Aconcagua Expedition Dispatch

January 30, 2014 – The Team Reached the Summit and Descended in Challenging Conditions

All of our team members who started for the summit of Aconcagua on Sunday the 26th reached the top. Marie-Jo and Sergio were there first, they climbed very rapidly after the team reached the point called "Independencia" at 21,000 feet (6400 meters) and they reached the top at 1:50 PM.

Margaret, Rafael, Simon, Alex and Osvaldo reached the summit at about 4:00 PM, and as you can see the weather closed in on them as they arrived at the famous cross which marks the top of the mountain. A notorious feature of Aconcagua weather is the "Viento Blanco" (the "White Winds"). On their descent, the second summit team experience full blizzard conditions, it was very difficult for them to see, but they were roped together and they rose to the occasion. They all had the stamina to make it through the hours-long trip down, which was led ably by Osvaldo, Sergio and Alex. One would not want to be high on Aconcagua without guides who know the terrain extremely well, as these guys do.

Congratulations to the entire team; we are enjoying sunny Mendoza now and will send some more photos soon of what life can be like at low elevations in Argentina's wine country!

Marie-Jo and Sergio looking thrilled and proud after reaching the summit of Aconcagua. Great job!

Alex, Rafael, Margaret and Simon brave the weather on the summit of Aconcagua. Congratulations team!