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.