September 5, 2007: Ascent of Piramide Blanca (White Pyramid)

AAI guide Mark Johnson called in this report by satellite phone at 8:20 pm Bolivia time:

We were up this morning at 3am, this time glad to more stable weather conditions. We felt the mountains beckoning. Everybody was really efficient, and we were out of camp by 4am for our attempt on Piramide Blanca. Conditions were really quite good and we made excellent time. Everyone is continuing their very successful acclimatization.

We had some mix of clouds and fog while climbing, but four of our team reached the summit (Susan, Brian, Jack, and Alan). We enjoyed our time on top and then made a fairly quick descent. We were off the glacier by 12:30 pm.

Tomorrow (September 6) will be a combination rest day and skills day. We'll have a leisurely morning and then work on advancing climbing and protective systems skills for everybody. We plan to climb Pequeño Alpamayo. That's an impressive route and everybody is psyched about it.

Dinner tonight was tortellini and red sauce, and I'd say it was a hit. Appetites have been really good which is not always true at altitude. I guess it must be the quality of the cooking!

By the way, I noticed on the approach today that the glacier is much more broken up than in past years. It required some trickery, running belays, and a lower on the way down. So yes, we are seeing evidence of continued global warming and unusual melt out. We're lucky the glaciation here in this part of the Cordillera Real is so extensive. Fortunately it will last for years in the areas where we climb even if this trend continues.

Unfortunately it affects people in very bad ways on the lower flanks of the range to the north and south where small glaciers and snow fields that used to feed their streams and ponds are disappearing. Without the water, they can't live where they were, and steadily some Aymara in the mountains are being displaced by the lack of water. So in some areas, these changes are a very major problem.