View of the upper mountain after our summit day

A second summit attempt was not an option, as the winds the following day were very strong.

Do You really need ALL those clothes?

We are often asked by our climbers if they REALLY need to bring ALL those clothes on our equipment list.
Maybe this video will help illustrate our affirmative response.

Video from our descent

Here is some video from our descent from High Camp.

Photos from Camp 2 to High Camp

Loaded up and headed for High Camp at 20,000 feet. High Camp is at the head of the shallow basin at the top of the image.

Tom H and a heavy pack in the bottom of the basin leading to High Camp.

Ali, bundled up and working hard on her way to High Camp in mixed weather.

White Rocks High Camp. We made our camp at the eastern edge of the area, away from the huddled masses.

JL- Phone Home.
It's pretty amazing that we can communicate from as close to extraterrestrial heights as most mortals ever get.

We tried to cook outside for much of the trip, but at High Camp we cooked in our vestibule.

Thanks Ali and Tom for the pics!

Photos from Camp 1 to Camp 2

Joe, saddling up for the push to Camp 2.

Our Camp 2 is somewhat "off the beaten path" from most of the climbers heading up the Vacas side of the mountain. The picturesque Cerro Ameghino is in the background.

We were fortunate to find running water under the ice at the base of a large field of snow and penitentes, right next to our camp.

Ali and Tom H took advantage of our rest day to get creative with the snow field.

Tom H, Ali and the most photographed snowman on Aconcagua. We counted at least a dozen climbers posing with this rotund fellow!

Cheers from Camp 2 at 18,000 feet!!

We awoke to some fresh snow on our rest day. The Polish Glacier and the summit are in the background.

Pancakes anyone? Real Vermont maple syrup...!
Food is one of the few things we can control in the mountains, so we don't skimp on the good stuff.

Morning light touching the sublime Cerro de la mano and the peaks above the Gussfeldt Glacier.

Again, thanks for Ali and Tom H for some of the photos!

Photos from BC to Camp 1

Ali and Joe celebrate their arrival at Plaza de Mulas with a Coke and some smiles.

Paca (La Macarena), our Base Camp manager. One of the many helpful and efficient employees of our old friend Fernando Grajales, who organized our mules and BC services.

The Argentines are not shy about launching their helicopter for rescues. We saw many climbers get flown out for altitude issues. More than you might think...

Tom Ceglia and Todd at the base of the large penitente field leading up to Camp 1 at 16,300'.

Joe in the middle of the penitente field. Penitentes are formed by wind, blown dust and sun.

Tom Henson, sizing up some of the larger penitentes on the way to Camp 1.

Tom C, taking a break in the sun at over 15,000', en route to Camp 1.

Setting up our Camp at 16,300'. Camp 1 is a pretty busy place and at night sounded somewhat like the fabled city of Babel, with numerous languages being spoken by our neighbors.

Looking down over the evening clouds from Camp 1.

Thanks to Ali and Tom H for some of the photos in this post!!

Photos from the Approach to Base Camp

Joe, Tom H, Ali and Tom C at the trailhead. Fresh, clean and lily white...

Our mule drivers (arrieros) cooked a wonderful asado (grilled meat) for us on our hike in.

Joe and Tom H, going native with some of the most delicious chunks of meat any of us had ever tasted.

Our first view of the mountain came at the end of Day 2 on the trail, and it was certainly spectacular!



We asked our arrieros to give us a shuttle across the frigid Rio Vacas instead of having to wade it.

The hike up the Relinchos Valley to Base Camp was really beautiful. All the while, Aconcagua loomed over us at the head of the valley.