Berg Adventures on Pinterest
Berg Adventures on Pinterest
Berg Adventures on RSS Feed
Berg Adventures on Facebook
Berg Adventures on Facebook

Follow us:

Title image - BAI takes you to: Aconcagua
Why climb with Berg Adventures

Aconcagua Expedition Dispatch

January 17, 2012 – Packing Loads for the Mountain and Our First Views of Aconcagua

It is a beautiful blue sky day in the Andes today. We left our hotel at an elevation of 8,500ft/2,590m mid - morning for drive up to the pass along the Chilean – Argentine border. We stepped out of the vehicle at 12,500ft/3,810m! Welcome to the Andes!

The views were spectacular in every direction, including looking north to the windblown summit of Aconcagua, our goal. We did not spend much time up at the border, but we did climb a bit higher to about 12,800ft/3,900m for a group photo. It was inspiring to see the grandeur all around us.

In the early afternoon we returned to the hotel for lunch and more expedition organization. Our "Plaza de Mulas" duffel bags, with high mountain gear will leave ahead of us by mule. Crampons, ice axes and our warmest clothes go into these bags.

The wind blowing off the summit of our mountain gave us pause, but it was a beautiful and inspiring sight.

The wind blowing off the summit of our mountain gave us pause, but it was a beautiful and inspiring sight.

Before we reached the pass we stopped along the road at the first sight of Aconcagua – Paule and Linda enjoy the view.

Before we reached the pass we stopped along the road at the first sight of Aconcagua – Paule and Linda enjoy the view.

Paul and Lisa at 12,500 feet!

Paul and Lisa at 12,500 feet!

Winston in the high mountain air at the border

Winston in the high mountain air at the border

A team shot

A team shot

Back at the hotel, Maria prepares the bags for the mules.

Back at the hotel, Maria prepares the bags for the mules.

Howard does some last minute gear checking with Sergio and Osvaldo.

Howard does some last minute gear checking with Sergio and Osvaldo.

Paule proudly confirms the label is correct for one of the mule bags.

Paule proudly confirms the label is correct for one of the mule bags.

We will sleep in a hotel room for one more night tonight with dreams of the summit of the Americas in our minds.

We will sleep in a hotel room for one more night tonight with dreams of the summit of the Americas in our minds.