January 10, 2008 – Holding on from the Wind

I'm calling you from Berlin High Camp, the morning of the 10th. We have climbed Aconcagua and we're feeling great. Those winds I keep talking about, I reported about  last night, we did what all mountaineers learn to do; stay up all night; hold your tent down; do the best you can and just be thankful for the shelter. The winds last night were 70-80kms which felt like 80 miles/hr. It was the kind of night you weren't thinking at all about sleeping, you were thinking about keeping your shelter secured.

This morning we are looking up at the summit, it is nice to have as memory rather than a goal right now.

This has been a very successful “The plan of two’s.” After eating and enjoying at the Hyatt Hotel and the lovely summertime weather of Mendoza, we spent two nights at the hotel at 8,500 feet; we climbed to Confluencia Camp which sits at 11,000 feet, again two nights; Plaza de Mulas, 14,000 feet and spent two nights there; Plaza Canada, 16,100 feet two nights; Nido de Condores Camp, 17,700 feet, two nights; and we’ve spend two nights at Berlin High Camp, at 19,700 feet...[lost transmission]. Now we have got nothing but the pass back to Mendoza, we will have fond memories of our climb, and enjoying our last few days together with our Bolivia support team and our Aconcagua team; John, Kate,  Philip and Nathan, great job and congratulations again on a great and successful climb.