lots of activity up at 18,000 feet.

Tonight, we’re staying warm with bowls of ramen and an early bedtime. We’re hopeful to carry a load of gear to Camp 3 tomorrow but let’s see what the mountain says when we wake up.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Aconcagua team

Hello!

Today we had our best weather day yet. Oh my goodness, was it needed. A reprieve. None of us slept much last night because the wind was relentless but just as the sun came over the horizon it began to soften. As we were cooking breakfast both Leandro and I went outside just to look to see if it really had dissipated. It had! Happy dance. Happy dance.

So we packed up camp calmly and we put on our backpacks and we began the move to Camp 2. It was so pleasant, the views remarkable. Mountains beyond mountains. Everyone moved well, steady. It felt good to climb in silence and sunshine.

We had a wonderful afternoon at Camp 2 and ate chicken burritos for dinner. The whole team had seconds which may mean nothing to you at home but to me that means everyone is doing so well here at 18,000ft and appetites are staying strong.

We expect high winds tonight and into tomorrow but you just never know. Time will tell. No matter what, we feel stoked to have made it to Camp 2.    

And with that, goodnight! 

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Aconcagua team.

P.S. don’t be alarmed if you aren’t hearing from your loved one all of a sudden - no wifi here at Camp 2 for the moment. All is well.    

Hello dear readers,

As I lay down in my tent after another eventful day on Aconcagua, I can hear what sounds like a freight train. And as I type that, the sides of the tent bend into my face as that freight train reaches camp — in the form of 40+ mph winds.

This has become a fairly normal occurrence for the 2026 Aconcagua season.

Here’s what you need to know. Today we carried loads up and up a traverse we’ve been staring at since the first time we saw Aconcagua nearly a week ago. Near the top, we stopped, pulled on our hard shells, and braced ourselves. We knew we were about to get blasted as we crossed the Ameghino Col.

We were right.

Huge gusts ripping through. A brief moment of calm, then another hit. And another. We kept moving. Sometimes stopping to brace. Short breaks. Then back to it.

Before long, we dropped into Camp 2 — snow spinning off the ridgelines, winds strong enough to knock you off balance if you weren’t paying attention. We dove into the dome tent as fast as possible, grateful for even a small reprieve.

There’s plenty more wind in the forecast, but there’s also still hope. If we keep doing the right things, day after day, we may earn a chance at the top. For now, we stay right here in the moment.

Tomorrow we move to Camp 2. Hopefully with less wind. But either way — we’re ready. We’re ready.

I’m beyond proud of this team for charging hard, staying mentally and physically strong, and still laughing with me along the way.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel

P.S. did you figure out who Lady Whistledown was? That’s a secret I’ll never tell. ��

Dearest Gentle Reader,

As February marches forward on Aconcagua, many of us are left wondering: who will be this season’s diamond?

Perhaps the honor goes to our esteemed mountain guides, Duchess Wedel and the Viscount, Leandro. This author stood amazed at the rapid and seemingly flawless execution of logistics this morning, as they sorted, weighed, divvyed and divinated, all in service of our move to Camp 1. The Viscount in particular turned heads when he produced, somehow, two rounds of delicious hamburgers for dinner at 16,400 feet.

Or perhaps this season’s incomparable is Cuca and her indefatigable base camp court. The Ton left camp this morning bellies full and spirits high, in no small part thanks to their industrious efforts hosting us for five restorative days at Base Camp.

Perhaps it is not one diamond her majesty selects this season, but rather six. The whole Ton huffed and puffed for hours today, carrying loads to our newly appointed estates at Camp 1. Many a bead of sweat fell beneath an azure, cloudless sky and a relentless Sun more overbearing than the mother of any eligible lady in her debut season.

This author suspects the season’s true diamond, as in all climbing seasons, is indeed Her Majesty herself: Aconcagua! But will our climbers reach the capricious perch of her much sought after summit? Each season many claim her crown while many others return to greener pastures humbled by her many challenges.

And so the Ton proceeds to the upper mountain, in pursuit of her favour. Marching upward and onward, eager to climb ever-higher in elevation, if not in her esteem. But challenges enumerable await them as they leave behind the comforts of base camp. Will the Ton’s thus-far tireless bonhomie survive the indignities of high camp and strong winds? I suspect, dear reader, that only time will tell. 

— Yours as always, Lady Whistledown

PC: Jess Wedel

Friday, February 6, 2026

Rest days at base camp have a funny way of being both quiet and full. Today was about taking care of the little things before we head higher — the kind of things that feel oddly important when you’re about to trade comfort for commitment.

There were showers. Likely the last real ones for a while. Sun hoodies were washed — the one that will be worn for the next nine days. Morale improved accordingly.

Some of us still worked (yes, even on the side of a mountain… thank you, Starlink). We all took a slow walk out into the surrounding landscape, which looks less like Argentina and more like Mars. Red rock, wide silence, and that sense that you’re very far from anywhere else.

We were reminded that taking steps is easy, standing still is hard. Base camp life does that to you.

As the evening settled in, it was the usual mix: friends, a little wine, a lot of laughter, and a growing mental shift toward what comes next. We’re getting ready to climb.

Tomorrow, we head up.

RMI Guide Jess Wedel

P.S. Erika - we are loving the song suggestions! Today we kept it chill and the song of the day was “Against the Wind” by Bob Seger. Felt appropriate.
 

Thursday, February 5, 2926

Here we are, rest day at base camp.

This morning we lingered at breakfast, another cup of coffee, another cup of tea. We covered an impressive range of topics: public healthcare, data analysis, the influence of AI, and the origins of acetaas it relates to acetaminophen and acetazolamide (Diamox). This naturally led to the balsamic vinegar on the table and the discovery that aceta in Spanish and in pharmaceuticals means… vinegar.

From there, the conversation drifted to how we all ended up in the mountains. What they mean to us. On paper, we couldn’t be more different. But there was so much overlap in our stories, the braids of humanity connecting all these very different people trying this one very hard thing.

One hour turned into another and soon (as it always does) we found ourselves talking about the forecast. Summit chances. Strategy. The great obsession.

What we landed on was this: we are doing everything in our power to be ready if the mountain gives us the opportunity. We’re addressing small things early. We’re getting calories in. We’re resting. We’re keeping our minds steady through the unknowns and emotional whiplash of expedition life.

What we cannot control is the mountain. 

The weather. 

The great winds.

With high winds now and more in the forecast — we’ve decided to hold steady at base camp another day. So tomorrow, we rest again. 

We take care of ourselves as much as we can in the hopes that the jet stream winds die down, in the hopes that we will get the chance to climb. And there is still definitely hope! Do we need things to go our way? Yes. Very much yes.

We will stay focused on the now, stay focused on the things we can control. And have a darn good time while we’re doing it. Tonight that looks like dinner and a round (or three) of Telephone Pictionary. Staying up a little later than planned. Laughing at the absurdity of it all. And tomorrow, we’ll do it all again. 

RMI Guide Jess Wedel and the Aconcagua team