Dispatch 1:

AAI guide Andrew Wexler called on January 12 with the first dispatch from our 4-person team on Aconcagua. The team met up in Mendoza on January 7 and the next day drove west to Penitentes, where they spent two nights acclimatizing before heading out on three-day trek to Base Camp (13,800'). Andrew reports:

Hi all. It's currently 7am and we're situated at our second camp, on our way to Base Camp. Everyone is doing really well - Al Hendricks (Davie, FL), John Goble (Miami, FL), and Duart Perrin (Bangholme, Australia) are moving fast and doing great with the acclimation. Three days ago, we were in Penitentes, preparing our gear, food, and arranging for the pack mules. While based there we went for a hike up to 11,000 feet - no problems there. We made good times to each of our camps - we arrived at our first camp (two days ago) in about five hours, and yesterday we arrived at our current camp in less than four hours. Everyone is adjusting to the altitude very well and feeling good.

Today it's on to Base Camp. We've got our mugs of Starbucks coffee in hand and are getting ready to cross a frigid river - the crux of our trip! Tomorrow (Friday) is a planned rest day, and the next day we'll do a carry to Camp 1. We've heard conditions are supposed to be great on the mountain, and we're all stoked to begin the real climb. I'll call again soon!

Andrew

Dispatch 2:

We received the following message from guide Andrew Wexler on Saturday at 3am (January 14):

Hi, this is Andrew Wexler calling from Aconcagua base camp. We've been here two days and our acclimatization has been going very well. We're all enjoying being here, and everyone is feeling strong and ready to move up the mountain. We had a good day resting yesterday and got in some reading and listening to music. Now we are getting ready to do a carry to Camp 1. We'll make a cache there and then return here for the night. The next day we'll rest and acclimatize if needed, but considering how this team has been doing, it's more likely that people will be feeling good enough to head up and occupy Camp 1. It's going to be great to start moving up the mountain.

Dispatch 3:

We received the following message from guide Andrew Wexler on Tuesday, January 17, at 3:00 pm:

We are currently occupying Camp 1. Our first carry to this camp and then our move up here all went smoothly. We did a carry to High Camp Ð about at 19,400 feet - today. It took us 7 hours roundtrip to do the carry and return to Camp 1.

We will be sleeping at Camp 1 tonight at 16,400 and then take a rest day tomorrow (Wednesday). We plan to move up and occupy High Camp on Thursday, follow that with a rest day, and then go for the summit on Saturday the 21st if everything falls into place.

It's snowing right now, which is strange, because it was looking pretty good. The weather is a little funky - but this may not be bad. Perhaps the new snow will help us move faster higher up on the scree slopes. Conditions on mountain have been good. In general it's been dry - we haven't been hit by winds or particularly low temperatures. So all is going well, and we're looking forward to these next few days. Great to be here. Saludos.

Dispatch 4:

AAI guide Andrew Wexler called in the following dispatch today (January 20) at 4:30am Pacific time:

Hi everyone. This is Andrew reporting from High Camp on Aconcagua, at 19,350 feet! The team arrived here yesterday in overcast but otherwise pleasant weather (read: no wind!). It's currently a beautiful, cloudless morning and we have a whole day ahead of us to lie around camp and rest up for our summit attempt tomorrow. We feel strong and ready to give our best effort tomorrow. With a forecast for clear skies in the morning, and an overcast but windless afternoon, it looks as though the weather will be cooperating as well. Hopefully we'll be calling tomorrow from atop of the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere!

Dispatch 5: From the summit of Aconcagua!

Andrew called in at 10am Pacific time on Saturday, January 21 with great news!

Hello from the summit of Aconcagua! The team reached the top just moments ago amidst the most spectacular summit day I have ever seen. There's not even a slight breeze! I climbed in just one layer of polypro and was quite comfortable. It's currently about 3pm local time. We left High Camp at about 7am, so it took us 8 hours to get to the top, not bad! We're not the only ones who have taken advantage of this remarkable weather - I'd estimate that about 50 other people also made a bid for the top today.

We've heard that snow is on the way soon, perhaps even towards the end of today, so we're going to head down soon and hope that we can break down High Camp before the weather hits the mountain. In all, we're pretty stoked for having summited!

Congratulations everyone! We'll be in touch from Base Camp soon.

Andrew